CEDAR FALLS, Iowa – The University of Northern Iowa announced that UNI alumna Sandy Stevens will be the first woman inducted into Iowa's Wrestling Hall of Fame.

Stevens received the Order of Merit award from the National Wrestling Hall of Fame in 1998 and is a member of the Hall of Fame’s Board of Governors. She also announces events for the Hall of Fame, including Honors Weekend each June, and the “Sport For All – Any BODY Can Wrestle” roundtable discussion at the 2017 NCAA Wrestling Fan Fest in St. Louis.

Joining Stephens in the Class of 2017 are UNI alumni Joel and Justin Greenlee, who become the sixth set of siblings to be inducted, and Marshalltown High School wrestling coach Mike Mann. Joel Greenlee is president of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame’s Ohio Chapter. The 48th annual banquet and ceremony will be held on April 10 at the Cresco Country Club in Cresco, Iowa.

Stevens is considered one of the top ambassadors for the sport of wrestling. She is recognized globally as the voice of wrestling, but she has never forgotten her UNI roots. Stevens announced at the NCAA Division I Championships for 34 years, multiple world championships, numerous independent and high school tournaments along with a pair of Olympic games (1984 – Los Angeles; 1996 – Atlanta).

Stevens helped create the Bear and Sandy Stevens Head Wrestling Coach Endowment at the University of Northern Iowa. Funds from this endowment will be used to support the salary of the UNI wrestling coach position. Stevens also was the lead donor in the wrestling room renovation project in the West Gym and has endowed two wrestling scholarships.

Stevens is a board member of both the UNI Foundation and the National Wrestling Hall of Fame. She continues to represent UNI in the Chicago area in a variety of capacities, including assisting UNI's admissions counselors in recruiting Chicago-land residents to attend UNI.