Occie Burt was a dynamic halfback for the Rockets in the late 50’s. He was twice named to the All-MAC team, a first-team selection in 1958 and a second-team pick in 1959. Burt led the Rockets in rushing in 1958 with 618 yards, averaging 5.0 yards per attempt. A year later he was named team co-captain, gaining 437 yards on 4.8 yards per attempt. His best game came vs. Baldwin Wallace in 1959 when he gained 159 yards. Burt also played baseball for the Rockets. During the 1959 season, he led the team with three home runs and 18 RBIs in just 18 games. Burt graduated with a bachelor’s degree in education and worked for AT&T for 30 years before retiring.

Mel Miller was a star in both football and track & field for the Rockets. Miller played on UT’s first MAC Championship team in 1967, and earned first-team All-MAC honors as an offensive guard in 1968. On the track, Miller set the school record in the pole vault at 16’-0", which also set the record at the Penn Relays and earned him honorable mention Academic All-America honors. Miller is one of three Toledo men’s track and field members ever to win an event at the Penn Relays. Miller excelled in the classroom as well, earning Academic All-MAC honors in 1966. He graduated with a degree in civil engineering in 1970. Miller also received the American Legion Medal for the highest grades in the ROTC program, and later served in the U.S. Army.

John Ross was one of the first great wide receivers in Rocket history. He was named first-team All-MAC and Academic All-MAC as a senior in 1974 when he led the league with 77 receptions for 866 yards. Those marks still rank fifth and eighth, respectively, on UT’s all-time season list. Ross also ranks ninth on UT’s all-time list in career receptions with 124. As a junior, Ross set a then-school record for catches in a single game with 14 in 1973, a record that stood for 30 years until it was broken by Lance Moore in 2003. During his senior season in 1974, Ross played in the Blue-Gray Senior Game where he caught six passes. He also played in the Ohio Shrine Bowl. Ross coached high school football for many years at Sylvania Southview and Sylvania Northview high schools.

Steve Schnitkey was one of the major forces of a dominating defense that helped propel the famous Rocket teams of 1969-71 to a collective 35-0 record, along with three MAC Championships and three Tangerine Bowl titles. Schnitkey stepped in at middle guard as a sophomore in 1969, recording 103 tackles and 14 sacks to help the Rockets to an 11-0 record and their first of three MAC titles. In his sophomore season, Schnitkey pulled off a remarkable feat for a down lineman, scoring two touchdowns in one game against Kent State in a 43-17 victory. As a junior, Schnitkey earned first-team All-MAC honors and had a team-best 178 tackles, along with 20 tackles for loss, three interceptions and two blocked punts. Schnitkey capped off his career by making 131 tackles and earning second-team All-MAC accolades, as the Rockets went 12-0 and won their third consecutive league title and Tangerine Bowl. For his career, Schnitkey was credited with 412 tackles, which ranks seventh all-time in UT history.

One of the most athletic big men in UT basketball history, Greg Stempin is one of only four Rockets to earn first-team All-MAC honors three times (the others are Hall of Famers Tom Kozelko, Steve Mix and Phil Martin). Stempin ranks fourth all-time at UT in scoring with 1,705 points and is tied for sixth in rebounds with 836. Thanks to Stempin’s dominating play, the Rockets were 74-45 in his four seasons and made it to the NIT twice. He led the team in scoring and rebounding as a sophomore (15.3 ppg, 7.4 rpg), junior (15.7, 8.1) and senior (18.3, 8.2). He also made the Academic All-MAC team twice. Stempin has played professionally in the NBA Development League and overseas since leaving UT in 2001.

Mike Tippenhauer was a dominating pitcher for the Rockets from 1975-78. Even though he pitched for UT more than 30 years ago, he is still ranked in the Top 10 in several all-time UT pitching categories. Among career leaders, Tippenhauer is tied for first in no-hit games (3), tied for third in wins (22), tied for fifth in complete games (13), ranks seventh in win-loss percentage (.687) and innings pitched (247.2), is tied for seventh in strikeouts (200), ranks ninth in fewest walks per inning (.335), and 10th in ERA (2.94 in 1975) and fewest hits per inning (.860). On UT’s season lists, Tippenhauer is tied for third in win-loss percentage (.857 in 1975), tied for ninth in ERA (2.36) and tied for 10th in games started (14 in 1977). He led the Rockets in victories (6) in 1975, and in victories (7) and strikeouts (55) in 1978.

Sara Vergote was one of the top distance runners in the Mid-American Conference from 1998-2002. She was a three-time All-MAC selection, a two-time NCAA qualifier and a three-time NCAA Region Team honoree in cross country and track. She won one MAC Championship (10,000 meters) and was runner-up in two others. She was the runner-up at the 2002 MAC Cross Country Championship, finishing behind teammate Briana Shook, and qualified for the NCAA Championships. She was a two-time NCAA All-Region selection in cross country, helping lead the Rockets from last place in the MAC her freshman year to back-to-back team titles in 2001 and 2002. In 2002, she was named to the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field All-Region Team and qualified for the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships in the 3,000-meter steeplechase, finishing 17th. In 2002, Vergote pulled off an impressive triple at the MAC Outdoor Track and Field Championships by winning the 10,000-meters, finishing second in the 3,000-meter steeplechase and finishing third in the 5,000 meters. Vergote is ranked fifth all-time in the MAC in the steeplechase. Vergote was a two-time Academic All-American and was a five-time team co-captain. She graduated with degrees in secondary education and biology.

Colin Westrich was a dominating offensive tackle on outstanding Rocket football teams in the late 1990’s. A three-time All-MAC selection, Westrich began his career quietly, playing as a reserve as a freshman in 1995, and sitting out the 1996 season due to injury. He came back healthy in 1997, however, and started in 11 of 12 games, earning second-team All-MAC honors as UT went 9-3 and won the West Division crown. He garnered first-team All-MAC honors in 1998 as UT again won the MAC West crown. In 1999, Westrich was named team captain, earning first-team All-MAC honors for the second time on a team that led the nation in rushing yards per carry (5.35). He was rewarded for his excellence when the Sporting News named him third-team All-America.

Don Whiting was an outstanding hitter for the Rockets from 1977-81. His lifetime batting average is .334, which ranks sixth all-time at UT. He also is tied for third with 39 career doubles. He earned first-team All-MAC honors in his senior season, hitting .394 with 62 hits, 13 doubles and 46 RBI (tied for eighth all-time at UT). In his other three seasons, he hit .298, .429 and .286. He knocked in at least 20 runs in each of his four seasons as a Rocket. Whiting played professional baseball in 1981 with the Detroit Tigers organization, but retired from baseball shortly thereafter due to back trouble.

Fred Zimmerman was a force on both sides of the ball—including three different defensive positions—for the Rockets from 1963-65. Zimmerman started out as a linebacker in his sophomore season, then moved to middle guard as a junior, making 138 tackles. But Zimmerman really came into his own as a senior at defensive end, leading the team with 157 tackles and earning first-team All-MAC honors and the Nicholson Award as the Rockets’ MVP. Zimmerman also was a standout on the offensive line, often playing as many as 50 minutes in a game. He was drafted by the AFL’s Houston Oilers and the NFL’s Atlanta Falcons drafted him in 1966. Zimmerman later signed with the St. Louis Cardinals.