Cherri Mankenberg

Inducted: 1979

Cherri Mankenberg, a 1965 graduate of West Monona High School in Onawa, Iowa, was a standout women's basketball player during the infancy of the program at Wayne State. Playing from 1965-68 for the unofficial Wayne State AAU team (women's basketball was not yet a varsity sport), she was named to the John F. Kennedy All-Tourney team, the AAU All-Region team in 1967 and 1968, and participated in the 1968 national tournament. She was also active in intramurals, including flag football, softball and volleyball. A 1969 graduate of WSC, Cherri received a Master's degree in physical education from the University of Northern Colorado in 1976 where she was also an assistant women's basketball coach. She taught and coached at the high school level from 1969-75 before becoming the women's basketball coach at the University of Nebraska-Omaha. She has also served as associate athletic director at UNO. Mankenberg, the first female inducted into the WSC Athletics Hall of Fame, was inducted on October 6, 1979.