Football Alumni and Friends Raise $92,000 at Hershberger Gridiron Golf Classic
Beavers from nine states enjoy fellowship while sponsoring new lockers, supporting Building Champions effort for BVU Athletics and more
One-hundred-nine Beavers from nine states and as far away as California and Texas converged on BVU Lake Creek on July 25, playing golf while raising $92,000 to help fund the Jim and Floy Hershberger Football Fund and the Building Champions capital campaign at Buena Vista University.
“What a great day for BVU and Beaver football,” said Coach Austin Dickinson ’10. “We had a blast welcoming football alumni and friends from all over the US as we worked to keep raising the bar for our program. These Beavers help us hit the ground running as the 2025 season gets underway.”
“I’m excited about the new locker room and what it will mean for recruiting and success of the football program. Coming back for the Hershberger Gridiron Golf Classic is a great time to reunite with teammates and other Beaver football graduates. The fact we can get together and help support Coach Dickinson, his coaches and current and future Beavers makes it even more meaningful.”
-Dr. Derek Schwartz ’15
A total of $27,000 was raised to help grow Beaver football and the Jim and Floy Hershberger Football Fund, which has provided funding support for the football program since its founding more than two decades ago. The football team, thanks to the generous backers who support this event, will be able to stay overnight on each road trip this season.
Twenty Beavers collectively pledged $50,000 in support, each by sponsoring a locker in the new Jim Hershberger Football Locker Room, named for the late Jim Hershberger, who served as Head Football Coach for 20 seasons. A locker can be sponsored for just $41.67 per month over the next five years, or $2,500 total.
“I’m excited about the new locker room and what it will mean for recruiting and success of the football program,” said former Beaver, Dr. Derek Schwartz ’15, of Templeton. “Coming back for the Hershberger Gridiron Golf Classic is a great time to reunite with teammates and other Beaver football graduates. The fact we can get together and help support Coach Dickinson, his coaches and current and future Beavers makes it even more meaningful.”
The event began with a barbeque hosted by President Brian Lenzmeier and his wife, Betsy, as McCorkle House on Storm Lake’s northwest shore provided a picturesque setting for 20 alumni and staff members on the evening prior to the Hershberger Gridiron Golf Classic. The day of the event, Beaver football alumni and friends heard from Dickinson, three Hall-of-Fame Beavers, Director of Athletics Amy Maier and former BVU tight end Dr. Brandon Johnson ’04, who serves as Vice President for Enrollment, Marketing, and Athletics at BVU.
“Ultimately, this program changed my life, and the lives of so many of my friends and teammates,” Johnson said. “Now, it’s our chance to give back, and to ensure this football program continues to grow while shaping the lives of our student-athletes.”
Julian Erickson ’55 came from California to participate in his first Hershberger Gridiron Golf Classic. He played with his nephew, Kevin Fahnlander ’90, another BVU football alumnus. While Erickson was a starting end for the Beavers some 71 years ago, Fahnlander, of Royal, toiled at defensive back in the late 1980s.
“The Hershberger was a great event, really impressive,” said Erickson, who turned 91 just three weeks following the golf event. “We had a great time. It was fun visiting with our coaches, President Lenzmeier, and alumni from many different decades. I can’t wait to come back!”
The date and details surrounding the 2026 Hershberger Gridiron Golf Classic at BVU Lake Creek will be shared in the near future. More information on the date and events of the day will come at a later time. For information on how you can support the new Coach Jim Hershberger Football Locker Room, please see https://alumni.bvu.edu/building-champions-campaign.