Eric Adams was a four-year Missouri State soccer letterman and starter from 1985 to 1988 and was one of the early stars of a young Bears’ soccer program which moved from club level to full intercollegiate status in 1981. The Bears were competing as a Division I independent when Adams came to Missouri State in 1985 after two seasons as an all-conference selection at Kirkwood (Mo.) High. At MSU, he played forward for two seasons for the Bears of coach Frank Dinka and his final two campaigns for Jan Stahle when Stahle moved up from his post as assistant to become head coach in 1987. Adams got his Missouri State career off to a great start as he led the Bears in scoring his freshman season, collecting eight goals and four assists for 20 points as Missouri State posted a 7-10-2 season record. Adams was third on the team in scoring as a sophomore with seven points as he also served as a tri-captain for the Bears. With Stahle taking over the reins of the program in 1987, Adams was the only member of the squad to start in all 20 games for the Bears and he finished fourth in scoring with three goals and nine points as Missouri State upped its victory total again in a 9-10-1 season. Adams once again claimed the team scoring leadership as a senior captain in 1988 with six goals and three assists for 15 points as the Bears went 9-12-1. Following his playing days, Adams stayed on with the Bears to help Stahle as a student assistant coach for the 1989 season as the Bears began play in the Mid-Continent Conference. The 1989 Bears set a victory mark as they won 14 games and logged the program’s first-ever winning season in a 14-8 campaign that included a 3-3 conference record. Adams now lives in his native Kirkwood and is a regional manager for ScImage, Inc., an enterprise imaging and information management software company with more than 300 sites worldwide serving the health care industry.
Jim Prendergast was a four-year standout in the most successful era of Missouri State wrestling at the Division I level and was the wrestling Bears’ first Division I All-American. He came to MSU in 1989, redshirting his first year on campus after a successful four-year prep career at St. Louis DeSmet Jesuit High. Competing for Bears’ coach John Kriebs, Prendergast wrestled at 158 and 167 pounds during his Missouri State career. As a senior, his 31-8 record led the team in wins as he had a 14-0 dual mark and a 17-8 tournament record. He also led in pins (11) and team points (92.5) as the Bears won 11 of 14 dual meet decisions for the best dual winning percentage in school history. The Bears were second in the NCAA West Regional as Prendergast was one of three Bears to win their weight classes. That qualified Prendergast for the NCAA championship, where he had a 2-2 record. It was in Prendergast’s junior year of 1992-93 that he claimed NCAA All-American honors as he placed sixth at 158 pounds in the NCAA meet. He lost to the eventual champion at his weight class in the first round and then won four straight matches before falling in the consolation semifinals. Prendergast posted a season mark of 36-10, placed third in the NCAA West Regional, led the team in pins (10) and was second in team points (68). He was voted the Bears’ most valuable wrestler as MSU’s 13-8 record included the best single season dual meet win total ever. The Bears were 10-9-1 in Prendergast’s sophomore season as he had a 24-14-1 record and led MSU in pins (11) and team points (70). He was voted the Bears’ top freshman in 1990-91 with a 17-14 mark with five pins and 35 team points. Prendergast finished with the Missouri State wrestling career record in pins (37), was second in match victories (108) and ninth in winning percentage (.702). He now lives in St. Louis and is Director of Sales for Celebrity Coaches of Las Vegas.