UWEC Athletics Hall of Fame
Jerry Gendron, known as “Jugger”, ranks among UWEC’s all-time pass receiving leaders. During a career that stretched from 1962 through 1965 and included the conference championship years of 1963 and 1964, Gendron caught 109 passes for 1,565 yards and 12 touchdowns. His premier season was 1964 when he hauled in 44 passes for 655 yards. He and Jim Van Gorden set a school record when they collaborated on an 82-yard pass against Stevens Point that year. That record stood for 11 years. Gendron was All-Conference in 1963, 1964 and 1965, NAIA All-District twice and the team MVP his senior year. After his eligibility expired, Gendron received tryouts with the Miami Dolphins, Detroit Lions and New Orleans Saints and was a member of the Saints’ farm team for three years. A native of Appleton, Gendron graduated with a degree in psychology and sociology and then obtained his master’s from Virginia Commonwealth and was a doctoral candidate at William and Mary although he did not complete that degree. After working from 1968 to 1978 as a special educator in the Virginia schools, he created his own management company known as Gendron Management, Inc. As such, he has been the Tour Accountant with Luis Miguel, Lenny Kravitz, Beastie Boys, Madonna, Shania Twain, Billy Joel/Elton John, Jimmy Buffett and Faith Hill/Tim McGraw among others. For his induction, he flew into Eau Claire from Philadelphia where he was on tour with Barbra Streisand. He has earned a reputation for “training” members of various bands and crews when on tour. He has been written up in Redbook Magazine and other publications for providing that service for Amy Grant, Rick Springfield and other artists.
