By Anelia K. Dimitrova
Team victories are vigorously lived in the moment, but when their lasting impact sparks inspiration in generations to come, they become legendary.
And legends are made of stories.
When shared, they bond the past and the present in a lifting arc that connects what was to what is and what will be.
One such rare moment of bonding across time unfolded on Friday evening at the Cedar Falls home of Laura and Randy Hashman.
On a quiet neighborhood street, where a Panther flag marked the location of the Hashman home on an October evening fresh from a gentle rain, two generations of UNI football players — 65 years apart — connected through stories.
The guests of honor were several members of the undefeated 1960 UNI Panthers team and some of their family members.
The guests of the day were a group of 2025 Panthers, full of enthusiasm and awe for the legends they were about to meet.
It was a fitting space to connect the two teams as the hostess of the event, Laura, is the niece of one of the storied 1960 players, George Asleson.
With hot dogs and hamburgers on the menu, stories were swapped and memories were made on the eve of the UNI game with South Dakota.
65 years apart, UNI Panthers bond through school pride
Organized by Warren Hansen, the captain of the 1960 team, who had travelled from California to attend, the reunion brought back a lot of memories. The members of the legendary team were happy to be here and to be counted.
Time had shrunk their roster, but they were determined to keep the spirit alive, so they made it a point to show up for those who were no longer among them.
Standing in for her late husband was Ann Asleson, 90, the widow of George Asleson, an offensive guard and linebacker, whose “huge plays” on the field earned him a spot in the UNI Hall of Fame, among other accolades. George became the first team captain picked by then-coach Stan Sheriff.
For the evening of bonding, George’s legacy was illustrated by several pieces that are on permanent display in the Hashman home. Among them was a glass-covered and framed copy of a 2007 article of the Charles City Press, featuring his career, and a framed replica of the jersey worn by George, sporting his number, 70. Also displayed were several photographs, one of them showing the 1960 team in their football uniforms posing with their coaches and staff. A label inserted into the photo proclaims: “1960 Undefeated North Central Champions.”
Bringing the past more tangibly into the present was also a football signed by players of the 1960 team from the game between Mankato State College and Iowa State Teachers College, now UNI.
It was an evening of humble glory, of aspirations and wisdom that met youth.
Distinguished in her small stature and widowed since 2000, when she lost her husband to cancer, Ann Asleson recalled what it was like for her to watch George play.
“I held my breath,” she said. “I wore his wedding ring over mine during the games, and they were just great, they did beautifully.”
What George treasured, she said, is the bond of brotherhood the team shared.
“They thought the world of each other,” she said. “The coach, Stan Sheriff, said to me, a few years ago, he said, ‘I’ve never had a team like this one as close as they were, and I’ll never have another one like it.'”
That bond has lasted a lifetime, Ann added.
“They’ve all been friends for years,” she said. “When they lose somebody, it’s a real tough one. They are getting to be a smaller and smaller team, so that’s why it means so much for them to get together.”
UNI fight song connects Panthers from two generations
The moment of bonding that evening will be remembered for at least another 65 years by the players who made it happen.
As the hosts worked to arrange the two generations of Panthers in the backyard for a historic photo, and the photographer climbed on a ladder to capture the right angle, the guests of honor sat in chairs in front of the standing 2025 team members.
In that brief moment when the picture was done, but no one was sure what needed to happen next, as it was clear everyone wanted to hold on to the moment, someone suggested that the players sing the UNI fight song “loud.”
Without further ado, the student athletes jumped at the opportunity. (Watch the video below).
The clapping of their hands set the pace for the lyrics, drawing the audience in and drawing out smiles.
In response, Warren Hansen, 85, the organizer, who played left linebacker and fullback positions, inspired the team with his words before the next day’s game.
He emphasized the lifelong relationships built by the players on the team and said college football had evolved over time.
But what has remained constant, he added, is love for the game, the love for UNI and the value of the bond among the players that endures for a lifetime.
“We’ve got stories miles long,” he said. “I am sure you are creating all of yours, too, but as big as you are, let me tell you, your hearts ain’t bigger than what ours were. There’s none of us that would trade those [experiences] for anything. We built a lot of friendships.”
The 2025 Panthers were touched by the words
Team members told me they had met other former players and coaches as an inspiration, but Friday’s meeting with the 1960 team held a special meaning.
“It’s really cool to see a Panther from the past,” said Gabe Meany, a psychology major from Janesville. “The speech was very encouraging, very inspiring and motivating, seeing someone that played in the program a long, long time ago, still here. It really makes me motivated to play. Seeing that he still supports us after all this time is just an amazing feeling. It is awesome to get to play for this university.”
Meany’s teammate, left guard Jack Hearne, tried to imagine what it would look like for him, 65 years from now, if he were invited to campus to inspire future Panthers.
“That would be probably like an awesome feeling, though, getting to speak to the current UNI Panthers of 65 years from now, just being able to motivate them and just let them know that I support them,” Meany said.
Andrew Monsivais, a biology and biosciences major from Ankeny, summed up the inspiration of the 1960 Panther football team like this:
“They were a part of something really special here at UNI,” he said. “And while we’re in a downward time, at UNI football, hearing these guys’ stories and their camaraderie and how they came together as a team to go undefeated back in 1960 really inspires us all.
“These guys, we think about them all the time when we’re playing. We want to really have a successful year and come up with a win every Saturday because there’s so many guys like them that came before us, that played for this university, that have so much pride in it.
“And we want to live up to their standard for us and show them that we’re so grateful for what they do for us and that they’re coming back to support us.
“We want to carry their legacy on and give them something proud to cheer for now. ”
