Dan Needy is a STHS graduate of the class of 1964. Excelling in track and cross country, Dan lettered four years in track and three years in cross country. He was the recipient of five Most Valuable Player Awards and four Hustle Awards. He was also the MVP of Sterling's Hall of Fame 1964 track team and ran anchor on the 1964 Hall of Fame two-mile relay team. Dan received the Roscoe Eades Award in 1964 and was inducted into the SHS Hall of Fame in 1999. In cross country, Dan won two NCIC titles and one district title. In 1963, he won the prestigious Sterling Invitational that featured a field of over 150 runners that included several large schools from Peoria, Rockford, Moline, Rock Island and Pekin with a time of 9:33.9. A leader, Dan was captain or co-captain of four teams, as well as S Club President in 1964. His leadership is best shown not by his success on the track but by his willingness to compete where Coach Dietz '48 needed him most. Though a middle distance runner, Dan often competed in the 220-yard and 440-yard dashes to gain points for his team. This sometimes meant competing in back-to-back events.A versatile runner, Dan competed individually in the 220, 440, 880 and mile events as well as the sprint medley, mile and two-mile relays. During his time at STHS, Dan set more than 40 records. His school records included the 440-yard dash, 880-yard run, mile relay and two-mile relay, plus several cross country course records. As a junior in 1963, Dan broke Richard Gebhardt's '34 29-year-old record in the 880-yard run with a 1:59 flat. By the time he graduated, he had bettered that mark more than ten times, finishing with a school record of 1:56.2 (1:55.7 metric equivalent). At the 1964 IHSA State Meet, Dan finished eighth in 880. That race produced a new national record with four runners breaking the old state record and six runners under 1:55. Dan's time of 1:56.2 would have been state champion in 42 states, but was only good enough for eighth in Illinois. Dan was the only three-time winner of the Blackhawk District Meet, winning the 880 as a sophomore, junior and senior. He tied the meet record in 1963 and set a new record in 1964 in the 880. Following graduation, Dan became a stand-out runner for Murray State University in Murray, Ky. His freshman year, he won the Ohio Valley Conference 880 by posting a school and conference record of 1:50.2 (1:49.7 metric equivalent). That time was the third fastest in the nation and was one second off the national record. Dan is retired and lives with his wife, Patricia in St. George, Utah.