Gary Simmons may have been small in stature, but he certainly didn’t play like it. Simmons, whose No. 6 jersey was just the second to be retired at U of I, was the Vandal leader from 1955-58, twice earning team MVP honors.
As a senior, Simmons became the shortest player in Pacific Coast Conference history to lead the league in scoring. He was named to four All-America teams, as well as the All-PCC team. One of Simmons’ most memorable games was Idaho’s 1958 win over UCLA, when he scored 37 points and attempted a school-record 20 free throws, sinking 15 to help seal the Vandal victory.