Former Cal Poly football standout Stan Sheriff attended George Washington High School in San Francisco from 1947-50, where he earned first-team All-Academic/Athletic Association honors in 1948 and 1949 as a center and linebacker. He also was named to the 1949 All-Northern California Third Team.

He was Cal Poly's starting center all four years (1950-53), leading the Mustangs to the California Collegiate Athletic Association title with a 9-0 overall mark.

Following his senior season, Sheriff was named CCAA most valuable player, first-team All-CCAA, first-team Little All-Coast, first-team Little All-American, honorable mention National NCAA All-American and played in both the East-West Shrine Game and the Hula Bowl.

He was drafted by the Los Angeles Rams in 1954 and played for the National Football League's Pittsburgh Steelers, San Francisco 49ers and Cleveland Browns from 1954-57. He served in the U.S. Army in 1955.

Sheriff was a successful teacher, coach and administrator at the University of Northern Iowa from 1958-83 and the University of Hawaii from 1983-93.

At Northern Iowa, he was both athletics director and head football coach, compiling a 129-101-4 record with six conference titles, 15 winning seasons, four bowl appearances and twice was named Coach of the Year.

Sheriff was director of athletics at Hawaii from 1983-93 and passed away in January 1993. He is a member of the Cal Poly, Hawaii and Northern Iowa athletics halls of fame.

Sheriff was posthumously inducted into the San Francisco Prep Hall of Fame on May 15, 2010. He also was inducted into the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics Hall of Fame in 1995.

The field in the UNIDOME at the University of Northern Iowa is named Sheriff Field and the 10,300-seat arena at the University of Hawaii is named Stan Sheriff Center.