Judson University Athletics Hall of Fame

The 1970s, 1990s, and 2000s era will be represented at the 2012 Judson University Athletic Hall of Fame ceremony in January as five former athletes will be inducted.  Gary Shelley (1970-74; men's basketball), Nancy (Smith) Binger (1993-97; women's basketball/athletic administration); Rob Eastland (1997-2001; men's soccer), Janee' (Gregory) Kazda (volleyball; 1997-2001), and Shawna (Jensen) Sipes (women's basketball; 1998-2002) all have been voted into the hall of fame.  The Hall of Fame banquet will take place on January 27^that the Holiday Inn Northwest in Elgin, Ill. 

The 2012 hall of fame banquet will also feature a new addition as Judson will honor a special team.  Starting in 2012, Judson will honor a special team each year for their accomplishments on the field or court.  The first team to be recognized is the 1968-69 men's basketball team that went 19-7.

The 2012 class features three athletes that hold all-time records for their respective sports, teams that won first-ever championships or went to the NAIA National Tournament for the first time, and numerous individual awards.  For more information on the banquet, please contact Jan Andresen at jandresen@judsonu.eduor 847.628.1580. 

Full bios are at the bottom of the story

Gary Shelley

A three-year letter winner for basketball, Shelley is in Judson's all-time top 10 for assists and assists per game and a 1,000 point scorer.  In his four years at Judson, he also participated in tennis and cross country. 

For his career, he is fourth all-time in assists with 402 and eighth in assists per game at 4.3.  He finished with 1,064 career points which is 23^rdall-time.  He played in 94 games averaging 11.3 points per game and shot .453 from the floor and .727 from the foul line with 77 steals.   His teams went 42-60 with a 16-10 record in his freshman season of 1970-71.

Nancy (Smith) Binger

A big part of the Judson University athletic history as both a player and administrator, Binger was the 1996-97 female athlete of the year and worked for the athletic department for 10 years.  She made history as a part of the women's basketball team and as the director of athletics.

Playing in 115 career games, Binger was a NCCAA All-American and a member of the team that made Judson's first-ever appearance in the NAIA National Tournament (1995-96).  In the all-time records, she is third in three-point percentage (.407) and fifth in three-point field goals made (122) and three-point field goals attempted (390).  In four years of play, her teams went 69-48 and had the program's first-ever 20-win season in 1994-95 along with going to the program's first-ever post season tournament for the NCCAA.  The 1994-95 and 1995-96 were the first teams to post back-to-back 20-win seasons.  She also finished with 987 career points.

In 10 years of service to the athletic department, Binger reshaped the look of athletics.  She held posts of sports information director, associate athletic director, and director of athletics.  In her first moves as the sports information director, she put together new historical information for all the sports and reorganized how Judson was being represented to the public.  As an associate athletic director, she changed Judson's culture for the students by starting the Blue Crew, Judson Jackpot, Judson Olympics, and many other marketing items.  Working four years as the director of athletics, Judson had some of their finest years in athletics.  Binger saw 11 CCAC Championships won, hired 10 new coaches, overlooked the addition of 12 new sports, and was key in helping to bring the Chicago Bandits to the campus for three years.  She also helped in the renovations of the softball field and tennis courts.  In her tenure, three teams received votes in the NAIA National Poll for the first time and two teams played in their first-ever NAIA National or Regional Tournament.  Three teams also won their first-ever CCAC Championships under her leadership also.

Janee' (Gregory) Kazda

Holding three all-time records for Judson volleyball, Kazda led her team to two CCAC North Division Championships in four years of play.  The female athlete and scholar-athlete of the year, she also holds two single season records and was a part of the program's best season ever in 1997.

Kazda was a four-time NCCAA All-Region member and three-time All-CCAC selection along with being the CCAC North Division Player and Freshman of the Year.  Her teams won CCAC North Division championship in 1997 and 2000 and posted a program best 33 wins with a 28-match winning streak in 1997.  She made the NAIA All-Region team twice and was a NAIA and NCCAA scholar-athlete.

She is the all-time leader in kills (1,568), kills per game (3.60), and total attempts (3,999) and is third in career hitting percentage (.288) and sixth for digs (1,292).  She holds the single season records for kills (496; 1998) and for kills per game (4.21; 2000).  In the single season top 10 list, she is mentioned three more times as she is second in kills per game (4.03; 1998), sixth  and seventh in hitting percentage (.311; 1999/.304; 1998).

Rob Eastland

The all-time leader in assists for men's soccer, Eastland was a part of a NCCAA National Championship and Judson's first-ever CCAC Championship.  The CCAC Player of the Year helped Judson to 92 wins in four years.

Finishing his career with 81 assists as a four-year letter winner, he set the single season record for assists with 33 in 1999.  He finished his career with 46 goals and 173 points which is sixth all-time.  He was a part of Judson's fourth NCCAA National Championship in 1997 and the program's first CCAC Championship in 2000.  A NCCAA All-Region selection in 1998, he was the CCAC Player of the Year in 2000 and a member of the NCCAA All-Tournament team in 1999. 

Shawna (Jensen) Sipes

A part of Judson's finest season, ever, for women's basketball finishing in the NAIA National Tournament Elite Eight, Sipes has her name in 13 career top 10 lists.  Judson went 97-35 in her four-year span and played in three NAIA National Tournaments while winning four CCAC championships.

The four-time All-CCAC player was only Judson's second NAIA All-American second team selection and a two-time NCCAA All-American.  She holds the all-time record for free throws made (393) while guiding Judson to an Elite Eight finish (1998-99) and two Sweet 16 appearances (2000-01, 2001-02) in the NAIA National Tournament.  With 1,609 career points, she is second all-time behind Meghan McCarty (HOF inductee in 2010) and also is second all-time in free throws attempted (520), three-point field goals made (182), and three-point field goals attempted (504).   She won three CCAC regular season championships (1998-99, 1999-2000, 2000-01) and one CCAC Tournament Championship in 2000-01 and had for 20-win seasons.  

Team Honor

1968-69 Men's Basketball Team

This men's basketball team made history for Judson as the first team to break the 10-win barrier with 19 wins in only the fourth year of the program.  The 19 wins stood for 15 years until 1983-84 when the men's basketball team won 24 games.  The 1968-69 team features four Hall of Famers in Jerry Guse, Mike Harland, Joe Jackson, and Jerry Smith (coach).  In Jerry Smith's only season as the head coach, it was one his finest as they went 19-7.  They ended their season winning 10 of their last 12 games which included a five-game winning streak.  Guse and Harland were four-year players for Judson and a part of the first teams at Judson.  Guse finished his career with 1,558 points which is 8^thall-time while Harland had 1,265 points and 1,048 rebounds.  He is 16^thall-time in scoring and fourth in rebounding.  Harland was also the first player to record 1,000 points and 1,000 rebounds in a career as there have only been five players to do this in the history of the program. 

A three-year letter winner for basketball, Shelley is in Judson's all-time top 10 for assists and assists per game and a 1,000 point scorer.  In his four years at Judson, he also participated in tennis and cross country. 

For his career, he is fourth all-time in assists with 402 and eighth in assists per game at 4.3.  He finished with 1,064 career points which is 23^rdall-time.  He played in 94 games averaging 11.3 points per game and shot .453 from the floor and .727 from the foul line with 77 steals.   His teams went 42-60 with a 16-10 record in his freshman season of 1970-71.

His senior season was his finest year as a player as he scored his 1,000 career point and was named the team captain.  He finished with 126 assists and earned All-NIIC honorable mention status along with being on the Outstanding College Athletes of America list.  His junior year brought him the team's most valuable player award and sportsmanship award as he led the team in free throw percentage (.736) and assists (131).  In only his second year as a player in 1971-72, he earned the most improved player award.  The 1970-71 season was his first in college as he participated in three sports (basketball, cross country, tennis).  His best time in cross country was 29:42 as they team posted a 3-8 dual meet record under Steve Kimery and finished 5^thin the NIIC.  In tennis, his team went 0-6 under Dave Chesebrough.  He played basketball under both Steve Kimery and Dick Helm.

Awards

• All-NIIC Honorable Mention (1973-74)
• Outstanding College Athletes of America (1973-74)
• Team Captain (1973-74)
• Most Valuable Team Player (1972-73)
• Most Improved Team Player (1971-72)
• Sportsmanship Award for the Team (1972-73)
• 1,000 point scorer

Judson All-Time Top 10

• 4^thAll-Time in Assists (402)
• 8^thAll-Time in Assists Per Game (4.3)

A big part of the Judson University athletic history as both a player and administrator, Binger was the 1996-97 female athlete of the year and worked for the athletic department for 10 years.  She made history as a part of the women's basketball team and as the director of athletics.

Playing in 115 career games, Binger was a NCCAA All-American and a member of the team that made Judson's first-ever appearance in the NAIA National Tournament (1995-96).  In the all-time records, she is third in three-point percentage (.407) and fifth in three-point field goals made (122) and three-point field goals attempted (390).  In four years of play, her teams went 69-48 and had the program's first-ever 20-win season in 1994-95 along with going to the program's first-ever post season tournament for the NCCAA.  The 1994-95 and 1995-96 were the first teams to post back-to-back 20-win seasons.  She also finished with 987 career points.

In 10 years of service to the athletic department, Binger reshaped the look of athletics.  She held posts of sports information director, associate athletic director, and director of athletics.  In her first moves as the sports information director, she put together new historical information for all the sports and reorganized how Judson was being represented to the public.  As an associate athletic director, she changed Judson's culture for the students by starting the Blue Crew, Judson Jackpot, Judson Olympics, and many other marketing items.  Working four years as the director of athletics, Judson had some of their finest years in athletics.  Binger saw 11 CCAC Championships won, hired 10 new coaches, overlooked the addition of 12 new sports, and was key in helping to bring the Chicago Bandits to the campus for three years.  She also helped in the renovations of the softball field and tennis courts.  In her tenure, three teams received votes in the NAIA National Poll for the first time and two teams played in their first-ever NAIA National or Regional Tournament.  Three teams also won their first-ever CCAC Championships under her leadership also.

The 1996-97 year, her senior season, she led Judson to a 19-10 record while averaging 12.6 points per game as the team captain and most valuable player.  She was voted onto the NCCAA All-American second team and was also NAIA and NCCAA All-District. The team most valuable player also had 45 steals with an average of 4.2 rebounds per game.   She also put her name on the single season top 10 list for three-point field goals attempted (4^th; 172) and three-point field goals made (6^th; 58).   

Her sophomore and junior years (1994-95, 1995-96) were history making years for the program.  In 1994-95, Judson played in their first-ever post season tournament finishing seventh at the NCCAA National Tournament.  That year, Binger earned the teams Coaches Award averaging 6.9 points per game.  The following year, as the team captain, she helped her team to the programs first-ever NAIA National Tournament.  As a freshman, she was given the Coaches Award.

Awards

• 1996-97 Judson Female Athlete of the Year
• NCCAA All-American 2^ndTeam (1996-97)
• NAIA All-District (1996-97)
• NCCAA All-District (1996-97)
• Pat Pasko All-Tournament Team (1996-97)
• 2-time Team Captain (1995-96, 1996-97)
• 2-time Coaches Award (1993-94, 1994-95)
• Team Most Valuable Player (1996-97)

Team Accomplishments

• NAIA National Tournament – first-ever for the program (1995-96)
• NCCAA National Tournament – first-ever for the program (1994-95)
• NAIA Great Lakes Sectional Champion (1995-96)
• 20-win season – first-ever for the program (1994-95)
• Back-to-Back 20-Win Seasons – first-time ever (1994-95, 1995-96)

Judson All-Time Top 10

• 3^rdin 3-Point field goal percentage (.407)
• 5^thin 3-point field goals made (122)
• 5^thin 3-point field goals attempted (390)

Judson Single Season Top 10

• 4^thin 3-point field goals attempted (172)  (1996-97)
• 6^thin 3-point field goals made (58) (1996-97)

Judson Athletic Department Accomplishments

• Director of Athletics (2007-2011)
• Associate Athletic Director (2005-2007)
• Sports Information Director (2001-2005)
• Organized the Sports Information Department with historical information
• Re-organized the entire sports information department
• Set up Blue Crew, Judson Jackpot, Judson Olympics (now defunct), and other marketing items
• As A.D., added 12 new sports in three years
• Was a part of bringing the Chicago Bandits to campus
• Overlooked renovations to softball field and tennis courts
• Hired 10 new coaches in four years to upgrade the athletic department
• Women's Soccer, Softball, and Baseball all received votes in the NAIA National Poll for the first time in her tenure under the coaches she hired
• Judson won 11 CCAC championships in her four years as A.D.
• Men's Basketball made their first-ever NAIA National Tournament appearance
• Baseball played in their first-ever NAIA Regional Tournament (now defunct)
• Women's Soccer, Men's Basketball, and Softball all won their first-ever CCAC Championships
• Men's Soccer won the 2009 NCCAA National Championship

Holding three all-time records for Judson volleyball, Kazda led her team to two CCAC North Division Championships in four years of play.  The female athlete and scholar-athlete of the year, she also holds two single season records and was a part of the program's best season ever in 1997.

Kazda was a four-time NCCAA All-Region member and three-time All-CCAC selection along with being the CCAC North Division Player and Freshman of the Year.  Her teams won CCAC North Division championship in 1997 and 2000 and posted a program best 33 wins with a 28-match winning streak in 1997.  She made the NAIA All-Region team twice and was a NAIA and NCCAA scholar-athlete.

She is the all-time leader in kills (1,568), kills per game (3.60), and total attempts (3,999) and is third in career hitting percentage (.288) and sixth for digs (1,292).  She holds the single season records for kills (496; 1998) and for kills per game (4.21; 2000).  In the single season top 10 list, she is mentioned three more times as she is second in kills per game (4.03; 1998), sixth  and seventh in hitting percentage (.311; 1999/.304; 1998).

Named the Judson Female Co-Athlete of the Year in 2000-01, Kazda helped her team to their second CCAC North Division championship in four years as she was named the North Division player of the year.  She averaged 4.21 kills per game which became the single season record for Judson.  Her team went 20-11 as she made the All-CCAC team and NCCAA All-Region team for the fourth year in a row.  For the third time in her career, she was a NAIA All-Region selection as she posted 459 kills (3^rdin single season) and 328 digs. She also earned NAIA and NCCAA scholar-athlete status.

Voted as Judson's Female Scholar-Athlete of the year as a junior, she earned her first NCCAA scholar-athlete award.  Averaging 3.04 digs and 3.08 kills per game, she was named to the All-CCAC team and was a member of the NAIA All-Region second team and NCCAA All-Region team.  She finished second on the team in hitting percentage (.311) which still holds as sixth all-time in a single season.  As a sophomore she led the team in kills (496), kills per game (4.03), and hitting percentage (.304).  All three are in the single season top 10 as she ranks first for kills in a season.  She also was named to the NCCAA All-Region and All-CCAC teams.  The 1997 season was the finest for the program as they won 33 matches and the programs first-ever CCAC North Division championship.  Her play in the CCAC gave her the freshman of the year honors with 277 kills and 298 digs.  She also earned her first of four NCCAA All-Region honors.  Overall, Judson went 88-54 in four years of play with Kazda.

Awards

• Judson Female Athlete of the  Year (2000-01)
• Judson Female Scholar-Athlete of the Year (1999-2000)
• CCAC North Division Player of the Year (2000)
• CCAC North Division Freshman of the Year (1997)
• 4-time NCCAA All-Region (1997, 1998, 1999, 2000)
• 3-time All-CCAC (1998, 1999, 2000)
• 2-time NCCAA Scholar-Athlete (1999, 2000)
• NAIA Scholar-Athlete (2000)
• NAIA All-Region First Team (2000)
• NAIA All-Region Second team (1999)

Team Awards

• CCAC North Division Champions (1997, 2000)
• 33 wins – program best (1997)
• 28 match winning streak – program best (1997)

Judson All-Time Records

• 1^stin kills (1,568)
• 1^stin kills per game (3.60)
• 1^stin total attempts (3,999)

Judson Single Season Records

• 1^stin kills per game (4.21) (2000)
• 1^stin kills (496) (1997)

Judson All-Time Top 10

• 3^rdin hitting percentage (.288)
• 6^thin digs (1,292)

Judson Single Season Top 10

• 2^ndin kills per game (4.03) (1998)
• 6^thin hitting percentage (.311) (1999)
• 7^thin hitting percentage (.304) (1998)

Rob Eastland – Men's Soccer (1997-2001)

The all-time leader in assists for men's soccer, Eastland was a part of a NCCAA National Championship and Judson's first-ever CCAC Championship.  The CCAC Player of the Year helped Judson to 92 wins in four years.

Finishing his career with 81 assists as a four-year letter winner, he set the single season record for assists with 33 in 1999.  He finished his career with 46 goals and 173 points which is sixth all-time.  He was a part of Judson's fourth NCCAA National Championship in 1997 and the program's first CCAC Championship in 2000.  A NCCAA All-Region selection in 1998, he was the CCAC Player of the Year in 2000 and a member of the NCCAA All-Tournament team in 1999. 

Leading his team in points (56), goals (17), and assists (21) in his senior season (2000), Judson won their first-ever CCAC championship with a 7-0-1 record.  Eastland was voted the CCAC Player of the year and onto the All-CCAC first-team.  He also was named to the NAIA All-Region team and put his name into the single season top 10 for assists at seventh. 

He set the single season record for assists in 1999 as a junior with 33 as his team set the program record for goals in a season with 116.  He helped his team to their third straight NCCAA Regional Championship and NCCAA National Tournament appearance where they finished fifth and posted 23 wins.  He was named to both the NAIA All-Region team and NCCAA All-Tournament team. 

In 1998, Judson went to their second straight NCCAA National Tournament where they finished second after winning the NCCAA Regional Championship.  Eastland had 10 assists on the year and was named to the NCCAA All-Region team.  In his freshmen season of 1997, he led the team with 17 assists as Judson won their fourth NCCAA National Championship with a 23-5 record. 

Awards

• CCAC Player of the Year (2000)
• All-CCAC First Team (2000)
• NAIA All-Region (2000)
• NAIA All-Region Honorable Mention (1999)
• NCCAA All-Tournament Team (1999)
• NCCAA All-Region (1998)

Team Awards

• CCAC Champions (2000) – program's first
• NCCAA National Champions (1997) – program's fourth championship
• NCCAA National Tournament (1998) – 2^ndplace
• NCCAA National Tournament (1999) – 5^thplace
• Single season record for goals (116) (1999)

Judson All-Time Records

• 1^stin assists (81)

Judson Single Season Records

• 1^stin assists (33) (1999)

Judson All-Time Top 10

• 6^thin points (173)

Judson Single Season Top 10

• 7^thin assists (21) (2000)

A part of Judson's finest season, ever, for women's basketball finishing in the NAIA National Tournament Elite Eight, Sipes has her name in 13 career top 10 lists.  Judson went 97-35 in her four-year span and played in three NAIA National Tournaments while winning four CCAC championships.

The four-time All-CCAC player was only Judson's second NAIA All-American second team selection and a two-time NCCAA All-American.  She holds the all-time record for free throws made (393) while guiding Judson to an Elite Eight finish (1998-99) and two Sweet 16 appearances (2000-01, 2001-02) in the NAIA National Tournament.  With 1,609 career points, she is second all-time behind Meghan McCarty (HOF inductee in 2010) and also is second all-time in free throws attempted (520), three-point field goals made (182), and three-point field goals attempted (504).   She won three CCAC regular season championships (1998-99, 1999-2000, 2000-01) and one CCAC Tournament Championship in 2000-01 and had for 20-win seasons.

The team most valuable player in her senior season, Sipes became a NAIA All-American in 2001-02 selected to the second team as Judson finished 25-8 in the Sweet 16.  Leading her team in scoring average (13.4) and free throw percentage (.797), she earned her fourth straight All-CCAC award while also being voted onto the NCCAA All-American first team as Judson played in their third NAIA National Tournament in four years.  Finishing in three Judson single season top 10 records, the NCCAA All-Region selection was third in free throws made (122), seventh in free throw percentage (.797), and eighth in free throw attempts (153). 

Winning a program best 27 games in 2000-01 and advancing to the NAIA National Tournament Sweet 16, Sipes was a NCCAA All-American honorable mention selection averaging 12.8 points per game.  She led her team in three-point field goal percentage (.432) and assists (120) and finished in four single season top 10 categories.  She was fifth in free throws made (110), seventh in three-point field goal percentage (.398) and assists, and 10^thin free throws attempted (144).  Selected to the All-CCAC first-team, Judson won both the CCAC regular season and tournament championships while finishing ranked #21 in the NAIA National Poll.  She was also voted onto the NCCAA All-Region team.

Leading the team in assists (80) and steals (49), Judson won the CCAC regular season championship in 1999-2000.  Sipes was the team most valuable player while being selected to the All-CCAC honorable mention team.

Judson's finest season came in Sipes first season as a collegiate athlete.  As the CCAC Freshman of the Year, she led the team in scoring average (13.2), free throw percentage (.710), and three-point field goal percentage (.396).  She was voted as a member of the All-CCAC first-team as Judson went 25-9 winning the CCAC regular season championship and finishing in the NAIA National Tournament Elite Eight.  She finished in three top 10 single season records for three-point field goals made (3^rd; 74), three-point field goals attempted (3^rd, 187), and three-point field goal percentage (8^th; .396).

Awards

• NAIA All-American Second-Team (2001-02)
• NCCAA All-American First-Team (2001-02)
• NCCAA All-American Honorable Mention (2000-01)
• All-CCAC First-Team (1998-99, 2000-01, 2001-02)
• All-CCAC Honorable Mention (1999-2000)
• CCAC Freshman of the Year (1998-99)
• NCCAA All-Region (2000-01, 2001-02)
• Team Most Valuable Player (1999-2000; 2001-02)

Team Awards

• NAIA National Tournament (1998-99, 2000-01, 2001-02)
• NAIA National Tournament Elite Eight (1998-99)
• NAIA National Tournament Sweet 16 (2000-01, 2001-02)
• CCAC Regular Season Champions (1998-99, 1999-2000, 2000-01)
• CCAC Tournament Championship (2000-01)
• 27 Wins (2000-01) – program record
• #21 NAIA Final Ranking (2000-01)

Judson All-Time Records

• 1^stin free throws made (393)

Judson All-Time Top 10

• 2^ndAll-Time Scorer in Judson history (1,609) – behind Meghan McCarty
• 2^ndAll-Time Free Throws Attempted (520)
• 2^ndAll-Time 3-Point  Field Goals Made (182)
• 2^ndAll-Time 3-Point Field Goals Attempted (504)
• 3^rdAll-Time Free Throw Percentage (.756)
• 3^rdAll-Time Assists (344)
• 6^thAll-Time Field Goals Made (517)
• 6^thAll-Time Field Goals Attempted (1156)
• 6^thAll-Time 3-Point Field Goal Percentage (.361)
• 6^thAll-Time Games Played (127)
• 9^thAll-Time Scoring Average (12.6)
• 10^thAll-Time Steals (197)

Judson Single Season Top 10

• 3^rdin three-point field goals made (74) (1998-99)
• 3^rdin three-point field goal attempted (187) (1998-99)
• 3^rdin free throws made (122) (2001-02)
• 5^thin free throws made (110) (2000-01)
• 7^thin three-point field goal percentage (.398) (2000-01)
• 7^thin assists (120) (2000-01)
• 7^thin free throw percentage (.797) (2001-02)
• 8^thin three-point field goal percentage (.396) (1998-99)
• 8^thin free throws attempted (153) (2001-02)
• 10^thin free throws attempted (144) (2000-01)