Hall of Fame
Walter Rogers
Athlete
Class of 1989
Basketball
A dominating player on the offensive end of the court, four-year-basketball-letterman Walter Rogers averaged more than 19 points a game for McKendree. By the end of his Bearcat career, he had accumulated 2042 total points, earning him fourth place on the all-time scoring list. During the 1987-88 season he was elected captain by his teammates and was also named the team’s Most Valuable Player.
Amassing a career won-lost record of 109-31, Rogers led his team to a second place finish in the 1987 NAIA (National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics) District 20 tournament and to the 1988 tournament championship, a victory that earned the Bearcats a first-ever trip to the NAIA National Tournament.
Rogers’ ability on the hardcourt was recognized both 1987 and 1988 by the NAIA, when he was named to the District 20 first team. In 1988 he was voted Player of the Year in the district and selected third team NAIA All-American by USA Today. He received both the Louis A. Butts and the Louis F. Vesely scholarship awards for his basketball achievements.
After graduation, Rogers entered the field of social work to counsel at risk youth and adults.
