(LEBANON, Ill., Oct. 8)--The McKendree University Sports Hall of Fame grew by five new members on Saturday. The formal induction of the McKendree Sports Hall of Fame Class of 2019 took place on Saturday as part of McKendree'a annual awards dinner held at Belle Court Manor in Belleville, Ill. 

The newest inductees are: Wendell Johnson, Class of 1969; Chris Mitchell, Class of 1999; Sharon Huffman Marquardt, Class of 2001; Eric Palm, Class of 2010; Wade Lowe, Class of 2012. All five were accomplished student-athletes during their undergraduate days at McKendree. Johnson, Marquardt, Palm and Lowe were inducted under the Former Athlete category, while Mitchell earned the nod as a Sports Professional. Below are their biographies:

WENDELL JOHNSON
Athlete -- Class of 1969 -- Baseball and Men's Basketball
Wendell Johnson was a two-sport standout during his time at McKendree during the 1960s. Not only did he leave an impact on the sports he played for the Bearcats, but he also went on to coach so he could teach the games he loved to others.
 
Wendell came to McKendree after a stellar high school career at nearby Lebanon Community High School, where he earned honorable mention All-State honors in basketball as a senior. He played both baseball and basketball for the Bearcats, and had the distinction of being coached by three different individuals on the hardwood – Barney Oldfield, Lou Vesley and Harry Statham. Wendelle lettered in both sports all four years of his academic career, and also received the White Blanket Award at McKendree.
 
As a junior on the baseball diamond, Wendell earned honorable mention All-America honors from the NAIA, where he ranked in the top 20 among earned-run average leaders at 1.97. Wendell was drafted by the St. Louis Cardinals, but chose instead to pursue a career in education after his graduation from McKendree.
 
Wendell eventually returned to his alma mater, where he was an assistant basketball coach for seven years under Coach Statham. He later went on to serve as the head basketball coach at Lebanon HS for three years, becoming the first African-American head coach in the Cahokia Conference. Wendell also was the athletic director and baseball coach at Lovejoy High School.

CHRIS MITCHELL
Alumni and Sports Professional -- Class of 1999 -- Men's Tennis
Chris Mitchell has distinguished himself as one of the top professionals in the field of collegiate athletics since his graduation from McKendree. He has become one of the most respected individuals at any level in the sports information world, publicizing the achievements and successes of scores of student-athletes while also serving his peers and making a difference through his committee work with the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA).
 
Chris played tennis during his four years at McKendree, and served as team captain. He helped lead the Bearcats to a regional championship and an appearance at the NAIA Men's Tennis National Championships in his senior year of 1999. Following his playing career, Chris began his sports information career as an assistant for one year at McKendree. The following year, he was hired as a staff assistant at Duke University, where he spent the 2000-01 academic year.
 
From there, Chris was hired as the assistant sports information director at Washington University in St. Louis. He served in that role from 2001-03 before being promoted to head the department. In 2015, Chris was elevated into the role of assistant director of athletics for communications, where he is responsible for all strategic communications for the Bears' 19 athletic programs, including directing all media, public relations and social networking efforts. He was instrumental in developing the WashU Sports Network, which includes live video for all WashU home events.
 
A member of CoSIDA for more than two decades, Chris has been a valued member of several national committees. He served as chair of the Membership Services Committee, and since 2009 has been a key member of the organization's Goodwill and Wellness Committee. Chris has been chair of the difference-making committee since 2017 and has instrumental in founding the CoSIDA 5K and helping to organize local outreach initiatives such as Samaritan's Feet.
 
For his work in the field of sports information and through CoSIDA, Chris was recognized as the 2018 winner of the Warren Berg Award, presented annually to a CoSIDA College Division member who has made outstanding contributions to the field of college athletic communications and who, by his activities, has brought dignity and prestige to the profession.

SHARON HUFFMAN MARQUARDT
Athlete -- Class of 2001 -- Softball
Sharon Huffman Marquardt only played two seasons in a McKendree softball uniform. However, the impact she made on the Bearcats' program can still be measured today as she stands as one of the most productive performers ever to wear the Purple and White.
 
After transferring to the McKendree program in time for the 1998 season, Sharon quickly established herself as an everyday contributor in the Bearcats' lineup. As a junior she batted .338, adding 11 doubles, five home runs and 30 runs batted in on her way to All-Conference recognition from the American Midwest Conference. Sharon led the team in doubles and was tied for the team lead in RBI.
 
That set the stage for a memorable senior season in 1999. Sharon became one of just a handful of McKendree softball players to hit over .400 for a season, posting a batting average of .401. She led the squad in nearly every offensive category with 81 hits, 17 doubles, seven triples 13 home runs and 53 runs batted in. Sharon repeated as an All-AMC selection while earning All-America accolades from the National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA).
 
McKendree reached the NAIA Softball Championship in each of Sharon's two seasons with the Bearcats. McKendree made a deep run at the 1999 event, finishing fifth in the nation and ending the year with a then-record 38 victories. Sharon was named to the NAIA Softball Championship All-Tournament Team after leading the Bearcats to three victories during the week.   
 
In her two years at McKendree, Sharon batted .376 with 28 doubles, eight triples, 18 home runs and 83 runs batted in. All of those career statistics rank in the Bearcats' top 10 at the time of her induction.

ERIC PALM
Athlete -- Class of 2010 -- Men's Basketball
Eric Palm was the key component in the success of the McKendree men's basketball program in the late 2000s. His knack for consistently hitting long-range shots and his ability to rise to the occasion in big games helped the Bearcats solidify their status as one of the top teams in the American Midwest Conference and the NAIA Division I ranks during that span.
 
Eric finished his four-year playing career at McKendree by scoring 2,066 points, which ranked fifth in program history at the time of his induction. He was one of just seven players to top the 2,000-point mark for the Bearcats. Eric averaged 15.4 points per game and was able to score in a variety of ways, including through his accuracy both from three-point range and at the free throw line. He closed his McKendree playing career ranked third with 532 made free throws and fourth with 254 three-point field goals. At the foul line, Eric is sixth in career free throw percentage at .851. He also ranks in the Bearcats' career top 10 with 298 assists and 131 steals.
 
Throughout his career, Eric had several memorable individual performances on the court for McKendree. Perhaps his biggest one came in the Bearcats' regular-season finale at Columbia College in his junior season of 2007-08. With the scored tied in the closing seconds, Eric scored on a driving lay-up and was fouled with three seconds left. He made the free throw to seal a 73-70 victory that gave McKendree the AMC regular-season title and capped a performance that saw Eric score 22 of his game-high 30 points in the second half.
 
Post-season accolades were plentiful for Eric. He was a two-time first-team All-America selection in NAIA Division I. He also earned the American Midwest Conference Player of the Year award as a junior and senior, and was a three-time, first-team All-Conference honoree. At the NAIA Division I Men's Basketball National Championship, Eric helped guide McKendree to the quarterfinals of the 2009 event as a senior and was named to the All-Tournament team. He also received the Charles Stevenson Hustle Award for his efforts in the 2008 event.

WADE LOWE
Athlete -- Class of 2012 -- Wrestling
Wade Lowe was a testament in consistency throughout his four-year wrestling career at McKendree. He played a big role in the Bearcats becoming a dominant force in the world of NAIA wrestling.
 
Wade arrived after being a four-time state qualifier in high school at Alton High School. That consistency followed him into his collegiate career. Wrestling primarily at 133 pounds, Wade was a force from his early days of competition for the Bearcats. He burst onto the scene as a freshman in 2007-08, posting a career-high 41 victories on his way to a third-place finish at the NAIA National Championship. Wade followed up with a 26-12 record as a sophomore that included a fourth-place effort in the 2009 national tournament.
 
After notching 29 victories as a junior, Wade entered his senior season as the No. 1-ranked wrestler in the NAIA at 133 pounds. He backed up the pre-season rating by going 25-4 in his final season of competition that was capped with a 2011 NAIA national title in the 133-pound weight class. McKendree finished in the top 10 of each NAIA National Championship event in which Wade participated.
 
For his career at McKendree, Wade had an overall record of 121-35. He is one of a handful of Bearcat wrestlers to earn NAIA All-America honors three times in a career.