LEBANON, Ill. – The McKendree University athletic department is pleased and excited to announce that the Poelker Family has been gracious enough to pledge a donation of $100,000 to improve Leemon Field. The donation is the first step in a fundraising campaign to update the turf at Leemon Field for next fall. The goal of the athletics department is to bring in a state-of-the-art surface that will help improve our performance and safety of all our young men on our field. We are extremely thankful for their donation and their continued support of the McKendree Football program.

Also with this donation, head football coach Jason Rejfek is excited to announce they are working with the Poelker family to dedicate and name the Football Locker Room after Coach Carl Poelker. The program would like to recognize the impact he had on the countless young men who have come through McKendree in his time with the program.

Coach Poelker was inducted into the McKendree Sports Hall of Fame in 2016. He was hired to revive the McKendree football program in 1995 after not having played a game in more than four decades. During his 17-year in purple and gold, Poelker led the Bearcats to seven conference championships and nine NAIA National Tournament appearances. Coach Poelker is the all-time leader in wins and winning percentage in program history with 117 victories and winning 65.7% of his contests.

"It's great to have the Poelker family involved with the program again," said head coach Jason Rejfek. "No words can describe the impact he has made on the countless athletes that have come through McKendree. We are proud to be naming the locker room after him and honoring all of his achievements." 

McKendree University is extremely grateful to the Poelker family for their generous donation and excited to have this opportunity to honor Coach Poelker in our locker room.