Lebanon, IL - There was a celebratory vibe to the Hettenhausen Center for the Arts at McKendree University on Saturday, February 7th, as the 2025 McKendree Sports Hall of Fame Class was officially inducted. Families, former coaches and teammates, all flocked inside The Hett for the ceremony, which featured the honoring of former Water Polo coach Colleen Lischwe, football's Matt Cole, women's basketball and softball's Caty Ponce, men's basketball's Michael Strobbe, football's Justin Townsend, and the 1999 football team. 

COLLEEN LISCHWE - WOMEN'S/MEN'S WATER POLO - COACH
Colleen Lischwe made a transformational impact on McKendree Water Polo, guiding the men's and women's programs to a combined 165 victories. She began with the women's team as a Graduate Assistant during its inaugural season, became head coach in 2017, and added the men's program in 2018. That same year, she led the Bearcats to the MAWPC-West Championship and earned national recognition as the CWPA Division II Coach of the Year. The only female head coach of an NCAA Men's Water Polo program, Lischwe collected multiple MAWPC coaching honors while elevating both teams to conference prominence. A native of Kirkwood, Missouri, she was a decorated high school standout and later starred at Marist College, winning two MAAC titles and appearing in two NCAA Championships. She also coached at Kirkwood High School and in USA Water Polo's Olympic Development Program. Lischwe tragically passed away on January 15^th, 2025, and was posthumously named ACWPC Division II Coach of the Year, leaving a legacy felt across McKendree and the water polo community.

MATT COLE - FOOTBALL - PLAYER
Matt Cole, a Chicago native and member of McKendree University's Class of 2020, authored one of the most dynamic careers in program history. A 2019 NCAA All-American and the GLVC Special Teams Player of the Year, Cole was a two-time All-GLVC selection who finished with 93 receptions for 1,618 yards and 17 touchdowns. He amassed 3,583 all-purpose yards, including three kick return scores, and earned a place on the McKendree Football 25^th Anniversary Team. Cole ranks second all-time in receiving touchdowns, third in receiving yards, sixth in scoring, and eighth in receptions. Following graduation, he played in the NFL for three seasons, including stops with the Miami Dolphins, Carolina Panthers, and Washington Commanders. He now resides in his hometown of Chicago.  

CATY (PONCE) HOPPE - WOMEN'S BASKETBALL, SOFTBALL - PLAYER
Caty (Ponce) Happe was a two-sport standout, serving as a four-year starter in basketball and a three-year starter in softball. One of the greatest shooters in McKendree history, she graduated as the program's all-time leader in three-pointers made (205) while also ranking fifth in scoring (1,533), sixth in assists (350) and field goals (529), and 10^th in free throws made (270). A two-time second-team All-GLVC performance and the 13^th member of the 1,000-point club, she also appeared in 117 softball games, posting a career-best .283 average with 3 home runs and 19 RBI in 2012. Academically, she earned the GLVC Council of Presidents' Academic Excellence Award and was a five-time Academic All-GLVC honoree. Originally from Edwardsville, she continues to reside there and coaches softball at Edwardsville High School and Liberty Middle School.

MICHAEL STROBBE - MEN'S BASKETBALL - PLAYER
Michael Strobbe, a three-time NAIA All-American and two-time First-Team All-AMC selection, stands among the most accomplished players in McKendree Basketball history. He ranks fourth all-time in rebounds (1,314), eighth in field goals made (692), and ninth in scoring (1,875), and is one of just nine players to surpass both 1,000 career points and 1,000 career rebounds. Strobbe averaged 12.8 points and 9.3 rebounds per game over his career and finished second nationally in rebounds per game in 2007 (11.7). The 2003-04 AMC Freshman of the Year went on the play 10 seasons professionally in Mexico, competing for the Mexican National Team and winning silver medals at both the Caribbean Olympics and the Pan American Games. Originally from Ferguson, Missouri, he now resides in Madison, Alabama.

JUSTIN TOWNSEND - FOOTBALL - PLAYER
Justin Townsend, a 1999 First-Team NAIA All-American and All-Mid-States Football Association selection, was a cornerstone of McKendree's dominant offensive lines of the late 1990s. He helped power units that set school records, including averaging 325.4 rushing yards per game in 1997 and scoring 40 rushing touchdowns in 1999. Townsend played a key role in guiding the Bearcats to a top-five national ranking and two NAIA playoff appearances and later earned a spot on the McKendree Football 25^th Anniversary Team. A standout in the classroom as well, he was a 1998 NAIA All-American Scholar-Athlete and a two-time MSFA All-Academic honoree. Originally from Fairfield, Illinois, he continues to reside there and serves as the Athletic Director as well as the head football and boys track coach at Fairfield High School.

1999 FOOTBALL - TEAM
The 1999 McKendree Football team delivered one of the most memorable seasons in program history, finishing 9-2, capturing the MSFA championship, and reaching the NAIA First Round. The Bearcats closed the year ranked No. 6 nationally and led the conference in rushing (312.0 yards per game), scoring (33.5 points per game), and rushing defense (129.5 yards per game). They opened the campaign on an eight-game winning streak and recorded a signature 38-31 overtime victory over NCAA Division-I Dayton. Guided by head coach Carl Poelker, the 1999 squad remains a defining team in McKendree Football history.

WHO'S THE NEXT BEARCAT TO CEMENT THEIR LEGACY?
Nominations are always welcome for future Sports Hall of Fame Classes. If you would like to submit a nomination of a worthy Bearcat, please CLICK HERE to fill out the form.