News and Events
[printer friendly version]posted on 4/4/00
Six To Be Inducted Into SJC Sports Hall of Fame this Saturday-Part One
RENSSELAER, IN--- This Saturday, April 8th, 2000 at 6pm CST in the Halleck Center Ballroom on the campus of Saint Joseph's College, five new members will be inducted into the Saint Joseph's College Sports Hall of Fame. The Hall of Fame Class of 2000 includes Karen Austin '89, Jim Beane '49, Dan Fenker '57, Sloan Haughey '93, Father Leonard Kostka '35 C.PP.S. and Dr. William Hogan '74, Ph.Ed. The Saint Joseph's College Sports Hall of Fame is located in the lobby of the Hanson Recreation Center.
KAREN AUSTIN '89
Austin is being inducted into the Hall of Fame for her contributions to the Puma cross country and track and field teams. Karen Austin graduated from SJC in 1989 with a bachelor's of science degree with a major in Physical Education and a minor in Education. She was a member of the cross country and track and field teams coached by Dave Smith.
She was an All-American in both track and field and cross country as well as being the Great Lakes Valley Conference Champion and Regional Champion in cross country. Austin came to SJC from the small town of Abingdon, Illinois, where she attended Abingdon High.
After graduating from SJC, Austin taught Elementary Education for year and coached Junior High volleyball and basketball. She left teaching to pursue a career in correctional recreation. She worked for the state of Illinois for two years and has been working with the Federal Bureau of Prisons for the past eight years. She is currently living in South Carolina working for the United States Penitentiary as the Assistant Supervisor of Recreation. Since graduation, she has continued running and has ran in three marathons.
JIM BEANE '49
Coach Beane was the head baseball coach at Saint Joseph's College from 1952-54. The Pumas accumulated a 42-9 record during his tenure and were Indiana Collegiate Conference Champions during the 1954 season. In 1954, the Pumas finished with a 16-3 overall record.
Beane was named ICC "Coach of the Year" also that season. The '54 conference championship was the first undisputed conference championship since the ICC began competition in 1950 in baseball.
When he was a player for the Pumas, he was a teammate of Gil Hodges during the 1940-41 season.
In 1942, both Gil and Jim went into the service with a tour of duty in the United States Naval Academy. While serving in the Navy, he was in the Gene Tunney Physical Education. He spent two years in the Brooklyn Dodgers' Minor League System, where he pitched for Danville in the Three-I League, for Zanesville in the Ohio State League, for Abilene in the West Texas-New Mexico League and for Ballanger in the Longhorn League.
After his duty, Beane came back to Saint Joseph's to finish his degree and Hodges went to the Major Leagues. He finished his degree in 1949 and then went to Indiana University, where he finished his graduate degrees. Then after his coaching career at SJC, he worked the next 32 years at General Motors specializing in quality control.
Beane has two daughters and one son. He resides in Leawood, Kansas, with his wife.
DAN FENKER '57
Fenker is being honored for his career on the basketball hardwood. Dan tied the SJC individual single game scoring record with 36 points against DePauw. Then he broke it against Indiana State with 37 points. Dan set the rebounding record with an average of over 14 rebounds per game in a single season. He was named to the Mid-West Catholic College All-Star Team. His AAU Open Division Team was a semi-finalist in 1976.
He was a member of the AAU Masters (Division 50+ and 55) gold Medalist Team and also participated in the World Senior Games. 8 Gold Medals, 1 Silver Medal and 1 bronze medal.
In 1997, he played for the United States in the World Basketball Championships in Helsinski, Finland. The U.S. won the gold medal. In 1998, he participated in the NIKE World Senior Games where he also won a gold medal.
After graduating from SJC in 1957, Fenker joined Lincoln National Life Insurance Company. He then was in the United States Army from 1958 to 1959. Fenker was the President/CEO of Lincoln Cascades, Inc in Portland, Oregon. He just recently retired in 1998 and is currently a Professional Estate Planner. Besides working for Lincoln Cascades, Fenker volunteered for many years as a coach for grade school and junior high boys and girls teams.
He resides in Portland, Oregon, with his wife Judith Ann Eggen Fenker. He and his wife have four children Katherine, Stephen, Julia and Deborah.
