TOPEKA (
KSNT) – The
Topeka Area Sports Commission announced its induction ceremony, as well as the list of five inductees who have left a lasting impact on the sports landscape.
Monday, Sept. 15, from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at the Washburn University’s Memorial Union, five athletes and broadcasters from the area who contributed to sports world both locally and nationally. The list of inductees include:
- Brenda Stolle – Originally from Silver Lake, Stolle was a softball pitcher who played at Emporia State where she led the team to a national title in 1980 and national runner-up in 1981. She was a two time National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) All-American, NAIA Most Valuable Player in 1981, and the Fellowship of Christian Athletes Kansas Female Athlete of the Year.
- Jerad Head – From Topeka, Head played baseball at Washburn University before signing as a non-drafted free agent by the then Cleveland Indians in 2006. He played 10 games in the majors in 2011 as a left fielder and pinch hitter. Head would go on to play extensively for the Detroit Tigers and Washington Nationals minor league teams. In 2016, Head was named manager of the Auburn Doubledays of the Class A Short Season New York-Penn League where he managed until 2018.
- Bob Davis – A Topeka West graduate, Davis was most known as being the “Voice of the Jayhawks” for more than 30 years. Davis called eight KU Final Four appearances, six bowl games, including the 2008 Orange Bowl win, and two national championships. He also called games for the Kansas City Royals for 16 years.
- Trey Lewis – Lewis played for the Washburn Ichabod football team from 2003-2006 as a defensive lineman. He was the first Ichabod to be named to the Associated Press Little All-American Team since 1963. After recording 62 tackles as a senior with 36 solo stops, 10 tackles for loss and four sacks, Lewis was named to the American Football Coaches Association All-American team. He was drafted by the Atlanta Falcons in the 6th round of the 2007 NFL Draft and appeared in 31 games.
- Duane Zlatnik – Rossville native, Duane Zlatnik, was a three-time state wrestling champions for the Bulldawgs at Rossville Highschool before becoming a starting offensive lineman for the University of Kansas. Zlatnik played for the Jayhawks from 2008-2012 where he earned All-Big 12 honorable Mentions. Currently, Zlatnik serves as an assistant football and wrestling coach at Washburn Rural.
The Topeka-Shawnee County Sports Hall of Fame was established in 2006 and has been committed to the preservation and honor of those who have significantly advanced athletics in Shawnee County. Community members, sports fans, and supporters are all invited to attend to celebrate this year’s class of inductees.
For more local news, click here. Keep up with the latest breaking news in northeast Kansas by downloading our mobile app and by signing up for our news email alerts. Sign up for our Storm Track Weather app by clicking here.