2021 Wheaton Hall of Honor Inductees to be honored this weekend

Wheaton, Ill. - The Wheaton College Athletics Department will induct several new members into the Wheaton Athletics Hall of Honor this weekend as part of the 2021 Homecoming Weekend. In a first for the Wheaton Hall of Honor, two classes will be inducted as the induction Class of 2021 and Class of 2020 will both be recognized. The honorees will be recognized at this Saturday's Wheaton-Augustana football game, followed by a Hall of Honor reception in the Chrouser Sports Complex following the football game (approximately 3:45 p.m.-5:30 p.m.).

The Hall of Honor Class of 2021 consists of eighth honorees to be honored this weekend: Michelle (Anderson) Rosa '06 (women's water polo); Jen (Binger) Borck '06 (women's soccer); Audrey (Boothe) Castlen '06 (women's track & field); Andrew Day '06 (football); Tyler Dobelbower '06 (men's swimming); Sam Gyorfi '06 (men's swimming); Will Lingle '06 (men's track & field); and Elizabeth (Maclellan) Lindquist '06 (women's tennis). The ninth honoree of this year's inductees, Mike Swider, had his induction announced and celebrated on September 4 at the celebration of his Wheaton coaching career.

In addition to the Hall of Honor Class of 2021, the induction Class of 2020 will be honored on Saturday. Announced in October 2020, that group includes: Brian Dini '05 (football); Jessica (Elsen) Peterson '05 (women's soccer and women's track & field); Garrett Granberg '05 (football); Katie (Hawkins) Welty '99 (women's soccer); Grace (Johnson) Benes '05 (women's swimming); Sara (Johnson) Meyer '05 (women's soccer); and Brad Musso '05 (football).

Founded in 1976, the Wheaton College Athletic Hall of Honor is dedicated to recognizing former players, teams, and coaches who have made a significant contribution to Wheaton athletics. Wheaton recognizes athletics as an integral part of the educational program of the college; its nominees have proven to have learned valuable lessons in discipline, sacrifice, perseverance, cooperation, and commitment.

2021 Hall of Honor Inductees

Michelle (Anderson) Rosa '06

Sport: Women's Water Polo

Degree: Primary Education and Spanish

Michelle Anderson was the first Wheaton women's water polo player to earn All-America recognition. She is the program's all-time leading goal scorer, with 216 career goals. Michelle was with the water polo team when it began as a club sport in 2003 and for its first three seasons as an intercollegiate varsity sport (2004-06). She earned honorable mention All-America recognition from the Association of Collegiate Water Polo Coaches (ACWP) as a junior in 2005 and was a Second Team All-American in 2006, the only Midwest Region player to ever earn Second Team All-America honors.

Michelle was named to the 2006 ESPN The Magazine Academic All-America College Division At-Large Team. She scored 84 goals as a senior in 2006 , averaging 3.3 goals per game. She was a two-time conference MVP. As a junior, she recorded 72 goals, with an average of 2.4 goals per game. In 2004 she averaged 4.6 goals per game, tallying 60 goals in 13 games.

"As exciting as all of the wins, goals, and success were, what I learned to cherish and enjoy was building relationships with the teammates and learning how to work together regardless of strengths and personalities," reflects Michelle. She adds, "I learned that life is so much more than just the games. We can enjoy life so much more if we learn to enjoy both the big and small moments."

Michelle and her husband Jonathan live in Malaga, Spain with their three children: Breeley, Bryce and Adeley. The couple is serving with Novo Missions, Inc., in southern Spain.

Jen (Binger) Borck '06

Sport: Women's Soccer

Degree: Interdisciplinary Studies – Health Science

Jen Binger earned Division III All-America recognition from the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) in her junior and senior seasons with the Thunder. The forward was a Third Team All-American in 2004, helping lead Wheaton to its first NCAA Division III Women's Soccer Championship. She was a First Team All-American as a senior in 2005. The CCIW coaches recognized Binger as the CCIW Women's Soccer Player of the Year in both 2004 and 2005.

Jen's 70 career goals was second in program history at the time of her graduation, the mark is currently third on the list. Her 31 assists ranked third when she graduated in 2006 and today is seventh in Wheaton's record books.

Jen says of the 2004 season, "Winning a National Championship was an amazing experience! That is something I will always be honored to have been a part of." She reflects on her Wheaton soccer experience, "People are what matter. The people are who you remember long after you leave Wheaton. I have found this to be true to this day. Some of my closest friends are from my time at Wheaton - such great people."

Jen is a critical care registered nurse at Helen DeVos Children's Hospital in Grand Rapids, Michigan. She and her husband Ryan live in Grand Rapids with their sons Hudson and Titus. The couple is expecting their third child next month.

Audrey (Boothe) Castlen '06

Sport: Women's Track & Field

Degree: Kinesiology

Audrey Boothe was a two-time NCAA Division III All-American in the women's heptathlon for the Wheaton women's track and field team. Additionally, she won three CCIW Championships in the heptathlon. Her first conference championship came as a freshman in 2003, followed by CCIW Championships in 2005 and 2006.

As a sophomore in 2004, Audrey earned her first Division III All-America recognition in the heptathlon. She finished eighth in an 18-woman field, scoring 4,491 points. At the 2006 Division III Track and Field Championships she scored 4,626 points in the heptathlon, finishing eighth to earn her second career All-America honor.

Her final CCIW Championship, in 2006, helped lead the Wheaton women's track and field team to its first-ever CCIW Outdoor Track and Field Championship. Audrey recalls, "Conference meet my senior year was pretty meaningful. We were in the running for the conference championship, and I remember a strong sense of camaraderie and a striving for a common goal that is not always as tangible in an individual sport like track and field. In the heptathlon, my teammate and I were able to take first and second and both qualify for Nationals, which was pretty special."

Today, Audrey and her husband John live in Leavenworth, Kansas with their three children: Claire, Ayla and Rebecca.

Andrew Day '06

Sport: Football

Degree: Biblical and Theological Studies

Kicker Andrew Day was Wheaton's career leader in field goals, with 32 at the time of his graduation in 2006. He shattered the previous school record of 26 career field goals that had stood for 27 years. Day is currently second on Wheaton's all-time field goal list and is third all-time in program history in scoring with 262 points.

Day was selected as a First Team All-American at kicker by the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) and represented Wheaton at the 2005 Aztec Bowl in Mexico. He also earned First Team All-North Region honors from D3football.com in his senior season and was a First Team All-CCIW pick at kicker.

As a senior in 2005, Day was 10-for-13 on his field goal attempts, and his 66 points that season led the CCIW in kick scoring. Additionally, he was a perfect 36-for-36 on his PAT attempts. He kicked 10 field goals in the 2004 season. Day converted a career-best 11 field goals as a sophomore in 2003, helping Wheaton advance to the Quarterfinals of the NCAA Division III Playoffs for the first time.

A standout in the classroom as well, Day was named to the ESPN The Magazine Academic All-America College Division Football Team, as a Second Team honoree. Day also earned a NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship for his accomplishments on the field and in the classroom.

Today, Andrew and his wife Elizabeth reside in Southlake, Texas. Andrew is the Eugene P. Frenkel, M.D. Scholar in Clinical Medicine and Assistant Professor at University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center.

Tyler Dobelbower '06

Sport: Men's Swimming

Degree: Psychology

Tyler Dobelbower was a seven-time Division III All-American for the Wheaton men's swimming program. He earned All-America on the 200-yard individual medley three times, the highest finish in the event was third at Nationals. He was a three-time All-American in the 200-yard backstroke, placing as high as fifth; and he also earned an All-American nod in the 100-yard backstroke with a sixth-place finish at Nationals. Tyler was an All-American in the 200-yard medley relay and the 400-yard medley relay.

At the time of his graduation, he held Wheaton varsity and CCIW open records in the 100-yard and 200-yard backstroke. When he departed the program in 2006, his 200-yard backstroke mark was the third-fastest time in Division III history. He also was part of varsity and CCIW open records in the 200-yard and 400 yards medley relay. Tyler won the CCIW Championship in the 200-yard individual medley in 2003 and 2005, as well as the conference title in the 100-yard backstroke in 2003.

Tyler says of his time swimming for the Thunder, "Wheaton College Athletics taught me a few lessons in success and heartache. Both of these concepts have allowed me to celebrate victories with my clients and in a small way how life can be disappointing. In short, I believe that I have learned how to be a compassionate person despite difficult and challenging circumstances."

Today, Tyler has his own counseling practice. He says of the work, "I see adolescents and adults suffering from anxiety and depression." He and his wife Sarah reside in Highlands Ranch, Colorado with their four children: Maxwell, Marlo, Pierce and Betsy.

Sam Gyorfi '06

Sport: Men's Swimming

Degrees: Christian Education

Sam Gyorfi earned multiple All-America honors in his Wheaton career in the pool. Individually, he earned his All-America honors in the 50-yard freestyle and 100-yard freestyle. In relay events he earned All-America in the 200-yard freestyle relay, 400-yard freestyle relay, 800-yard freestyle relay, 200-yard medley relay and 400-yard medley relay. He swam the anchor leg (44.6-seconds) on the Wheaton 400-yard freestyle relay that finished as the 2006 NCAA Division III Runner-up, just 0.2-seconds shy of winning the Division III Championship and this time remains a Wheaton record today.

Sam is the only person to ever win the CCIW Championship in the men's 50-yard freestyle four times. Each year of his four years at Wheaton he set the school record in the 50-yard freestyle. He was also a member of school-record setting relays in the 200-yard medley relay, in addition to the 200-yard, 400-yard and 800-yard freestyle relay events.

Sam recalls of his arrival at Wheaton, "I had never had a Christian coach before coming to Wheaton College and meeting Jon Lederhouse. In my time with Wheaton swimming I was taught for the first time sports are not just about achieving but also about growing in Christian maturity, leadership, and responsibility." He adds, "In my time at Wheaton I had lots of success but also some major let downs and failures. In the difficult times I learned that though athletic success was often my primary goal, God used those times for me to be able to support my teammates, and connect with athletes from other schools. I learned that how I carried myself and supported others was vital to reflecting the love of Christ to my teammates and those I competed against." Sam concludes, "Wheaton swimming has played a huge role in my life since graduating. You have no idea what it means while you are in it, but afterwards you realize the profound impact it has had. I will always be grateful for things I learned at Wheaton."

Sam and his wife Jenna live in Tucson, Arizona with their son Berg and newborn daughter Lina. He is the senior pastor at Grace Community Covenant Church in Tucson, Arizona.

Will Lingle '06

Sports: Men's Track & Field

Degree: Kinesiology

Will Lingle was ranked in the top-25 in Division III in the men's 800-meter run all four years during the outdoor track seasons of his collegiate career.

Will debuted by earning All-America recognition as a Thunder freshman in 2003. He recalls that as a favorite memory in his career. He finished fifth with a time of 1:51.94 in the men's 800-meter run at the 2003 NCAA Division III Outdoor Track & Field Championships. His time at that meet is still the fourth-fastest time in school history in the 800-meter run outdoor.

In 2004, Lingle established a new school record indoors in the men's 800-meter run with a time of 1:53.65. He narrowly missed a spot at the Division III Indoor Championships in 2004. Later in 2004, he helped set a school record in the men's 4X800-meter relay (7:39.45) at the Drake Relays.

Will and his wife Stacey live in Stony Brook, New York, with their three children: Susie, Robbie and Seth. He is the Assistant Head of School at The Stony Brook School, managing the day-to-day operation of the boarding school.

Elizabeth (Maclellan) Lindquist '06

Sport: Women's Tennis

Degree: English

Elizabeth Maclellan compiled a career singles record of 77-11 in three seasons of tennis at Wheaton. She was a three-time Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) Division III All-American, earning the honor in 2004, 2005 and 2006. At the time, she was just the second Wheaton women's tennis player to earn three All-America awards – joining her coach Jane Nelson.

Elizabeth was selected to the NCAA Division III Women's Tennis Singles Championships in 2004, 2005 and 2006. She also competed at the 2006 Division III Doubles Championships with teammate Jordan Hook. She was the CCIW Women's Tennis Player of the Year in 2004 and 2005, also earning recognition as the Conference Championship MVP in 2003.

Elizabeth did not play tennis in her first year at Wheaton. She recalls, "I grew up playing a lot of tennis. I was burned out on the sport in high school, so I decided not to play my freshman year at Wheaton. At the end of my freshman year I had lunch with the tennis team, and I watched a practice. I saw how much fun the team was having together. I wanted to be part of that team!" She reflects, "Playing tennis was one of my favorite parts about Wheaton. The game of tennis became fun again, and the relationships with my teammates were a treasure." Elizabeth concludes, "Coach Jane Nelson was an excellent coach. She pushed us to become better tennis players, but she also prioritized our spiritual growth and team unity. She modeled what is most important in life – loving God and loving people."

Elizabeth and her husband Peter reside in Lookout Mountain, Tennessee. The couple has five children: Jake, Hannah, Meredith, Catherine and Ellie.

Originally published by Wheaton College Athletics: /news/2021/10/6/2021-wheaton-hall-of-honor-inductees-announced.aspx