The Knox-Lombard Athletic Hall of Fame
Richard Schiele transferred to Knox College from Valdosta State in the fall of 1984. He was an outstanding member of three Knox golf teams, including the Midwest Conference Championship team in 1985. Richard is currently the owner and manager of International Golf Discount in Yorktown, Virginia.
It was on the gridiron, however, that Richard achieved his most notable success as a student athlete. He played tight end at Knox during an era that featured a remarkable number of outstanding pass receivers. This was also during an era when two former Knox quarterbacks, Bob Monroe and Todd Monken, were re-writing our school's passing records. He started on offense every year he played here. During that period Richard Schiele became, at that time, Knox's all-time leading receiver. At the completion of his second season here, he caught 56 passes for over 800 yards and 6 touchdowns. In his third game against Beloit that year, he caught 3 touchdown passes in one afternoon.
It was as a senior, however, that he became the first Knox College football player in over 30 years to be named an Associate Press First Team Little All American. During his senior year he caught 48 passes for nearly 700 yards and 4 touchdowns to build his career totals to 114 receptions, 1,629 yards, and 13 TD's. He possessed remarkable speed for a tight end and in one game again Ripon that fall, he took one pass 85 yards for a touchdown. His coach, Randy Oberembt, described him as "not only a great athlete, but one of the finest undergraduate leaders we've ever been associated with. He's the finest blocking tight end we've ever seen." Richard also served as the football team's co-captain during his last season at Knox.
At the end of his career Richard was quoted as follows: "I attribute my experience with the Knox football program as showing me the importance of leadership, the commitment to work hard towards goals, and the value of learning the skill of motivation, as well as, teamwork and persistance." Former athletic director, Harley Knosher, described Richard "as one of the finest physical athletes and competitors I coached during my coaching career at Knox."
