GALESBURG, Illinois - The 2021 Knox-Lombard Athletic Hall of Fame Class has been announced. The Hall of Fame Committee voted in four outstanding individuals and an undefeated team in May. Jun Adachi '81, Tighe Burke '09, Brian Glashagel '94, Annette Andresen O'Donnelly '82, and the 1921 Lombard College Football Team will officially be inducted into the Hall of Fame during Homecoming weekend 2021. Individual profiles of each 2021 inductee will be released on Tuesdays and Thursdays over the next few weeks.
"What a tremendous honor for these four individuals and team to be selected for the Hall of Fame," said Director of Athletics, Daniella Irle. "They embody the athletic excellence of the Prairie Fire. Welcome to the Hall of Fame family."
"This group is a wonderful addition to the Knox-Lombard Hall of Fame," said Assistant Athletic Director of K Club Engagement and Fundraising, Crew Keller. "The Hall of Fame is an extremely talented group and these additions are no exception. Congratulations!"
Jun Adachi
Jun Adachi made an immediate impact for the Knox College men's soccer team the moment he stepped on campus. He started all four years for teams that went 15-1 in Midwest Conference South Division play. Jun came to Knox in the fall of 1977 from Japan as a Grew Bancroft scholarship recipient.
Jun was a four-time all-Midwest Conference selection thanks to his strong play in the midfield. He scored six career goals and added 17 assists. As a senior, Jun was a co-captain and Team MVP as well as winning the John W. Hilding Prize from the athletic department. The Hilding Prize is awarded by the athletics staff to the senior student-athlete on a men's team with the most outstanding career in intercollegiate athletics.
The men's soccer teams from 1977-80 picked up 20 victories and made the Conference Championship three times. The 1977 team lost the Midwest Conference Championship game to Carleton in overtime. The 1978 team, which was inducted into the Knox-Lombard Hall of Fame in 2017, went 7-4-1 and lost the Midwest Conference Championship game to Carleton in nine overtimes. The 1979 team lost the Midwest Conference Championship to Lake Forest.
Tighe Burke
Tighe Burke had a very successful career on the football field for the Prairie Fire. His move from offense to defense proved to be a revelation as he became one of the best defensive players in school history.
After an ankle injury during the 2006 season, Burke moved from fullback to defensive end for the 2007 season. Despite never playing defensive end, he took to the position as if he were born to play there. In his first season at defensive end, Burke led the team in quarterback sacks and was among the conference leaders with 8.5. He was named Honorable Mention All-Midwest Conference.
In 2008, Burke stepped up his game even more. He garnered First Team All-Midwest Conference and Third Team All-American honors as he led the NCAA with 1.35 sacks per game. He picked up 14 total sacks, 54 tackles, 16 tackles for a loss, four forced fumbles and a blocked kick. He also returned to his old position of fullback in short yardage situations, where he picked up some key first downs.
Brian Glashagel
Brian Glashagel carved out an outstanding career as a two-sport student-athlete at Knox College. He spent his fall seasons on the gridiron and his spring seasons on the track.
Glashagel played on both sides of the ball for the football team. He and Andrew Wenk '94 teamed up as one of just 11 wide receiver duos to both post 100 yards receiving in a game. Wenk racked up 149 yards, while Glashagel went for 125.
Glashagel racked up school records, conference titles, and a trip to the NCAA Division III Track and Field Championships as a member of the track and field team. He established school records in the 110m high hurdles, 400m IM hurdles, and the 55m high hurdles. He qualified for the NCAA Division III Track and Field Championships in the 110m hurdles and the 400 IM hurdles in 1994.
Annette Andresen O'Donnelly
Annette Andresen O'Donnelly put together a record-breaking career in cross country and track and field at Knox. She still holds school records in outdoor track and field.
O'Donnelly was a four-year letterwinner in both cross country and track and field. Her time of 18:35.90 in the women's 5,000m in outdoor track and field is still the top performance in school history and was good enough to be a Pre-Olympic qualifier. O'Donnelly also appears on the top-10 individual list in the women's outdoor 1,500m and 10,000m. She was the 1981 Midwest Conference Champion in cross country (20:45) and ran in the Nationals meet in Idaho that fall.
Additionally, O'Donnelly won the Michel Loomis Award in 1982, which is awarded to the student-athlete on a women's team selected as the, "outstanding performer in an individual sport", in a given year.
The 1921 Lombard College football team
The 1921 Lombard College football team was one of the best teams in the country during the 1921 season.
The "Olive and Gold" football team finished the season with an impressive 9-0 record with victories over larger schools like Bradley and DePaul. Their closest games of the season were a 7-0 win over Des Moines and a 14-0 win over Knox.
The team was led by two members of the Knox-Lombard Athletic Hall of Fame — quarterback Roy "Rody" Lamb and end Evar Swanson. Each won 16 letters at Lombard and both went on to careers as professional athletes. They were both Honorable Mention All-Americans during their careers. Swanson scored 109 points for Lombard during the 1921 season, which would be tops on the Knox scoring list. Lamb was regarded as the best quarterback in Illinois during his time playing for the Olive and Gold. Swanson is still considered the fastest to circle the bases in Major League Baseball (MLB). He also played in the National Football League (NFL).
