GALESBURG, ILL. - Knox College announced the newest members of the Knox-Lombard Hall of Fame this week, which includes three individuals and one team.

Jon Ripperger '86 (Baseball), Sonia (Hibberd) Kesselring '00 (cross country; track and field); Chris Bejbl '86 ( football), and the 1970 Football Team are this year's honorees.

A ceremony to honor the inductees will be held Friday, October 23 during Homecoming and Family and Friends Weekend (October 22-25).

In order to be eligible for the Knox-Lombard Hall of Fame, nominees must be:

- Teams, coaches, faculty, administrators and friends of the college are also eligible.

- No student-athlete shall be considered until five years after leaving the college.

- An employee of the athletic department may not be considered for nomination until one year after leaving the college's employment. Every effort will be made to have a diverse induction class.

 

For more about the inductees, please read below:

Jon Ripperger '86 (Baseball)

Widely regarded as the heart of the team, Ripperger provided leadership and mentorship to teammates and was one of the central figures in Knox College baseball during the mid-1980s. A key contributor to the 1986 Midwest Conference Championship team, he served as team captain during his senior season, batting .488 with 13 home runs in 24 games.

Over his career, Ripperger was a two-time Team Captain, two-time Team MVP, and a three-time First Team All-Conference selection (1984–86). He was also recognized as a 1985 COSIDA Academic All-American, reflecting strong performance both athletically and academically.

Ripperger was part of the 1986 baseball team that earned Hall of Fame induction in 2019.

 

Sonia (Hibberd) Kesselring '00

A consistent distance performer, she earned All–Midwest Conference honors in cross country three times (1997–99) and recorded strong conference finishes throughout her career. During the 1999 indoor track season, she won the Midwest Conference title in the 3000 meters and placed second in the 1500 meters.

Kesselring established herself as one of the program's top distance athletes, placing multiple events on Knox's all‑time Top 10 lists in both indoor and outdoor track, as well as cross country. At the time of her graduation, she held or ranked near the top in several distance events and relay performances, with many marks remaining on the Top 10 list decades later.

Her achievements were recognized with the Arvid P. Zetterberg Award (1997) and the K Club Award (1998), reflecting excellence in both athletic performance and academic achievement.

She currently is third all-time in the women's indoor 3000 meters, first in the women's indoor 5000 meters, fourth in the women's indoor 800 meters, third in the women's outdoor 800 meters, and fifth in the women's outdoor 1500 meters. She is fifth all-time in cross country in the 5000 meters. 

 

Chris Bejbl '86 

A standout defensive player for the Knox College football program, earning All‑Midwest Conference honors in all four years of his career. His performance established him among the conference's top defensive players, and he finished his career ranked fifth all‑time in the Midwest Conference in his primary statistical category. He is also tied for second on Knox's all‑time single‑season list for interceptions, reflecting consistent playmaking ability in the secondary.

Bejbl received multiple individual honors, including Most Valuable Defensive Player, Most Valuable Senior, and the Tom Dean Award. His career achievements and sustained conference recognition place him among the most accomplished defensive players in Knox football history.

Chris will be honored posthumously following his passing on March 5, 2026. We are grateful for his lasting impact and contributions to Knox College football and the legacy he leaves behind.

 

1970 Football Team

The 1970 Knox College football team finished the season with a 6–3 record, tying for the most wins by a Knox team since 1929 and marking one of the strongest seasons in program history. At the time, only the 1929 and later the 1976 Midwest Conference Championship team recorded more victories. The team scored 225 points, the highest total by a Knox football team since the undefeated 1919 season.

The 1970 team produced the program's first winning season in 14 years, reversing a prolonged period of limited success and matching the total number of wins Knox football had achieved over the entire previous decade. Its performance established a renewed competitive standard and helped set the foundation for the program's most successful decade, as Knox recorded 44 wins during the 1970s, the highest total for any decade in school history.