Hall of Famers

A dozen Grinnell athletes and coaches joined the Grinnell College Athletics Hall of Fame on August 30 as part of the 2014 Fall Athletics Reunion. The induction ceremony was followed by a public reception and picnic lunch.

• William Eric “Country” Blevins ’04 of Trenton, N.J., was NCAA (National Collegiate Athletic Association) All-American in diving. Blevins is the only Grinnell athlete to win eight Midwest Conference diving championships, and he owned multiple pool records upon graduation. He became a successful diving coach.
• Emilio “Jake” Chavez ’01 of Ranchos de Taos, N.M., was an All-American baseball pitcher for the Pioneers. He was a three-time Midwest Conference South Division Pitcher of the Year and was named all-region three times and all-conference all four years. Before turning pro, Chavez became the only Pioneer to throw a perfect game.
• Steve Diekmann ’95 of Alamo, Calif., was a two-time All-American in basketball and a two-time Academic All-American. He averaged 37.3 points per game during his senior season, still the NCAA Division III record. He was a multiple All-Midwest Conference performer and a Midwest Conference South Division Player of the Year.
• Diane “Dee” Fairchild, associate professor emerita of physical education, lives in rural Grinnell and served as the College’s athletics director for 21 years before retiring in 2007. She was the first female athletics director in the state to oversee both men’s and women’s sports programs. Fairchild joined Grinnell in 1984 and coached multiple sports, taught, and served as chair of the Department of Physical Education. She was a key contributor in the construction of the Charles Benson Bear ’39 Recreation and Athletic Center.
• Stephanie Hitztaler ’96 of Syracuse, N.Y., was a two-time qualifier for the NCAA Division III national cross country meet. She was the first Pioneer to qualify for nationals twice and won the Midwest Conference title in 1994. Also a track standout, Hitztaler earned all-conference honors multiple times and was a Fulbright scholar.
• The late Dan LaFountaine ’09 became Grinnell’s first men’s tennis player to earn All-America honors, along with his doubles partner, Nate Fox ’09. Also an NCAA qualifier in singles in 2007, LaFountaine led the Pioneers to Midwest Conference team titles all four years. He was among Grinnell’s all-time leaders in both singles and doubles play.
• The late David Malbrough ’35, a star swimmer, never lost a backstroke event and won all but one race his senior year. He set three conference records during his career.
• Robert Rollins ’86 of Oxford, Ohio, qualified for the NCAA Division III National Swimming and Diving Championships all four years at Grinnell. His Pioneer career saw him break 10 school records and earn Academic All-America honors.
• Nick Ryan ’55, of Grinnell, was a standout football player for the Pioneers. Not only a team captain, the halfback was 12th in the nation in rushing yardage one season. He earned first-team All-Midwest Conference honors. He also was a competitor for the Pioneers’ track team. After graduation, Ryan worked for Grinnell, eventually as dean of admission and financial aid.
• Christine Thorburn ’92 of Portola Valley, Calif., qualified for the NCAA Division III National Cross Country Championships in 1989 and claimed the Midwest Conference title that year. She also won a trio of titles at the league track and field meet in 1989. Following college, she focused on road cycling and competed for the U.S. Olympic team.
• Amy Walters ’01 of St. Louis Park, Minn., was a three-sport standout at Grinnell. In soccer, she was a four-time All-Midwest Conference selection and earned all-region and Midwest Conference Player of the Year honors. She holds two school records in soccer and also the assists record in basketball. Additionally, Walters won the 400-meter dash in the 2000 Midwest Conference championships and is a member of a school-record relay team.
• Darren Young ’93 of Inver Grove Heights, Minn., was a five-time national track qualifier. He won nine Midwest Conference titles in track and field and established multiple school records, particularly as a sprinter and long jumper. The College’s track and field complex is named in his honor.

The Grinnell College Athletics Hall of Fame was created in 1995 to recognize the achievements of the College’s most accomplished student athletes.