The Sacred Heart Athletic Hall of Fame was initiated in 1980 to honor the individual efforts that have contributed to the school's outstanding athletic success over the years. Requirements for selection are:
A sketch of each inductee along with a brief list of accomplishments hangs in the school hall.
Three former Irish athletes were added to the Sacred Heart Athletic Hall of Fame during Homecoming ceremonies on September 22, 2023, bringing the total number of honorees to 121. The Hall began in 1980 as a means to honor former athletes for their contributions to the history and tradition of Sacred Heart athletics. To be eligible, an athlete must be at least 15 years out of high school. Nomination forms are available on the school website at www.sha.net.
This year’s inductees included Jeff Gepford ’79, Jamie Carter ‘95 Kauffold, and Lisa Zitzelsberger’99 Roebke.
Jeff earned seven varsity letters in football, baseball and track. He was All State and MVP in baseball his senior year, while leading the team in RBIs. He also hit a school record .591 as a junior. As a football lineman, he helped the team set rushing records and advance to the state semifinals in 1978.
Jeff lives in Mt Pleasant with his wife Mariska and three children. He retired from UPS after 34 years and was inducted into the UPS Circle of Honor in 2011. Jeff has assisted the Sacred Heart softball program for seven years as a junior varsity coach and varsity assistant coach.
Jamie earned 10 letters in basketball, volleyball, track, and softball. In basketball, she was MVP and leading scorer in the 1994 season, graduating among the Top 10 all-time scorers. Jamie was also Most Improved Player in volleyball, and a member of the state semi-final softball team.
Jamie lives in Yorkville, Illinois, with her husband Tim and three sons. She is a writer and editor for various publications.
Lisa earned seven varsity letters in track, basketball and cross-country. She was MVP and All State in cross-country, and three times named MVP and All State in track. She was a three-time Regional 800-meter champion, finishing second in the state in 1999.
Lisa lives in Rockford with her husband, Bryce, and three daughters. She is co-owner of Third Nature Brewing Company with her brothers, Chad ‘02 and Troy Zitzelsberger ‘05.
Alumnus of the Year Wendy McConnell ‘91 Endres and Grand Marshall Damon Brown were also honored during Homecoming 2023 festivities.
Click to read the Morning Sun article from 9/20/23 by Jim Lahde.
