CARBONDALE -- The Southern Illinois University Department of Athletics announced its 2019 Saluki Hall of Fame class today. The distinguished, eight-person class will be formally inducted in a ceremony on Friday, Oct. 18, and then make public appearances during Homecoming festivities on Saturday, Oct. 19. The 2019 class features Jake Alley (Baseball), Karlton Carpenter (Football), Craig Coffin (Football), Deke Edwards (Wrestling), Kelly Gerlach Hovland (Women's Golf), Deb Heyne Gross (Volleyball), Tim Kratochvil (Baseball) and Chris Lowery (Men's Basketball).
JAKE ALLEY
Alley pitched at Southern from 1999 to 2003 and compiled a 22-15 record in 77 appearances with 44 starts. He set the school record for career strikeouts (284) and innings pitched (324.2) and finished ninth in wins. Alley began is career out of the bullpen and recorded seven saves as a freshman. He ended his career as a First-Team All-MVC selection and Itchy Jones MVP award winner, going 7-4 with a 3.22 ERA. Alley currently resides in Anna, Illinois and works as an administrator for a nursing home.
KARLTON CARPENTER
Carpenter played running back from 1995-98, setting the school's career rushing mark with 3,181 yards. As a senior, he set the school single-season rushing record with 1,892 yards, including 10-straight games with 100+ yards. He was named Third-Team All-American and the Gateway Conference Offensive Player of the Year. A two-time All-Conference pick, Carpenter finished his career second in rushing touchdowns with 26. Carpenter currently resides in Chicago.
CRAIG COFFIN
The placekicker on four NCAA Playoff teams from 2003-06, Coffin set both the school and conference record for career scoring with 379 points. He made nearly 80 percent of his career field goal attempts (50-of-63) and broke the league's single-season record by making 66-of-66 extra points in 2004. Coffin was a two-time All-American and two-time All-Conference selection. He lives in Pensacola, Florida and is a manager for Hiller Systems.
DEKE EDWARDS
Edwards recorded a 45-6 record for the wrestling team from 1958-61, an achievement all the more impressive because he was blinded by a hunting accident that occurred when he was 11 years old. Edwards wrestled in the 130-pound weight class as a freshman and finished third in the conference meet. The team was 23-3-1 during his sophomore through senior years. He served as head wrestling coach at Missouri School for the Blind from 1975 until his retirement.
KELLY GERLACH
A four-time All-Conference award winner, Gerlach (pronounced Gur-latch) won medalist honors at the MVC Championships as a freshman in 2004 and helped lead the program to the NCAA Regionals in 2007. She was a three-time MVC Scholar-Athlete, finished her career third all-time in stroke average (78.3) and set the school record for career rounds in the 70s (69). She is currently the associate head coach for women's golf at Navy and resides in Annapolis, Maryland.
DEB HEYNE GROSS
Heyne (pronounced High-knee) played from 1991-94, finished her career third all-time in kills at SIU (1,163) and was a two-time All-Conference selection. She led her teams in six different statistical categories, including kills, attempts, aces, digs, block solos and total blocks. Heyne was a three-time MVC Scholar-Athlete and two-time Academic All-District pick. Heyne is presently a physical therapist at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota.
TIM KRATOCHVIL
Kratochvil (pronounced krat-OH-vil) ranks among the best catchers in school history. He was a First-Team All-MVC selection (1994 and 1995), finished fourth in career home runs (24) at SIU, second in RBIs (163) and set the school record for career doubles (51). He was a two-time team MVP and the 1996 Abe Martin Award winner. Kratochvil resides in Pawnee, Illinois and is principal at Pawnee Junior High and High School.
CHRIS LOWERY
As both a player and coach at SIU, Lowery was a member of seven NCAA Tournament teams and eight conference championship squads. A point guard from 1991-94, Lowery led Southern to two NITs and two NCAA Tournaments, scoring 1,225 points and dishing 391 assists. As the program's head coach for eight seasons from 2005-12, he was a two-time MVC Coach of the Year (2005, 2007) and led SIU to three NCAA Tournaments and one NIT. Lowery set the school record for NCAA Tournament wins by a head coach, and the 2007 Sweet 16 squad finished a school-best No. 11 in the national rankings. He is currently the associate head coach for Kansas State.
The Saluki Hall of Fame selection committee also announced that two Hall of Fame members will have their jerseys retired during the upcoming academic year. Baseball coach Itchy Jones (No. 1) and women's basketball player Amy Rakers Fogle (No. 34) will have their jerseys retired at separate ceremonies during their sport's seasons, with dates to be announced. The number "1" has not been used since Jones left in 1990 and will not be used in the future. The number "34" is currently worn by senior Nicole Martin and will remain eligible for future use.
A 1982 inductee into the Saluki Hall of Fame, Jones played second base under Abe Martin from 1957-60 and then played one season in the Baltimore Orioles minor-league system. He returned to the program in 1970 and created a baseball dynasty in 21 years as head coach at his alma mater from 1970-90. He led the Salukis to a 738-345-5 record, including 10 NCAA Tournament appearances and three trips to the College World Series. Upon his retirement from coaching in 2005, the American Baseball Coaches Association Hall of Fame inductee ranked among the top 20 winningest coaches in NCAA Division I. Jones is retired and lives in Champaign, Illinois.
A 1996 inductee into the Saluki Hall of Fame, Rakers was a two-time First-Team All-Gateway selection and finished her career as the program's all-time leading scorer. During her junior season, she averaged 20.7 points and 10.5 rebounds per game to lead the Salukis to a 21-win season, which included a game-high 32 points in the Gateway Conference Championship game to take home Tournament MVP honors. She still holds SIU's single-season records for points (643) and field goals made (267). She went on to play a season of professional basketball for the Japan Women's Basketball Association (JWBA). Rakers resides in Anacortes, Washington, where she coaches high school basketball.
