Lincoln College will hold its eighth annual Lincoln College Athletic Hall of Fame banquet Saturday, April 23. The banquet will be held at the Lincoln Center and includes a cocktail reception from 5:30 p.m. to 6:00 p.m., followed by dinner and the induction program.
The Athletic Hall of Fame recognizes and celebrates the long and exemplary history of athletics at Lincoln College. The 2022 inductees are Lyle Fout, Lesli “Sas” Spencer, Kiel Turpin, Kirk Whiteman, and Cyndi (Reinhardt) Wilhelm.
Lyle Fout ’72
Fout is a former Lincoln College Lynx baseball pitcher from Mt. Pulaski. Under the direction of Hall of Fame Coaches Chuck Lindstrom and Tom Zurkammer, Fout and the Lynx took home the state title and district playoff runner-up spot in 1972, with an all-time winning record of 29-10. Fout’s contributions included a 5-3 record with a 2.55 ERA, leading the team with the most innings pitched. Upon his induction, Fout will be joining Hall of Fame inductees Bill Piskorski, Bill DeMent, and Dennis Werth from his 1972 state championship team. After Lincoln College, Fout served in the National Guard for nine years and has been self-employed with Fout Construction in Elkhart for 35 years.
Lesli “Sas” Spencer ’81
Originally from Clinton, Ill., Lesli “Sas” Spencer played basketball and softball for the Lincoln College Lynx from 1979-1981. Spencer is regarded as one the best long-range shooters in the history of Lady Lynx basketball and was the catcher for the Lynx softball team that finished 3rd in the nation in 1981. After graduating from Lincoln College, Spencer continued her basketball career at William Penn University, in Oskaloosa, Iowa where she was named a Kodak All-American. Spencer has been inducted into the WPU Hall of Fame, Illinois Basketball Coaches Hall of Fame, and Clinton’s Wall of Honor. Spencer taught for 32 years at Reagan Middle School and Dixon High School in Dixon, Ill., serving as head girls basketball coach from 1985-1991 with a record of 111-54.
Kiel Turpin ’11
Kiel Turpin, a native of Normal, Ill., played for the Lincoln College men’s basketball team from 2009-2011, leading the Lynx to back-to-back national titles. Turpin was named the Division II Region 24 Player of the Year by the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA), the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) Player of the Year, the Mid-West Athletic Conference Player of the Year, and a first-team NJCAA Division II All-American in 2011. Turpin was also named the national tournament MVP for National Championship titles. Turpin averaged 15.5 points and 7.9 rebounds a game. He was also ranked fourth nationally in blocked shots during the 2011 season. After his time at Lincoln College, Turpin played for Florida State University in Tallahassee, Fla.
Coach Kirk Whiteman
Kirk Whiteman served as the Lincoln College men’s basketball coach from 2008-2012. In his first year as head coach, the Lynx finished 3rd in the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA). Under Whiteman’s direction, the Lynx went on to win back-to-back NJCAA National Championships in 2010 and 2011. Whiteman’s four-year record was 108-30 and 51-10 in the Mid-Western Athletic Conference, bringing home the conference championship all four consecutive years. Whiteman was voted Mid-West Athletic Conference and Region 24 Coach of the Year in 2009, NJCAA Division II National Coach of the Year in 2010 and 2011, and National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) National Coach of the Year in 2011.
Cyndi (Reinhardt) Wilhelm ’89
Cyndi (Reinhardt) Wilhelm is one of only four people in the history of Lynx softball to be named first-team All-American for the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA), receiving the honor twice during her time at Lincoln College. Wilhelm led the Lynx to a 42-13 record her freshman year, was named MVP with a .372 batting average. Wilhelm made NJCCA Region 24 All-Tournament Team and NJCAA All-Region 24 First Team in 1988 and 1989. During her sophomore year, Wilhelm was Team Captain for the Lynx, with a .401 batting average. After her time at Lincoln College, Wilhelm played at Western Illinois University in Macomb, Ill. She ranks 5th All-Time for season fielding percentage at .994.
The Lincoln College Athletic Hall of Fame recognizes individuals who have distinguished themselves in the field of athletics at Lincoln College, either by their performance on an athletic team or by meritorious efforts in supporting the athletic program at Lincoln College.
Tickets for the Athletic Hall of Fame banquet are $30 for adults and $15 for those age 18 and younger. Reservations can be made online at https://lincolncollege.givingfuel.com/lc-hall-of-fame-dinner-2022. Reservations can also be made by contacting Hannah Farmer in the Advancement Office at (217) 735-7217 or e-mail [email protected].
