Purchase tickets for the Hall of Fame banquetTOPEKA, Kan. -- The Washburn Athletic Department is proud to announce the 2014 Hall of Fame class which will be enshrined on Oct. 4 in a morning breakfast ceremony in the Washburn Room inside the Memorial Union on the Washburn campus. The trio of Steve Anson, Jill Gassen and Shannon Kruger will join the 134 former student-athletes, coaches and administrators who have been honored for their contributions to Washburn athletics.
Steve Anson - head baseball coach 1980-2014Steve Anson coached 1,645 games in his 35 years at Washburn. He compiled an 844-798-3 (.520) record with the Ichabods. His 844 wins rank 30th all-time in NCAA Division II history. He coached his 800th win in 2012 as he guided the Ichabods to one of their most successful seasons. They went 27-24 and finished fourth in the MIAA in 2014. He died in a tree-trimming accident on June 22. Anson has coach three players to five different All-America awards. Two players have been selected in the MLB Draft and two have gone on to play in the Majors. Most recently, shortstop Jerad Head signed as an amateur free agent with Cleveland in 2005 and made it to the Majors in 2011. Anson coached 18 all-region players, 12 all-MIAA first-teamers and 96 total all-MIAA selections. His players also excelled in the classroom with two players earning Academic All-American honors.Â
Jill Gassen - volleyball 1998-2001
Jill Gassen is Washburn's all-time leader in points with 2,219 and with kills with 1,732. She is one of 16 members of the 1,000-kill club and one of seven in the 1000 kill/300 block club. She finished her career seventh all-time in attack percentage, third in all-time kills per set, second in career blocks, second in attack attempts, freshman leader in attacks. She is also the school's all-time leader in solo blocks, and second in block assists. Gassen has recorded as one of the three triple doubles in school history coming against Southwest Baptist on Sept. 18, 1999 after recording 26 kills, 13 digs and 10 blocks against the Bearcats. She was a three-time Washburn MVP. Equally impressive in the classroom, Gassen was a three-time academic all-district selection, a four-time academic all-MIAA selection. She was a second team all-MIAA selection as sophomore, a first team all-MIAA pick as junior and an honorable mention all-MIAA as a senior.
Shannon Kruger - basketball 1998-2002Shannon Kruger finished his career with 1,014 career points which currently ranks 15th all-time at Washburn. His 242 career 3-pointers is the most in school history as are his 584 career 3-point attempts. At Washburn recorded 341 career assists which is second in school history and his 140 steals is fourth all-time on the Ichabod chart. He made 121 career starts playing in 122 career games starting every game of his Ichabod career with the exception of senior night during his junior season. He recorded four of the top 17 single-season 3-point field goals made in school history. He is one of five Ichabods to have recorded at least 1,000 points and have 100 steals and one of six Ichabods to have scored at least 1,000 points and record at least 200 assists. He was an honorable mention all-MIAA selection as a senior and was the starting point guard on the Ichabods' 2001 NCAA national runner team which won the MIAA regular season and tournament championships.
