The Athletic Hall of Fame recognizes and celebrates
the long and exemplary history of athletics at Lincoln College. The
2018 inductees are: LaToya Doage, LaToya Johnson, Eddie Jones, Jim
and Sue Ryan, Phil Styles and Vicki Vaughan.
Here is more information on each of the inductees:
LaToya Doage
Doage, a 1995 graduate of Lincoln College, was a
member of Lincoln’s highly successful 1994-95 women’s basketball
team, which finished the season with a 24-8 record and ended in
second place in the Region 24 basketball tournament. Doage was on
the All-Tournament Team at the Black Hawk East Tournament and, along
with teammate La Toya Johnson, she was selected as an All Region
Player for Region 24.
After graduation, Doage played for the University of Nebraska, where
she earned All Big Eight and All Big Twelve honors. In 1999 she
joined the San Jose Lasers for one season, helping the team finish
second the ABL’s Western Conference.
LaToya Johnson
Johnson is also a 1995 graduate of Lincoln College
and teammate of Doage. In addition to being selected as an All
Region Player for Region 24, Johnson earned an All-American
Honorable Mention for her 22.8 point per game average and 14.1
rebounds per game. Along with teammate Amanda Smith, Johnson served
as team captain. Johnson went on to play for Arizona State; an NCAA
D-I program, she is now an elementary teacher in Las Vegas, NV.
Eddie Jones
Jones, a 1980 graduate of Lincoln College, came to
Lincoln College after earning All State and All City honors in
basketball at Chicago Cregier High School. At Lincoln College he
racked up a series of honors while playing on the 1980 state and
regional championship basketball team, including MVP honors at the
state tournament level and being named a national All-American, when
the team competed in the national tournament in Hutchinson, KS.
After graduation from Lincoln College, he went on to play basketball
at Eastern Illinois University, where he earned his bachelor’s
degree in 1983. After graduating from Eastern, Jones returned to
Lincoln College where he was an assistant basketball coach from
1983-1985.
In 1985 he began working for the Illinois Department of Corrections
as a Leisure Time Services Supervisor. He was consistently promoted
at the Department of Corrections, serving as a warden, district
deputy director, regional deputy director and eventually became
Chief of Operations, before retiring in 2011.
Jim and Sue Ryan
Jim and Sue Ryan are being recognized as “Friends of
Athletics” for their outstanding support of the Lincoln College
athletic program. For decades, the Ryans and Lincoln College have
been inseparable. For 32 years Sue Ryan worked in the financial aid
office at Lincoln College. Jim Ryan is closing in on nearly two
decades of working part-time in maintenance at the College.
Their daughter, Bridgett Thomas is the Dean of
Students, while son-in-law Tony Thomas is head baseball coach.
Throughout their decades of service to Lincoln
College, the Ryan’s have been unfailing boosters of the athletic
program, not simply attending games, but serving as mentors, friends
and supporters of student athletes.
[to top of second column] |
Phil Styles
Styles came to Lincoln College to play basketball
under Coach Allen Pickering. Today, he credits Pickering and Lincoln
College with laying the groundwork for his future success, by
teaching him the value of teamwork and effective management. Phil
was the 1987 MVP of the NJCAA region XXIV tournament and was a first
team all region selection. His 1986-87 team was undefeated in
Lincoln Colleges Davidson Sheffler Gym. Upon graduation from Lincoln
College, Styles earned his bachelor’s degree in Business Management
from Northwestern University, where he played NCAA D-I Basketball
for the Northwestern Wildcats.
Styles is a member of the Lincoln College Board of Trustees and
today co-leads Willis Towers Watson Diverse Solutions Network, a
practice focused on delivering new organic growth to the firm thru
powerful strategic partnerships with diverse owned businesses.
Vicki Vaughan
Vaughn served as head women’s basketball coach at
Lincoln College from 1991 to 1998 and lead the Lynx to back-to-back
20-win seasons in 1993-94 and 1994-95. While coaching Doage and
Johnson, Vaughn ended the season ranked 17th nationally.
Vaughn was inducted into the Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame in
2013, where she set records at Lawrenceburg High School, including
1,062 career points, 327 assists and a single-game total of 41
points. She was a two-time All-State selection and earned 12 varsity
letters while in high school. She was a four-year player and
two-year starter at Illinois State University and member of two
Gateway Conference championship teams. She also set a single-season
field goal percentage record of 57%.
In addition to coaching at Lincoln College, Vaughn was the first
female to coach professional basketball in Ireland, earning the IBBA
Coach of the Year and winning four championships.
After leaving Lincoln College she was the assistant women’s
basketball coach at the U.S. Air Force Academy for two years.
She is currently the Director of Athletics at the Colorado Springs
School in Colorado Springs, Colorado, where she oversees all middle
school and high school athletics programs. She is also the women’s
basketball coach at the school.
The Lincoln College Athletic Hall of Fame recognizes student
athletes, teams, coaches, managers, administrators, faculty, staff,
and friends 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 the College. The Hall of Fame banquet is part of the 2018
Homecoming Week activities taking place from Nov. 5 to Nov. 10 on
the Lincoln campus.
Ticket reservations for the Athletic Hall of Fame banquet can be
made online at
https://lincolncollege.givingfuel.com/lc-hall-of-fame-2018
or by contacting Hannah Farmer in the Advancement Office at (877)
522-5867 or (217) 735-7217 or e-mail
hfarmer@lincoln
college.edu.
[Mark Gordon
Public Relations and Media Manager
Lincoln College] |