WICHITA — In an announcement by the State of Kansas Sports Hall of Fame on Wednesday, former K-State standouts Kendra Wecker (women’s basketball) and Mark Simoneau (football) have been selected as members of the 50th Anniversary Class of 2011. The induction class of 2011 will be enshrined in ceremonies on October 2 at the Kansas Sports Hall of Fame in the Wichita Boathouse.
The two former Wildcats are joined in the induction by former Kansas All-American men’s basketball player Raef LaFrentz, former Emporia State track star John Camien, former Kansas athletic director Bob Frederick, former Kansas men’s basketball coach Dick Harp, Wichita State All-American baseball player Don Heinkel, former Wichita State football coach Willie Jeffries and former Pittsburg State football All-American Ronnie West. Frederick and Harp will be inducted posthumously.
The nine-person induction class raises the total of inductees to 210 in the Kansas Sports Hall of Fame, which now includes 36 representatives with ties to K-State.
Simoneau, a consensus first team All-State football star out of Smith Center, was one of the best linebackers ever to play at Kansas State. He played for the Wildcats from 1996-99 and currently ranks No. 3 all-time in tackles (400) and in tackles for losses. He played in four bowl games for K-State and led the team in tackles as a junior and senior. In 1999, Simoneau was named first-team All-American, the Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year and was the runner-up for the Butkus Award. He was also named the Big 12 Defensive Freshman of the Year in 1996.
Simoneau played 10 seasons in the NFL with Atlanta, Philadelphia and New Orleans, totaling 370 tackles. He was also the state 3A shot put champion at Smith Center in 1995 with a mark of over 60 feet.
Wecker, a native of Marysville, was a three-time first-team All-Big 12 Conference selection at K-State, Big 12 Player of the Year and consensus first-team All-American in 2005. She played for the Wildcats from 2002-05 and ranks No. 1 in points scored (2,333) and rebounds (1,087). Wecker averaged 18.2 points and 8.5 points per game for her career and her No. 53 was retired by K-State in 2005.
A three-time consensus first-team all-state selection at Marysville High School, Wecker scored 2,305 points and grabbed 1,051 rebounds, becoming the first Kansas female prep player to accomplish the 2000/1000 feat. In 2001, she was named “Miss Kansas Basketball” by the KBCA and the Kansas Player of the Year by the Kansas Sports Hall of Fame. In track and field, she set the national high school record in javelin and was a three-time state champion. She was also a first team All-State volleyball player and won the national Punt, Pass and Kick competition as a middle school student. Wecker’s athletic stardom in every sport has earned her the reputation as Kansas’ greatest all-around female athlete. She was also a strong student at K-State, earning the 2005 Lowe’s Senior CLASS Award, was a three-time CoSIDA Academic All-District VII second team honoree and a three-time first-team Academic All-Big 12 choice.
Tickets to the induction ceremony may be purchased on-line at kshof.org, or by calling 316-262-2038.