Athletics Hall of Fame to Induct Seven at Homecoming
During halftime of the William Penn Homecoming football game, seven new members will be inducted into the William Penn University Athletics Hall of Fame.
Nadine Armbruster was William Penn University’s first-ever female softball coach, and her dedication to the University was apparent in the 36 years she spent teaching physical education. She received her B.S. in education and Master’s from Northeast Missouri State Teachers College. She went on to William Penn in 1965 where she taught physical education classes, coached various sports, acted as a faculty advisor, and much more.
As William Penn’s softball coach for four years, Armbruster went 45-39. She was the University’s second-ever women’s volleyball coach from 1974-1981 and owned a 141-63-7 record and was an AIAW State title winner in 1974. Retiring in 2002, Armbruster left a legacy as a Statesmen and played a significant role in many lives of both educators and students.
Brandon Beasley, a 2013 graduate of William Penn, was a First-Team All-American and first-team all-Midwest Collegiate Conference men’s basketball player in the 2012-2013 season. That same year, he took home MCC Player of the Year honors.
Beasley is in the Statesmen record books for multiple categories, including being 2nd in single-game rebounds (23), 3rd in single-season steals (86), 4th in single-season free throws attempted (213), 5th in single-season rebounds (326), 6th in single-season field goals made (235), 8th in single-season points (644), single-season field-goal attempts (460), and career steals (107), and 9th in single-season blocks (44).
As a member of the team with the best record in school history in 2013, Beasley took part in a school-record 20-game winning streak. The team advanced to the NAIA Division II National Championship game that season.
Ashley Brant Umbarger, a 2007 graduate of William Penn, was a standout softball player during her time as a Statesmen, garnering first-team all-conference, second-team all-NFCA Region, and Second-Team NAIA All-America honors in 2007.
Brant contributed to two NAIA National Tournament teams and one MCC Tournament championship squad. She is in numerous top-10 lists, including 3rd in single-season doubles (20), 4th in career RBIs (125), 5th in single-season RBIs (57), 6th in single-season hits (76), 8th in single-season batting average (.413), career doubles (43), and career home runs (19), and 10th in career hits (165).
Khyia Lewis, a 2012 graduate of William Penn, enjoyed a heavily-decorated softball career as a Statesmen. Lewis was a Second-Team All-American from the NFCA and NAIA in 2012. She also earned first-team all-conference laurels in 2010 and 2012 and was named MCC Player of the Year in 2012. Lewis was a second-team NFCA all-Region selection in 2010 before earning first-team honors in 2012.
Lewis holds several school records for single-season home runs (17), single-game triples (2), and single-game walks (5), while also being in the top 10 in numerous others, including 2nd in single-game walks (4), 3rd in single-season runs (57), single-season RBIs (61), and single-season walks (32), 4th in career doubles (47) and career home runs (23), 5th in career RBIs (117), 7th in career hits (169), 8th in career runs (108), and 10th in both career batting average (.360) and career walks (49).
Robin Madole, a 1982 graduate of William Penn, was a four-year varsity letterwinner in both women’s golf and softball and also played on the women’s basketball team.
An outstanding athlete on the mound, she had a 3-4 pitching record in 1982 with a 1.25 ERA in 65 innings.
Madole carried the athleticism to the green, where she was voted MVP and tied for one medalist honor while posting a 90.7 stroke average. In 1979, she set the school’s 9-hole record of 39.
In the last 20 years, Madole has served on many conference, sectional, district, and state rules committees, including the IGHSAU Girls’ Golf Advisory Committee and the Leadership Board of the Iowa High School Golf Coaches Association. She received the Golden Plaque of Distinction from the IHSGAU for notable contributions towards the school, the community, and the coaching profession.
Madole has been an educator of 36 years, golf coach, and volleyball official. She served 20 years as golf coach at North Fayette-Valley High School, leading her team to seven UIC championships and five state tournament appearances.
Edward Simms, a 2009 graduate of William Penn, made great contributions to the Statesmen track and field program. Simms held William Penn records in the decathlon and pentathlon for more than a decade after his graduation. The standout ran on Midwest Collegiate Conference championship teams in 2003, 2004, and 2005. In both 2003 and 2005, he was champion in the MCC’s 100-meter dash.
Simms was an MCC champion numerous times in other events as well throughout the years of 2003, 2004, and 2005, taking home gold in the 200-meter dash, 4×100-meter relay, and 4×400-meter relay. He was a two-time NAIA national qualifier in the decathlon in 2004 and 2005.
Keith Steffeck was a major part of the best men’s basketball team in William Penn history, a squad that won a school-record 34 games and had a school-record 20-game winning streak.
Steffeck picked up massive accolades, garnering First-Team All-America and first-team all-Midwest Collegiate Conference honors in 2013. Steffeck finished his career ranked 1st in single-season blocks (72) and 4th in career blocks (92).
During his career, William Penn won Midwest Collegiate Conference regular season and tournament titles in 2012 and 2013. The team qualified for NAIA Division II Nationals both of those seasons with the 2013 squad reaching the national title game. This was just the beginning of Steffeck’s basketball career as he later played professionally in Europe for five years.
William Penn will honor Armbruster, Beasley, Brant Umbarger, Lewis, Madole, Simms, and Steffeck at the 2023 Athletics Hall of Fame Reception Friday night. Their awards will be received Saturday at 9 a.m. in the Penn Activity Center and they will then officially be inducted during halftime of WPU’s game vs. Peru State (2:30 p.m. kickoff).
