The 2025 Chesterton Athletics Hall of Fame class to be inducted Aug. 30
Leslie Nelson and Zack Wellsand, Chesterton graduates of the Class of 2001, are part of 2025 Chesterton Athletics Hall of Fame class being honored at halftime of Aug. 29 home opener vs. Hammond Morton and inducted at an Aug. 30 dinner at Sand Creek Country Club.
Tom Keegan
Onwardtrojans.com
The 2025 Chesterton Athletics Hall of Fame class includes athletes who competed for the high school in six different decades.
This year’s group includes a football player who holds more school records than anybody in program history and excelled in three sports, another football player who was a Parade All-American, the school’s first state champion swimmer, plus the first state champion gymnast, a couple of soccer stars, one also a record-holder in track, another two track stars still in possession of school records, and a three-sport standout who claims he was “just an Average Joe.”
The 2025 Class: The Bakaitis family: Ron and Vicky Bakaitis’ super-athletic children Beth, Class of 1987, Diane ’90, and Jeff ’93. Ron, better known as Bucky, is also being inducted in recognition of decades of printing all the athletic published materials.
Individuals: The late Jay Mathias, Class of 1966; Pete Ferrari ’74; Jeff McDaniel ’92; Leslie Nelson and Zack Wellsand ’01; Cassie Peller ’04; Billy Biehl ’15; Coach Connie Hamilton.
Debbie Gadd ’76, part of last year’s Hall of Fame class, also will be recognized. A bout with COVID -19 prevented her from attending last year.
The Chesterton greats will be honored at halftime of the Aug. 29 home opener vs. Hammond Morton and will be inducted at a dinner Aug. 30 at Sand Creek Country Club. The event is open to the public. Call the athletic department at (219) 983-3730 for tickets, priced at $40.
This will be the fourth class of inductees.
2011: Jenni Anderson, Maria and Mike Bachuchin, Tim Bagby, Warren Canright, Keith Davison, Leonard “Nook” Eason, John Forchetti, Larry James, Steve Wynder.
2023: Kelly Grassel, LouAnn Hopson, Sarah Kehe, Kevin Kinel, Fred Mitchell, Garry Nallenweg, Matt Nover, Blake Pieroni, Lauren West, Steve and Lisa Whitaker and their children Aaron, Ethan, Kyle and Talor.
2024: The Campbell family (Jack, Catherine, Carrie, Jackie, Jill), Bill Bass, Carolyn Chase, Debbie Gadd, Mark Gland, Olivia Kabacinski, Allison Lee, Lisa Nauman, Zack Novak, Tony Schmid.