RIPON, Wisconsin – Five members will be welcomed into the Ripon College Athletic Hall of Fame on Friday night, June 21, at the 1851 Awards Dinner Program. The induction comes as part of the College's Alumni Weekend festivities in Great Hall of the Harwood Memorial Union on the campus of Ripon College.
Cory Zimmerman (class of 2013), Jen Mueller Wachtel (class of 2007), Mark Baladad (class of 1988), Zsolt Juhasz (class of 1988) and David P. Bienfang (class of 1967) make up the Red Hawks' 2024 Hall of Fame class.
One of the most accomplished cross country and track and field runners in school history, Zimmerman is an 11-time Midwest Conference champion in track and field, winning titles in the outdoor 800 meters (four times), outdoor 1500 meters (twice), indoor 800 meters (twice), indoor sprint medley relay (twice) and outdoor 4x400 relay (once). Zimmerman was a three-time National qualifier in the 800 meters (twice outdoor and once indoor) while also being named the Midwest Conference Performer of the Meet at the 2013 MWC Outdoor Track and Field Championships. A two-time All-Midwest Conference runner in cross country, Zimmerman took 14th at the 2011 MWC Championships and 16th in 2012. He was also named a three-time All-State runner, earning spots on the first, second and third teams. Additionally, he is just one of 11 runners in program history to finish with a time of 26:11 or better in the 8K.
An accomplished player and coach with Ripon softball, Mueller Wachtel was a two-time Midwest Conference North Pitcher of the Year and a three-time All-Midwest Conference selection. She graduated in 2007 as the school record holder for career strikeouts, finishing with 226, and left Ripon as the all-time leader in victories in the circle with 40. She continues to hold the school record for single-season earned run average (0.92 in 2005, second in MWC history) and is still in the career pitching record books for innings pitched (third, 447.2), victories (second), ERA (second, 1.71, also ninth in MWC history), complete games (tied-third, 50) and strikeouts (fifth). As a coach, Mueller was the 2011 NFCA Great Lakes Region Coach of the Year while leading Ripon to its most victories in a season (27) and only three NCAA Tournament wins, all coming in 2011. In 2009, she also led the Red Hawks to their most MWC wins in a season (12). She is the second-winningest coach in school history, compiling 105 wins from 2009-16, and is 10th all-time in Midwest Conference history in conference coaching wins with 47.
In four seasons with Ripon men's tennis, Baladad won four team Midwest Conference championships, doing so from 1985-88. Baladad is a four-time Midwest Conference champion in doubles, part of the only duo in school history to accomplish that feat, and is also a two-time Midwest Conference singles champion – one of 16 players in school history to do so. In doubles, he was a conference champion on the second flight (once) and the top flight (three times) with Zsolt Juhasz. In singles, he won conference titles on the third and fifth lines. Baladad is second in school history for doubles wins with a partner, collecting 68 with Juhasz. His doubles winning percentage of 86.1% with Juhasz is also third-best in school history.
Juhasz was a part of one of the most successful runs in Ripon men's tennis history. A four-time Midwest Conference team champion, Juhasz was a three-time Midwest Conference singles champion – one of seven players in program history to accomplish this – and is part of the only doubles tandem in school history to win four MWC championships. He ranks eighth in school history for career singles victories, sporting a 66-12 record, and is second in school history for most wins by a doubles team after collecting 68 with teammate Mark Baladad. In singles, he won conference championships on the second, third and fourth lines. In doubles, he won at the number two flight once and the top flight three times – all with Baladad. He and Baladad won 86.1% of their doubles matches together, good for the third-highest doubles winning percentage in school history.
Bienfang was a three-time Midwest Conference champion with Ripon baseball, winning the league title each year he was a member of the program (1965, 1966 and 1967). A two-time All-Midwest Conference selection as a pitcher, Bienfang ranks seventh in program for single-season earned run averaging with a 1.58 ERA in 1965. He also played basketball for Ripon while in college.
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