KALAMAZOO, Mich. – The Western Michigan Division of Intercollegiate Athletics will induct the 2016 Hall of Fame class on Friday, Sept. 23, at the Fetzer Center and this week www.wmubroncos.com will take a look at each of our inductees: Kenny Cunningham (men's basketball), Pat Locanto (Baseball), Shannon Pickell (women's basketball/track & field), Jeff Kraft (men's gymnastics) and Zakiya Pope (volleyball).

Jeff Kraft attended Western Michigan from 1994-1996 and was a three-time men's gymnastics National Qualifier for the Broncos. Kraft is from Portage, Mich. and still resides in the Kalamazoo area coaching gymnastics. He finished sixth in the pommel horse earning Third Team All-American honors at the NCAA National Championships in 1995, which were held at Ohio State. Kraft set meet and season records in the pommel horse at WMU, he broke his own records three times over his career. Kraft Ranked as high as second nationally in the pommel horse during his career.

Q&A with Jeff Kraft

Q: When you learned you were going to be elected into the WMU Hall of Fame what was your reaction?
A: I was quite surprised, I had a great experience at Western Michigan.

Q: What are your memories from your time at Western Michigan?
A:  Coach Fred Orlosky ran a gymnastics school and the team helped coach gymnastics, he put the money away and we all took a trip to New Zealand. It was a chance to travel the world and was just a great experience.

When I became an All-American at Ohio State that was a big moment. I had a lot friends travel to Ann Arbor to watch a meet with Michigan and I scored a perfect 10 on the horse, we had a great celebration. A lot of the people I meet at WMU became lifelong friends.

Q: What have you done since Western Michigan?
A: I stayed in Kalamazoo and started a gymnastics facility and have been coaching for 26 years.