Hall of Fame - L - Western Michigan University Athletics

*All inductee information current up to the year they were inducted.

Bill Lajoie
Baseball, 1953-55
Inducted 1982
Detroit, Michigan

All-American outfielder in 1955 and twice All Mid-American Conference.
Batted .400 in 1955 and led Western Michigan into finals of College World Series. Set season records for hits (54), runs (47) and RBI (39) that stood for 20 years.
Played 10 years of minor league baseball and joined Cincinnati organization as a scout in 1965. Later returned to scouting in a special assignment capacity with Atlanta in 1990.
With Detroit Tigers' organization (1969-90) including 12-year stint as vice-president/baseball and was architect behind 1984 World Series champions.
Included in Mid-American Conference Hall of Fame (1991).

Reggie Lacefield
Basketball, 1966-68
Inducted 1991
Gary, Indiana

Second-team All Mid-American Conference three times, with seasonal average of 18.3, 17.1 and 20.5 points and 10.0, 10.8 and 11.1 rebounds.
Among Bronco career leaders, is No. 5 for scoring (1,280), No. 8 for rebounds (753), No. 7 for field goals (.505) and No. 9 for free throws (283). Holds game rebounding record (26).
Played one year with Kentucky Colonels of the American Basketball Association.
Spent 14 years as a player in the Eastern League, where he was named to two all-star teams.
Started teaching in 1972 and eventually became principal of a learning center for handicapped students in Wilmington, Delaware.

Lew Lang
Football, 1942
Basketball, 1943-44, 46-47
Inducted 1983
Kalamazoo, Michigan

Named by "Buck" Read as one of the top 12 basketball players he coached over his 27-year career at Western Michigan.
Captained 1944 Bronco team that lost to just one collegiate opponent ranked No. 4 in nation. Played on squads that combined for 34-14 record.
Naval officer in World War II with 13 months' service in Pacific Theater.
Was a teacher, coach and administrator in Hastings Public School system for 36 years. Compiled winning percentage of 65 in basketball and 80 in baseball and won nine and 10 league championships respectively.
Retired as assist superintendent in 1983 and earlier was a principal at elementary, junior high and high school levels.

Nathan Langlois
Men's Track & Field | 1990-1993
Inducted 2024
Grand Rapids, Mich.

MAC Track & Field Championship Most Outstanding Performer (1993)
NCAA Indoor All-American in the 200-meter dash after finishing seventh overall (1993)
NCAA Outdoor All-American in the 200-meter dash after finishing 10th overall (1992)
Three-time MAC Champion in the 200-meter dash (1991, 92, 93)
Won MAC titles in the 100-meter dash (1993), the 4x400-meter relay (1992), and the 4x100-meter relay (1993)
Third all-time in WMU history in the indoor 200m (21.18) dash and fifth all-time in the outdoor 200-meter dash (20.74)

Kayla Skelly Lankford
Cross Country, 1982-85
Track, 1983-86
Inducted 1996
Midland, Michigan

Cross country All-American in 1985 with a 28^th place NCAA finish. Mid-American Conference individual champion in 1983 and 1985 and second din 1982 and 1984. One of two Western women's cross country runners to earn All-MAC honors four times.
Won MAC track titles for 3,000 meters (1983-85), 5,000 (1983, 1985) and 10,000 (1984, 1986). Still holds varsity indoor records for three miles (16:18.96) and 5,000 meters (16:35.6) and for the outdoor 10,000 (35:25.89).
Graduated with a 3.94 academic average in bio-medical sciences and chemistry. Western's women senior scholar-athlete for 1986, one of 40 WMU presidential scholars and a NCAA Post-Graduate Scholarship recipient.
Chosen as Western Michigan representative for the MAC "women of the decade" ceremony in 1992 and picked as Alumni "W" Club "woman of the year" for 1994.
Graduated from Wayne State University medical school in 1990 and completed her residency at St. Mary's Hospital in Grand Rapids. Became a physician with the Thomas-Davis Medical Centers of Phoenix, Arizona in 1994.

Carl Latora
Wrestling, 1962-64
Inducted 1999
Kalamazoo, Michigan

Captured two individual MAC championships (130 lbs. in 1963-64), becoming just the second Bronco wrestler at the time to win such honors. Was a runner-up for the MAC title in 1962.
Named Bronco MVP on three occasions and team captain twice while earning three varsity letters.
Started the varsity wrestling program at Portage Northern in 1965-66 and led Portage Northern to the Big Six Conference title by upsetting nine-time defending champion Niles. Helped the Huskies to five conference titles and an overall dual record of 59-21. Honored by MHSAA with the 1998-99 Rgion V Athletic Director Award and the Allen Bush Award.
Coached wrestling at Kalamazoo College for five years, producing a MIAA championship and three NCAA Division III All-Americans.
Has spent over three decades serving as a wrestling official.

Harry Lawson
Coach
Inducted 1990
Boston, Massachusetts

Graduate of Boston University before assignment to Western as a naval commander in 1943 as part of V-5 program.
Commanded an LST in the Pacific
Organized and coached first WMU club hockey team in 1959.
Directed club hockey team to 39-18-3 record over seven years.
Served on Western staff for 20 years, five as head of the Pine Lake School for Disabled Veterans and 15 with the counseling bureau. Also, dean of Kanley Chapel.

Roger Lawson
Football, 1969-1970
Inducted 2013
Detroit, Michigan

Rushed for 2,018 yards, which ranks 10^th at WMU and 19 touchdown during career
Held the nation's best yards per carry average (7.2) in 1970
First Team All-MAC, All-American Honorable Mention, Team MVP in 1970 season
Seventh in rushing yards in the nation and 13^th in the nation in scoring
Second longest touchdown run from scrimmage (76) in program history
Drafted in 15^th round by Chicago Bears in 1972 NFL Draft, playing in the NFL for two seasons

Bob Learman Jr.
Tennis, 1975-78
Inducted 2015
Bay City, Mich.
    • Finished career with a then record of 144 wins
    • Named to All-MAC Team three straight years from 1976-78
    • Captured MAC doubles title with partner Tony Lamerato as a sophomore in 1976
    • Captured MAC singles title as a senior in 1978
    • Earned invitation to NCAA Tennis Championships in 1975 in singles and doubles
    • Earned invitation to NCAA Tennis Championships in 1977 in singles
    • Inducted into the Bay County Sports Hall of Fame in 2010

Tim Lester
Football, 1996-99
Inducted 2011
Wheaton, Illinois

Left WMU as the school's all-time leading passer in possession of 17 school records
Completed his career ranked fifth in NCAA all-time passing yards (11,299) and seventh in touchdown passes (89)
Team captain in 1998-99 and led WMU to a MAC West Division title in 1999
All-MAC and Academic All-MAC selection in 1997-98
CoSIDA Academic All-District in 1998-99
Member of the WMU All-Century Team
Still shares the WMU record for 300-yard passing games in a career (16) and in a season (7)
First WMU QB to throw for 3,000 yards in back to back seasons
Served as QB coach at WMU in 2005-06, coaching Tim Hiller to 2005 MAC Freshman of the Year honors

Jeromee Liebenberg
Cross Country, 1968-70
Track, 1969-71
Inducted 1992
Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Cross country All-American with 14^th place finish in helping Western finish fifth in team standings at 1970 NCAA championships. Won Central Collegiate the same year and was third at 1969 and 1970 Mid-American meets.
Track All-American, placing second and third in 3,000-meter steeplechase at 1970 and 1971 NCAA meets.
Set NCAA and still WMU steeplechase record of 8:33.2 in winning 1971 Dogwood Relays and won the same event at MAC (1970), Penn Relays (1969) and Drake Relays (1970-71). Also set a school mile mark.
Member of 19070 USA National track team and qualified for the 1972 U.S. Olympic Trials.
Creator and owner of Leather, Etc., stores and owner of several Swiss Colony franchises.

Julie Liljeberg
Softball, 1988-91
Inducted 2002
Arlington Heights, Illinois

1989 NCAA Second Team All-American
1991 NCAA Third Team All-American
1991 All-Mid-American Conference First Team
1991-Mideast Region First Team
1989 NCAA All-Region IV and All-Mid-American Conference First Teams
1991 National Softball Coaches Association Third Team
1989 National Softball Coaches Association Second Team
Western Michigan's all-time leader in hits (217) and RBI (96)
Lone Bronco to record over 200 career hits
Ninth in Mid-American Conference history in hits
Ranks second at WMU in career average with .347 mark
Second in career runs scored (96), doubles (35)

Maggie Lillie-Smith
Cross Country, 1982, 1984-86
Track, 1983-87
Inducted 2002
Coopersville, Michigan

1984 Mid-American Conference Track Champion at 4,000 meters
Participated in 1984 Olympic Trials at 5,000 meters
1984 Mid-American Conference Cross Country Champion
Sixth in 1984 NCAA District IV Cross Country Championships
Two-time All-Mid-American Conference Cross Country Runner (1984, 86)
Sixth in 1987 Olympic Festival 10,000 meter run
Bronco Indoor Track Record Holder: 1,500 meters (4:29.53) Mile Run (4:49.20)
Bronco Cross Country Record Holder over 5,000 meter (16:49)
Arcadia 5000-meter Course Record Holder (17:05)
Member of three straight Western Michigan Mid-American Conference Cross Country
Championship teams (1984-86)
Winner of 1989 Louisville (Kentucky) Marathon
Served as Assistant Track and Cross Country Coach at WMU (1990-91)
1995 "W" Club Woman of the Year
Teacher and Cross Country and Track Coach at Allegan High School

Alonzo Littlejohn Jr.
Track, 1961-63
Inducted 1998
Jackson, Michigan

All-American high jumper, tying for second place at the 1962 NCAA outdoor championships.
Member of three winning Mid-American Conference teams and won individual titles in 1961 and 1962. Set both indoor (6-9 ¼) and outdoor (6-9 ½) records.
Tied for first at the 1962 Penn Relays and the 1961 and 1962 outdoor Central Collegiate championships. Won the 1963 Drake Relays and indoor CCC titles.
Spent 14 years as a mathematics and science teacher with the Detroit Board of Education and then 30 years as a financial planner, the last 15 as an account agent with Allstate Insurance Company. Presently an independent agent in College Park, Ga.
Has worked over 30 years in youth development activities, teaching life skills and basketball fundamentals. Currently developing national basketball/physical fitness programs. Over 20 of his players have been drafted by professional teams and many other played collegiately.

Dale Livingston
Football, 1965-67
Inducted 2007
Plymouth, Michigan

Helped WMU win 1966 Mid-American Conference championship
Two-time All-MAC selection and shares WMU record for longest punt in a game (86 yards)
Third all-time for career punt average (39.9 yards-per-punt) and second all-time for punt average in a season (43.4 yards-per-punt, 1967)
Third all-time for punt average in a game (49.8 yards-per-punt vs. BYU, 1967)
Second Team All-American during senior season
Selected in the third round of the 1968 NFL draft by the Cincinnati Bengals and played with the organization in 1968-69
Played professionally with the Green Bay Packers in 1970

Pat Locanto
Baseball, 1966-68
Inducted 2016
Dearborn Heights, Mich.

Career .337 batting average
Led the MAC in batting average (.410) in 1967
Hit walk-off home run against Ohio to give WMU one of its two MAC Championships earned with Locanto on the team ('66, '67)
Two-time First Team All-MAC selection ('67, '68)
First Team All-District IV ('68) and Second Team All-District IV ('67) selections
Played professionally in the Philadelphia Phillies and Kansas City Royals organizations

Del Loranger
Baseball, 1940, 42
Basketball, 1941-44
Inducted 1993
Dearborn, Michigan

Letter winning catcher and first baseman in baseball and center in basketball, playing every game in the latter sport as a freshman, junior and senior.
Ranked fourth on the basketball team in points for 1941 (100), was third in 1943 (108) and 1944 (123), the 1944 squad losing just one game to a collegiate foe for a No. 4 national ranking.
Selected for College All-Star game against Ft. Wayne Zollners (now Pistons) in Chicago.
Played professionally for three years (1948-50) with Kansas City of the American Basketball Association (ABA), then became player-manager of the National Basketball Association (NBA) Detroit Gems for three seasons (1981-83).
Served the Dearborn School District as head basketball coach, an elementary teacher, principal and as assistant to the superintendent during his 30-year tenure.

Ray Louthen
Football, 1944
Basketball, 1945
Baseball, 1944
Inducted 1989
Columbus, Ohio

Quarterback, center and pitcher while attending Western as a member of the Navy Air Corps V-5 program.
All-Big Ten pitcher for Michigan in 1945 and joined New York Yankees' farm system. Coached high school baseball and football at Chelsea and Flint Central following 1950 WMU graduation.
Spent 26 years at Ball State University as baseball (1959-70) and football coach (1962-67) and athletic director (1970-81).
Never experienced losing football season in posting a 37-13-3 record, winning four Indiana Collegiate Conference championships and twice being selected college division "coach of the year."
His baseball squads had 158-127-1 record, won three ICC titles and appeared in two NCAA District playoffs.

Robert Louis
Track & Field, 1985-88
Inducted 2017
Detroit, Mich.

Earned All-America honors after finishing fifth in the 200m dash at the 1988 NCAA Indoor Championships
Holds WMU records in the indoor 500m dash and indoor 300m dash, second all-time in program history in the indoor 200m dash
Member of the program record-holding 4x400m relay team
Won three MAC titles in the outdoor 400m dash (1986, 87, 88), one in the outdoor 200m dash (1986) and the indoor 4x400m relay (1988)

Bill Loving
Track, 1927-30
Inducted 1987
Detroit, Michigan

Co-Captain as a junior and senior, won two Michigan Intercollegiate high hurdles crowns and was third in 1930 Central Collegiate Conference indoor high jump.
Set varsity records for 120-yard high hurdles (:15.2) and 220 lows (:25.4), the former of which stood for 10 years.
Worked for the department of recreation and the YMCA in Detroit and became the first male physical education teach in Detroit Public schools.
Critic teacher for Wayne State University (1937-40) and then served as a counselor until retirement in 1973. Formed numerous school and community youth programs that are still in existence.
Cited for two achievement in education and civic affairs awards by President Franklin D. Roosevelt and served as Governor's Committee for Higher Education.

Mike Lyden
Diving, 1975-79
Inducted 2007
Turlock, California

1977 MAC Champion in three-meter competition
1979 Co-winner of the team's Most Valuable Diver award
1979 MAC Diver of the Year for victories on the one and three-meter boards in the MAC Championship and qualified for the NCAA Championships
Held four diving records at WMU when he graduated in 1980
Helped WMU win four Mid- American Conference Championships
Nine-time MAC Coach of the Year from 1980-89 at Eastern Michigan University
NCAA Diving Coach of the Year in 1996