A talented multi-sport athlete during his collegiate days at Valparaiso, Fred Donath excelled in both football and wrestling for the Brown and Gold.

This all-around prowess was capped during his senior season when he was named Valparaiso University’s Athlete of the Year for the 1969-1970 school year.

On the gridiron, Donath earned All-Indiana Collegiate Conference honors at guard during the 1969 season while helping the Crusaders win ICC crowns both as a junior and as a senior.

On the wrestling mat, he won a pair of ICC championships, one in the heavyweight class as a junior and another in the 190-pound class as a senior.  Donath also helped lead Valpo to its only two ICC championships in school history as a team.

Upon graduation from Valparaiso, Donath went into a career in retail management.