Wednesday, February 09, 2011

A talented multi-sport athlete during his collegiate days at Valparaiso, Fred Donath excelled in both football and wrestling for the Brown and Gold, and on Saturday, February 19 he will be inducted into the Valparaiso University Athletics Hall of Fame. 

His 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.

The Valparaiso University Athletics Hall of Fame Induction Banquet will be held on Saturday, February 19 at 1 p.m. at the St. Teresa of Avila Student Center.  Please note, this is a time and location change for the banquet.  The inductees will also be recognized at halftime men’s basketball game on the same day.