St. Charles School District 303 to induct alumni into Hall of Fame

Seven St. Charles School District 303 alumni received lifetime achievement awards and were inducted into the district’s Hall of Fame in September.

The Selection Committee on Sept. 3 announced seven former athletes, coaches and contributors would receive the Jodie Harrison Lifetime Achievement Award and be inducted into the St. Charles Hall of Fame Class of 2024.

The Hall of Fame award, named for the late St. Charles High School athletic director Jodie Harrison, honors those who have demonstrated lifetime accomplishments that are consistent with his values, character and dedication.

“We are thrilled to be inducting another incredible group of former Saints into the Hall of Fame,” president of the Jodie Harrison Hall of Fame Committee Clint Hull said in a news release. “Additionally, we are so excited to celebrate five state championship teams. These athletes, coaches, contributors and teams are the best of the best in the 100-plus year history of St. Charles sports.”

Inductees were honored Sept. 13 during the St. Charles East High School homecoming parade and before the varsity football game. The induction ceremony was Sept. 14 at the Moose Lodge.

This year’s Hall of Fame class consisted of one contributor, one coach and five former athletes.

The inductees:

Rita Payleitner (contributor)

Payleitner has supported St. Charles High School athletics as an athlete, parent, booster member, PTO member and city alderperson for more than 50 years. She was a three-sport athlete at St. Charles East and her passion for athletics continued as a parent and president of the Saints Booster Club.

Mark Gould (coach)

Gould is an Illinois High School Football Coaches Hall of Fame inductee who led many successful teams at both St. Charles high schools. He began his career at St. Charles in 1979 teaching drivers education and physical and health education before becoming dean in 1998. As a Saints staffer, Gould coached basketball, baseball, wrestling and football, finishing his tenure as varsity defensive coordinator with a 76-21 record. Gould led the St. Charles North High School football program to eight playoff appearances, earning a Coach of the Year honor.

Chris Allen (athlete)

Allen is a 1994 graduate of St. Charles High School who excelled in the classroom and on the fields. A two-time All-Conference infielder, he led the baseball team in home runs, RBIs and stolen bases. In football, he was a three-year varsity starter, earning All-Conference, All-Area, All-State and All-USA honors. He was Player of the Year and MVP in his senior season. Allen was named team captain in two national All-Star games. After graduating, he played four seasons on the Cornell University football team and was named captain his senior year. Off the field, he was a member of the Illinois State Scholar and National Honor Society.

Patrice (Feulner) Ayeni (athlete)

Ayeni was a four-year varsity starter for the St. Charles girls soccer team, leading it to four consecutive state championships from 1997 to 2000. She was a three-time All-Conference forward, four-time All-Area player, two-time All-Stater and led the team in scoring for three years. During her senior year, she was named captain, All-American and Illinois Player of the Year. Off the pitch, Ayeni was a National Honor Society member and active volunteer. She attended Arizona State University on a soccer scholarship and won numerous awards including All-PAC 10, Offensive Rookie of the Year, Offensive MVP and Team Captain while earning All-PAC-10 Academic and All-American Academic honors. She received her master’s degree from Arizona State while serving as the assistant athletic director and academic coach and later became the senior associate athletic director for student services at Iowa State. After college, Ayeni played soccer on a semi-professional level and coached the sport.

Mike Morgan (athlete)

Morgan was a four-year varsity swimmer and one of only two freshmen to qualify for the state meet. He was All-State and All-American the next three years, winning individual state championships in his junior and senior seasons and leading the Saints to their first two team state titles in swimming. He was named Illinois Swimmer of the Year in 1980. Academically, Morgan earned Honor Roll and Dean’s List accolades throughout high school and at Indiana University, where he swam for four seasons. He was named All-Big Ten twice, was a member of a Big Ten championship team twice and was an NCAA qualifier three years in a row. He is a St. Charles resident, entrepreneur, active volunteer and involved in swimming groups.

Jon Walker (athlete)

Walker was a four-year member of the St. Charles boys golf team. He was the lone senior, captain and MVP for the program’s first state championship team in 1984. The team set the standard for a golf program that would win three more state titles in the 1980s and ‘90s. Walker continued his career with a golf scholarship to Murray State University, where he won numerous individual awards, including All-Conference, MVP in 1988 and the Racer Award. Walker lives in Brentwood, Tennessee, where he has coached baseball, soccer, basketball and golf for community youth groups.

Kirk Wilderspin (athlete)

Wilderspin was an All-Star running back in football at St. Charles, winning All-Conference honors his final two years as well as All-State, MVP and team captain recognition his senior season. He was an all-around baseball threat and standout pitcher, earning All-Conference for three years and rated one of the top 100 high school players in Illinois. He played both sports at Ripon College and led the football team to a conference championship and first-ever NCAA Division III Tournament berth in 1999. He was selected to the Ripon College Hall of Fame in 2023. Wilderspin lives in Batavia, where he coaches and volunteers with local youth teams and community organizations.

For more information, contact Hall of Fame Committee member Tim Dailey at john.dailey50@comcast.net or 630-890-0341.