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

Seven St. Charles School District 303 alumni will receive lifetime achievement awards and be inducted into the district’s Hall of Fame on Saturday, Sept. 14.

On Sept. 3, the award’s selection committee announced that seven former athletes, coaches and contributors will 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 which 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. We can’t wait to welcome them, their families and former teammates back to St. Charles and to celebrate their induction.”

Inductees will be honored on Friday, Sept. 13 during the East High School Homecoming parade and before the varsity football game.

The Induction Ceremony will be open to the public and held from noon to 2 p.m. on Sept. 14 at the Moose Lodge at 2250 W. Route 38.

This year’s Hall of Fame class includes one contributor, one coach and five former athletes. The inductees are as follows:

• Rita Payleitner (contributor): Payleitner has supported St. Charles High School Athletics as an athlete, parent, booster member, PTO member, and city councilwoman for over 50 years. She was a three-sport athlete during her time as a student at St. Charles East and her passion for EHS 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 teaching career at St. Charles in 1979 teaching Drivers Education and Physical and Health Education before becoming Dean of Students 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. As 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, and 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 went on to play 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 them 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 where she 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 continued playing soccer on a semi-professional level and coached various teams.
• 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-Big10 twice, a member of the Big-Ten Championship Team twice, and was a NCAA qualifier three years in a row. He is now 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 where he was the lone senior, captain and MVP for the program’s first State Championship in 1984, which set the standard for a golf program that would win three more state titles in the ‘80s and ‘90s. Walker continued his career with a golf scholarship to Murray State University where he won numerous individual awards, including All-Conference, MVP 1988, and the Racer Award. Walker currently lives in Brentwood, Tennessee, where he has coached baseball, soccer, basketball, and golf for community youth groups.
• Kirk Wilderspin (Athlete): Wilderspin is an award-winning athlete at high school and collegiate levels. At St. Charles, he was an all-star running back in football, 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 continued playing both sports at Ripon College, where he led his team to a Conference Championship and first-ever NCAA Division III Tournament bid in 1999. He was selected to the Ripon College Hall of Fame in 2023. Wilderspin currently 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 call 630-890-0341.