Woodstock welcomes 5 new members to Blue Streak Athletic Hall of Fame

Woodstock welcomed five new members to the Blue Streak Hall of Fame during halftime of Friday’s boys basketball game against Marengo.

The 2025 Hall of Fame inductees are cross country/track and field standouts Luke Beattie (Class of 2016), Grace Beattie (2016) and Lisa (Kucharski) Kunzie (2009), longtime coach Kirk Benda and three-sport athlete Brett Saladin (2004).

Luke Beattie was a four-year varsity member in cross country and track and field who competed at a combined six state meets and earned five All-State honors. During his senior season, Beattie took runner-up in the 3,200 meters and set the school record.

Beattie competed at Utah State where he was named the Mountain West Cross Country Freshman of the Year. Beattie was a three-time Outdoor Track and Field Championships qualifier and holds the school record in the 10,000 meters.

Grace Beattie was a member of the Blue Streaks’ first relay team to medal at state as the 4x800 anchor. She earned multiple invite, county and conference medals throughout her high school career. At state, she claimed a fifth-place finish in the 4x800 relay and seventh-place finish in the 800, graduating as the school-record holder in the 800.

Beattie competed at Illinois State, winning three Missouri Valley Conference track and field titles (indoor 5,000 meters and a pair in the 3,000-meter steeplechase). Beattie broke the MVC Championship Meet record in the steeplechase and was named the MVC Women’s Most Outstanding Track Athlete as a senior.

Benda taught for 33 years in Woodstock Community Unit School District 200 as a physical education teacher and coach at Olson and Creekside middle schools. He coached football for 29 years and wrestling for 16 years at Olson. He coached girls track and field for 20 years at Olson and Creekside.

At Woodstock High School, Benda coached baseball under Blue Streak Hall of Fame coaches Ed Brucker and John Theriault for seven years. He was instrumental in establishing the Woodstock Lighting Travel baseball program, which was the first travel baseball team in Woodstock. He served as athletic director at both Olson and Creekside.

Kunzie was a member of the school’s Hall of Fame 2007 girls cross country team and helped the team to its first conference championship since 1989 and an eighth-place team finish at state in 2007. In track and field, Kunzie broke the school’s 300-meter hurdles record as a freshman, which still stands today. She broke the pole vault record multiple times and was undefeated in the event as a senior. Kunzie also swam for Woodstock and broke the school’s 100-yard breaststroke record as a sophomore.

Kunzie, who competed at Truman State, teaches English at Woodstock and has been the boys track and field coach since 2021. The team won the its first sectional title in 2022.

Saladin earned varsity letters three times in football as a tight end/linebacker, three times in basketball as a forward and three times in baseball as a pitcher/infielder. He received the Most Valuable Player of the Year award as a senior at Woodstock.

Saladin played tight end at Saint John’s University and ranks top-10 in receptions, yards, receptions per game and touchdowns among tight ends. He contributed to a 40-8 record at Saint John’s and to the 2005, 2006, 2008 and 2009 Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference championship titles.