WICHITA – Newman University Athletics is proud to announce the 2023 Hall of Fame Class. This year's class will enshrine 4 individuals, a booster, and the Sr. Thomasine Stoecklein Spirit Award winner.
 
3 former athletes, Larry Inlow ('98, Men's Soccer), Rubi Torres ('15, Women's Cross Country), and Leroy Leep Jr ('79, Men's Basketball) will join the winningest coach in Newman Men's Basketball history, Mark Potter ('86), and Eck Agency in this years Hall of Fame Class.
 
Tim Eckberg will be the recipient of the Sr. Thomasine Stoecklein Spirit Award.
 
The weekend celebrations begin February 4th with Women's Basketball taking on Nebraska Kearney at 1:30 PM, followed by the Men taking on Nebraska Kearney at 3:30 PM. Following the Men's game there will be a 5:30 social in the Alumni Center with the Hall of Fame dinner and induction ceremony around 7:00 PM in the Dugan Conference Center.
 
See below for the inductee's bios.
 
 
 
Newman University Athletics Hall of Fame Inductees- Class of 2023
Mark Potter '86   Men's Basketball Coach
Mark Potter is the winningest coach in Newman men's basketball program history compiling a 331-233 record in 19 seasons on the Jet bench. Potter is the longest-tenured coach in program history and shepherded the program through its restart in 1998 after an 11-year absence and its transition in 2007 from the NAIA to NCAA Division II status. He led the Jets to their final three NAIA Tournament appearances and the program's only NCAA Tournament appearance after a 20-8 season in 2012-13.
Potter (class of 1986) lettered in both baseball and basketball for the Jets averaging 15 points per game as a guard on the basketball team while being named All-District on the baseball team.  The floor inside Fugate Gymnasium is named "Potter Family Court" in his honor.  Potter lives in Cheney, KS with his wife Nanette.  They both are currently traveling around the country with their company, D2UP, which is a professional speaking business dedicated to educating and supporting those who suffer in silence with depression, anxiety, or suicidal thoughts.
 

 
Larry Inlow  '98   Men's Soccer
Larry Inlow was a Wichita Southeast 1993 graduate, captain, and All-State pick, and trained with the Wichita Wings, and later with the KC Wizards.  Coach Cliff Brown recruited Larry to be a Jet and he earned a degree in Biology from 1994-1998.  He was also team captain for 3 seasons, 3x First Team All- Conference, 2x All-Region, an All-American, NAIA defensive player of the week and multiple athlete of the month awards, as well as voted team MVP 1997-98.  After being drafted senior year to play professionally with the Wichita Wings, and eventually with the San Diego Sockers.  In 2011, Larry played again for the Wichita Wings for one season, and later becoming the B-52's head coach. He then became coach and GM of the FC Wichita Men's team and became the director of Soccer operations. Today he is the director of the Stryker Sports Complex in Wichita and has a 15-year career as a fire fighter, currently ranking as a Captain in the City of Wichita Fire Department.  Larry and his wife, Nikki, live in Wichita.


 
Rubi Torres  '15  Women's Cross Country
A four-year Jet and nursing major, Rubi Torres graduated from Great Bend High school, where she earned all-conference and all-state accolades on the track in the 1600m and 3200m runs, as well as the 4x800m relay. On the cross-country course, Torres was a three-time all-conference and all-state runner. She broke the school 4K record during her career.  At Newman, Torres was a four-time all-conference selection. During her career, she helped lead the Lady Jets to four-straight top-three finishes at the conference championships. In 2012, Torres also earned Academic All-American Honors.  As a Jet, Torres ran the three fastest 5K times in school history, with a best time of 17:59 in her senior season. Torres is the first and only Lady Jet to run a sub-18-minute 5K, her record still stands. She also holds the 6K school record and her 4K time ranks second on the school's all-time list.  With her degree, Torres is now a registered nurse at a critical access hospital in Central Kansas. She currently lives in her hometown, Great Bend, with her husband, Kameron Spray, and their two children Theo and Chloe. Torres is currently pursuing her Family Nurse Practitioner certification and expects to graduate in 2023.

 

 
 
 
Leroy Leep, Jr.'79Men's Basketball
A Wichita native, Leroy Leep was an All-City performer in football, basketball, and baseball while at Wichita North High School, graduating in 1974.    Leroy received 1^st Team All-State Honors in Basketball in 1974 and went on to play basketball at Hutchinson Jr College before his 2 years with KNC. Leroy was instrumental in the 1977-78 Jets team that won the district title, advancing to the NAIA National Tournament.  The 1977-78 Team was inducted into the Newman University Hall of Fame in 2007, but Leroy is also recognized for his individual talents, especially his 32-point performance leading KNC's victory over Marymount College in the District Final.  Leroy also set a KNC record with 44 straight free throws made during the 1978-79 season.  Leroy earned 1^st Team All District Honors in 1979.   Leroy graduated with a degree in accounting, working in the Public and Private Accounting sectors and is currently a consultant with Bombardier Aerospace, living in Wichita Kansas with his wife Tina.

 
 

 
 
Eck Agency- John Eck
 
Owner John Eck, of Eck Agency Insurance, has supported the Jets for over 20 years.Sons Michael (Class of '03) and Bryan (class of '08) are both Newman graduates.Michael played basketball under Coach Potter and then later was an assistant coach on the Men's Basketball staff.John and his wife Kathy have been supporters and major donors of events and projects, such as the Jet Open Golf tournament and the remodeling of the Men's Basketball locker room, which holds their name on the door plate.The Eck Agency is honored as a Booster in the Newman University Athletics 2023 Hall of Fame class.

 
 
 

 
 
Sr. Thomasine Stoecklein Spirit Award:   Tim Eckberg
Tim Eckberg is a 1976 graduate and a retired USD 259 elementary teacher. His late wife, Sylvia, was also a graduate in Education from Sacred Heart. After serving in the army, Tim enrolled at Sacred Heart/Kansas Newman, was on the Men's Golf team and was the student Sports Information director 1974-76.  He has been active as an Alumni Board Member and various committees on the Newman campus. He is honored as a Spirit Award winner for 2023 due to his long-lasting love of the Jets, rarely missing a men's or women's basketball game over the years.  He, along with previous Spirit Award winners Kirk Lester and Fr. Tom Welk, make up the trio of 'Super Fans' who we count on to be at as many Jets competitions as their time allows.  Tim's favorite memory is when Newman beat Marymount College after they had won 106 straight games at their home court.  Tim has 2 sons and 3 grandchildren.