Dundee-Crown announces 2020 Athletic Hall of Fame class

The Dundee-Crown Athletic Hall of Fame has announced the five members of its 2020 induction class.

Four individuals and one team comprise the class, although because of the COVID-19 pandemic, D-C athletic director Steve Gertz said this class will be inducted next year with the 2021 class. The date for that ceremony will be Saturday, Oct. 9, 2021 at the Golf Club of Illinois in Algonquin.

The members of the 2020 class are Bob Allen (Dundee, 1952), Amanda Lutzow (D-C, 2008), Christina Thornton Kociszewski (D-C, 2006), Meri Ziethen Dix (Crown, 1981) and the 1985 wrestling team.

Allen starred for the Dundee basketball team, while also competing in football, baseball and track. He helped the Cardinals to the Little Seven Conference title with a 14-0 mark. Allen scored 21.7 points per game to lead the conference.

Allen gained acclaim when Sport magazine recognized him as a “High School Hero” in a story about his family life. Allen’s father died when he was 14, and he helped his mother raise his younger brother and sister. He served in the U.S. Army and was a career employee of Illinois Bell Telephone. Allen died in 2000.

Lutzow graduated from D-C as its career leader in kills (season and career), as well as serve and dig percentages. She played college volleyball at NCAA Division I East Carolina and now is a chiropractor.

Lutzow was a four-year starter in volleyball and a three-time All-Fox Valley Conference selection.

Thornton (now Kociszewski) was a soccer standout and also graduated from D-C as its leader in career statistics. She had the most goals and assists for a season and a career when she was finished playing for the Chargers.

When Thornton graduated from Judson University, she did so as its career scoring leader with 79 goals. She was a three-time All-FVC player in high school and was named the Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference Player of the Year in 2008. She also was selected to Judson’s Hall of Fame this year.

Ziethen (now Dix) earned 11 varsity letters in her career with the Crown Vikings, three in volleyball and four each in basketball and track and field.

Ziethen left Crown with 1,152 career points and 966 rebounds. She also was Crown’s 1981 valedictorian. As a junior, she led Crown to the FVC girls basketball championship, and she was a three-time All-FVC basketball player. She was selected for Crown’s Most Outstanding Senior Athlete Award in 1981.

The 1985 D-C wrestling team finished fourth in the Class 2A Dual Team State Tournament. The Chargers won the FVC title, along with regional and sectional championships.

The Chargers were the first D-C team to earn an IHSA state finals trophy. Team members Larry Kaifesh and Bob Carrigan already are D-C Athletic Hall of Fame members.