Beginning in 1997, the Highland Community College Athletic Hall of Fame was established for the purpose of recognizing and honoring former student-athletes, coaches, faculty, staff, athletic teams and special contributors whose accomplishments have brought prestige, honor and/or support to Highland Community College's Athletics. The 2021 Athletic Hall of Fame banquet dinner will be held Friday, October 8, 2021, at 7:00 p.m. in the HCC Agriculture building honoring this year's inductees. Tickets are $20.00 each. Please contact HCC's Athletic Department (785) 442-6039 or HCC's Athletic Director, Dr. Bryan Dorrel, bdorrel@highlandcc.edu for tickets or for further information. 

The 2021 Athletic Hall of Fame Inductees:

Greg Delzeit

Greg Delzeit, a Doniphan County and Wathena, KS native attended Highland Community College and played defensive end for the Scottie football team in 1970-1971. Greg completed his bachelor's degree in 1974 at Fort Hays State College in Health, Physical Education and Recreation and Social Studies. Greg also completed his master's degree in Secondary Administration at Northwest Missouri State University ('83). 

Greg taught and coached high school football, basketball and track at Gorham KS ('75-'76), South Harrison MO ('76-'78), Centralia, MO ('78-'79), and Horton KS ('80-'81). In 1979 Greg spent one year as an assistant football coach for the Scotties under then Head Coach Chuck Carrender.  

In 1982 Greg was hired by Hall of Fame Coach Marty Allen to become the Defensive Coordinator for the Scottie football program where he served for 23 years. In 1996 Greg was given the title of Assistant Head Coach. During Greg's first 23 years of service to HCC, Delzeit served two seasons as the Head Track Coach and three years as the Intramural Director while also teaching and advising as a member of the Health, Physical Education and Recreation faculty. 

In 2004, Greg became the Athletic Director for Highland Community College, where he served until his retirement in 2016. During Greg's time as Athletic Director, HCC Athletics experienced much success and in 2008 Greg received the Bryce Roderick Award for outstanding service to the Kansas Jayhawk Conference and Region VI. 

The name Greg Delzeit is synonymous with Highland Community College, having served as a student-athlete, coach, educator, and administrator for a total 37 years. During his time at HCC, Greg was known as a selfless supporter of the college, its student-athletes and its mission and he worked tirelessly to provide academic and athletic opportunities to countless.   


Tim Schwegler



Tim Schwegler began his coaching tenure as the Head Coach at Highland Community College in 1986 which led to a twenty-year career as the Head Track and Field and Cross Country coach for both the men's and women's teams.

Thirty-eight of his teams placed in the Top 20 at the NJCAA Indoor and Outdoor Track & Field/Cross Country/Marathon/Half-Marathon Championships. He coached 106 NJCAA and Coaches' Association Athletic All-Americans and 192 NJCAA and Coaches Association Academic All-Americans during his tenure at Highland. The Scotties won six Kansas Jayhawk Indoor and Outdoor Track & Field Community College Conference championships and two Kansas Independent JUCO Cross Country Championships under his guidance.

Coach Schwegler may be most proud of six squads that earned NJCAA Top Academic Team of the Year and four squads that earned Coaches' Association Academic Team of the Year. Schwegler was named 1999 NJCAA Men's Track Coach of the Year and the 2004 NJCAA Region VI Women's Coach of the Year.


Marj (Finuf) Locker



Marj (Finuf) Locker attended Highland Community College from 1976-1978. Marj was a two-sport athlete at Highland Community College, competing in volleyball and track and field.  She was a part of the 1976-1977 (17-5 record) volleyball team which was the first-ever, and only HCC volleyball team in history to make the National tournament. In 1978 Marj qualified for the national track and field meet in the javelin and finished 9^th in the country. 
 
Following Highland, Marj attended Missouri Western College and competed as a two-sport athlete in both volleyball and softball and completed her bachelor's degree in education. Marj later completed her master's degree and went on to teach secondary history, art and journalism while continuing her athletic career coaching both track and field and softball.  In 2014 Marj was inducted into the Missouri Fastpitch Coaches Hall of Fame. 

Marj continues to compete athletically, write for the local newspaper and teach adult art classes, staying true to the educational foundation she received at Highland Community College. "I loved going to Highland and have many wonderful memories from my time there. I learned so much about life in general and had such interesting teachers. Wayne Davis is the teacher who got me interested in teaching history and Walter Yost fired my love for art. Mrs. Parish was a kind journalism teacher who guided me well. Those three sent me down the path I followed my entire life. Mr. Yost said that his greatest pride was the accomplishments of his former students, and Mr. Yost I tried to make you proud."

Jesse Griffin

Jesse Griffin, a native of Ottawa, KS, attended Highland Community College from 1988-1990. Griffin competed as a member of the track and field and cross country teams under Hall of Fame Coach, Tim Schwegler. 

This two-time Kansas 5A All-State track athlete continued to tear up the course as a Scottie. Griffin earned NJCAA All-American status in the marathon with a fourth-place national finish. He also set HCC track and field records in the outdoor 5000 meters, 10,000 meters, and marathon. As well as, indoor records for the 3000-meter and 5000-meter races. Griffin earned NJCAA All-Academic honors in cross country, track and field, and marathon.  

Following Highland, Jesse continued to compete in track and field and cross country at the University of Kansas and Emporia State University. Jesse graduated from Emporia State in 1994 with a bachelor's degree in mathematics and secondary education and 1997 and with his master's degree in education.

Following college, Jesse began teaching and coaching track and field at Raytown South, Lee's Summit North and Lee's Summit West, capturing 13^th team state championships in both cross country and track and field. Jesse was named the Missouri Track and Cross Country Coach of the Year 11 times and twice he has been named the National High School Coach of the Year.