Chris Barnes 1988 Bowling was not a high school sport when Chris attended Topeka High School. He, did, however, participate in football, basketball, track, and golf. He was good enough in basketball that he was a member of the 1986 State Basketball Championship Team. Bowling was the sport he took up very seriously when competing for Wichita State University. In 1998, he became a professional bowler, and that same year he earned the Professional Bowlers Association Rookie of the year. Eventually, he became one of the leading bowlers on tour, earning PBA Player of the Year honors in 2007 and 2008. Chris has won multiple championships, including the “triple crown” of professional bowling – the US Open in 2005, the PBA Tournament of Champions in 2006, and the PBA World Championship in 2010. Additionally, Chris has won five PBA50 titles, including two majors and 28 PBA Regional Titles. Overall, Chris has won 19 PBA Tour Titles and bowled a perfect 300 55 times. Chris has also competed internationally for Team USA. He was the World Tenpin Masters Champion in 2006, is a four-time Gold Medalist at the American Zone Championships and was Team Captain in the 2019 Weber Cup versus Team Europe. Additionally, he has represented the USA at the WTBA Championships, 2009 World Games, and the 2009 Pan American Bowling Confederation Championships.

Steve Tilford 1978 From a very early age, Steve Tilford rode bicycles. He became so good at such a young age he won the Kansas State Road Cycling Championship at the age of 14. All his cycling took place outside of his high school hours; regardless, he was named to the US Junior National Cycling Team in 1978, the same year he graduated. Shortly thereafter, Steve was invited and became a permanent resident at the US Olympic Training Center in 1981. That same year he began competing internationally for the US Team. In 1983, he won both the US National Cyclocross Bike Championships and the US National Mountain Bike Championships, a very rare cycling double in cycling. Steve turned professional in 1986. That year, he placed 2nd in the Olympic Mountain Bike Trials. During his professional career, Steve would finish in the Top 20 at the World Mountain Bike Championships five times. He was the Professional Cyclocross National Champion in 1991 and 1992. As a Masters competitor, Steve won the World Masters Mountain Bike Championship five times and the World Masters Cyclocross Championship twice. Steve is a member of the US Mountain Bike Hall of Fame, has a display in his honor at the US Mountain Biking Museum in Marin County, California, and is a member of the Shawnee County Sports Hall of Fame.

Mike Torrez 1964 The year Mike Torrez began his high school career is the same year high schools dropped baseball (until it was picked back up in the late 80’s). However, he was still a great athlete and excelled on the basketball court. During the summers is when Torrez displayed his talent as a baseball pitcher, and just after graduation, he signed to play for the St. Louis Cardinals. Mike made his major league debut in 1967 and became a full-time player in 1969. Mike played for multiple organizations including Montreal Expos, Baltimore Orioles, Oakland Athletics, New York Yankees, Boston Red Sox, and the New York Mets. He started games 3 and 6 for the Yankees in the 1977 World Series, striking out 15 and walking 5. Mike ranks 130 All-time in MLB innings pitched, or the top 1% of all MLB pitchers. He holds the distinction of defeating every team in the Major League. Through his years, he attained a career record of 1,850,08, while accumulating 1,404 strikeouts. Mike is a member of the Kansas Sports Hall of Fame, the Kansas Baseball Hall of Fame, and the Shawnee County Sports Hall of Fame.

Dean Smith 1949 Known primarily as a collegiate basketball coaching hall of famer, along with Janet Nuzman, Dean Smith is another 1949 graduate. Dean attended Topeka High School his Junior and Senior years having previously attended Emporia High School. During his high school career, he was a four-year letterman in basketball, becoming all-state as a Senior. He also played quarterback on the football team and was a catcher on the baseball team. During his time at Topeka High School, Dean felt strongly that the all-black team, the winning Ramblers should be integrated with the talented all-white Trojan team. He and his Rambler friend, Jack Alexander, worked together to convince the administration to merge the teams. The year after Dean and Jack graduated, the two teams were, at last, integrated. Dean would go on and play at Kansas University, leading the team to the 1952 NCAA National Championship and 1953 Runners-Up. In 1961, Dean became the Head Coach of the North Carolina Tarheels. As the new Head Coach, he worked vigorously to provide black basketball players opportunities to play for what had been a primarily white program. During his time, he garnered an overall record of 879-254, won two NCAA National Championships, coached in 11 Final Fours, won 13 ACC Tournament Titles, 17 ACC Regular Season Titles, and one NIT Championship. In 1976, he was named the Olympic Head Coach, and the team won the Gold Medal. These accomplishments lead to him being an eight-time ACC Coach of the Year, and being inducted into the FIBA Hall of Fame, the Basketball Hall of Fame, and the College Basketball Hall of Fame. In 2013, Dean Smith was given the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

Janet Steck Nuzman 1949 Another pioneer in women’s sports, Janet attended Topeka High, prior to the inclusion of girls’ sports in schools. Regardless, she was an active member and leader of many extracurricular clubs and activities. Janet was a member of the Senior Girls Council, Honor Pep Club, and Senior Leader of “Girls in Green” a club promoting Girls Physical Education and Sports. All of this was a prelude to her college and career aspirations academically and athletically. Janet graduated from Kansas State University with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Physical Education, followed that by a Master of Science Degree in Education/Physical Education from Kansas University. After a brief stint as the first girls’ basketball coach at Highland Park High School, Janet joined the Washburn University’s Women’s Physical Education Department in 1962. It is there where she became a true pioneer in Women’s Sport by organizing, developing, and becoming the Head Coach of multiple sports: Gymnastics (‘68-’70), Field Hockey (‘68-70), Basketball (‘69-’70), Softball (‘70-’71), and Volleyball (‘69-’81). Janet is a member of the Washburn Athletic Hall of Fame and the Highland Park Teacher Hall of Fame. Ultimately, Janet would be recognized posthumously by both the NCAA and the MIAA as a “Title IX Champion.”

Ruth L. Fairbank 1937 Well before girls were allowed to participate in high school and even collegiate athletics, Ruth Fairbank became a legend in her own time. Ruth was prodigious in everything she participated in which included softball, basketball, and later, tennis. Participating in club basketball, Ruth was named an All-American in 1935. She was also a multi-time All-Star softball player. While attending Washburn University, Ruth continued to play on softball and basketball teams sponsored by local businesses such as Capper’s, Ed Marling’s, and the Sante Fe., playing well into her 30’s. As a softball player, her teams won multiple State Championships and participated in the National Championship Tournament. Later, Ruth added the game of tennis to her many achievements. As a tennis player, Ruth won multiple City Championship Titles in Singles, Doubles, and Mixed Doubles. Ruth would become a major contributor in establishing tennis as a flourishing sport in Topeka. Amazingly, Ruth was able to participate in all these sports while also working for Sante Fe Railway after graduating from WU. She worked for Sante Fe for 40 years. Ultimately, Ruth was a pioneer in the Topeka community in embracing and celebrating women in sports.