02/18/03

Two Former LMC Athletes to be Inducted into Hall of Fame

(Picture on right is Jeff Peterek)

BENTON TOWNSHIP, MI - Continuing with its tradition of recognizing athletic excellence, Lake Michigan College's Athletic Department will induct Jeff Peterek and Mary Fowler into the LMC Athletic Hall of Fame on Friday, February 21. The ceremony will take place at 7 p.m. in the gymnasium during the intermission between the women's and men's basketball games against Kellogg Community College. The event is open to the public.

Peterek played baseball for LMC from 1980 through 1982 and is the only LMC baseball player ever to reach the major leagues. A former River Valley High School standout, he was instrumental in the team going 21-10 and winning the Western Conference Championship during LMC's inaugural baseball season in 1981. In 1982, Peterek was voted team MVP by his teammates and led the Indians pitching staff with an outstanding 2.29 E.R.A.

After leaving LMC, Peterek received a baseball scholarship to Division I Western Kentucky and subsequently completed his collegiate baseball career at Mary-Hardin Baylor College in Texas. After college, he was signed by the Milwaukee Brewers and spent four productive years in the minor leagues. In 1989, Peterek was brought up to the major league team in the midst of a pennant race. During the 1989 season, he had four key starting assignments and three appearances out of the bullpen. He returned to the minor leagues in 1990 where arm problems eventually halted his professional baseball career. He currently resides in Union Pier where he works as a real estate agent.

(Picture on right is Mary Fowler)

Fowler played volleyball for LMC from 1983 to 1985. A former Lakeshore High School standout, Mary led LMC to two conference, state, and regional championships. Each year, her teams also made national tournament appearances finishing 7th and 11th respectively.
Fowler was All-Conference as a freshman and All-Conference, All-State, and All-Region as a sophomore. Her LMC teams earned a 27 - 1 conference record over two years including a school record 35 match winning streak in 1983. During her freshman season in a match again Kellogg Community College, Fowler served an entire match for 15 consecutive points.

After her LMC career, Fowler transferred to the University of Toledo on a full volleyball scholarship. While at Toledo, she was a three-time Mid-American Conference (MAC) Player of the Week and named captain her senior season. She was also a MAC leader in assists and digs.

Mary graduated from Toledo in 1988 and returned to LMC as a volleyball coach from 1989 through 1993. She currently works at LMC as a grants and research coordinator.