Athlete Hall of Fame 2020
Daniel V.
This year Maine West is inducting five members of the class of 2020 into the Maine West Hall of Fame. Athletes earn this honor in one of two ways: earn All State honors in an IHSA sanctioned sport or earn at least six varsity letters and be named All Conference in two or more IHSA/CSL sports. Each inductee will receive a certificate and plaque and will have their picture hung in the Maine West Athletic Hall of Fame outside spec gym.
Jaden Dolphin
Dolphin lettered and was named all-conference in both Football and Track. It was on the football field where Dolphin really stood out. He helped lead his team to three CSL football championships, and earned All-State recognition. Dolphin earned six varsity letters while competing for the Warriors and played a tremendous role in the most successful three year run in the history of the Maine West Football program.
Athletic Director Jarrett Kirshner said, “Jaden is a hard worker who demonstrated commitment on the field, on the track, as well as in the classroom. He won the respect of his teachers and performed at a high level, carrying a 3.5 cumulative GPA. [He’s] an all-around performer, who made the time to commit to excellence.”
Track Coach Andy Trotter called Dolphin, “a versatile track athlete who had range as a sprinter, besides being a great jumper. Jaden finished second in conference in the high jump last year and ran on both the winning 400 and 800 meter relay teams.”
Dolphin was an all-state performer on the football field. Football coach Jason Kradman described Dolphin as “the best two-way player in the entire CSL. Jaden’s been unstoppable at times. He is the school’s single season record holder in receiving yards and in receiving touchdowns. He also secured seven interceptions on the defensive side of the ball and backed up his vocal leadership with his play on the field. Jaden is a true game-changer.”
Kirshner notes, “I had the pleasure to watch Jaden compete in every varsity football game he played. He is a great athlete and an outstanding teammate. We are proud of his time here at West. Jaden has committed to play football at Northern Illinois University and we wish him the very best in his academic and athletic career.”
David Jackson
Jackson was a three-year varsity starter on both the track and football teams. Jackson earned six varsity letters and achieved all-conference honors four times, twice in each sport.
Last year at the CSL track conference meet he won the 100 meter dash and anchored both the winning 400 and 800 meter relay teams. Track Coach Andy Trotter said that Jackson was one of the fastest young men he ever coached.
“Any Warrior Fans who attended a Maine West Football game know how dangerous David was as a punt and kick returner. He also had an impact on the defensive side of the ball. David’s athleticism, speed, and agility helped our Warriors to three CSL Championships,” athletic director Jarrett Kirshner said.
Football coach Jason Kradman said, “An explosive two-way starter for our football team the past few years, David is arguably responsible for one of the most important plays in Maine West history: he knocked-down the game-tying two-point conversion vs. Benet Academy in our school’s only playoff victory! A two-time All-Conference selection, David made impact plays for us on offense, defense, and special teams. A young man who’s always got a smile on his face, David will continue his career as a student-athlete at Winona State University.”
Dylan Van Fleet
Van Fleet earned nine varsity letters as a Warrior athlete while competing in cross country, soccer, and basketball. She earned all conference honors in both soccer and basketball, and she was named as a second team all-state honoree in basketball. Van Fleet helped lead the Warrior soccer team to the best overall and CSL record in decades and was a tremendous part of the girls basketball success at the conference and state level. “Her success is no surprise. Her work ethic is outstanding. She competes with fire and intensity, and she personifies grit on the field and on the court,” athletic director Jarrett Kirshner said. “She is an incredible athlete with a motor that just doesn’t quit.”
Van Fleet is a captain and a difference maker on the soccer field. “She can be counted on to score, defend, and inspire her teammates with a level of competitive intensity and effort that should serve as a model for all of our athletes,” Kirshner noted.
Varsity soccer coach Jeff Bishop said, “Dylan is extremely dedicated and hard working. She is never happy with anything less than being the best. She pushes herself, and challenges her teammates to keep up. She makes everyone around her better. The dedication and improvement that she has made over her four years as a Warrior is something truly special. She is a one of a kind athlete and extremely deserving of this honor.”
Van Fleet is a leader. As a captain and guard on the basketball team, she was a huge part of the offense and helped lead the Warriors to a 35-0 record and an IHSA State Championship. Van Fleet and her teammates never lost a conference game, and they won four sectional championships. “She led by example, playing with an exceptional level of intensity on both sides of the court. Her hustle is second to none. She is a great finisher on the fast break and was one of the best defenders in the state. Her defense was one of our team’s best offensive weapons, as she stole the ball consistently and finished with countless uncontested lay-ups,” Kirshner said. She finished with 171 steals in a season which is second all-time in West’s entire program history.
Head girls basketball coach Kim DeMarigny said, “Dylan VanFleet has the heart of a lion, on and off the court! She is never intimidated or dismayed at taking on an opponent who is bigger in physical stature than herself. She ruthlessly competes with the goal of team success without hesitation!”
Van Fleet’s work ethic resulted in all-conference performances in both soccer and basketball, while she earned a 4.0 GPA. “She is an all-around great person and a true Warrior,” Kirshner said.
Angela Dugalic
Ray Ure
Two additional Hall of Fame inductees, Angela Dugalic and Ray Ure, are also the Athletes of the Year for the class of 2020. Please see the accompanying article about the career successes of Dugalic and Ure and their record-setting impact on Maine West athletics and the IHSA.
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