Downers Grove South High School will induct six new members to its Athletic Hall of Fame on Saturday, January 28, 2017. Honorees include: Megan (Rossi) Bremer (Class of 2003), Ron Havelka (Head Softball Coach), Denise (Lazzerone) Kavanaugh (Class of 1982), Greg Ktistou (Class of 1997), Mark Lenkowski (Class of 2004), Julie (Todd) Mesmer (Class of 2003).
The induction ceremony and celebration will take place in the school's main gym at approximately 5:30 p.m.
Megan (Rossi) Bremer: Two-Time All-State-Track and Field/Cross Country
Megan (Rossi) Bremer was a stand-out in Cross Country and Track and Field while at DGS from 1999-2003. She made numerous state appearances in Cross Country, Track running events, and Pole Vault in her distinguished career and was also a stellar student who went on to achieve greatness at North Central College in Naperville, IL.
Megan was an avid runner upon entering high school who immediately got involved with sports and activities. She was a Dancer for the Pintos in the fall, played Basketball in the winter, and ran Track in the spring; setting a Fr/Soph school record in the 400M dash.
In her sophomore year, Megan decided to add Cross Country to her busy calendar and she was on the sophomore Cross Country WSC championship team. In the spring, she helped set a school record as a member of the 4x800 relay team and was a state qualifier in the 3200M relay in the outdoor season. It was during her sophomore year that Megan tried her hand at the pole vault; the event in which she would come to excel.
Megan kept building on her previous successes; winning the WSC in pole vault and 400M, qualifying for state in the pole vault, and earning her first (of several) All-State distinctions placing 8th in 3200M Relay. In her senior year, she was a member of the WSC champion Cross Country team, was WSC champion in numerous in-door Track and Field events, set school records in the pole vault, was a state qualifier in the 800M, and was 4th place at state in the pole vault (11’3”) earning yet another All-State designation.
All of these athletic achievements did not prevent Megan from performing academically in high school. She was an IHSA Scholastic Achievement Award winner, an Illinois State Scholar, graduated in the top 10% of her class, and was presented a Prairie State Achievement Award in Mathematics. If all of these athletic and academic accomplishments were not enough; Megan was also the homecoming queen!
After graduating, Megan decided to accept the Presidential Scholarship at North Central College to pursue her degree in Sports Management and compete in track and field at the premier DIII track program in the nation. While at NCC, she focused on the pole vault and became one of the nation’s best. She was a seven-time All-American in the event (4 in-door and 3 out-door); and was twice named ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District V team. She was team captain and also given the Merle Chapman Leadership Award and NCC Senior Influence Award—both recognizing the strength of her character and leadership.
Megan returned to school to earn a Master’s Degree and gain her teaching certification from Rockford College in 2013. She has been teaching at Winnebago middle school since 2012 and is a volunteer coach (pole vault) at Winnebago high school with her husband Jacob and also helps with Cross Country at the middle school. Megan is currently busy raising her family but plans to get more involved in coaching again in the future.
Ron Havelka: Head Softball Coach 1993-2016
Ron Havelka is only the second Head Softball Coach in Downers Grove South history. His career spanned 24 seasons from 1993-2016 and his teams amassed 704 wins which currently ranks him the 5th winningest coach in Illinois softball history. “Rondo” continued to build the program into one of the best in the state and won a state title in his first year as head coach. The softball program has long been considered one of the strongest at DGS and has helped build the tradition of Mustang athletic excellence. Coach Havelka retired after the 2016 season bringing home another state trophy (3rd) and having gone undefeated in the West Suburban Conference for the ninth time in his career.
Ron attended Downers Grove (North) High School and graduated in 1966. While a Trojan, Ron played football and baseball and earned 2 varsity letters. He was also on the honor roll all eight semesters. Upon graduation, Ron attended Northern Illinois University earning a Bachelor’s Degree in Marketing with a minor in Social Studies. His teaching/coaching career began in 1970 right after graduating from N.I.U. at St. Joan of Arc in Lisle. Seven years later, Ron moved over to Eisenhower Junior High School in Darien and completed his 37-year career as teacher/coach. Always believing in life-long learning, Ron earned his Master’s Degree in Administration from Roosevelt University in 1983 and got his Special Education Endorsement from National Louis University in 1993.
Ron was hired in 1993 as the Head Softball Coach for the Mustangs and enjoyed a long and storied career in that role. Coach Havelka credits great athletes, parents, and assistant coaches for the level of success of the program, as well as a supportive District 99 Administration.
The achievements and accomplishments of Coach Havelka’s teams have been numerous and include:
• Overall career record of 704-169-3
• WSC record of 265-23; Conference Champions 21 out of 24 years
• 17 IHSA Regional Titles
• 7 IHSA Sectional Titles
• 4 IHSA Super Sectional Titles
• 4 State Place-Winning Teams: 4th -2007, 3rd -2016, 2nd -2006, and State Champs-1993
• Averaged 29 wins a year with 14 teams winning at least 30 games in a season
• Coached 16 All-State players and 6 All-American players
• Voted Sectional coach of the Year by the Illinois Softball Coaches Association 5 times
• Named the IHSA Softball Coach of the Year in 2016
• Named the ISCA Softball Coach of the Year in 1993 and 2006
• He and his coaching staff were named National High School Coaching Staff of the Year in 2016 by the National Fast-Pitch Coaches Association
• Inducted into the Illinois Softball Coaches Association Hall of Fame in 2007
Rondo lives in the area and still bleeds “blue and blue.” He can be seen regularly on the DGS campus keeping the official score book at basketball games or simply watching the Mustangs compete.
Denise (Lazzeroni) Kavanaugh: Head Girls Volleyball Coach 1994-2002
Denise (Lazzeroni) Kavanaugh attended DGS from 1978-1982 where she played volleyball all four years (varsity for 2) for coaches Judy and Rich Griesheim. After high school, Denise attended Illinois State University and graduated in 1986 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Physical Education. In 1990, she joined the P.E. faculty at her alma mater, began coaching Girls and Boys Volleyball, and a stellar career was born.
Denise quickly moved up the coaching ranks in Girls’ Volleyball at DGS. In 1990 she coached the freshman team and moved up to the sophomore level the next three seasons. In 1994 she became the head coach and took her team to the IHSA state final game finishing 2nd. The next eight-year run saw a level of achievement and excellence that no other sport program has attained at DGS to date. In 1995-96 the team was 3rd place in the IHSA, brought home their first state title in 1996-97, and returned to the title game to finish 2nd in 1997-98. Coach Kavanaugh’s volleyball teams set the standard for excellence and everyone in the DGS community expected deep runs in the state series every year. Denise closed out her coaching career with another great run finishing 5th, 3rd and brought home two more state titles in 1999-00 and 2002-03; six IHSA trophies in her ten-year career including three state titles! She is one of only two public high school coaches to have three state championship teams.
The accolades and recognition have been numerous in her distinguished coaching career and include:
• Overall record 359-55
• Named National Volleyball Coach of the Year in 1999 by Volleyball Magazine
• Voted Coach of the Year by the Illinois Volleyball Coaches Association
• IHSA/Fox Sports-Commentator for the state Volleyball finals
• Coached 12 All-State players
• Coached 3 Gatorade Illinois Volleyball players
• Founder of Club Elite Volleyball Club (nationally recognized, 1994-2010)
• Sports Performance Volleyball Club Coach 1990-1994 (Japan volleyball training trip)
• Founder of Club Elite Volleyball and 1st Alliance Volleyball Club (nationally recognized, 1994-2016)
• Coached over 100 athletes who went on to collegiate, professional, and coaching careers in volleyball.
• Inventor of the Pass Pro, a patented passing training device for volleyball
After a truly remarkable coaching career, Denise became the Assistant Athletic Director at Downers Grove North in 2003 and became the Athletic Director in 2005; a title she still holds today. She is still active in club volleyball, is the WSC resource AD for boys’ and girls’ volleyball, and is a member of the Illinois Athletic Directors Association and the National Interscholastic Athletic Administrators Association.
Greg Ktistou: 1997 Athletic Basketball
Basketball has been a focus for most of Greg Ktistou’s life and he has attained a level of success and distinction at each level of play. Greg was a stand-out player for Hall of Fame coaches Dick Flaiz and Paul Runyon from 1993-1997 and went on to gain success in college, the pro game in Europe and finally forming his own basketball training academy here in Downers Grove.
While playing for DGS, Greg experienced a level of success few others have attained. A two-year varsity player, Greg was named 1st team All-Conference, 1st team All-Area by the Daily Herald and Suburban Life, Area Player of the Year by the Downers Grove Reporter and a top 20 player by the Chicago Sun Times. Greg led the area in points per game (PPG) with 22 and 82 3-point field goals. In his senior year he set school records for single season 3-point baskets and steals (since broken). He also led DuPage County in points per game and 3-point field goals.
Greg was never too busy to neglect the academic side of high school. Greg was an Academic All-Conference player, a P.E. Leader and attained a 3.0 GPA.
As his senior year came to a close, Greg accepted an athletic scholarship to play basketball at Eastern Illinois University. Greg played for the Panthers for two years before transferring to Carthage College in Wisconsin. While at Carthage, his game continued to grow and the accolades continued to roll in. His numerous achievements, include team captain and he was named All-Conference in the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin (CCIW). In his senior year, Carthage won the CCIW championship and was ranked #1 in the nation in DIII for most of the season. Greg led the league in 3-point field goals and assists and those Carthage teams were 46-9 while Greg played.
When Greg graduated from Carthage, he held an Exercise Sports Science Degree and a K-12 teaching certificate in Physical Education. His desire to play did not diminish and he was sure he could play at the next level; so off to Europe he went. Greg had an extensive nine-year career as a pro player in Europe. He played five season in Greece, one year in the developmental league in the U.S., and played three seasons in Germany. Not surprisingly, Greg continued to be recognized for his level of play. He was named European Player of the Year and All-League in 2012 while playing in Germany for BG Hagen averaging 20.1 ppg, 4.5 assists, and 3.9 rebounds. He also led the Greek League and German League in 3-point shooting.
Greg’s pro career was cut short when he was diagnosed with Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy (heart condition) and was forced to retire on the spot; yet his passion for the game remained. He believed that he could continue to have an impact on kids by teaching the core values of success in life through basketball. To that end, he came back to the area and started Breakaway Basketball, a skill development company that trains players, teams, and coaches in the importance of pursuing their passions in life. He teaches the core values of hard-work, discipline, and a positive attitude in the face of adversity through the sport of basketball.
Mark Lenkowski: Athlete-Two-Time All-State Wrestling
Mark Lenkowski distinguished himself as one of the best and toughest Mustang wrestlers in DGS program history while competing for coach Rick LeBlanc from 2000-2004 and amassing a career record of 127-15.
Mark made contributions to the team immediately his freshman year becoming a varsity starter at 103 lbs. and helping the team win the first West Suburban Conference Gold title in program history.
Mark’s wrestling career took off from there. In the next three seasons, he would collect numerous individual tournament titles, All-Conference distinctions, IHSA state series titles, and placed twice in the IHSA Individual State Tournament. He did this while never missing a practice or match due to injury which earned him the coveted “Iron Man” award from the wrestling program.
Mark was a four-time All-Conference selection in the WSC-Gold; the only wrestler in DGS history to receive this designation all four years. He also embodied the core values of the athletic program having been named a WSC All-Academic wrestler and also a team captain and MVP. Mark was a three-time DGS invitational champion, two time Hinsdale South Champion, and two-time Sycamore champion and Outstanding Wrestler at that event. An interesting side note, Mark, the “Iron Man” was also a winger for the 2004 undefeated Downers Grove Rugby State Champions.
At the IHSA Regional level, he was a three-time champion which qualified him for the IHSA Sectional in each of those years. Mark placed 1st at sectionals each of those years as well. He topped off his career placing twice at the IHSA Individual State Tournament. He was 2nd his junior year at 112 lbs. with a 39-4 record. He followed this up with a 40-3 record his senior year and a 4th place IHSA finish at 119 lbs. When Mark finally placed his shoes on the mat, he owned school records in Career Wins, Technical Falls (season and career), Takedowns (season and career), and Career Team Points; all of which still stand.
After graduation, Mark attended the University of Illinois at Champaign and majored in Economics. He currently lives in the area and is the Managing Director of Algorithmic Trading at Sweet Futures.
Julie (Todd) Mesmer: Athlete-Two-Time All-State Bowling
Julie (Todd) Mesmer has the distinction of being the first bowler inducted into the DGS Athletic Hall of Fame. She had a remarkable high school career in bowling from 1999-2003 in which she earned four varsity letters and was a four-time All-Conference selection for coach Bob Topor.
Her impact on the lanes was felt immediately upon entering high school. She was instrumental in helping the Mustangs to their fourth team appearance at the state meet in 2001. As her career unfolded, Julie continued to rack up achievements on the lanes. She won 6 individual tournament titles including 3 WSC championships and the IHSA Sectional title in 2002 and placed in the top ten of another 7 individual tournaments; all of which prepared her for great IHSA series runs.
Julie attracted the attention of the Illinois bowling world in January of 2002. She became the first girl’s bowler in state history to roll an 800 series (801—256, 246, 299). Later that month, Julie rolled a perfect 300 game vs. Morton; the only perfect game in DGS history to date. These truly distinguished achievements led to the Chicago Tribune naming Julie the Prep Athlete of the month. Her IHSA accomplishments are also impressive. She was a two-time All-State bowler finishing 7th in 2002 and 2nd her senior year in 2003. Julie still appears in the IHSA record book tied for 8th place on the high game list (280). Also an excellent student, Julie was a member of NHS and graduated in the top 10% of her class. Julie was also very involved in other activities at DGS including being a member of the golf team for two years and playing French horn in the Wind Ensemble.
After graduation, Julie attended Kaplan University where she earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Health and Wellness and graduated with honors.
She is currently a licensed U.S. Coast Guard Captain and is the Watersports Administrator for Sammy Duvall’s Watersports Centre in Disney World. Julie resides in Orlando, FL with her husband Jason.
“We are proud to welcome these six new members to our Athletic Hall of Fame family,” says South High School Athletic Director Randall Konstans. “Their incredible dedication to accomplish so much athletically and academically, both during and after high school, is an inspiration to us all.”
The South High Hall of Fame Committee reviews all nominations made, and selects athletes annually. For more information or to nominate a former student athlete, please contact Athletic Director Randall Konstans at rkonstans@csd99.org.
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