By Mark Gregory
Editorial Director
@Hear_The_Beard
mark@buglenewspapers.com
The Joliet Catholic Academy Hall of Champions got a new class over the weekend, welcoming six members into its fifth class.
The class includes three professional athletes, a collegiate standout, a record-setting coach and one of the best Hillmen of all time.
Coby Fleener (’07)
At JCA, Fleener was all-conference, all-area, all-state and an all-state academic his senior year in football.
He also earned three varsity letters in basketball.
He was an All-American tight end at Stanford, where he ranks first all-time in receiving touchdowns by a tight end with 18.
Fleener was selected in the second round of the 2012 NFL Draft by the Indianapolis Colts and played six seasons in the NFL with the Colts and the New Orleans Saints.
“This is an honor,” Fleener said. “To be mentioned in the company with these names, how could you not come back and enjoy something like this. Going to school with Sam and Kelly and knowing about the others, it is great honor to be mentioned with them.”
Chris Michalak (’89)
Michalak was a three-sport star at Joliet Catholic in football, basketball, and baseball.
Baseball was what he chose after Catholic High, playing at the University of Notre Dame.He then went on to have a 16-year professional baseball career, including parts of four seasons in the big leagues with the Arizona Diamondbacks, Toronto Blue Jays, Texas Rangers and Cincinnati Reds.
Michalak was a member of the 1987 Joliet Catholic State Championship football squad and a member of a high school pitching rotation featuring three future major leaguers with Sean Bergmann and Mike Grace.
Michalak still holds pitching records at Notre Dame where he went 34-13 overall with a 3.21 ERA, 12 saves, and 263 strikeouts in 372.2 innings pitched in four years. He was the first Irish pitcher to win 20 games and save 10 over the course of his college career.
Michalak has spent his post-playing career as a minor-league pitching coach with the Washington Nationals, where he spent time as a major league bench coach during the 2017 season. He currently serves as the Minor League Pitching Coordinator for the Miami Marlins.
“I think this speaks volumes to the tradition here at Joliet Catholic Academy,” Michalak said. “I don’t know how many schools have the talent we have in our five years. It is cliche to say about the Joliet Catholic family, but that is what it is.”
Kelly Murphy (’08)
In 2007, JCA had the best high school volleyball player in the nation as Murphy was named the Gatorade National High School Player of the Year.
A three-time All-American at JCA, Murphy led the Angels to two state trophies in her four years.
During her collegiate career at Florida, she was a third-team All-American as a freshman, second team as a sophomore and first team each of her last two seasons. She became the first-ever four-time AVCA All-American in program history, was the 2010 SEC Player of the Year and the Under Armour/Volleyball Magazine National Freshman of the Year in 2008.
She won a bronze medal with Team USA at the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro and has played professional volleyball in Japan, and recently captured the inaugural FIVB Volleyball Nations League title with the U.S. women’s national team.
“It feels really special,” Murphy said. “I am happy I was able to play with Sam and be in school with Sam and Coby. This is just a huge honor. I am proud of this class and I am proud of JCA.”
Samantha Quigley-Smith (‘06)
As a high school senior, Quigley-Smith was selected as the 2006 Chicago Sun-Times Female Athlete of the Year starring in basketball, volleyball and softball.
She was a member of the 2003 JCA girls volleyball state championship team — the first in school history.
At DePaul University she was a two-time All-Big East selection and was named an Honorable Mention WBCA All-American in 2011 and a finalist for the Nancy Lieberman Award as a senior.
She is currently entering her second season as the head coach women’s basketball coach at Lewis University, following a five-season stint at the University of St. Francis in Joliet.
“What a family affair this has been,” Quigley-Smith said. “It has ben pretty amazing and I am so proud to be in the class that is going into the Hall of Champions.”
Jack Schimanski
The head baseball coach at Joliet Catholic High School from 1979-1988, Schimanski posted a record of 323-101.
His 1982 team won 53 games — a record that still stands. Under his coaching, the Hillmen won conference baseball championships in 1980, 81, 82 and 88. His 1980, 81 and 88 teams were IHSA state finalists.
He was named IHSA Coach of the Year in 1981 and 1988 and 18 of his players signed professional contracts with five making it to the major leagues.
“This is something I never would have imagined happening,” Schimanski said. “I was there for the glory years and I was so lucky. I played for Gordie Gillespie and he and I are the only ones in the Hall of Champions that didn’t go to Joliet Catholic and that is the only thing I have in common with him. To be able to go in with one of my former players is great.”
Andrew Matichak (’53)
Matichak is the 2018 honoree for this Legends category.
He was a standout three-sport athlete in football, basketball, and baseball at Joliet Catholic High School, while also excelling in leadership positions as his class president. On the football field rushed for 1,339 yards, 14 touchdowns and 10 extra points during his junior season leading the Hilltoppers to a 7-2 record.
As a senior he Matichak gained 887 yards rushing, scored 15 touchdowns, scored 96 total points, and was named All State by the Champaign News Gazette.