SPRING ARBOR, Mich. – Three individuals will comprise the 21st induction class of the Spring Arbor University Athletics Hall of Fame. Glenn Rutenbar, Amy (Douglass) Lassanske (’04) and Kim (Sturm) Adams (’98) will be formally inducted at a banquet on the evening of Saturday, Jan. 28 in the Ralph Carey Forum on the campus of SAU.
Glenn Rutenbar – Coaching
Rutenbar, a former member of the Spring Arbor College baseball program (1980-81), was one of the most successful high school softball coaches in the country leading Bartow High School (Fla.) to 19 district championships, seven state championships and one national title, as voted by The USA Today, from 1987-2014.
Over 28 years of coaching, Rutenbar compiled a record of 735-133-1. He was named the Polk County Softball Coach of the Year on numerous occasions and was recognized as the Florida Coach of the Year three times.
Rutenbar is also a member of the Polk County Sports and Florida High Schools Hall of Fames.
Amy (Douglass) Lassanske (’04) – Women’s Soccer
Lassanske was a standout on the women’s soccer team from 2001-04 as a four-time All-Conference pick, a three-time National Christian College Athletics Association (NCCAA) All-American selection and a two-time NAIA All-American Honorable Mention.
As a freshman, Lassanske helped lead Spring Arbor to its first-ever appearance in the NCCAA national tournament before making two more trips in 2002 and 2003. She would also guide the Cougars to another program first as a senior in 2004 – an appearance in the NAIA national tournament after the team won the NAIA Region 8 Tournament. The team would go on to advance to the Sweet 16 that year.
During her four years, the Cougars boasted a record of 57-22-6. Lassanske led the team in scoring all four years, tallying 60 career goals – a mark that stood as the program record until 2013.
Kim (Sturm) Adams (‘98) – Women’s Track & Field
Adams was one of the most decorated track and field athletes in Spring Arbor history. She was a four-time NCCAA outdoor national champion in the shot put.
In addition to earning NCCAA All-American honors four consecutive years, Adams was also the recipient of the NCCAA Wheeler Award in 1997 – an award that recognizes the highest standards of Christian character, athletic achievement and campus leadership. Throughout her career she was also honored as an NAIA Indoor All-American in the shot put in 1998, as well as a four-time Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference (WHAC) Indoor All-Conference and Outdoor All-Conference performer.
To this day, Adams still holds the program’s all-time best marks in the indoor shot put and discus (outdoor). She also set program records in the indoor weight throw and outdoor shot put during her career, and still ranks Top 10 in those events.
