University of St. Francis (III.)

This marks Hall of Fame No. 13 for legendary head coach Gordie Gillespie, an honor that no other person in the history of CSF athletics deserves more than him. It is also an honor that he will, most likely, prize more than any that have come his way in 40-plus years of coaching. It is important to the man who not only started the women's basketball program (1977) and the football program (1986) at St. Francis, but to the individual who has taken his baseball teams to six NAIA World Series appearances and numerous other championships. It is important for the same reason that he turned down a contract to play with the NBA Rochester Royals, because of his love for teaching and coaching. His zest for human interaction and the challenge of competition has never waned. His motto: "There's always somebody out there better, somebody you want to go against, to challenge." He did that in football when he opened up the 1991 campaign with NCAA I-AA Illinois State followed by previous NCAA II playoff qualifiers Minnesota-Duluth and Portland State (OR) and the last two NAIA I champions, Central State (OH) and Carson-Newman (TN)  all on the road. It's also a program that advanced, via Gillespie's magic, to the NAIA II Playoffs in only its second year of existence. In baseball, this past spring marked his 40th season of coaching, a run which has produced the finest record (1,301-677) of any active head coach on the collegiate level. Currently the second all-time winningest coach in college baseball, he needs just 32 more victories to break the record of 1,332 wins set by former USC Rod Dedeaux. He and his wife, Joan, reside in Joliet. He has seven children: Mike, Gordie, Jr., Greg, Bob, Margaret Mary, Billie and Jackie.