The Mount Pulaski CUSD 23 Hall of Fame Committee is proud to announce our inaugural Hall of Fame class. The accomplishments, character, leadership, and contributions of these individuals have helped shape the proud history of Mount Pulaski and the communities that make up our school district. We look forward to recognizing all of them on September 12!
Ed Butkovich
MPHS Teacher/Boys Basketball Coach from 1964-1996
612–398 record in 38 years as a head coach, including 558 wins at MPHS
Led the Hilltoppers to 13 regional titles, 6 sectional titles, 8 Tomahawk Conference titles, and four state tournaments including 1976 State Championship and 2nd place in 1984
Illinois Basketball Coaches Association Hall of Famer
Remembered for the lasting impact he had on his players and the community
Jeff Clements
1978 MPHS graduate
All-time Hilltopper Boys Basketball scoring leader with 2,212 points
MPHS Basketball teams were 81-11 during his time on the team
Helped lead MPHS to the 1976 State Championship, hitting the game-winning shot in the title game and 4th place in 1977
Played college basketball at Illinois Wesleyan University and was an all-conference selection in 1982
Inducted into IBCA Hall of Fame as a player
Tina Rogers-Smith
1990 MPHS graduate
Helped lead Hilltopper volleyball teams to a 148–7 record in her four years
Helped lead MPHS teams to 2nd place at state in 1988, and the 1989 State Championship
Two-time First-Team All-State selection and 1989 K-Swiss High School All-American
Played four years of college volleyball at the University of Illinois where she was an All-American, Team MVP, and Female Athlete of the Year
Represented the U.S. at the Olympic Festival
Garland “Jake” Stahl
Elkhart native
University of Illinois football and baseball standout in the early 1900s
Played MLB from 1903-1913 for the Boston Red Sox, Washington Senators, and New York Highlanders
1910 American League home run leader
Player-manager who led the 1912 Boston Red Sox to a World Series Championship
Dennis Werth
1971 MPHS graduate
Standout baseball and basketball athlete at MPHS
Played collegiate baseball at Lincoln College and SIUE where he was inducted into both schools halls of fame
19th-round MLB Draft selection in 1974
Played 11 professional baseball seasons including 4 seasons in MLB for the New York Yankees and Kansas City Royals
Had his No. 15 baseball jersey retired by MPHS in 2025
Dr. Forest Van Hook
1905 MPHS graduate
University of Illinois football and track standout
Three-time All-Western Conference selection in football
1908 Third-Team All-American in football and Illini team captain
Graduated first in his class at U of I and earned his medical degree from Northwestern University
Returned to Mount Pulaski to serve his community as a physician, volunteer firefighter, and school board member
An announcement will be made on Monday to name the Teams that will be inducted!