February 6, 2008
Contact: Evangel University Athletics 865-2815, Ext. 7282
During the Crusaders’ home basketball game on Saturday, Feb. 9, three former Evangel athletes will be inducted into the Crusader Hall of Fame. The honored athletes are Sandy (Cribbs) Jacobson, Don Decker and Dr. Kirt Hartzler.
Jacobson graduated from Evangel in 1986 after a stellar career on the basketball court. She earned four basketball letters and started all four years (1982-86). Jacobson earned first team All-NAIA District 16 honors twice, when the NAIA was divided into districts, and her name appears at the top or in the top-10 of several categories. Over 20 years later, Jacobson still holds school records for single game assists (14), season records for assists (274 in 1985-86) and assists average (8.1 in 1985-86), and career records for assists (783) and assists average (6.9). Jacobson averaged in double figures all four years and ranks No. 7 in career points (1,533), No. 8 in career rebounds (742) and No. 5 in career steals (240).
Currently, Jacobson works part-time on a ranch, helps her husband with his fencing business and is writing a book. She has participated in several mission trips to foreign countries and in the United States, including cleanup help after Hurricane Katrina and with Convoy of Hope in various locations. Jacobson is also active in the Bolivar community and with her local church. Jacobson and her husband, Tim (Jake) Jacobson, who is a former Evangel baseball player (1981-84), have three children, Jake (16), Bo (14) and Samantha (12).
A 1988 graduate of Evangel, Decker led the Evangel football program to its first NAIA national playoff berth in 1988. The 1988 team advanced to the semifinal round of the national playoffs and is one of only two Evangel teams to do so (1996). Decker earned NAIA all-America, All-Heart of America Athletic Conference and All-NAIA District 16 honors in 1988. He set nine season and 12 career records as an Evangel quarterback. In addition, against Nebraska Wesleyan in the first round of the NAIA playoffs Decker set a new NAIA playoff record with five touchdown passes. His record-setting season included 2,851 passing yards and 32 TDs.
After graduating from Evangel, Decker began his strength and conditioning career as a graduate assistant at the University of Arkansas. While working with the Razorbacks, Decker earned a master’s degree in exercise science from Arkansas in 1991. He then left Arkansas for his first full-time position at Kent (Ohio) State University, where he was the strength coach for football during the 1991 and 1992 seasons. Decker then returned to Arkansas, where he was employed for 15 years. After working as the assistant strength and conditioning coach for the first five years at Arkansas, Decker was elevated to the head strength and conditioning coach and worked in that capacity for 10 years. In 2004, Decker was named a master level strength coach by the Collegiate Strength and Conditioning Coaches Association. He is one of only 43 strength and conditioning coaches in the world to earn that honor.
On Jan. 20, 2008, Decker followed former head Arkansas football coach Houston Nutt to the University of Mississippi, where he will be the head football strength coach. Decker and wife, Stacey (Raccuglia) have been married 19 years. Stacey is also a 1988 Evangel graduate and was a standout volleyball and basketball player for the Lady Crusaders for four seasons (1984-88).
Hartzler is a four-year basketball letterman (1981-85). During his stellar career, Hartzler won three NAIA All-District 16 honors and finished his career as Evangel’s all-time career scorer with 1,666 points and he set a new career steals record with 116. Hartzler now ranks No. 6 on the career scoring list and No. 14 on the career steals list. A prolific scorer, Hartzler averaged in double figures his last three years, including 24.2 points per game average as a senior. Hartzler still holds the single game field goal for best field goal percentage and most steals. He made 10 of 11 field goals versus Missouri Western on Jan. 8, 1983, for a 90.9 percentage. Hartzler was credited with his school-record eight steals versus Philander Smith on Nov. 2, 1984.
After graduating from Evangel in 1985 Evangel, Hartzler began his long association with Union Public Schools in Tulsa, Okla. With the exception of a three-year stint at Bixby (Okla.) Public Schools (1992-95), Hartzler has worked with Union Public Schools for 17 years. He is currently the assistant superintendent for Union Public Schools. In addition he is the Cooperating Supervisor for Administrative Internships (College of Education) and an adjunct professor (College of Education) at Oklahoma State University. As a member of Union Public Schools, Hartzler has worked as an instructor, coach, assistant principal, principal and as the director of secondary education prior to his current position as assistant superintendent.
Hartzler earned his master’s in education (school administration) from Northeastern State University (Okla.) in 1990 and his doctorate in education (educational administration) from Oklahoma State in 2003. In 2007, Hartzler was a region candidate for administrator of the year by the Cooperative Council for Oklahoma School Administration. He has headed numerous academic projects and has published several papers. In addition, he made presentations at the College Board Regional Conference in 2004 and 2006 and at the Cooperating Council for Oklahoma School Administration’s summer conference in 2007.
Hartzler’s induction into the Crusader Hall of Fame will be his second. In 1987 he was inducted into the Willard (Mo.) Public Schools’ Hall of Fame (1981 graduate). Hartzler’s wife, Susan (Woods), is also a 1985 Evangel graduate and the couple has three children, Austin (17), Jared (14) and Paige (8).