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By TODD FERTIG

TopSports.news

Most inductees to the Kansas Sports Hall of Fame are recognized for feats accomplished in the past, some the distant past. But one inductee from the class of 2025 is still adding to her resume.

Former Kansas State and current national age-group distance star Deb (Pihl) Torneden will be inducted into the Kansas Sports Hall of Fame on Aug. 2 at Washburn University. [Submitted photo/Kansas Sports Hall of Fame]

Distance runner Deb (Pihl) Torneden might have earned a spot in the hall of fame for her accomplishments at Kansas State University and shortly thereafter, when she contended for a spot on the United States Olympic team. But it’s what Tornedon has done, and continues to do, in her 40s, 50s and 60s that makes her special.

Torneden holds 22 Kansas age group records in road running, most recently setting the state’s 60-64 year age group records in the mile, two mile, and 5 kilometers. She is the best female runner in Kansas over 60.

And she’s not slowing down.

Growing up on a farm near tiny Falun, Kansas, Torneden discovered at an early age that she loved to run. When she wasn’t helping with chores, she was running in the fields and on dirt roads, discovering her talent.

“Growing up on a farm, I was raised with that work ethic and taught to never give up,” Torneden recalled. “That’s what you do to achieve anything. Kansas is hard-working people. That hard-working attitude was instilled in me, and I applied it to running.”

In an era when girls sports were gradually being added around the state, Torneden joined the Lindsborg (now Smoky Valley) High School track team. She started out as a sprinter before transitioning to distance races. She found her niche and set state records in the 800 and 1600 meters as a senior.

Torneden walked on at Kansas State, a small-town girl and a bit of an unknown to her coaches and teammates. The first cross country race she ever saw, she ran in as a member of the K-State team. But despite her lack of experience, she quickly proved she could compete. The name “Pihl” started popping up in the race results and news stories as she established herself as one of the top distance runners in the Big 8 Conference.

Deb Torneden continues to hold Kansas State school records more than 40 years after completing her Wildcat career. [Submitted photo/Kansas Sports Hall of Fame]

Torneden was a four-time NCAA All-American and an eight-time conference champion. As a senior, she was named Big 8 Most Outstanding Performer at the 1984 Big Eight Indoor Conference Championships for winning the mile, 1,000 meters and 4x800 meter relay. She still holds school records for the indoor mile (4:39.06) and outdoor 3,000 meters (9:09.60).

Torneden tried out for the 1984 Olympics in the 3,000 meters, but failed to make the team. Her running career was at a crossroads. But she had recently become acquainted with Fred Torneden, an accomplished runner at Fort Hays State University, who had moved to K-State to train for the Olympic trails in the marathon. He became not just her husband, but a partner who understood the joy of running.

“Fred gets it. I am thankful to have him,” Torneden said. “He’s my best friend, my coach, my training partner, my biggest fan. It’s fun to be able to do this together.”

Rather than hang up her running shoes after college, Torneden found new goals to pursue.

“There was never a point in my life that I thought ‘Now I’m done,’ ” Torneden said. “That desire to push myself and see what I could do never left.”

After taking up marathon running at age 30, Torneden qualified to try out for the Olympics three times. She placed sixth at the 1984 U.S. National Outdoor Track Championships in the 1,500-meter run (4:12.94). She represented the United States in two distance relays in South Korea and China, and the 1995 World Cup Marathon in Greece. And she won the 2015 USATF National Championship in the 15K road race for masters runners over 40 years of age.

When most athletes are reliving their glory days, Torneden continues to win honors. She has been named Kansas Runner of the Year six times (1991, 1997, 1998, 2006, 2013 and 2021).

“The awards are great, but you don’t do it for attention from people,” Torneden said. “God blesses you when use your gifts. I don’t need to be in the spotlight. It’s just instilled in me. I would do it if no one noticed. I just really like to run.”

By TODD FERTIG

TopSports.news

Tim Jankovich will enter the Kansas Sports Hall of Fame as part of the 2025 induction class with a unique perspective.

Many members of the hall entered representing either Kansas State University or the University of Kansas, beloved by one fan base, reviled by the other.

Jankovich is unique in that much of his resume – compiled over a playing and coaching career that spanned more than 50 years – is split between the state’s two major universities.

Former Kansas State star guard Tim Jankovich will be inducted into the Kansas Sports Hall of Fame on Aug. 2 at Washburn University. [Submitted photo/Kansas Sports Hall of Fame]

A native of Manhattan, Jankovich fulfilled his childhood dream when he played three seasons for the Wildcats – 1979-1982. Little did he suspect at the time that he would wind up on the KU bench for four seasons – 2003-2007 – as an assistant to Bill Self.

“How lucky does a person have to be to get to experience those two things?” Jankovich remarked. “Growing up, I loved Kansas State with all my heart. I was fortunate to get to play there. At the time, Ahearn Field House had to be one of the two or three toughest places in America to play. But then, years later, to go to the rival school and get to coach in Allen Fieldhouse, one of the other toughest places in America to play. That’s beyond what you could hope for.

“This will sound like a political statement, but I was one of the few people I knew growing up who didn’t hate KU. When we played, I wanted to beat them, but I didn’t have that hatred that a lot of my friends had. It was incredible to get to coach there, part of arguably the greatest college basketball program in history. To be in both of those arenas was one of the great experiences of my life.”

Jankovich is one of 10 individuals who will be inducted into the hall of fame in a ceremony at Washburn University on August 2. Although Jankovich spent a good portion of his career coaching in other states, being recognized in Kansas is particularly meaningful.

“Kansas is my home. I’ve always been really proud to be from there,” Jankovich said. “So, to be recognized back home is so special. It’s made me reflect on a whole lifetime in basketball starting as a little kid. It’s been wonderful to really rehash a lot of great times. And then to look at the people who’ve been inducted and the list of people going in this year, it doubled down on the impact that it had on me. It’s an incredible honor to be listed on the same page as them.

“You get honors and awards along the way and they’re great, but they do fade quickly. Then you’re on to the next one. This one is going to stay with me. It’s the most meaningful.”

Tickets for the Aug. 2 ceremony and lunch, which begin at 10 a.m., are available online at kshof.org.

The event is at the Washburn University Union Ballroom at 1700 SW College Ave.

Jankovich earned a name for himself even before high school. He was recognized in Manhattan as the kid who dribbled blindfolded, shot thousands of shots and developed his skills anywhere a court was available. When he wasn’t practicing, he could be found working as a ballboy for K-State games.

“That Kansas work ethic – it felt like it was injected into me,'' Jankovich said. "When you grow up from third grade on going to Ahearn, serving as a ball boy for the visiting team, being in the huddles and going out on the court in Ahearn, to feel the power of those crowds, I couldn’t help but grow up incredibly motivated.

“So, I lived in the gym. One of the great benefits was that I had a great gym at Manhattan High and a great gym at Kansas State that I could practice in.”

Jankovich confessed his obsession for practice may have gone a little too far.

“Hopefully the statute of limitations has run out so that I can confess that I did, at an early age, learn how to break into the high school gym and the K-State gym. And I can promise you I put it to full use. I was never happier than when I was in the gym, and I was there almost all the time.”

A two-time All-State selection at Manhattan High, Jankovich led the Indians to the state tournament as a senior in 1977. By beating Liberal and FL Schlagle, the team advanced to the championship game, one of only two times the Indians have played for a title. Those hopes were dashed in a 67-66 loss to Highland Park.

“That loss will never go away,” Jankovich said. “One thing I’ve learned from reflecting recently is that it’s so much easier to remember the heartaches from your career – the tough losses and the bad games – those stay with you a lot longer than the great things. The recognition from the hall of fame is helping make those rough times seem not quite so rough.”

The most significant moment of Jankovich’s playing career stands out as an equally significant moment in the history of Kansas State basketball. He was the starting point guard on teams that reached the NCAA tournament three consecutive years. As such, he was credited with the assist on perhaps the biggest shot in Wildcat history – Rolondo Blackman’s buzzer-beater to defeat second-ranked Oregon State, which sent K-State to the Elite Eight in 1981.