RAATJES, Wendi (SIMMONS) ~ Graceland's Hall of Fame

SIMMONS, RAATJES

Posted By: Sharon R Becker (email)
Date: 8/25/2013 at 15:16:02

HALL of FAME

Wendi (Simmons) Raatjes
Graceland University, Lamoni, Iowa

Wendi (SIMMONS) RAATJES attended Graceland College from 1987 to 1991 where she enjoyed a very illustrious career in both volleyball and track and field.

Wendi's father, Richard SIMMONS, was a top quarter-miler for Graceland in the early 1960s.

Wendi was a member of the Yellowjacket women's volleyball team from 1987 to 1990. In her senior year, Wendi was an All-Conference selection as well as an All-District 15 selection. However, it was as a member of the Yellowjacket track and field team where Wendi's accomplishments will go down in the Graceland College record books.

Wendi was named to the Heart of America Athletic Conference All-Conference team in both indoor and outdoor track each of her four years from 1988 to 1991. An unprecedented seven time All-American in both indoor and outdoor track, Wendi was a four time NAIA National Champion.

In 1989, Wendi was the national champion is the 400 meter hurdles. And she accomplished the feat again in the 400 meter hurdles as well as becoming the national champion in the Long Jump and Heptathlon in 1990. Wendi's outstanding performance in 1990 earned her the honor being named the Most Outstanding Female Athlete for the National Meet.

Since Wendi graduated from Graceland College in 1991 her athletic achievements have continued. She qualified for the U.S Track and Field Championships four separate years: 1990, 1993, and 1994 in the Long Jump and 1993, 1994, 1995 in the Heptathlon. In 1996, Wendi qualified for the U.S. Olympic Trials in the Heptathlon and recorded a seventh place finish with 6,078 points.

Wendi (SIMMONS) RAATJES was inducted into Graceland University's Hall of Fame in 1996.

SOURCE: gujackets.com/f/Hall_of_Fame.php
usatf.org/athletes/bios/TrackAndFieldArchive/2000/raatjes.html

Submission by Sharon R Becker, August of 2013