By Mike Pettinella
For Video News Service
Lifelong Batavian Dan DiMartino was able to rekindle that championship feeling late last month when he was inducted into the Eastern Illinois University Athletic Hall of Fame at the college’s Charleston campus.
DiMartino, a 1976 graduate of Notre Dame High, was the placekicker on the Panthers’ 1978 team that captured the NCAA Division II national championship with a 10-9 victory over the University of Delaware.
He booted an extra point and a field goal to help EIU claim the title in the game played in Longview, Texas.
“I’m extremely grateful for this honor and to be able to reunite with about 35 of my teammates who attended the induction ceremony,” said DiMartino, who was a junior on that team. “I also was able to meet up with Andy Vogl, who now lives in Naples, Florida.”
Vogl, a 1975 graduate of Notre Dame in Batavia, was a senior wide receiver and holder for DiMartino. Unfortunately, an injury kept him out of the championship match.
The university inducted nine sports’ teams at the ceremony – six men’s national championship teams and three successful Association for Intercollegiate Athletics for Women teams. Afterwards, those clubs were recognized for their achievement during an EIU football game against Lindenwood.
DiMartino received an additional honor as he was selected to the EIU Division II all-time team.
The college has featured a number of future NFL stars, including Mike Shanahan, who was the 1978 squad’s offensive coordinator, and quarterbacks Sean Payton, Tony Romo and Jimmy Garoppolo.