Marmion Academy alumni J. Reed “Whiz” O’Malley, 1956, Francis W. VanWisse, 1994, Jonathan W. Burgess, 2001, and Nicholas M. Burgess, 2001 were inducted into the Marmon Athletic Hall of Fame during halftime of the Marmion Cadets-St. Rita varsity basketball game Friday, Feb. 7.
• J. Reed O’Malley, Class of 1956, better known in high school as “Whiz O’Malley,” is from Wheaton. Whiz was a two-sport athlete, golf and basketball. After Marmion he was graduated from the University of Notre Dame and served as an Officer in U.S. Army intelligence in Germany.
At Marmion, Whiz was a four-year varsity letter winner in golf, captain of the team his junior and senior years, and often the team medalist. In 1992 he qualified for the U.S. Senior Amateur Championship, one of only 150 players. The following year he was the seventh ranked senior amateur in Illinois and played in the Thomson Cup Championship. That annual tournament features the top eight professionals versus the top eight amateurs. The amateurs won the event for the first time that year.
In basketball at Marmion, Whiz and the team won the Geneva holiday tournament championship. Whiz led the team in free-throw shooting. The team was upset in the State Regional tournament with a one-point loss to West Aurora, which, Whiz says, he is still not over.
• Dr. Francis W. VanWisse, Class of 1994, was a three-year varsity football and baseball player, captain and MVP of both football and baseball teams as a senior, named an alternate on the all-State football team.
• Jonathan W. Burgess, Class of 2001, was a four-year varsity swimmer, and scoring member of the 2000 State championship team, the 1998 and 1999 State runner up teams, and the 2001 third place team. He was named all-State and all-America and collected five State championships in relay events during his high school career, including an Illinois High School Association State meet record in the 400 freestyle relay.
• Nicholas M. Burgess, class of 2001, was a four-year varsity swimmer, a scorer at the 2000 State championship team, captain of the 2001 third place team, and a contributing member of the 1998 and 1999 State runner-up teams. Nicholas earned the distinction of all State and all America and collected six State championships in individual and relay events during his high school career, including State record in the 400 freestyle relay.
— Marmion Academy