Lewis Athletics Announces 4th Class Of Academy Of Coaches

ROMEOVILLE, IL — Lewis University Athletics announced that its fourth class of the Lewis Academy of Coaches will include five members: Pat Higgins (Class of 1969), Don Markelz (Class of 1976), Joe Rodeghero (Class of 1976), Paul Stevens (Class of 1982) and Mike Matkovich (Class of 1986), according to a release from the university.

The new members will be honored during the Lewis men's basketball game on Jan. 28.

Pat Higgins attended Lewis from 1964 to 1969, and played freshman basketball in his first year at Lewis and baseball the entire time he attended Lewis under Coach Gordie Gillespie and Tom Kennedy. In the 1968-69 season, he wrestled for Lewis while it still had the sport, the university said.

After he graduated, Higgins coached thousands of athletes in football, basketball and baseball at high schools in the Chicago area. According to the University, Higgins had 70 baseball players go onto college ball and twelve players sign professional contracts. He managed and coached baseball teams that won five regional championships, seven conference championships, and two city lower division championships.

Over the years Higgins had 519 high school baseball wins along with 241 summer baseball wins. In basketball he had 381 junior high wins, 28 basketball conference championships and 12 undefeated seasons.

Don "Butch" Markelz pitched at Lewis on three national championship teams during 1974, 1975 and 1976 and was on the team from 1972-1976, according to the University. Markelz was chosen Most Valuable Player in the 1975 World Series against Sam Houston State, one of only four Flyers ever to receive the honor.

Markelz was Associate Dean of Students at Providence Catholic High School in New Lenox from 1978-1991, the university said. He also served as assistant football and assistant baseball coach. The Celtics were class AA baseball champs in both 1978 and 1982.

Markelz was also a football coach at Providence for 19 years. He went on to be the pitching coach at Lockport High School from 1991-2017 where he was also the Dean of Students, where he helped lead the team to 14 SICA West Conference Titles, six regional titles, four sectional titles, a super sectional title and a state championship in 2005, according to the University.

He is currently a volunteer coach for Lincoln Way West High School.

As a player, Markelz was inducted into the Providence Catholic Hall of Fame in 2005.

Joe Rodeghero has over 46 years coaching with 23 years as head baseball coach at Joliet Catholic, Providence Catholic and Lemont High School, the University said. Rodeghero has a 582-214 overall record. He was elected into the Illinois High School Coaches Hall of Fame in 2005 and to the Eastern Suburban Catholic Conference Hall Of Fame in 2014.

In 1994, he led Joliet Catholic to the Class AA State Championship, and in 2013, he led Joliet Catholic to the Class 3A State Championship, the University said. Rodeghero was also an assistant coach in 2022 where the team won the Class 2A State Championship.

He is a three-time Eastern Suburban Catholic Coach of the Year, three-time Chicago Catholic League Coach of the Year and two-time South Suburban Conference Coach of Year.

In football, Rodeghero won the 1987 Class 4A State Championship with Providence Catholic as the assistant coach. He was an assistant coach for Joliet Catholic in 1990 where the team won the 1990 Class 4A State Championship. He had numerous players receive college scholarships and had 20 baseball players who signed professional contracts, according to the university.

Paul Stevens played baseball for the Flyers from 1974-1976 after transferring from the University of South Alabama. The University said Stevens established himself as one of the finest second baseman in Lewis baseball history. Stevens played on two National Championship teams for Lewis during 1975 and 1976. Stevens was named to the United States Pan American Team and represented the USA in Mexico City during the 1976 season.

Later that year, Stevens was drafted by the Kansas City Royals in the 16th round. He played three years of minor league baseball with the Royals before being traded to the Oakland Athletics in 1979, according to the University. Stevens became a major league scout after his playing career, where he was with the New York Mets during the 1981 and 1982 seasons.

In 1983, he was named assistant baseball coach at Northwestern University in Evanston. Stevens was an assistant coach for three years before getting promoted to head coach at Northwestern, where he was at for 28 years and won Big Ten Coach of the Year three times while recording 674 career victories, a program high. Stevens had 67 players drafted by a Major League Baseball club or signed to a professional contract, including his oldest son, Trevor, who joined the professional ranks in 2013, according to the University.

Following his retirement at Northwestern, Stevens became an assistant coach for the University of Chicago where he has been for the last seven seasons.

Mike Matkovich has over 30 years of soccer coaching experience across the international, professional and youth levels. He is currently the Sporting Director for FC Central Illinois, a youth program based in Normal, the University said.

Matkovich began his coaching career as an assistant coach at Lewis and as a coach at Bolingbrook High School. In 1987, he founded the Chicago Magic Soccer Club, building it into one of the most elite youth programs in the country. Matkovich was recognized as the NSCAA National Youth Coach of the Year in 2000 and his club was named the nation's top youth program for 2005-2007.

Matkovich began his professional coaching career with the Chicago Power of the indoor National Professional Soccer League from 1990-1994, leading them to the league title in 1990. He later served as an assistant coach in Major League Soccer with Toronto FC, Chivas USA, Chicago Fire and the Columbus Crew, according to the University.

He coached in the US Men's National Team system including a stint as the US Men's U-18 Head Coach from 2009-2011. Mike served as Director of Operations / Coaching for the Chicago Fire Juniors Soccer Club from 2011-2018 and coached the Des Moines Menace of the PDL from 2015-2016.