IOLA, Kan. (Feb. 11, 2026) — Allen Community College will celebrate one of the most accomplished hitters in Red Devil baseball history when the College welcomes Duane Wales into the Athletics Hall of Fame during a two‑day induction event Feb. 13–14.
Hailing from Portsmouth, Ohio, Wales arrived in Iola in the fall of 1981 to join the Red Devil baseball team. While originally recruited as a pitcher, it was his powerful bat that truly defined his legacy at Allen County Community Junior College.
As a freshman in 1982, Wales shattered school records with 88 hits, 17 home runs, 86 RBIs, and a .379 batting average. He elevated his performance even further as a sophomore in 1983, breaking his own single-season records with 92 hits, 25 home runs, and 88 RBIs, earning selection to the Region VI All-Star team as a designated hitter.
Wales’ crowning achievement came during the 1983 NJCAA World Series in Grand Junction, Colorado, where he led all hitters with a .632 batting average, going 12-for-19 at the plate with 2 home runs and 8 RBIs. For his outstanding performance, he received the prestigious “Big Stick” award and was named to the Junior College World Series All-Tournament Team.
Following his remarkable two-year tenure at Allen, Wales continued his collegiate baseball career at the University of Texas-Pan American and Fort Hays State University, carrying forward the same dedication and skill that defined his Red Devil career.
Wales’ records and achievements remain among the most celebrated in Allen Community College baseball history, and his legacy as one of the program’s all-time great hitters endures to this day.
Allen Community College invites the community to join in honoring Duane Wales’ induction into the Allen Community College Athletics Hall of Fame.
In addition to Duane Wales, Allen will induct five others into the 2026 Hall of Fame class:
- Bob Saueressig, Cross Country & Track (1967–68)
- Kenny Norris, Track & Field (1973–74)
- Apple Jones, Women’s Basketball (1990–92)
- 1996 Golf Team
- Judith Bragg, Volleyball Coach (1973–82)
