EIU AD, Former Illini Michael Guest at Noon Rotary

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Published on March 6 2019 3:48 pm
Last Updated on March 6 2019 3:48 pm
Written by Greg Sapp

(FROM LEFT, EASTERN ILLINOIS UNIVERSITY ATHLETIC DIRECTOR TOM MICHAEL, ROTARY WEEKLY STUDENT GUEST MIKENZI BUSHUE, AND ROTARY WEEKLY PROGRAM CHAIRMAN DALE HEINKEL)

Eastern Illinois University Athletic Director Tom Michael was the guest speaker at the February 27 meeting of Effingham Noon Rotary.

Michael was a former Fighting Illini basketball star, playing for Lou Henson, and before that was a member of a state champion basketball team at Carlyle. He worked in the athletics department at the U of I for 15 years before taking the job at EIU.

Michael talked about his replacement of Eastern's former football coach and his hiring of Adam Cushing as the Panthers' new coach. He also discussed the men's and women's basketball programs and the rebound of Eastern in general following the state's fiscal problems that took their toll on most Illinois universities.

Dale Heinkel served as Rotary weekly program chairman.

The Rotary weekly student guest was Mikenzi Bushue, the daughter of Dale and Julie Bushue and a senior at Effingham High School.