A four-year letter winner for coach Paul Olsen in both track and cross county, Eric Volkert was an All-American, a two-time CCIW champion and set three school records and one CCIW mark for Augustana from 1981-85. Although his school and conference records in the 1500 meters have since fallen, two relay teams on which he ran still hold school standards 27 years later.
Volkert competed for three CCIW track & field champions and one runner-up. The Vikings finished 10th in the nation during his freshman year and 20th when he was a sophomore. As a junior in 1984, he won the 1500 meters at the CCIW Championships with a meet-record 3:51.2. He followed that up with a school-record 3:48.85 at the national meet in Northfield, Minnesota, finishing fifth and earning All-America honors. His performance helped Augustana to another 10th-place team finish. As a senior, Volkert defended his CCIW title in the 1500, winning in a time of 3:52.0.
Although Sandu Rebenciuc bested his 1500-meter school record in 1992 and Ambo Bati bettered his CCIW mark in 1996, to this day, Volkert remains a member of two record-setting relays. As a sophomore in 1983, he teamed with Mark Salaway, Dan Harlan and Ricci Washburn to set a school mark in the 3200 relay that stills stands at 7:31.31. As a senior, he anchored a unit that included Tony VanDeWalle, Leland Stanford and Doug Sand in a school-record 9:52.24 distance medley relay effort. In addition, he anchored a 3200-relay team as a senior which still ranks 8th-best in school history with a time of 7:41.7.
In cross country, Volkert was Augustana’s Most Valuable Freshman in 1981, finishing 10th at the CCIW meet and helping the Vikings finish second as a team. It was the first of three straight conference runners-up on which he ran. At the national meet in Kenosha, Wisconsin, he was second among Augustana runners and 107th overall as the Vikings finished 10th. After second-place CCIW finishes in 1982 and 1983, Augustana was third in1984. However, with co-captain Volkert placing 63rd individually, the Vikings went on to take ninth place at the national meet in Delaware, Ohio.
A 1985 Augustana graduate with a degree in English, Eric is single and lives in Peoria, Illinois. He is a warehouse manager for Toys R Us and has been with the company for 24 years. He is a member of Holy Family Catholic Church and the Perpetual Adoration Society and is also active in the St. Patrick’s Society.
“Probably no athlete is more honored to be inducted into the Hall of Fame than I am,” said Volkert, who called his time at Augustana “the best years of my life.”
