GREAT BEND, Kan. – Fort Hays State University Athletic Director Curtis Hammeke will be inducted into the Barton (Kan.) Community College Sports Hall of Fame on Saturday (Feb. 18). The induction ceremony will be at the Kirkman Activity Center on the Barton Community College campus. Admission is free and the public is encouraged to attend. A live stream of the event will also be available through Barton Community College. This year's inductees will also be introduced between the women's and men's basketball games against Cloud County Community College.
 
Hammeke, native of Great Bend, Kansas, is being inducted for both his contributions to Barton Community College Athletics and his career as an athletic administrator beyond his years at Barton. Hammeke played baseball at Barton for two years from 1981-1982. He posted a 5-2 record and helped guide the 1981 team to a conference regular season title as a freshman. Unfortunately, he was injured for the majority of the 1982 season. Hammeke went on to play two seasons at Fort Hays State University from 1983-1984, finishing with a career ERA of 3.37 as a Tiger with 105 strikeouts in 123 innings pitched. He averaged 7.68 strikeouts per nine innings and posted a record of 8-6 with two saves over the two seasons at FHSU. As a senior, he earned All-Central States Intercollegiate Conference (CSIC) and All-District 10 honors. Hammeke earned a bachelor's degree in Physical Education from Fort Hays State University in 1985 and then a master's degree in Athletic Administration in 1993.
 
Following his time as a player, Hammeke began his coaching career by serving as an Assistant Coach and Sports Information Director at Barton Community College from 1987-1991. He then served as the Head Baseball Coach and Assistant Director of Athletics at Fort Hays State University from 1991-1996. He coached the Tigers for five years accumulating a record of 164-81 and guided the team to a Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference Championship in 1995. His .669 winning percentage as a head coach is second-best in program history. Hammeke received the Louisville Slugger Award in 1995, a national coach of the year honor, and was named coach of the year by the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference and Mile High Intercollegiate Baseball League.
 
Hammeke's career as athletic director began in his hometown in 1996 at Great Bend High School where he spent two years. He then moved into the college ranks in 1998 at Butler (Kan.) Community College, where he served as athletic director for five years until 2003. He spent one year as the athletic director at Newman University in 2003-04 before landing the athletic director position at Fort Hays State University in the spring of 2004. He has now served in his current position as athletic director at Fort Hays State for 13 years.