Switzerland Co. Athletic Hall of Fame to Welcome Two New Members

The Hall of Fame Class of 2023 will be honored on April 20.

(Vevay, Ind.) – Two former Switzerland County High School sports stars will be inducted into the Pacers Athletics Hall of Fame.

The Switzerland County High School athletic department announced today the Hall of Fame Class of 2023.

The inductees are Karen (Allen) Downing and Wayne Stahl.

Downing and Stahl will be recognized at the Varsity Club Dinner on Thursday, April 20 at Belterra Casino. The event is scheduled to start at 6:00 p.m. and will feature Al Unser, Jr. as the guest speaker.

Bios for Downing and Stahl were provided by Switzerland County Athletics.

Karen (Allen) Downing, 1979

Karen was one of the pioneer female athletes in Pacer history. She played on the first Girls’ Varsity Basketball team at Switzerland County. During her high school career, Karen played basketball and ran track. She earned All-Conference honors in basketball as a junior and senior. After high school, Karen went on to play college basketball at Sterling College in Kansas, where she still resides.

Wayne Stahl, 1961

Wayne was a standout in track and field during his time at Vevay High School in a time where there was no home track, and practice was in the outfield of the baseball field or running from the Old Gym to Highway 56 to the Alps Auto Drive-In Theater sign and back to the gym. Wayne dominated track his senior year of 1961. He averaged over 16 points a meet that year and earned 21 2/3 points in a duel meet vs. Rising Sun. Wayne was only beaten once all year in the mile. He ran anchor on the mile relay team that set a school record of 3:53.8.