Illinois State University Athletics

Rudy Klokkenga has been a fixture around the Illinois State softball program for over a decade, and the Bloomington-Normal community for over 30 years. In his duties as the public address announcer for Redbird softball, Klokkenga saw the Redbirds win multiple championships and served as the voice of the 2007 Missouri Valley Conference Softball Championship hosted at Marian Kneer Stadium. Due to his dedication and generosity to Redbird softball, the Illinois State Board of Trustees approved the naming of a new press box at the stadium in his honor. In addition to his work with the Redbirds, Klokkenga has volunteered his time at various IHSA and IESA softball tournaments held in Bloomington-Normal and has served on the board of the Bloomington Hearts for over 30 years. He has also been instrumental in the community hosting several Amateur Softball Association (ASA) and National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) tournaments, which earned him the 2009 Volunteer of the Year Award from the Bloomington-Normal Sports Commission. In 2014, he was inducted into the Illinois ASA Hall of Fame and was named a distinguished alumnus by Hartsburg-Emden High School in 2007. In times when he was not volunteering at softball events, Klokkenga worked for State Farm Insurance in Bloomington for over 34 years and was presented with the Spirit of State Farm Award in 2000, for his devotion to the company and the community.