Hall of Fame Registration

TACOMA, Wash. - This is the final of six installments profiling the six individuals who will be inducted into the Pacific Lutheran University's Athletic Hall of Fame on Friday, Nov. 2 in the Chris Knutzen Hall at 11:30 a.m. Today's installment features football student-athlete Jon Kral (1985-1988).

A two-time NAIA All-American at defensive end, Kral was a menace for opposing quarterbacks, recording 34 sacks and 225 tackles in his decorated career. Kral helped the Lutes compile a 36-7-2 record on the gridiron over his four-year career, winning the 1987 NAIA Division II National Championship and making four trips to the national playoffs. 
 
But for Kral, some of his fondest memories weren't found in the opponent's backfield or even the football field. 
 
"I have many, many, many, great memories besides all the great people, coaches and teammates," said Kral. 
 
Those memories include Wednesday night team meetings dissecting film and discussing x's and o's, answering trivia questions to "win" dessert. It includes Friday's with crazy hat day at practice and "inner circle" meetings with deep sharing at night. It includes pausing during practice to admire Mount Rainier with clapping and watching the jets overhead from Joint Base Lewis-McChord. Kral's favorite memories include trips to France and Australia with the team and the smell of the astroturf when playing in the Tacoma Dome. It also includes the wisdom imparted from the coaching staff about football and life in general. 
 
"It's not necessarily the playing that made the lasting impact but rather the camaraderie developed by people striving for a common goal under trying circumstances. The lasting impact has to be the philosophy of the coaches passed on to us. A life less focused on oneself and more on service to others," said Kral.   
 
Kral made an immediate impact in his first year on campus in 1985, earning Freshman MVP honors as the team made it to the NAIA National Championship Game. That success was part of the initial draw to PLU for Kral. 
 
"I had never experienced playing football with a team that would consistently win and I wanted to know what that felt like. PLU had excellent coaches, players, and people. It felt right with my soul."
 
Kral was First Team Little All-Northwest and Second Team All-Columbia League North as a sophomore. During the 1987 national championship winning season, Kral was a Second Team All-American, First Team Little All-Northwest, and First Team All-Columbia League North. 
 
He capped his career with a laundry list of awards as a senior including First Team All-American, CFA Mount Rainier League Defensive MVP, First Team Little All-Northwest, All-CFA Rainier League, Football News Gazette NAIA Division II Defensive Player of the Year, and was an NAIA Scholar Athlete.
 
His dominance has stood the test of time, still ranking third all-time in career sacks and eighth all-time in career tackles.