Hall of Honor
Integrity. Authenticity. Grit. These characteristics were evident to anyone who encountered Joe Kostiha during his time at Beloit College. The Texas native arrived on campus in the fall of 1999, two years after his brother Jim. He quickly made his mark at Beloit College as a two-sport athlete.
On the gridiron, Kostiha needed little time to make the transition from six-man football in high school to 11-man in college. Securing his position as the defensive leader from the linebacker position, Kostiha’s grit and athleticism were apparent to all who had the pleasure of seeing him on the field. “Joe’s athletic success was founded in his sheer athleticism and grit, which you find in people with a deep internal drive for success,” recalled former teammate and longtime friend Damien Harrell. “He used every piece of his body on every play, through injuries and the like. He brought everyone on the team up to his level and made sure everyone was included. He treated everyone with respect and, in turn, people respected him and followed his lead.
A six-time All-Midwest conference selection as a linebacker and defensive specialist in three seasons, Kostiha holds two of the top three marks for longest interception return in program history including an 80-yarder against St. Norbert College in 2002. That year Kostiha led the league with 111 tackles and bolstered the second-best pass defense in the conference.
Competing in the javelin for the Buccaneer track and field team, Kostiha captured the MWC title en route to Most Valuable Performer honors at the 2002 outdoor championships. He went on to qualify for the National Collegiate Athletic Association Division III outdoor championships that year. In 2003, Kostiha returned to successfully defend his league title in the event with a heave of 183’9. He still holds the program record in the event with a toss of 193’6.
Kostiha was honored with the Donald ‘Red’ Janssen Award in 2002 as the top junior male student-athlete. In 2003, he was named Beloit College’s top senior male student-athlete in receiving the Pat Dawson Award.
