Hall of Honor
In an interview appearing in the April 5, 1985, edition of The Round Table, Jon Reitman was characterized as one of the College’s super athletes. Considering the impressive statistics he accumulated as a Buccaneer free-style swimmer, Reitman was well deserving of the accolade. This sprint specialist, who started swimming in a fledgling high school program and developed into a state qualifier, transferred to Beloit as a sophomore in search of a small-school experience. His motivation and hard work paid off as he made a name for himself in the pool, going undefeated in dual-meet competition. As a junior, he was Midwest Conference champion and record-holder in both the 50- and 100-yard free-style events and earned All-American honors by placing ninth nationally in the 100. Reitman closed out his college career by repeating as conference titlist in the 100, finishing second in the 50 to a swimmer who broke the NCAA Division III record, and capturing 12th in the national meet to again win All-American recognition. Bob Nicholls, his coach and Hall of Honor member, once described the Janssen Award recipient as an exceptionally gifted individual who was a hard-working, reliable, and loyal leader, a respected role model for his College and teammates. A former firefighter and paramedic, Reitman is a member of the Rockford (Ill.) Fire Department’s fire prevention bureau. He and his wife Kathy live in Rockford with their three children.
