2023 Lori Bakhaus

The Beecher High School Athletic Hall of Fame Commission is pleased to announce Lori Bakhaus as a member of the 2023 Hall of Fame Class. Lori, a 1988 Beecher graduate, excelled in multiple sports while at BHS and at the next level.

During her time as a Ladycat, Lori competed in softball, track, cross country, and basketball. Lori was Kankakee Valley All-Conference athlete in softball in 1988 and in basketball for three straight years from 1986 through 1988. Lori’s senior year, in 1988, she was named first team All-Area by the Chicago Heights Star and the Hammond Times as well as second team All-Area by the Kankakee Daily Journal. In track and field she was the KVC champion in the long jump in 1986 and again in 1988. Lori was also a part of an IHSA state qualifying 3200m relay team in 1986. In cross country, Lori was the only female on the team and was an All-Conference runner all four years of high school.

After Lori’s playing days as a Ladycat, she moved on to Parkland College and continued her basketball and softball career for two years. During her junior year in college, she played basketball for the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh and played on a successful team that finished 5th at the NCAA Division 3 national tournament. In Lori’s senior season she played for McKendree University where she averaged over 20 points per game and scored 39 points in a single game which still stands as a school record.

After college, Lori’s athletic career was far from over. Lori played in the professional Women’s Basketball Association for the Chicago Twisters. In 1995 the Chicago Twisters won the WBA Championship. Following her Professional Basketball career, she ventured into women's flag football playing tight end for 4 years where her team was crowned back-to-back national champions.

Lori has been a physical education teacher in the Plainfield School District at Indian Trail Middle School for 29 years. She coached high school varsity softball for 6 seasons including two 20 win seasons. She has also coached, freshman girls basketball, middle school cross country, middle school boys and girls volleyball. She is currently coaching girls middle school basketball, along with being the school's intramural director.