Malone University Athletics

Lori (Ickes) Gale is the definition of an athlete with experience for the Malone Pioneers in volleyball and track & field. The combination of her skills lands her in the Malone University Athletics Hall of Fame Class of 2025.
 
Starting with her efforts in volleyball, Gale is ranked fifth in most aces, fifth in digs, ninth in kills and ninth in points in program history. At the time, the 2011 graduate was the fourth volleyball player to reach the 2,000-dig mark and finished her career with 2,007. Her durability led her to the third-most sets played in over 50 years of Malone volleyball as well.
 
Ickes tied the school record with seven aces in a three-set match and has two of the top six single-season ace totals. She has the fourth-best reception percentage in program history with a .962 in 2010.
 
In her senior season, Ickes helped lead the Pioneers to their lone American Mideast Conference championship and NAIA Tournament appearance. The team qualified for the NCCAA national tournament in 2009 during Ickes' time with the program. Malone had a 111-53 record with Ickes on the roster.
 
Ickes was a four-time All-Conference player with two Second Team awards and two Honorable Mentions. She had three NCCAA East Region selections as well, with two appearances on the First Team in 2007 and 2009. In the classroom, Ickes was a Scholar-Athlete in the NAIA, NCCAA and AMC in 2010.
 
In track & field, Ickes collected an NCCAA National Championship in the javelin during the 2008 outdoor season. She was also the 2009 AMC Outdoor champion in the javelin. Ickes is inside the top ten list for Malone in four different events. She has the third-best indoor javelin throw, fifth-best outdoor discus throw, seventh-best indoor high jump and eighth-best outdoor heptathlon score in program history.
 
After graduation, she taught special education for seven years and was as assistant volleyball and track coach at Smithville High School. She married her husband Jon in 2010 and have three children, Noah, Lana and Judah. She is currently a stay-at-home mom where she is homeschooling her children and is very involved at the West Hill Baptist Church in Wooster. Gale continues to enjoy an active lifestyle by playing with her kids, playing volleyball, gardening, going on bike rides, and participating in CrossFit.