Romeoville, Ill. - Former national champion and program standout
Magdalena Paszta was tabbed to the 39th Lewis Athletics Hall of Fame Class.
"I want to sincerely thank the university and my coaches for their support and for giving me the opportunity to compete and grow," said Paszta. "This recognition is very special, and I am truly grateful for everything you have done for me."
A native of Poland, Paszta's running career began long before Lewis. As a teenager, she represented Poland in the World Cross Country Championships (1993) and multiple international meets at the U18 level. A Polish National Champion in both cross country and track (U16 & U18), she showed early signs of greatness.
At Lewis, Magda became one of the most decorated runners in Lewis history with many records still standing: Indoor Top 10: 600m (6th), 800m (4th), 1000m (4th), Mile (2nd) Outdoor Top 10: 800m (5th), 1500m (2nd), 3000m (5th), 5000m (5th) She also ranks 2nd all-time in the 5K on the Lewis Women's Cross Country Top 25 list (1997) and helped the 1996 and 1997 teams finish second and third respectively at Nationals. A fourteen-time NCAA All-American and three- time GLVC XC Champion,
Magda earned honors nearly every year she competed. Her crowning moment came in 1998, when she captured the NCAA National Championship in the Indoor Mile, securing her legacy as one of the best to ever wear a Lewis uniform.
After graduation, Magda continued to chase goals beyond the finish line, completing the London Marathon in 2017, a reflection of her lifelong commitment to the sport. Today, she leads with that same drive at Cambridge, supported by her husband and fellow Lewis Athletics Hall of Fame inductee David Locker and daughters Demi and Chelsi.
Lewis athletics is also set to host its annual Flyer Red Dinner at the Bolingbrook Golf and Country Club on January 28
th with the event starting at 6 p.m. The dinner serves as a fundraising event to benefit Flyer Athletics and its teams while also recognizing the 2026 Lewis Athletics Hall of Fame class.
To register for the event, use the link at the top of the article. For more information about the event, please reach out to associate athletic director for development
Tyler Mitchell tmichell7@lewisu.edu or call at 815-836-5888.
For the latest news and updates on Lewis athletics, visit LewisFlyers.com and follow the Flyers on social media at @golewisflyers on Instagram and @LewisFlyers on X.
