Grinnell College Athletics

John Sundell '64 was a three-year starting center for the Pioneer basketball team. Standing at 6 feet 8 inches, "Big Boy" was one of the tallest men in the conference at the time. As a sophomore, Sundell's domination presence helped the Pioneers win the conference title in 1962. His play was recognized as he earned honorable mention all-conference status. The Joliet, Ill. native continued his fine career during his junior year as he was named to the all-conference team for the second straight year. The highlight of Sundell's career came during his senior year when he pulled down a school-record 31 rebounds against Knox in Darby Gym. He grabbed 443 rebounds for the season, which is still a school-record today. Sundell, who averaged over 20 rebounds per game his senior season, was a first team all-conference selection as well as the team's MVP. "Big Boy" also holds records for total rebounds in a career with 1,031, and season shooting percentage at 51.7%. After graduating with a degree in biology, Sundell studied denistry at the University of Iowa. He received numerous commendations and awards during his 24-year career as a commissioned officer in the United States Public Health Service. Sixteen of those years were spent teaching and directing dental education, for which he received the Outstanding Service Medal given in 1986 by the surgeon general in Washington, D.C. Sundell currently works with Kaiser Permanente Dental associates in the Northwest.