After Kim Kreke used her size and skill to become the top shot blocker in the history of the Salem Lady Wildcats basketball program, she left her mark in the same category with the Air Force Academy.
A 2005 graduate of Salem Community High School, Kreke began to become a defensive force near the basket as a junior when she turned away 74 shots during the 2003-04 season. That mark still ranks third in the program’s history at the time of her Hall of Fame induction. Kreke was even better during her senior year in the 2004-05 campaign when she became the school’s single-season shot blocker with 102. During that senior season Kreke was selected to the All-Tournament Team at Effingham, the All-Apollo Conference team and received Special Mention on the Illinois Basketball Coaches Association All-State Team.

Kreke became a regular in the Lady Wildcats as a sophomore and helped Salem win just its second regional championship in 2003. Kreke’s presence in the middle helped the Lady Wildcats win 22 games during her junior season in 2003-04 and a 28-3 record, which included another regional championship in 2005, as a senior.

Kreke was also tough at the net in volleyball and helped Salem to 22 wins in 2002, 25 wins and a regional championship in 2003 and 20 victories in 2004.

It would be basketball that would be Kreke’s ticket to college at the Air Force Academy. Kreke had spot duty with the Lady Falcons during her first two seasons as she appeared in 15 games as a freshman and 18 games as a sophomore. Kreke’s work load at Air Force increased significantly as a junior when she appeared in 28 of her team’s 29 games. Kreke averaged 5.4 points and 4.6 rebounds a game, but again it was on the defensive side where she made her biggest presence known as she had at least one blocked shot in 17 games and nine games with multiple blocked shots.

Kreke saved her best season at Air Force for her senior year as she averaged 9.3 points per game, which included 22 three-pointers. Her 43 blocked shots for the season established a new program record during the Division I era and also ranked second in the Mountain West Conference. Kreke also established another Air Force season record with 278 rebounds as she averaged 9.4 boards per game. Kreke was named Air Force’s Most Valuable Defensive Player and shared the team’s Most Valuable Player Award and the Loudermilk-Chavez Leadership Award.

Kreke continued to be involved in athletics after her graduation as she served as a women’s basketball assistant coach for the United States Air Force Prep School in 2010. She participated in the All Air Force Basketball program in 2012 and the All United States Air Force Volleyball Program in Europe in 2016. She also served as a volunteer assistant basketball coach at Arlington, Massachusetts High School in 2017.

At the time of her Hall of Fame induction Kreke was serving as a program manager for the United States Air Force.