On the gridiron, Bob came into his own junior and senior seasonsto lead the Diplomats to consecutive Middle Atlantic ConferenceSouthern Division Championships (1971, '72). His senior season,F&M was awarded the Lambert Bowl and finished with an 8-0record. A classic drop back quarterback, Olender earned an MACfirst-team all-star berth, ECAC "Division III Player of the Year"and Associated Press "Little All-America" honorable mention honorsin 1972. As a junior, Bob completed 28 of 75 passes for 457 yardsand four touchdowns.
As a senior, he ranked sixth in the NCAA College Division,passing for 1,697 yards and 15 touchdowns, including four games ofmore than 200 yards. Among F&M single season records he setwere: total offense (1635 yds. on 289 plays), passes attempted(259), passes completed (135), touchdown passes (15), net passingyards (1,697). Game records Bob set were: passes attempted (46),passes completed (24), touchdown passes (three), net yard passing(316).
Bob was also a pitcher for the F&M baseball team from1971-73, compiling ERAs of 2.78, 1.73, and 2.39, and was named theMAC "Most Valuable Player" in his senior year. He was also namedthe recipient of a $1,000 NCAA post-graduate scholarship, which heused to help pay law school bills. A government major, Olenderreceived his B.A., and then was awarded his Juis Doctorate in 1976from Marshall College of Law in Cleveland, where he is a practicingattorney. Olender lives in Rocky River, Ohio.
