Joe is inducted into the Elgin Sports Hall of Fame for football and baseball. A 1982 Elgin Sports Hall of Fame scholarship recipient, Armentrout graduated from Larkin High School after an outstanding prep career in two sports.  In football,  he was All-Upstate Eight Conference his junior and senior year, UEC Offensive Player of the Year (1981), Chicago SunTimes All- Area as a senior and Courier-News Player of the Year as a senior. He was All-UEC in baseball as a junior and a senior. Joe went on to the University of Wisconsin where he was a four-year starter at fullback on the football team and he finished 12th on the all-time rushing list with 1,471 yards. Joe was the Badgers’ Offensive Player of the Year in 1985 and ‘86, his junior and senior seasons.  He was All-Big Ten Honorable Mention in 1985. He scored 12 career touchdowns. He was drafted in the ninth round of the 1987 NFL draft by Tampa Bay. He was a member of the 1987 Los Angeles Rams and a member of the Green Bay Packers in 1988 and 1989. In baseball, he was All-Big Ten in 1984 and 85, Wisconsin’s MVP in 1986 and he set several records or ranks among the leaders in several offensive categories for career and season. He led Wisconsin in batting average for two seasons (1985 and 86), runs scored for three seasons - including a Wisconsin record of 61 in 1985, and hits for three seasons. He ranks in the top five all-time at Wisconsin in at-bats, batting average (.365), runs (career leader), hits and triples.