Feb. 11, 2011

PHILADELPHIA - There is less than one month remaining until this year’s Hall of Athletes celebration, which will honor all members in commemoration of the 50th anniversary of its founding.  The celebration will take place in conjunction with the men’s basketball game against Massachusetts on February 27.

For more information about the Hall of Athletes gala celebration, please contact the Explorer Club at 215-951-1606 or explorerclub@lasalle.edu.

Leading up to the celebration, GoExplorers.com will take a look back at the accomplishments of the athletes and coaches by decade.

Today GoExplorers.com looks back at the athletes from the 1980s, including the 1980 AIAW Champion Field Hockey squad:

AIAW Champions ’80 (field hockey): In only its sixth year of competition, and in the eleventh year of coeducation at La Salle, the Explorers garnered another national championship. Coached by Joan Broderick, the women's field hockey team won the Eastern title at Loyola of Baltimore, then swept through Northeastern, Eastern Illinois, Denver, and Southwest Missouri State to win the AIAW [Association for Intercollegiate Athletics for Women] (Division II) crown. The team finished with a 19-6 record, winning their last 12 games. The team members were: Joann Weber Frank, '82, Nancy A. Richards, '83, Elizabeth Crawford Gibbs, '82, Carol Weber Shields, '83, Patricia Ann Hopkins, '81, Victoria M. Smith, '83, Mary Kaiser Gillespie, '82, Laura Frieze Swezey, '81, Cindy Ambruoso McCutcheon, '81, Helen Neary Swiski, '83, Kathleen A. McGahey, '82, Mary M. Trautwein, '83, Barbara A. McGugan, '83, Diane Vitagliano,'81, Sheila Smith O'Connell, '81, Kelly A. Walker, '83, Joan Ferrari Rafferty, '84, Elizabeth McCabe Wills, '81.

Diane Moyer ’80 (field hockey): Moyer was the first female athlete to be inducted into La Salle’s Hall of Athletes. A goalkeeper, Moyer lettered all four years in field hockey and also won four letters in softball and two each in basketball and diving.  She went on to be named to the 1980 and 1984 USA Olympic field hockey teams. The USA boycotted the 1980 Moscow games, but her 1984 squad won the Bronze medal in Los Angeles.

Michael Brooks ’80 (basketball): Brooks racked up 2,628 points and 1,372 rebounds as an Explorer, leading La Salle to the NCAA Tournament in 1978 and 1980 and earning Big 5 MVP honors during those same years.  Brooks was named College Player of the Year in 1980.  He played for the USA in Pan American Games during 1979.  Brooks was chosen captain of USA 1980 Olympic team, but the USA boycotted Moscow games. He went on to play six years in NBA and was named to the Big 5 Hall of Fame.

Laura (Frieze) Swezey ’81 (field hockey and softball): One of the Explorers' most versatile athletes, Swezey participated in softball and basketball during her collegiate years (1977-1981), but excelled in field hockey. She registered 38 career goals and 55 career points and played on the Explorers' 1980 AIAW National Championship (Division II) team.

Maureen Kramer ’81 (basketball): Playing 105 career games for the Explorers, her 1,502 points (14.3 average) set a record for points scored by a female Explorer at the time. Kramer served as captain during her senior season and led the Explorers in points (496) and rebounds (268). Kramer was voted into the Big 5 Hall of Fame.

Kathleen Bess ’82 (basketball): Bess, a dominant rebounder for La Salle women's basketball in the late seventies and early eighties, remains the all-time leading rebounder in La Salle history (1,145).  Inducted into the Big 5 Hall of Fame in 1991, Bess earned First Team All-Big 5 honors in 1979-80 and 1981-82.  Bess is one of only two women in Explorer history to score over 1,000 points (1,426) and get over 1,000 rebounds.

Michael A. Mosley ’82 (track): Mosley was an agile sprinter who was semi-finalist in NCAA 100 meters in 1980. Mosley was a member of two champion Penn Relay teams and also won 10 ECC championships. He finished his career with 12 records (8 La Salle and 4 ECC).

Kathleen (Smith) Prindible ’82 (diving): She was an outstanding diver from the 1-meter and 3-meter boards during 4 years of competition. As sophomore, Prindible was unbeaten in the 3-meter event and had only one loss at the 1-meter. In 1980-1981, she helped lead a team to as 12-2 record in dual meets.  She was the only La Salle female diver ever selected AIAW All-American.

Kathy McGahey ’82 (field hockey): McGahey played basketball as a freshman, and excelled in field hockey (midfielder) and softball (right fielder and relief pitcher), becoming an All-American in both sports. She was a member of La Salle's 1980 AIAW National Championship (Division II) field hockey team and of the 1984 USA Olympic Bronze medal team in Los Angeles.

Thomas R. Bonk ’84 (baseball): Bonk was a hard-hitting catcher/first baseman whose batting average (.414) was Explorer record at time of his induction. Bonk batted in 131 runs in his La Salle career with 149 hits and 22 homers and was named Honorable Mention NCAA All-American and First Team All-East in 1981 and 1982.

Michael Kogut ’84 (soccer): Kogut was chosen as a regional All-American goalkeeper in 1983 and was named to the Philadelphia Soccer 7 First Team in 1981, 1982, and 1983. During his career as a goalie, La Salle's record was 31-14-4 and included several victories over nationally ranked teams.

Steve Black ’85 (basketball): Playing four seasons for Explorers, Black was selected to the All-Big 5 First Team in 1982, 1983, and 1984 and the Second Team in 1985. Black averaged 19.7 points per game in his career (2,012 total points), with 50.4% field goal shooting and 81.9% foul shooting.  He was later inducted into the Big 5 Hall of Fame.

Ralph A. Lewis ’85 (basketball): Lewis scored 1,807 points (15.6 ppg average) in his four years at La Salle.  He was named to the First Team All-MAAC (1983-1984 and 1984-1985) and First Team All Big 5 in 1984 and 1985. Lewis received the Geasey Award as the Big 5 Player of the Year in 1984. The Big 5 Hall of Famer went on to play in NBA for three years (1987-1990) for Detroit and Charlotte.

Sam R. Boone Jr. ’86 (basebell): With a .440 batting average in 51 games, Sam Boone was the Explorers' leading hitter in 1985. He was mamed to the NCAA Eastern Regional Second Team and the ECAC Division I North First Team. Boone was part of the 1985 team that posted a school-best 31-20 record and made it to the NCAA Tournament.  At the end of his playing career with the Explorers, he had set the school record for career hits, runs, doubles, triples, home runs, and stolen bases.

Sheryl (Reid) Barnhill ’86 (track): In 1986, Barnhill qualified for the NCAA Track Championship in the 5,000-meter, earning her the distinction of being La Salle's first NCAA track qualifier. That same year, she finished third in the 5,000 at the Penn Relays, setting a La Salle record after running a 4:58 mile leg in the distance medley relay just hours before. Among her many accomplishments, she still holds the La Salle record in the 5,000- and 10,000-meter.

Joseph Rudy ’86 (soccer): A midfield/forward for Explorers, Rudy helped La Salle win the ECC Championship as a freshman and MAAC title as a sophomore, junior, and senior. He was a three-time First Team All-MAAC. As Junior and Senior, named First Team All-Soccer 7 and Regional All-American. Set an Explorer record for most career goals (37) and in one season (16) in 1984.

Chip Greenberg ’86 (basketball): Greenberg scored 1,227 points and registered 461 assists as a guard position from 1982-1986. As a Senior, he led the Explorers in scoring (16.8 average), assists (3.76), free throw percentage (84.3%), rebounding (5.2), and steals (2.36) and was voted to the All-MAAC and All Big 5 teams that season.

Bobby Poursanidis ’86 (soccer): Poursanidis was an outstanding midfielder and forward who helped Explorers to the ECC Championship (1982) and MAAC Championship (1983 and 1984), scoring 12 goals in 1983. He was named First Team All MAAC, First Team All Soccer Seven, and NCAA All-District performer (1983-1985) and the MAAC MVP (1985).

Jill Crandley ’86 (basketball): Crandley averaged 13.1 and 17.3 points per game during her second and third seasons, respectively. She was named to the Second Team All-MAAC in 1985 and First Team All-MAAC in 1986, when she led La Salle to its second ever NCAA tournament. At the time of her induction, Crandley ranked 3rd among Explorers for field goals made (625) and field goal percentage.

Linda Hester ’87 (basketball): Hester became one of the leading scorers in Explorer women's basketball with 1,490 points. Her career highlights include 83 games started, 108 games played, 629 field goals, 13.8 points per game, 143 steals, and 73.2% free throws made. Hester later was a candidate for the USA team competing in the World University Games in 1985 and was inducted into the Big 5 Hall of Fame.

John E. Madden ’87 (diving): Madden set the Explorer and Kirk Pool scoring record in 1986 (529.75). He was the MAAC Champion in both 1986 and 1987.  Madden was a two-time NCAA Qualifier in one meter diving (1986, 1987) and placed sixteenth at the NCAA Championships in 1987.

Allison (Husdon) Donohoe ’87 (basketball): Donohoe was named to the MAAC All-Tournament Team in 1986 and to the First Team All Big 5 and MAAC First Team All-Conference in 1987.  During that same season she led La Salle in points (385) and rebounds (191). Donohoe was inducted into Big 5 Hall of Fame in 1997.

Patrick Waninger ’87 (baseball): Upon induction, Waninger ranked second among Explorer pitchers in career wins with 18 and career saves with 14 and third in games pitched with 71.  He was a member of the 1985 Explorer team that played for the NCAA East Regional Championship. Waninger was a First Team All-Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) selection at first base (1984, 1985).  He was named to the First Team East Region (1985) and was MVP of the 1985 ECAC Tournament.

Robert Wilkinson ’88 (soccer): Wilkinson was a three-time Philadelphia Soccer Seven All-Star and All-MAAC honoree as a member of the Explorer soccer team.  In 1987, he was named an All-Region Performer.

Barry Petrachenko ’88 (baseball): As a freshman, he played second base for the La Salle NCAA East Regional Finalist squad in 1985.  He helped the team to a school-record 31 wins and was the team leader in stolen bases (38) that season.

Kimberly (Draganosky) Long ’88 (swimming): Her victory in the 1,650-yard (1985) earned her the designation as the first La Salle woman swimmer to win an Eastern championship. Named Outstanding Woman Swimmer at the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) Championships, Long was a three-time MAAC champion in the 400 individual medley, 500 freestyle, and 1,650 freestyle. She set the La Salle record in 500 freestyle (1986-87), 400 individual relay (1987-88), and was a member of the 800 freestyle relay team that set the school's record in 1986-87. Among her many accolades, Long held 10 school records after completing her first season.

Timothy Legler ’88 (basketball): Legler scored 1,699 points in 121 games as an Explorer. He was named to the First Team All Big 5 (1987) and All-MAAC teams (1987 and 1988). His 3.40 GPA earned him a berth on the 1988 GTE Academic All-American Team.  A Big 5 Hall of Famer, Legler began his NBA career in 1989. Legler went on to lead the NBA in 3-point percentage during the 1995-96 season.

Tracey Lynn Sneed ’89 (basketball): Tallying 1,486 total points, Sneed became the 3rd highest scorer in Women’s Basketball at La Salle upon induction. Her field goal percentage (52.5%) and free throw percentage (91.5%) in the 1987-1988 season were highest ever registered by an Explorer. Sneed was voted to the All-Big 5 team twice and was selected MAAC Player of the Year in 1988.

Stephen P. O’Donnell ’89 (baseball): O’ Donnell compiled a 4-year batting average of .403 for the Explorers, including 45 home runs. He was voted to the All-MAAC team from 1987-1989 and named second team All-American, ECAC Player of the Year, and MAAC Player of the Year in 1989.