WASHINGTON, D.C. – Five former
student-athletes, one coach and one writer will be enshrined into
the Gallaudet University Hall of Fame on Sunday, October 28, as
part of Homecoming 2012. The GU Hall of Fame Class of 2012 includes
Kathryn A. Baldridge, Brian A.
Bippus, Stephanie L. Danner,
Michael C. Kent, Barry M.
Strassler, William T. Sugiyama and
Albert A. Walla. A brunch will be held in their
honor on Sunday morning at 10 a.m. in the Ole Jim on the campus of
Gallaudet University. Ticket details will be announced at a later
date.
The Gallaudet University Hall of Fame Induction is one of the
premier events of the year for the GU Athletic Department. The
special event recognizes the men and women, past and present, whose
contributions to Gallaudet University Athletics have been deemed
worthy of induction into the GU Hall of Fame.
A brief description of this year's inductees:
Kathryn A. Baldridge (Women's Basketball
Coach) is the all-time coaching wins leader for
women's basketball in Gallaudet history. Baldridge won 334
games in 29 seasons as the head coach of the women's
basketball program at Gallaudet from 1977-2006. During her tenure
leading the Bison she compiled 15 winning seasons and led Gallaudet
to the NCAA tournament twice (1996-97, 1998-99). The 1998-99 team
advanced to the 'Sweet 16' round of the NCAA
tournament, the farthest any Bison team has ever made it in the
NCAAs. She joins two of her former student-athletes Ronda Jo Miller
and Touria Ouahid Boren, who are currently in the GU Hall of Fame.
She is an associate professor of physical education at Gallaudet
and has served recently as the Faculty Athletic Representative for
the athletic department. She has also served on the NCAA Division
III Management Council and Student-Athlete Advisory Council.
Brian A. Bippus, '93 (Men's Basketball)
graduated as the all-time leading scorer for men's basketball
in Gallaudet history with 1,882 points. He played four years
(1987-91) for the buff and blue as the Bison began their 20-year
membership in the Capital Athletic Conference. Bippus became the
first Bison to earn All-CAC honors as he was picked for the first
team during the 1990-91 season. The three-time team captain also
excelled in the classroom and became Gallaudet's first-ever
Academic All-American when he was named to the 1990-91 second team.
He also earned All-District II first team honors. He still holds
the CAC single-game record for free throws made with 21 against
Catholic University of America on January 26, 1991.
Stephanie L. Danner, '05 (Women's
Swimming) is Gallaudet's most decorated
women's swimmer when the Bison were members of the highly
competitive Capital Athletic Conference. The three-time team
captain was an eight-time all-conference honoree, which included
four first team honors. She dominated the 1,650 freestyle event as
she earned all-conference honors in that event all four years
(2002-05) at the CAC championships. Her senior year she won the
event to earn first team honors. She was back-to-back CAC champion
in the 500-yard freestyle (2003, '04). She was named the 2004
CAC Women's Swimmer of the Year after she had two first-place
and one second-place performance at the conference championships.
Danner was twice named the Gallaudet Student-Athlete of the Year
(2004, '05). She graduated Summa Cum Laude in 2005.
Michael C. Kent, E-'97 (Men's Basketball)
was a four-year letterwinner for the Gallaudet men's
basketball team from 1991-95. He averaged 20 points per game during
his career and finished in the Top 10 for scoring in school history
with 1,286 points in four years at Kendall Green. His 1993-94
season was his finest as he earned All-American honorable mention
status from Division III News and Don Hansen's Gazette. He
was also a National Association of Basketball Coaches Atlantic
Region second team honoree. He earned All-CAC first team honors and
was named the Most Outstanding Player for Gallaudet's
men's basketball team. At the time he posted second highest
field goal percentage (205-for-310, .662 percent) for a
single-season in CAC history.
Barry M. Strassler, '66 (Writer) is a walking
encyclopedia of Gallaudet University athletics knowledge and a huge
supporter and advocate for deaf news and deaf sports. Strassler was
active as a student at Gallaudet from 1961-63, 64-66, as he served
as the sports editor of the Buff and Blue and Tower Clock. The
accounting major played men's soccer in '62, club baseball in
'65 and was the head football team manager in '65. He has made many
contributions to Gallaudet athletics over the years as he once
served, as the editor of the Bison Club newsletter, was chairperson
for the Gallaudet Hall of Fame for 1995, '98, and edit and wrote
the Gallaudet football centennial history book on the Bison
program.
William T. Sugiyama, '59 (Wrestling) was part
of the one-two punch the Gallaudet wrestling program featured in
the late 1950s as he competed in the 123-pound division while GU
Hall of Fame teammate Pierre Sevigny '61 competed at the 157-pound
division. The Bison posted an impressive 9-1 team record in 1957
and followed that with a 7-3 record in 1958 as Gallaudet finished
second at the Mason-Dixon tournament for the second straight year.
Sugiyama had the fortune to wrestle under GU legendary coaches
Thompson Clayton and Frank Turk.
Albert A. Walla, '75 (Men's Swimming)
swam three years at Gallaudet and in the process helped to re-write
the school record book. Walla swam for the Bison from 1971-74 as
Gallaudet won 12 of 27 meets. In his career he set seven individual
school records and was apart of three team relay records. None of
his records stand now as the Bison swimming program has improved
but Walla's name remained on the record board in four
different events up until 2003. He was named the Most Outstanding
Swimmer during the 1973-74 season and he served as a team captain
from 1971-72.
Two years ago, the GU Athletics Department inducted seven into
the Hall of Fame including; Darin S. Clauson,
Karen A. Gilbert, David S.
Hamilton, Martin G. Minter, James A.
Segala, Pierre Sevigny, Robert H.
Westermann.
To be considered for the GU Athletic Hall of Fame one must be a
former Bison student-athlete, coach and/or contributor that is five
years removed from the University. One must be nominated in writing
and submitted to the Gallaudet University Alumni Association.
Inductees can be deaf, hard of hearing or hearing. The GU Athletic
Department would like to thank the GUAA for collecting this year's
nominations. All nominations are then screened and reviewed by the
Hall of Fame committee.
For more information about this year's Hall of Fame event please
contact Anna Hall in the GU Athletic Department at anna.hall@gallaudet.edu.
GU Hall of Fame Class of 2012
Kathryn A. Baldridge (Women's Basketball)
Brian A. Bippus, '93 (Men's Basketball)
Stephanie L. Danner, '05 (Women's Swimming)
Michael C. Kent. E-'97 (Men's Basketball)
Barry M. Strassler, '66 (Writer)
William T. Sugiyama, '59 (Wrestling)
Albert A. Walla, '75 (Men's Swimming)
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