A regular column by Athletic Director Bill Husak.
September 2004,
Later this month we will announce the date for our Hall of Fame Dinner. This year's class will be historic. The 1989-90 Men's Basketball Team will be honored and recognized. No team in LMU history, or in the annals of collegiate basketball, captured the imagination of the nation with its up-tempo style of basketball. Rarely have the individual pieces of a team fit and worked as well together as this one. When Hank Gathers passed away at mid-court during the WCC Tournament, not only did the nation's imagination follow the team, but so did its emotions and heart. We will honor that evening all of the players, coaches and team personnel from that team.
Also being inducted will be Anthony Napolitano (1991-94). Anthony was one of just four Lions to earn first-team All-Conference honors in his final three seasons at LMU. As both a sophomore and a senior he led the Lions in hitting, claiming an average of .343 in 1992 and .344 in 1994. In his four seasons, he finished hitting .329 with 62 doubles, third all-time in school history.
Being inducted in the fan/supporter category is Terry Buckley. Terry is a 1957 graduate and a Korean War veteran. He is one of the most active supporters and boosters of LMU Athletics and has been since he left the University. Terry and his wife Claudy attend many events on campus including men's and women's basketball games. Terry could often be seen in the late 1990's and early 2000's leading the fans in cheers. Terry, undaunted, would frequently take the megaphone and prompt the crowd to yell "DEFENSE" or "Here we go Lions - here we go." Along with the generous gift of his brother's, Terry annually contributes to the Russ Buckley Endowment which is used as fifth-year money to help student-athletes earn a degree.
Also part of the 2004 Hall of Fame class will be four student-athletes who have had their jerseys retired. The first is Mardel Wrensch who was a three-time first-team All-WCC selection in her career as a Lion (1992-1995). She was named LMU's Female Scholar-Athlete of the Year as a senior (1994-95) and was a member of the Academic All-Conference team her final two seasons. Mardel owns the all-time single-season record for block solos (38), career attack percentage record (.355) and is in the top 10 for all-time kills chart (811), second in career block solos (99), fourth in career block assists (252), second in all-time total blocks (351) and third in career block average (1.02 bpg). In her final season she set a new record for attack percentage by a senior (.422), that record still stands today.
Joining Mardel from volleyball is Tracy Holman-Duffey (1994-1997) who set the all-time career LMU and WCC assist record with 5,362. After leading the Lions to their third-straight conference title as a junior, Holman-Duffey garnered Volleyball Magazine All-American honorable mention accolades. She was a four-time All-WCC first-team selection and 1994 league freshman of the year. She was named the WCC and LMU Female Scholar-Athlete of the Year, an honor she also earned at LMU in 1996-97.
Two memorable basketball greats, Hank Gathers and Bo Kimble will also be inducted. Hank Gathers (1987-90) was only the second player in NCAA history to lead the country in scoring and rebounding. He finished his junior season with an unheard of 32.7 points per game and 13.7 rebounds per game. Gathers was a finalist for the John Wooden Player of the Year Award in his senior season. In addition, he was a second team All-America selection by the USBWA and NABC, a third team All-America selection by the AP and an honorable mention by the UPI and Sporting News. He was voted as the West Coast Conference Player of the Decade for the 1980s. Gathers holds nine scoring records at LMU, including career points (2,490), career scoring average (28.0), field goals made in a game (24), season (419) and career (1,037), field goals attempted in a game (37), career field goal percentage (.590), free throws attempted in a season (315) and a career (745), and rebounds in a game (29). The #44 jersey worn by Gathers was retired in 2000.
Bo Kimble (1987-90) was the running mate of Hank Gathers. In his senior season, Bo Kimble averaged 35.3 points per game for the high-octane Lions in 1989-90, leading the nation in that category. The senior carried the Lions in the 1990 NCAA tournament, averaging 35.8 points per game in the four contests the Lions played in the tournament. In the first round against New Mexico State, Kimble went for 45 points and grabbed 18 rebounds. Both marks set school postseason records. In the second round, Kimble scored 37 against defending champion Michigan, helping the Lions to set an NCAA tournament record with a 149-115 win. In the final two games, he scored 19 in a 62-60 win over Alabama and 42 in a 131-101 loss to UNLV. Kimble was one of the most decorated players in LMU history his final season. He was named as a second team All-American, All-NCAA West Regional Team, NCAA Scoring Champion, WCC Player of the Year, WCC Player of the month in three consecutive months (Dec., Jan, and Feb.), six time WCC Player of the Week, ESPN Player of the Week on Jan. 9 and was named Sports Illustrated Player of the Week on Jan. 9. The #30 worn by Kimble was retired in 2000. He finished his career fourth all-time in scoring with 2,010 points.
We look forward to the opportunity of inducting such a great and historic class. The evening has been fun in the past so when the date is established make sure to reserve your spot early.
Go Lions!
