A Blue Knight's Tale

Geneseo Athletics, Past, Present and Future

By George Gagnier '88, Geneseo Sports Information Director

Photos by Ron Pretzer

In recent years, Geneseo has become an athletic powerhouse in Division III, garnering state, regional and national championships in various sports. At the same time, student-athletes are increasingly earning recognition for academic achievement, and are encouraged to take an active role in community life and leadership. An alumnus and staff member of the Department of Intercollegiate Athletics and Recreation traces the development, status, prospects and needs of our exemplary, Division III “Ivy League” program.

Also on these pages, the Geneseo varsity tradition is celebrated through interviews with four alumni-athletes from throughout the 50 years since the Blue Knight mascot was born.

When I was asked to compose a feature story on athletics for the Geneseo Scene, my first instinct was to run and hide. As the College’s sports information director, I try to serve our 20 increasingly successful varsity programs as they all deserve. This is demanding enough, without adding a major writing project covering the institutional role and accomplishments of the Department of Intercollegiate Athletics and Recreation in the context of Geneseo’s public liberal arts mission.

When considering this daunting task, however, I thought of my former interns. What would they think of me if I turned down the opportunity? We are, after all, part of an institution of higher learning. What educational example would I be setting if I turned away?

Did Beth Washburn ’99 become assistant athletic director for marketing at Seton Hall by steering clear of a challenge? Mark Fratto ’99 certainly did not take the easy road on his way to becoming assistant sports information director for men’s basketball at the University of Maryland, and working the graveyard shift, as a researcher at ESPN News, cannot be easy for Nick Loucks ’02. As for my two most recent protégés, Courtney Trawitz ’04 and Janelle Feuz ’05, I know I taught them, as I taught the others, to seek out, take on and overcome such challenges.

The Fifties: The Blue Knight is Born By Jo Kirk This year marks the 50th anniversary of not only the Class of 1955, but also the Blue Knights mascot, which was adopted for the varsity teams at Geneseo in the class’s senior year. A section on “Traditions” in the Blue Knights Roundtable Handbook attributes selection of the knight to an alumnus who graduated that year: double-varsity athlete Robert H. Thompson ’55 (previously featured in the winter 2004 issue of the Geneseo Scene for his service as a member of the Geneseo Alumni Association Board). According to the account by Geneseo Professor Emeritus of Sports, Health and Recreation Fred Bright, author of historical sections in the handbook, Thompson and Geneseo Basketball Coach (now emeritus) Frank Akers together came up with the mascot. Thompson suggested the knight, and Akers supplied the color. “Blue and white for which we fight” were part of the sports tradition as early as 1900, according to Bright. “The knight emblem has changed several times since 1955, but the knight and the colors have served the College well, representing good moral virtue as well as physical strength.” Bob Thompson ’55 Occupation: Retired teacher (seven years) and elementary school principal (27 years), Pittsford Central School. Residence: Pittsford, N.Y. and Vero Beach, Fla. Family: Wife, Anne; two children, Douglas and Kimberle Thompson Schiff ’84; and three grandchildren. Baccalaureate major: Elementary education. Graduate certification: Permanent Certificate as Elementary Principal (45 hours coursework at SUNY Geneseo, SUNY Brockport and University of Rochester). Continuing service to Geneseo (selected): Member, Geneseo Alumni Association Board of Directors, since 1996; and member, Geneseo alumni reunion committees in 1989, 1995 and 2005. Varsity teams: Men’s baseball and basketball (1951-55). Coach: Frank Akers (both sports, now emeritus). Recollection of the adoption of the Blue Knight mascot: “I was impressed with the athletics program at Pittsford, where I had just finished student teaching. The emphasis was on academic achievement, with appropriate focus on extracurricular activities, and there was strong community support for the sports teams. So when Coach Akers asked me about a team name for the College, I immediately thought of the Knights at Pittsford. Coach Akers decided on the ‘Blue Knights’ because of our uniforms. I never shared the thought that the student body might think “blue nights” more appropriate for our basketball team, as, to be honest, we lost more games than we won!” Sports memories of Geneseo: “During my freshman year, the tryouts for the basketball team were in the gymnasium of what remained of Old Main. The building was torn down by the beginning of my sophomore year. The basketball team practiced and played home games in the Geneseo High School gymnasium, south of the old Holcomb School on Wadsworth Street. “The baseball team practiced and played home games on the field next to the armory at the north edge of the village. We had a well-balanced team with effective pitchers and catcher, solid defense and adequate hitting. “My fellow classmates on both these teams were Fred Brown ’55, Jim Laven ’55 and Art Price ’55. “We traveled to away games in two station wagons.” Current impressions of athletics at Geneseo: “Since graduation from Geneseo, I have retained a keen interest in the College. Most days I check the sports pages to see how successful the teams have been. It is obvious that Geneseo has many talented athletes and very competitive teams.” Post-collegiate sports involvement: Former Little League Baseball coach (25 years), high school baseball coach (four years) and junior high school basketball coach (eight years); scorekeeper for school basketball team and sectional tournaments (30 years); currently co-chairperson of ticket sales for the Wegmans Rochester LPGA.

So, with the inspiration of my interns to guide me, I gladly accepted the mission, with one disclaimer: it would be impossible to mention every athletics highlight that has taken place during my time here, never mind all those that happened the entire 134 years of the College’s existence. With that in mind, for the purposes of this tale, I am defining the past as the period between 1950 and 1990, the present as the blossoming of Geneseo sports from 1990-2005, and the future as, of course, hopes of what is yet to come.

Without meaning to date myself, I must admit that I have bled Blue and White for 22 years. Originally, as an undergraduate team manager in men’s basketball for Coach Tom Pope, then as his assistant coach, and now as sports information director, I have had the good fortune to be associated with many unforgettable student-athletes, coaches and athletic administrators.

As I share some of my most memorable moments, the memories and perspectives of others, a glimpse into the life of a contemporary student-athlete, and our vision of the future, I hope you enjoy reading this piece as much as I enjoyed writing it, my initial reservations now long faded.

For those of you not familiar with athletics during your time at Geneseo, may this story shine some light on the timeless pride that we have for our program. For those of you involved, directly or indirectly, in athletics, I hope you are flooded with nostalgia as you remember fondly your time in the scenic Genesee Valley amid the ivy-covered classroom buildings, sweat-soaked uniforms and picturesque sunsets.

The Past - 1950s to 1990

In considering the past, I know that our Blue Knights had exceptional players, coaches and teams prior to my tenure. In this regard, I must recognize a pair of Geneseo emeriti, James Allan ’61 (career services) and Fred Bright (physical education, recreation and health) for their contributions to my unique and broad perspective of Geneseo athletics.

Allan and Bright, both members of the Geneseo Sports Hall of Fame, have been knowledgeable, eager, irreplaceable mentors to me, passing along the vast history of Geneseo athletics to my generation and ingraining in me the importance of the past. When the time comes, I will strive to be as passionate as they are in handing down the grand record of Geneseo sports to the best of my abilities.

“We have come a long way at Geneseo since going to the boiler room in the old Holcomb School to take off our winter coats, hats, boots and run upstairs to the court to shoot buckets off the oval, tin bang boards,” remembers Allan.

I recall fondly spending many road trips on the way to and from sporting events listening to Allan’s detailed stories of Charlie Derwick ’62’s baseball prowess, Ed Robota ’75’s ferocious rebounding and Tom Metzger ’80’s hard-nosed hockey. Through Allan, I feel as though I have been through Coach Frank Akers’ soccer, basketball or baseball practices of the 1960s, scored the men’s lacrosse game winner for Coach Paul Rose in the 1970s and know by heart the infamous “Positive Mental Attitude” speech belted out countless times by Cross Country Coach Marty Kentner in the early 1980s.

“What has impressed me over the years is the attitude and dedication Geneseo athletes have devoted to their respective sports,” Allan continues. “These young people give everything they have for the love of competition and College. No financial rewards or special treatment, and when they walk off the playing area they go up to strangers and thank them for coming. It never fails to give me a chill when that happens.”

The originating force behind our renowned women’s soccer program and my predecessor in sports information, Coach Bright is our most valuable resource in terms of athletics history. Among his favorite topics is the impact of Title IX gender equity legislation on sports at Geneseo. Bright’s expertise spans the budget crisis of the late seventies that caused the elimination of four sports for men (baseball, wrestling, tennis and golf) and two for women (tennis and synchronized swimming) and the recent economic prosperity that has enabled Geneseo to add four women’s sports since 1994 (tennis, lacrosse, field hockey and equestrian).

I appreciate the sessions Bright has spent with me describing the roots of Geneseo athletics, from the days of Old Main to Kelsey Field to the construction of the Schrader building in 1962, which ushered in the modern sports era.

The Seventies: A Time of Change By Jo Kirk The late sixties and early seventies were a time of change at Geneseo and throughout the nation. The launch of the Educational Opportunity Program (EOP) in 1968 opened the doors of the College to disadvantaged students from low income and racial/ethnic minority groups. In the early seventies, a few of these students became Geneseo’s first non-white varsity athletes. Harry “Sky Man” Ward ’74 Occupation: Pastor (ordained in 2003), Grace Missionary Baptist Church, Buffalo, N.Y., and retired firefighter of 23 years, Buffalo Fire Department. Family: Wife, Dora; four daughters and six granddaughters. Baccalaureate major: Elementary education. Varsity team: Men’s basketball (forward and guard, 1972-74). Comment from Coach Tom Pope (now emeritus): “As someone once wrote, coaching isn’t measured in wins and losses, but in what kind of men your players become. Whenever I think of Harry, I think of what a survivor he was, how much he overcame, and how he has matured and become successful. He’s serving others in his work, and he and Dora have raised a great family. I am proud to see the man he has become.” Basketball career highlights (selected): High School All American; current Geneseo record-holder for field goals in a season (226 in 1973-74); second in Geneseo career scoring average with 21.2 points per game (Scott Fitch ’93 holds the record with 23.9 ppg); and Geneseo Sports Hall of Fame inductee, 1988. Positive influences at Geneseo: “Tom Pope — he was a good coach, and I’ve been able to use a lot of the things he taught me, but I was emotional and headstrong. If I could go back and do it again, I’d listen to him more. “My teammates, including my high school friends Michael Chapman ’74 and Pierce Turner ’74, as well as Tom Basher ’74 and Ed Robota ’75. Those four were exceptionally good players, but all the guys on the team worked well together and, whatever challenges came up, we faced them as a unit most of the time. I learned that team success is more important than individual success. Individual accomplishments usually come from the sacrifice of other unselfish players. “Outside sports at Geneseo, my greatest inspiration came from Jim Allan (then director of career planning and placement, now emeritus). He was a father figure, helped me with writing skills, invited me to meals with his family at his home and, in difficult times, he was always there for me.” Challenges at college: “Michael, Pierce and I were from East High School in the inner-city of Buffalo, where only two of 2,000 schoolmates were white. Coming to Geneseo was a huge culture shock for us — as we were for some of the people at Geneseo. EOP was a major factor in my success and development, and most of the campus community was concerned, caring, and welcoming to students from different backgrounds, but some people weren’t.” Professional and personal philosophy: “Everyone, at least once in their life, should have a job they enjoy doing. It should be based not on pay, but personal satisfaction. Being a pastor is that job for me. I enjoy helping people, giving direction and purpose to people’s lives.” Personal goals: “My goals are all wrapped up in the church right now: in the short term, to build up the congregation (now 40 people); and in the long term, to build a new church building at our present location.” Post-collegiate sports involvement: Table tennis player and three-time participant in training and competition at the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colo. Grover Cleveland High School basketball coach — “As a coach, my belief is that if the players give it their best effort, that’s all I can ask. Most of the time, in sport as in life, 100 percent is enough to be successful, but if you’ve given 100 percent and fall short, you have to accept that the other team was better or that that particular accomplishment was not meant for you.” Continuing contact with Geneseo: Geneseo Hall of Fame Dinner and Inductions, 1988, EOP (now AOP) reunion, 2005, “and, whenever I get the chance, I’ll visit with Jim Allan — he’s a very special person.”

Bright emphasizes that then Athletic Director Bob Riedel’s significant change in department practice to “one coach, one sport,” despite the protests of that era’s coaching staff, laid the foundation for what was to come in athletics. More full-time positions, more varsity and recreational sport offerings, and the opening of the Alumni Field House in 1972 furthered the College’s efforts to enhance athletics and recreation.

Riedel’s vision over nearly two decades brought about the establishment of the Geneseo Sports Hall of Fame and, with help from Vice President for Advancement (then College Relations) Art Hatton and generous supporter John Linfoot, the Blue Knights Roundtable Boosters Club. These two important developments continued the process of fostering positive relations with alumni, parents and the surrounding Geneseo community.

“It was exciting to be a part of the growth of sports at Geneseo during the transition from hoping to win a few games to expecting to reach post-season competition,” Bright says.

The memories that Allan and Bright share and most often recount include the successes of Akers’ undefeated men’s soccer team of 1954 and of Kentner’s unbeaten men’s cross country team of 1972, which became the first team in school history to advance to the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division III championships. Rose won Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) men’s lacrosse championships in 1974 and ’75, and the 1976 men’s swimming and diving team under Coach Duncan Hinckley earned the College’s first State University of New York Athletic Conference (SUNYAC) championship.

I know I would have relished the three-sport-playing days of Fred Brown ’55 or of Allan. I would have brimmed with Blue Knight pride watching Gary Conboy ’68 or Mike Nelson ’69 on the basketball court and baseball diamond. I can almost hear the deafening cheers each time Ed Usinger ’73 found the back of the soccer net, and I feel the elation of the crowd after Don Litzelman ’82 dodged past a defender for a goal in men’s lacrosse.

Thankfully, as an undergraduate, I did get to witness some of the late-eighties greats of Geneseo sports, some of whom helped set the stage for what was to come in the next decade. It was as though Christine DellaVecchia Bentz ’87 placed her volleyball sets on a pedestal for her hitters, and Diane Williams ’86 could direct a basketball game with poise and precision from her point guard position. The soccer ball seemed permanently attached to Julie Rivers Hunt ’88’s foot as she converted scoring opportunities, and I will not soon forget the four goals by Terry Reilly ’88 as the Ice Knights skated to a 7-5 win over archrival Plattsburgh in front of a standing-room-only crowd in Ira S. Wilson arena.

Lastly, due to his renown as a player long after the age in which it was vogue to participate in multiple sports, I claim that Jim Clar ’89 is perhaps the greatest all-around athlete I have seen wear the “G.” I witnessed Clar earn All-Region status in two sports: in soccer, he averaged 11.7 goals per season, a record which ranks second all-time to Usinger’s 13 per year; and he obliterated the basketball charts by finishing his four seasons as the career leader in points (1,818), assists (683) and steals (405). To this day, he retains basketball career bests in assists and steals, and is second only to the incomparable Scott Fitch ’93 (2,661) in points.

The Present - 1990 to 2005

Despite these successes, and with all due respect to the teams and individual athletes from the fifties through the eighties, the intercollegiate program, overall, hung its hat on sporadic triumphs during these decades. In contrast, the last 15 years has produced 34 of the College’s 35 NCAA Division III participating teams, 15 of its 22 ECAC Upstate championships and an eye-opening 66 of its 73 SUNYAC titles.

In addition, 25 student-athletes at Geneseo were recognized as Division III All-Americans prior to 1990, earning a total of 31 awards, but the individual national accolades have come pouring in since that year, with a total of 92 different students having earned 197 certificates. Furthermore, Geneseo has had four student-athletes reach the pinnacle of their respective sports. Fitch was selected as the NCAA Division III Men’s Basketball Player of the Year in 1994, while Beth Shope ’99 (1999 hammer throw), Melissa White ’03 (2003 indoor 5,000-meter run) and current junior Kim DePrez (2003 indoor and outdoor high jump) have each won the national Division III titles.

The Nineties: Women's Sports on the Rise By Jo Kirk At the same time as Geneseo basketballer Scott Fitch ’93 was making headlines for his national-caliber performance, women’s athletics was gaining momentum at the College. A number of women’s teams gained varsity status during the nineties, and more female Geneseo athletes gained recognition at the campus and in their Division III sport. Betsy Balling ’94 Occupation: Pittsford Mendon (N.Y.) High School counselor and JV girls’ soccer coach. Graduate degree: Master of Science in School Counseling, University of Rochester (U of R). Baccalaureate major: Elementary education. Additional qualifications from Geneseo: New York State Coaching Certification. Varsity team: Women’s soccer (center forward, 1990-94). Comment from Coach Fred Bright (now emeritus): “Everyone on the team was good, but I never had a player who understood the game as well as Betsy. Because of that, Betsy is a good coach, as well.” Soccer career highlights (selected): current Geneseo record-holder for points in a season (38 in 19 games, 1993), and assists both in a career (50 in 75 games) and a season (17 in 20 games, 1991); NSCAA Division III First Team All American, 1993; SUNYAC All-Conference and All New York State teams, 1991-94; SUNYAC MVP and ECAC Tournament MVP, 1992; NSCAA All Northeast Region First Team, 1992-93; Louise Kuhl Outstanding Female Student Athlete Award, 1994; and Geneseo Sports Hall of Fame inductee, 1999. Philosophy as a player and captain: “It was easy for Carin Halleran Hall ’95 (fellow Hall of Fame inductee, 1999) and me to co-captain because of the caliber of all of the team members. We had a great group of people, who worked hard together, and I was just lucky to be in a position as a scorer. I looked on it as a job, and if I didn’t do it well, it was my fault the team didn’t win. I think in team sports it would make sense to abolish individual awards and honors.” Strongest influences: “Coach Bright —we were lucky to have him as our motivator. We had a great time with him, but he always made it clear when it was time to get down to business and get the job done. “Assistant Athletic Director (now Director) Marilyn Moore, who always took the time to be involved. She had high expectations, and she’d let you know if you weren’t doing your best to make Geneseo proud. For me, she epitomizes the ideal role model and mentor. “Our families — at games, strong support was very important. At some away games, it seemed as though we had more fans than the home team!” Most memorable game moments: “Beating the U of R on their home turf, when I was a senior — it was like being a giant killer after all those years of being beaten by them.” Post-collegiate playing experience: Western Region Empire State Games Women’s Open Soccer Team (1990-98), and the Rochester Wave Soccer Team (1990-present). Post-collegiate coaching experience: School and college teams and camps throughout the region, currently including position of assistant coach for Western Region Open Women’s Empire State Games Soccer Team, and recently for Olympian Abby Wambach’s fall 2004 soccer camp. In Balling’s first season as JV coach at Pittsford Mendon in 2004, the team went undefeated, and she hopes the school’s varsity team will win the state championship in the future, with her as coach. Influences on coaching: Coach Bright, U of R Coach Terry Gurnett (whom Balling previously assisted) and Empire State Games Coach Dave Giordano ’75 (previously a player on the team, Balling now assists Giordano). Coaching philosophy: “I take into account that women aren’t the same as men. To paraphrase the coach of a national team: ‘you should coach them with the same intensity as you would men, but treat them like the young women they are.’” Continuing contact with Geneseo: “My most treasured memories are of the things I’d do with the team and other buddies after the game or after practice, even the bus rides together to and from games. I was particularly close to the soccer and basketball players who were my roommates over the years. But we got on well with the men’s (soccer and basketball) teams, too. All these relationships were so important, and long, lasting friendships came out of them. It was particularly special reuniting at the (1999) Hall of Fame dinner.”

So, what was the impetus that elevated the programs to conference, state, regional, and in some cases, national powerhouses? Those who have been around to witness the evolution would say Title IX, combined with Geneseo’s pre-existing reputation in the fields of communicative disorders, elementary, secondary and special education, had the greatest impact. Others point to the expansion of curriculum, particularly the development of the liberal arts core, the enlargement of the Jones School of Business, the growth of the physical sciences, and the addition of a computer information technology major.

Two further events in the late eighties had an immediate impact on athletics at Geneseo: the College’s academic reputation began to rise; and John Spring was hired as athletic director. As a result, our renown for public liberal arts excellence, affordable SUNY tuition and athletic success has left the finest high school student-athletes no choice but to consider Geneseo as a place that offers both a first-rate education and a spirited Division III program.

With regard to academic reputation, the elevation of admission standards, which began at Geneseo during that period, continues today, and with this competitiveness has come recognition of the College as one of the nation’s most respected public liberal arts colleges. The recent installation of the College’s chapter of Phi Beta Kappa, the country’s oldest and largest academic honor society, has strengthened Geneseo’s standing as a top scholarly institution.

“Outstanding Division III athletics are very much a part of Geneseo’s mission as a nationally known public liberal arts college,” says President Christopher C. Dahl. “In fact, the Phi Beta Kappa visiting team that evaluated Geneseo had high praise for the academic excellence of our student-athletes. The quality of our athletic program actually helped us gain a Phi Beta Kappa chapter.”

Meanwhile, Spring’s hiring as athletic director in 1987 paid almost immediate dividends. He brought to Geneseo administrative experience, a successful coaching background and an impressive leadership style. He provided renewed enthusiasm to veteran coaches like Pope, Hinckley and Paul Duffy, who remains the only coach in College history to earn SUNYAC Coach of the Year honors in two vastly different sports (men’s ice hockey and women’s tennis). Subsequently, Spring further strengthened staffing by hiring educational talent that included coaches Bob Guy (women’s basketball), Debbie Thompson (swimming), Steve Holmes (men’s basketball) and the now legendary Mike Woods ’69 (cross country and track).

For 12 years, Spring built on the foundation set by Riedel to take the Knights forward into a new era. Geneseo added women’s tennis, lacrosse and field hockey as intercollegiate offerings in the nineties. Success bred success and as the team championships, individual sports honors and academic accolades accumulated, so did the inquiries from talented high school student-athletes wanting to be part of our fine institution.

Upon Spring’s retirement in 1999, Geneseo was poised for further athletic acclaim. To achieve it, however, the department needed a leader who would ensure a smooth transition into the next century, and found it in Marilyn Moore, then head athletic trainer and assistant athletic director. With Moore as director of intercollegiate athletics and recreation, Geneseo has attained historical heights in athletics over the past six years.

As evidence, the women’s swimming and diving team won 15 consecutive SUNYAC championships from 1990-2004, and its male counterpart stands at seven straight conference titles, the last five under Head Coach Paul Dotterweich. Woods led the women’s and men’s cross country teams to five consecutive SUNYAC titles and several appearances in the NCAA Division III championships, while spawning the slogan “back-to-back without a track” by winning the SUNYAC men’s indoor track and field championship in 2001, 2002 and 2003 despite lack of an indoor training facility comparable to those of Geneseo’s competitors.

The men’s lacrosse team made its first ever trip to the NCAA Division III tournament in 2004 under fourth-year Coach Jim Lyons. The men’s soccer team duplicated this achievement last fall with its first bid for the nationals under 20th-year Coach Mike Mooney, culminating the season with a berth in the NCAA Division III Final Four in Greensboro, N.C. On a side note, both of these teams benefited from having that rare breed, a two-sport All-American star, in soccer goalie-cum-lacrosse midfielder, Chris Stock ’05.

Most recently, the men’s ice hockey team claimed its second bid to the NCAA Division III tournament for fourth-year Coach Brian Hills, following an exhilarating two-game sweep over Plattsburgh to win its second SUNYAC title in front of a vocal Ira S. crowd.

“The coaching staff, many of whom I am proud to say I have hired, has done a tremendous job recruiting, retaining and molding our student-athletes into champions,” Moore says. “Winning the SUNYAC Commissioner’s Cup for the best overall sports program in the conference in 2003 was a great achievement for all of us, and this is now an annual, albeit lofty, goal.”

“Marilyn has worked hard to assemble a coaching staff that embodies the goals and values of the institution, and every day the staff is focused on ensuring the integrity of the intercollegiate athletic program,” says Robert Bonfiglio, vice president for student and campus life.

Bonfiglio joined Geneseo the same year that Moore took over as athletic director, and set the wheels in motion for the Department of Intercollegiate Athletics and Recreation to develop a long-needed mission, vision and goals statement. This has helped focus the many constituents of the unit, and places a premium on our students learning the values that are core to the College’s educational mission.

“When Marilyn and I started working together, it was our aim to ensure that the operation of the intercollegiate athletic program was consistent with the mission and goals of the institution, and that involvement in intercollegiate athletics was not merely an adjunct to the student experience at Geneseo, but a true reflection of Geneseo’s ethos and values,” Bonfiglio explains. “Intercollegiate athletics offers the world a window through which Geneseo can be viewed, and we want to make sure that what is seen is in keeping with the high expectations that the College has for educational quality and student achievement.”

Erin Walsh '05 is as committed to academic and community life as to athletics. Pictured (above) helping residents with yard work; and (below) with Assistant Professor of Psychology Michael Lynch.

With this as their vision, department staff members work hard to help their students excel in three areas: academics, athletics, and community service and leadership. Erin Walsh ’05 is one of the most recent graduates to have done exactly this.

The Kenmore, N.Y., native began her swimming career at the age of seven at the Ken-Ton YMCA, thanks to her always-supportive parents, Debbie and Jim. At age 10, Walsh joined the Sweet Home Aquatics Club (SHAC) and, for the next eight years, competed against some of the best swimmers the Buffalo area had to offer. By the time she reached Kenmore West High School, Walsh was swimming year ’round, twice a day during the high school season.

Well-rounded as a student, Walsh graduated as the Valedictorian of her class and was an active member of the school’s community service club. Like many of her peers, she was unsure of her future but desired a solid educational foundation and a quality swim program. She had several reasons for choosing Geneseo.

“Its liberal arts education seemed perfect for me, especially given that I was unsure of a major and remained undeclared until my junior year,” she says. “After my recruiting trip, I knew I loved the team, and that Geneseo was the place for me in terms of education, swimming speed and affordability.”

Coach Dotterweich was pleased Walsh selected Geneseo from a list of several top schools, including private campuses offering substantial scholarships, he says.

Once on the Geneseo campus, Walsh thrived in the academic environment. An annual Dean’s List recipient, she holds a 3.82 grade point average as a psychology major and biology minor, and she is a member of the Golden Key, Phi Eta Sigma and Psi Chi Honor Societies. She has been on the SUNYAC All-Academic Team and SUNYAC Commissioner’s List in every semester she was eligible, and garnered the SUNYAC Chancellor’s Award for combined athletic and academic excellence in women’s swimming in 2004.

“Erin’s work ethic and talent as an athlete translate to the classroom well,” says Assistant Professor of Psychology Michael Lynch. “She is an academic superstar! Her understanding of research methods and psychopathology is impressive, and her commitment to applying this knowledge in the real world is exceptional.”

Meanwhile, Walsh’s adjustment to her role in the pool presented more of a challenge, as Dotterweich immediately began her transformation into a distance competitor.

“I was a breaststroker and IM (Individual Medley) swimmer at Kenmore West and SHAC,” Walsh says “I fought becoming a distance racer very hard at first.”

Until she completed the transition to distance racing, even the coaching staff did not realize how close to a Division I-caliber athlete was stroking effortlessly through the waters of the Alumni Pool each day. Walsh finished her career as the four-time SUNYAC champion in the 500-yard freestyle and three-time champ in the 1650-yard freestyle event. She led the Blue Wave to three SUNYAC team titles, while setting the SUNYAC record in the 500-yard freestyle. She culminated her senior season by receiving the Grace Mowatt Award for career achievement in SUNYAC women’s swimming and diving.

Millennial Years: Scholar-Athletes and National Champions By Jo Kirk In the late nineties and early years of the third millennium, the College’s first national champions were crowned: Beth Shope ’99 (hammer throw, 1999), Melissa White ’03 (5000 meters, 2003) and Kim DePrez ’06 (high jump, 2003). The same era brought a significant increase in the number of Geneseo student-athletes to earn awards for academic, as well as sports, achievement. Melissa White ’03 Occupation: Member of the nationally-reputed Hansons-Brooks Running Club in Rochester Hills, Mich., through its selective Hansons-Brooks Original Distance Project, which sponsors and manages training of high performing athletes after college. Athletes are provided with training support and competition sponsorship, as well as paid employment at a Hansons running store in the Detroit area. (For more information on the project and White’s progress, see http://www.hansons-running.com/). Baccalaureate major: Business management (magna cum laude). Varsity teams: Cross-country and track (middle distance runner, 1999-03). Comment from Coach Mike Woods ’69: “Melissa White is the poster child for the belief that hard work and determination pay off in distance running. Mel is one of the few runners I’ve coached who did not need someone else pushing her to run well. She could step on the track and supply her own motivation at any time. She had a great deal of respect for her opponents but feared no one. When you look under ‘leader,’ in Webster’s Dictionary, it should say ‘see Melissa White.’ I was truly blessed to be able to coach her for four years. She inspired me way more than I inspired her.” Undergraduate running career highlights (selected): NCAA Division III 5000m Indoor Champion, 2003; seven-time All American (cross country, 10000m, 5000m and 1000m); fifth place at Penn Relays, 5000m, 2003; SUNYAC Scholar-Athlete of the Year, 2003; SUNY Chancellor’s Award for Excellence, 2003; NY State Collegiate Athletic Association Scholar-Athlete Award, 2003; and New York State NCAA Woman of the Year, 2003. Post-collegiate career highlights: US half-marathon team to New Delhi, India, 2005; U.S. team to Japan, Chiba Ekiden Relay, 2005; 16th place, 10k Olympic Trials, Sacramento, Calif., 2004; 3rd place (US) team, Beijing Ekiden Relay, Beijing, China, 2004; and Eastern Michigan University Cross Country Classic Champion, 2003. Personal bests: 1500m — 4:36 and 3000m — 9:50, as a Geneseo student; and 5000m — 16:06.7; 10000m — 33:17.99; 8k road — 27:52; 10k road — 34:36; and 15k road — 53:26, since graduation. Personal goal: To make the 2008 U.S. Olympic team to Beijing, China. Beginnings as a runner: When lack of space in women’s soccer during White’s first year at the College thwarted her goal of continuing soccer training to become “the next Mia Hamm,” cross country offered a way to keep in shape. It took some persistence to persuade Coach Mike Woods ’69 to allow her to take part in practice, but after some initial struggles, she became among the best female middle distance runners in the region. Strongest influences on success: “Coach Woods – I owe my running career to him, and we are the best of friends. He is the best coach anyone could ask for. “There are so many people I have to thank for being so supportive through my decisions. My team and friends from Geneseo for helping me love the sport. My family, who have always made me believe that anything is possible. Geneseo family, as well as my friends and family at home, all have helped by supporting the decisions and progress I’ve made.” Outstanding non-sports undergraduate experience: “Working as an intern at IBM for three summers — it was wonderful. I learned a lot from the hands-on experience and got an idea of what it is like to work in the business world.” Best (athletics) performance: 2003 Division III Indoor Nationals 5k. “Everything just fell into place that day.” Favorite race: “The Utica Boilermaker, because there are great crowds and people cheering and bands playing along the whole race course, and especially because it’s become a tradition for Geneseo runners to go there, so I get to see a lot of friends." Reflections on success: “My greatest accomplishment this past year was qualifying for the Olympic trials and three world teams. I feel very lucky that I am able to do what I love every day, and to be surrounded by so many motivated individuals. My goals are far from finished, though, so I have a lot more work ahead of me …”

“I knew right from the first moments I watched her train that she would be a great distance swimmer,” Dotterweich says.

Out of the pool, Walsh demonstrated her commitment to community by serving as the women’s swimming representative to the Student Athletic Advisory Committee. Each fall semester, she volunteered in the department’s annual ‘leaf-raking day” at the homes of senior citizens and in its Adopt-A-Family program, through which student groups donate holiday baskets to needy local residents. Each spring, she participated in the nationwide March of Dimes Walk to help raise funds to improve the health of babies. In addition, she applied both her skills in psychology and sense of civic responsibility to interning at the Livingston County Substance Abuse clinic in the fall of 2004. In April 2005, she was named among four Geneseo recipients of a 2005 SUNY Chancellor’s Award for Student Excellence, in recognition of her achievements in academics, athletics and community service.

I am proud to say that, as a result of the emphasis we place on the core values of the College’s educational mission, when it comes to all-around achievement of our student-athletes, Erin Walsh is the rule, not the exception.

The Future - Hopes, Dreams and Prospects Ahead

In sum, Geneseo’s talented faculty enable students to succeed academically, and a competent, caring staff ensures an emphasis on the values of service and leadership. At the same time, our athletics program allows student-athletes to excel in their respective sports, and it is a credit to the coaching staff and their teams that, in most sports, they achieve great things without the benefit of state-of-the-art training facilities such as those enjoyed by their competitors.

Our athletic buildings and grounds have reached an advanced age, and it is more than 30 years since a major addition or improvement has taken place. An overhaul is overdue, with the Louise Kuhl and Carl Schrader gymnasiums, the Francis Moench track, outdoor competition fields and team locker room space among the most pressing needs.

Significant planning for the upgrade of these facilities began during the 2003-04 academic year, when the College hired Cannon Design to help determine the best uses of our space and our needs for renovation, replacements and additions. In consultation with the athletic department, and after soliciting feedback from other departments on campus, Cannon proposed a facility master plan, which has been approved by the College administration.

The comprehensive plan includes designs for an outdoor, artificial-surface stadium for soccer, field hockey, lacrosse, intramural sports and, perhaps most importantly, graduation exercises. It provides a vision of the future for Geneseo athletics, and a foundation on which to base decisions for physical development.

“As a premier public liberal arts college, we are committed to providing facilities worthy of the excellent performance and character of our student-athletes,” Dahl says. “The athletic facilities master plan gives us a complete view of what we need, and I believe that we can raise private funds to supplement state dollars in order to bring this exciting plan to fruition.”

Clearly, the entire Geneseo community, including students, parents, faculty, staff, area residents and, very importantly, alumni, will need to work together to move our vision to reality. If we are to generate the substantial funding necessary, we need to come together like the 1980 USA Olympic hockey team!

Some may say our plans are over-ambitious, beyond what we can achieve in the foreseeable future. There are good reasons to believe, however, that we are closer to being able to meet our facilities needs than we might imagine, due to the numerous, wide-ranging connections of our athletic family. We have several potential sources of funding to explore, including capital construction grants and private donations through the Geneseo Foundation.

“What is needed now from the state of New York is an adequate matching plan for capital facilities,” Dahl says. “Then, we can do the rest if our alumni and other supporters step up to the plate.”

One of Geneseo’s strengths is that it has not only visionary administrators, exemplary coaches and well-rounded students, but also dedicated benefactors. Among them, Professor Emerita of Physical Education and Recreation Myrtle A. Merritt is an example for all to follow, for her generous support of the general scholarship fund, Roundtable booster club and other areas of the College.

Last fall, in recognition of Merritt’s unique and various contributions to Geneseo athletics for more than 50 years, the physical space occupied by the athletic department (formerly Alumni Fieldhouse) was rededicated as the Dr. Myrtle A. Merritt Athletic Center. It is a name that inspires us to greatness through philanthropy and dedicated, hard work.

The coaching staff dreams of days when Geneseo will have facilities that allow scheduling of practices in coordination with classes, so that they can have their entire team present every session. As we look toward this future, I cannot imagine how many championships we will win, how many All-Americans we will produce, nor how much these new facilities will benefit not only student-athletes, but also the entire campus and local communities through enhancement of the settings for graduation, intramurals and recreation.

Artist's rendition of a possible design for an outdoor, artificial-surface stadium (from a facility master plan developed by Cannon Design).

When the time comes to share specific details, and we turn to you for support, we trust you will remember and be inspired by the saying made famous by hockey commentator Al Michaels at those Olympics a quarter of a century ago: “Do You Believe in Miracles? YES!”

In the interim, I encourage you to follow our teams, join the Roundtable booster club, play in the Blue Knights Golf Classic, or make a gift to the athletic program through the Geneseo Foundation. And join me, as I continue to shout from our beautiful valley at the top of my lungs, “Let’s Go Knights!” with, at all times, the blue and white coursing proudly through my veins.

About the Author: Geneseo's Voice of Varsity

by Jo Kirk

George Gagnier ’88 sets his sights high in his job as Geneseo sports information director, by providing all 20 intercollegiate varsity sports with equal, generous amounts of publicity and communications support. Gagnier does not only follow and report on them all, he also attends all home games and many away, to cheer on players who might be on turf, ice or horseback.

“I try to treat all 20 sports the same,” says Gagnier, who admits this makes for long days and nights on the job. “I wouldn’t be able to do my job competently without the support of my family, the late dinners and the even later tuck-ins at night,” he adds.

Geneseo Sports Information Director George Gagnier '88 is not the only sports fan in the family: Tracy Young Gagnier '93, Makenna (7) and Jackson (4) join him at home games whenever they can, particularly for ice hockey. The Gagniers are pictured here at a women's basketball game, the Blue Knights at home against Fredonia State (Feb. 18, 2005).

Gagnier has been involved in Geneseo varsity athletics since serving as men’s basketball team manager for Coach (now emeritus) Tom Pope throughout his four years as a student. He was also an intramural athlete, who earned the 1988 Gregory D. Bender Award for contributions to intramural sports and is a member of the Geneseo Intramural Sports Hall of Fame. On graduating with a major in biology and education, he took up employment in the Office of Residence Life and served as assistant men’s basketball coach. When the position of sports information director was created in 1994, he stepped in and trained on the job.

Gagnier is a one-person operation, collecting and communicating statistical and other information for every home game, sending media releases and updating both the athletics department website and the SUNY Geneseo Sports Hotline. (See http://knights.geneseo.edu or call 585-245-5350 for the latest sports news). He also disseminates advance publicity for matches and other athletics-related events, such as the annual Hall of Fame induction and dinner. He organizes and emcees the Geneseo Athletics Award Banquet, which some 250 people attend every year. He writes a variety of feature and other articles about athletes, teams and events for the web site, to send to the media and for the Roundtable Record, a print newsletter for supporters of Geneseo varsity athletics, and the Geneseo Scene sports section depends entirely on information and articles generated by him.

In addition, Gagnier takes very seriously his role in the College’s educational mission, by teaching and mentoring student interns. All have gained much from his dedication as an educator, and a number of them have followed in his footsteps to take up careers in athletic communications.

In agreeing to author this cover story for the Geneseo Scene during a busy varsity season, Gagnier added to his workload the considerable task of researching and writing about the history, current status and future prospects of intercollegiate athletics at the College. He did this skillfully and graciously, juggling it with not only his regular duties, but with added responsibilities that came from Geneseo reaching and hosting a (hockey) SUNYAC final and NCAA quarter-final during the month this story was due.

The Geneseo Scene editorial team is proud and very grateful to be able to feature this story on these pages. We are sure that Scene readers will enjoy, as we did, hearing from this behind-the-scenes champion of Geneseo varsity sports.

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