Pete DuMonte ’87

Pete DuMontePeter DuMonte holds more Bluffton men’s basketball records than any other player, including one that seems unapproachable–scoring in double figures in every game he played (105). He scored 20 points or more in 71 games and 30 or more 18 times. He averaged more than 20 points per game all four years and was selected to the NAIA District 22 first team each year.

DuMonte holds Bluffton career records for points (2,416), scoring average (23.0), field goals made (996), field goals made per game (9.5), field goals attempted (1,810) and field goals attempted per game (17.2).

He has been a teacher in Carey, Ohio, schools and an assistant basketball coach at Tiffin University.

Janice Bruner ’86

Janice Bruner was described by her coach, Kim Fischer, as “one of the best pure shooters among women’s basketball players at Bluffton.” Bruner, who was also a standout in volleyball, had the most career points (1,121), field goals (497) and field goal attempts (1,135) at the time of her graduation in 1986. Her field goals record still stands.

j_brunner_equipmentIn 1985-86 she set the season mark—also still standing—for field goals made (165) while earning first-team Western Buckeye Collegiate Conference honors. The previous year she was second-team All-WBCC and honorable mention all-district. She led the team in scoring her last two years and was at the top in six statistical categories as a senior. An outside hitter on the volleyball team, she led Bluffton in service aces in 1985.

Bruner has been a social studies teacher at Hilltop High School in the Millcreek-West Unity school system.

 

Volleyball Team ’87

The 1987 volleyball team established a Bluffton victory total that may never be surpassed when it posted a 38-4 overall record. The .905 winning percentage also is a record, as is a winning streak of 22 matches during the season.

1987 vbBluffton won the Oberlin Early Bird Tournament, was second in the Defiance Invitational and placed third in the Ohio Northern Invitational. The Beavers went 5-0 in the Western Buckeye Collegiate Conference during the regular season and 3-0 in the WBCC tournament before ending the year with a 1-1 record in the NAIA District 22 tournament.1987vb-1

Jamie Beachy and Deb Hucke were named first-team all-conference and all-district, while Dawn Brown was a second-team all-conference selection.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Amy White ’83

Amy White
Amy White was a four-year letter winner in basketball and received one softball award. On the court, she was the starting point guard all four years, led the team in assists in 1979-80, captained the 1981-82 team that is in the Hall of Fame, led the team in steals that year and is among Bluffton’s career scoring leaders.

A graduate of Leipsic High School, she coached volleyball and basketball and taught at Allen East High School for four years before moving to the Bowling Green school system, where she coached basketball for four years. In 1991-92, her team won the Northern Lakes League title and she was named NLL Coach of the Year and coached the North team in the All Star Cage Classic. White received her master’s degree in education (guidance and counseling) from Bowling Green State University in 1995 and has been a counselor in Bowling Green City Schools.

Ron Huber ’68

Ron Huber has been a teacher and coach whose post-college achievements matched those of his Bluffton days. A graduate of Lima Senior High School who transferred to Bluffton from The Ohio State University, he made his athletic mark in tennis.

r_huber_stuffHe was undefeated in regular-season play during his college career, with his only loss in the quarterfinals of the NAIA national tournament. He went on to win the Lima city singles and doubles titles several times in the 1970s.

Huber’s Shawnee High School tennis teams won 12 Western Buckeye League boys’ titles and eight WBL girls’ crowns. He coached a state-champion doubles team and a three-time individual state champion. Dozens of his former players went on to play college tennis, many at the Division I level. His high school coaching record was 446-127, at one point the eighth-best among Ohio tennis coaches.

Huber earned his master’s degree in educational administration from the University of Dayton and, in 1990, was named Ohio History Teacher of the Year. He retired after 30 years at Shawnee, then returned to Bluffton in 2011 as men’s and women’s tennis coach.

Everett Collier ’75

Everett Collier was and is more than an outstanding football player. In fact, it was his difficulty in adjusting to small-town life that led him to participate in Bluffton music and drama activities, which now occupy a lot of his personal time.

e_collierA graduate of Shaker Heights High School near Cleveland, where he lettered in football and basketball and was an all-league standout, Collier was urged to attend Bluffton by another Shaker Heights student, Henry Freeman. He became a four-year football letter winner at Bluffton, earning Hoosier-Buckeye Collegiate Conference and NAIA District 22 honors twice. He also was an honorable mention All-American, played in

e_collier_jersey

the All-Ohio Shrine Bowl, was most valuable offensive player and team captain in 1974 and was a member of the 1972 HBCC championship team.

Collier was an assistant football coach at Bluffton from 1985-89 and assistant basketball coach at Bluffton High School from 1986-89. He has also assisted with the Bluffton High School girls’ basketball and volleyball teams, and has served as postmaster of the village of Bluffton.

Volleyball Team ’88

Like the 1985 and 1987 teams before it, the 1988 edition of Beaver volleyball took its place in the Athletics Hall of Fame as one of the finest teams ever at Bluffton. Its 34-4 record equaled the second-best winning percentage (.895) of any Bluffton volleyball team.

Led by NAIA District 22 Coach of the Year Kim Fischer and Western Buckeye Collegiate Conference Player of the Year Deb (Wagner) Hucke, the Beavers won their fifth WBCC title and third District 22 championship. Hucke was named the NAIA National Player of the Week in late October and joined Lori Beck on the District 22 first team. Beck was also named second-team WBCC, while Dawn Harrison joined Hucke on the WBCC first team and received District 22 honorable mention.

After winning the district championship, the team placed second at the NAIA Bi-District tournament. During the regular season, it won the Baldwin-Wallace tournament and was second at the Walsh Invitational. Bluffton fashioned an unbeaten conference record and won its last 10 regular-season matches, also winning 22 straight games during that stretch.

Beck led the WBCC in assists, while Hucke was second in kills. Other team members ranked in conference statistics were Harrison, Mary Kehres, Paula Slaughter, Diane Kempf, Tonya Crowe and Nancy Sawyer.

 

Joe Urich ’65

The late Joe Urich was a two-year, two-position, first-team all-conference performer for the Bluffton football team in the late 1950s.

Joe UrichPerhaps the best indication of just how good an athlete Urich was for Bluffton is to look at the positions he played: quarterback and middle linebacker. He started at both positions in 1958 and ‘59 and was named first-team Mid-Ohio Conference at each one both years while helping Coach Ken Mast’s teams capture two MOC titles.

In an era when the passing game was rarely used and with Hall of Famer Elbert Dubenion ’59 in the backfield, Urich wasn’t called on to throw the football very often. When he did, however, the results usually brought the fans at Harmon Field to their feet. His career pass efficiency rating of 162.74 still stands as the highest in school history, although he didn’t have enough attempts to rank him in the official Bluffton record book. His play at middle linebacker was equally impressive, as his ability to track down opposing ball carriers was second to none.

At the time of his Hall of Fame induction in 1999, Urich was the only Bluffton quarterback to have averaged more than 10 yards per attempt (10.8). He remains one of a handful to throw more touchdown passes (11) than interceptions (eight) in his Bluffton career.

Urich was an insurance agent for more than 20 years and also coached football at Bluffton in 1985 and earlier, in 1970, at Bluffton High School.

Cynthia (Sindelar ’83) Gilbert

Cynthia (Sindelar) Gilbert made her mark on Bluffton athletics as a four-year letter winner in three sports in the early 1980s. She starred in volleyball, basketball and softball, and is a member of one team in the Athletics Hall of Fame—the 1981-82 women’s basketball squad she co-captained as a junior.

c_gilbert_hatGilbert was a powerful attacker for Coach Kim Fischer’s volleyball teams from 1979-82, but was exceptional at all positions on the court. In her senior season, she was named first-team All-NAIA District 22 after leading Bluffton to the 1982 district championship and a 25-7 record. She led the team in kills (53), aces (13), serve reception percentage (.804) and digs (195) that season and was a team leader in almost every statistic throughout her four-year career.

On the basketball court, Gilbert was ranked as high as 14th on Bluffton’s all-time scoring list and seventh on the all-time steals list. Her 155 points as a freshman was the eighth-best point total for a first-year player in Bluffton history, and she was the 11th player to score more than 1c_gilbert_beaver00 points in four straight seasons. Gilbert twice led her team in assists and free throw percentage, and she is one of only a handful of juniors to serve as a Bluffton captain.

A softball infielder, Gilbert twice hit over .400 and helped lead Bluffton to the Western Buckeye Collegiate Conference championship her senior year in 1983. The year before, her 25 hits and five triples both led the team.

Gilbert, who earned her master’s degree from Bowling Green State University in 1998, has taught math and computer classes and served as technology coordinator in the Elgin school system in Marion, Ohio. She has also coached volleyball, basketball and softball, and took Elgin to its first-ever state softball tournament appearance.

Kim Fischer

kimfischerWith more victories than any coach in Bluffton history, Kim Fischer took her place in the Athletics Hall of Fame just one year after her departure from campus.

From 1979-97, Fischer guided the Bluffton volleyball program to a 521-229 (.695) record, six Western Buckeye Collegiate Conference championships and one Association of Mideast Colleges championship. She led her teams into postseason action 12 times, capturing NAIA District 22 titles in 1982, 1985 and 1988. Fischer was named WBCC Coach of the Year in 1982, 1984, 1985, 1987 (co) and 1990, and AMC co-Coach of the Year in 1994.

In her 19 seasons as volleyball coach, Fischer’s teams recorded at least 25 wins 13 times and at least 30 wins seven times. Her 1985 and 1987 teams are in the Hall of Fame along with her 1988 team, which was inducted with her in 1999. Those three teams combined for a 107-14 (.884) record.

Fischer served as professor of health, physical education and recreation at Bluffton and assumed the title of associate director of athletics in 1985. She also spent 11 seasons as head women’s basketball coach, notching 114 victories and one WBCC championship, and six seasons as head softball coach, collecting 78 victories and two AMC championships.kimfischer_teambw

 

Tina Verhoff ’85

Tina Verhoff ’85 returned to the Athletics Hall of Fame in 2000 after being inducted in 1998 as a member of the 1981-82 women’s basketball team. For her second induction, though, Verhoff stood alone based on her historic career on the court.

Tina VerhoffVerhoff lettered four years for Bluffton and helped lead the Beavers to a .500 or winning conference record each year. She was a first-team All-Western Buckeye Collegiate Conference selection her junior and senior years and earned honorable mention NAIA District 22 honors both years.

Her junior season, in 1983-84, was arguably one of the greatest ever recorded by a Bluffton women’s basketball player. She set school records for points (368), points per game (16.0), rebounds (200) and assists (137). All those marks still rank high in the record book. She also led Coach Kim Fischer’s team in steals and free throw percentage that season.

On Feb. 21, 1984, against Siena Heights in Founders Hall, Verhoff connected on 11 of 12 field goal attempts, good for a .917 field goal percentage that still stands as the best single-game shooting display in Bluffton women’s history. She led her team in field goal percentage her freshman, junior and senior seasons.

Verhoff’s 535 career rebounds are seventh all-time and her 953 points rank eighth. She was also an Academic All-Ohio selection her senior year and went on to earn a master’s degree in education from Wright State University in 1991. After teaching junior high school science and coaching volleyball and basketball for nine years, she became human resources manager for TRI-STAR Community Counseling Inc. in Lima.

 

Denny Thompson ’78

One of the most versatile performers to ever step onto the basketball court at Bluffton, Denny Thompson ’78 is listed in almost every statistical category in the record book, and at or near the top of several.

dennythompson-cropA first-team All-Hoosier-Buckeye Conference and NAIA District 22 selection his senior year, Thompson scored 536 points for an average of 22.3 points per game, sixth best all-time at Bluffton. On defense that season, he recorded 82 steals and averaged 3.4 per game—still school records.

Thompson also led Coach Glenn Snyder’s squad in rebounding his sophomore and junior seasons, averaging more than eight per game. He is one of just nine Bluffton players to collect at least 1,000 career points and 500 career rebounds. His 654 career rebounds also rank ninth all-time.

Thompson’s .528 field goal percentage as a junior led his team and, against Hanover his senior year, he sank 13 of 13 free throws—a perfect percentage equaled only five times by Bluffton players with at least that many attempts.

His 327 points as a sophomore also led the team, and he ended his career with 1,296 points, ranking him 11th all-time. He scored 20 or more points in a game 30 times and is among roughly a dozen Bluffton players to score 300 or more points in three different seasons.

Thompson taught at Montpelier and Lima Bath before moving on to Elida High School, where he was a longtime teacher, varsity golf coach and junior varsity boys’ basketball coach. He was honored several times as Western Buckeye League golf coach of the year. He and his wife Janna (Saxton ’79) have three children.

Larry Copeland ’65

Larry Copeland

Larry Copeland

A forceful presence both on the football field and the track, Larry Copeland ’65 entered the Athletics Hall of Fame as a dominant member of several talented Beaver football teams and of a record-setting mile relay team in 1962.

A four-year starter at offensive and defensive end for football coach Ken Mast, Copeland was a member of two Mid-Ohio League championship teams and two MOL runner-up teams. He was named first-team All-MOL as a senior, when he capped a stellar playing career remembered for his intensity and ability to make the big play.

Copeland’s efforts on the Bluffton mile relay team were also legendary, as he helped that quartet to a 3:27.7 performance in 1962 that set a Bluffton and MOL record that would stand until 1969. Other members of that relay team included Terry Marshall ’64, Dale Schiffke ’64 and fellow 2000 Hall of Fame inductee Dennis Bishop ’63. Copeland was also one of the top open 440-yard dash runners in the region.

Following his graduation, Copeland held football coaching positions at Norwalk, Vermilion and Colonel Crawford high schools before returning to coach at Bluffton in 1975. In his one season with the Beavers, he served as offensive coordinator and helped guide his alma mater to a runner-up finish in the Hoosier-Buckeye Collegiate Conference.

In 1976, Larry founded Copeland Financial and Copeland-Lewis, both in Findlay.

Dennis Bishop ’63

A three-sport standout for Bluffton in the early 1960s, Dennis Bishop ’63 entered the Athletics Hall of Fame with an impressive list of credentials.

A four-year track performer, Bishop was a member of the mile relay squad that turned in a 3:27.7 effort his junior year, good for a Bluffton and Mid-Ohio League record that stood until 1969. Joining him on that record-setting relay were Terry Marshall ’64, Dale Schiffke ’64 and fellow 2000 Hall of Fame inductee Larry Copeland ’65. Individually, Bishop won or placed high in nearly every 880-yard race he entered for four years, and also turned in impressive times in the 440-yard dash.

On the football field, he was a member of two MOL championship teams coached by Ken Mast. A valuable weapon at both offensive and defensive end, he averaged 25 yards per catch as a senior as the Beavers turned in a 7-2 campaign for the league title. Bishop also lettered two years in basketball and was among the team leaders in rebounds.

Bishop received the A.C. Burcky Award as a senior and graduated with a degree in biology. He taught at Liberty Center and Findlay high schools and at Hagerstown (Md.) Junior College before founding a real estate management company in Findlay. He went on to become part owner of a plastics company and a farmer.

In 1996, Bishop became involved with Global Resources Foundation, which led him to aid Christian farmers and business people in the Ukraine. He has also teamed with The CoMission, which reaches out to the educational system in Russia.

 

Football Team ’51

The first of Bluffton’s eight Mid-Ohio League championship teams, the 1951 squad entered the Athletics Hall of Fame just one year before its 50-year anniversary. The Beavers posted a 6-2 overall record in 1951 and a 4-1 mark in the MOL.

In claiming its league crown, Bluffton recorded some impressive victories. Perhaps chief among them was the Beavers’ 13-7 victory over Ohio Northern—Bluffton’s first-ever triumph in 23 tries against the Polar Bears. A 12-3 win over Findlay was Bluffton’s first over the Oilers in 11 years, while a 27-12 Homecoming win over Ashland was the first against the Eagles in 10 years.

Second-year head coach Ken Mast fashioned an offensive unit that averaged an impressive 278 yards per game, while his defensive squad gave up one touchdown or less in five games.

Junior running back Charlie Spencer scored 14 touchdowns during the season and converted all of Bluffton’s 12 extra points. He was named first-team All-MOL, as were guard Bob Smucker and end Jim Oliver. Freshman quarterback Leland Garmatter earned second-team all-league honors as he passed for 710 yards and 10 touchdowns.

1951 BC Football

at Taylor W 26-0
at Heidelberg L 25-40
FINDLAY W 12-3
at Cedarville L 20-27
at Olivet W 20-6
OHIO NORTHERN W 13-7
ASHLAND W 27-12
at Defiance W 26-6

Golf Teams ’74, ’75

NAIA nationals-bound

1974 Golf team

The 1974 and ’75 men’s golf teams represent an era in which Bluffton golfers reigned in regional competition. They were the only two golf teams in school history to claim the NAIA District 22 championship and advance to the national tournament. Four members of the 1974 team were also members of the 1975 squad.

In 1974, senior Jim Roach fired a 27-hole total of 110, just six strokes over par, to earn district medalist honors. He joined teammate Jeff Deying on the all-district team, while Tim Filipovich, Jim Frisk and Dennis Smith also recorded impressive scores to help Bluffton to the title.

The Beavers made it back-to-back District 22 championships in 1975 by carding a two-stroke victory over runner-up Walsh. Smith fired a 105 and was named all-district, while Deying, Filipovich, Frisk and newcomer Bob Carver comprised the rest of the winning team.

Jim Knox coached both teams, which won both of their district titles at Lima’s Hawthorne Hills Golf Club. Bluffton would continue to field impressive golf teams for the remainder of the ‘70s, claiming the district runner-up trophy in 1977 and third place in 1978.

Suzanne (Brown ’85) Hollabaugh

A four-year standout at both the offensive and defensive ends of the court, Suzanne (Brown ’85) Hollabaugh was an integral part of Bluffton women’s basketball in the early 1980s. She is ranked in six career statistics and was a member of the 1981-82 squad that posted a 15-5 record and was inducted into the Athletics Hall of Fame in 1997.

s_hollabaugh_shoesA native of Antwerp, Ohio, Hollabaugh scored 687 points and grabbed 421 rebounds in her career at Bluffton. Her point total ranked fourth when she graduated and her rebound total ranked third. Hollabaugh’s .771 career free throw percentage was a Bluffton record when she graduated and today is tied for fifth, while her 140 steals now rank eighth.

As a sophomore, Hollabaugh was a first-team All-Western Buckeye Collegiate Conference selection as she led the Beavers in scoring, free throw percentage, assists and steals—a feat accomplished by few other players in Bluffton women’s basketball history. For the next two seasons, she led Bluffton and the entire WBCC in free throw percentage and was among the conference leaders in assists and steals.

Hollabaugh, who earned a degree in health, physical education and recreation, helped the Beavers to 45 wins during her four years.

Following her graduation in 1985, Hollabaugh taught physical education in the DeKalb Eastern school system in Butler, Ind., for four years before moving on to the Edon school system in northwest Ohio. She has coached basketball, softball, volleyball and golf, and guided the Edon girls’ basketball squad to its first-ever sectional championship in 1995.

Abe Groves ’80

The first player in Bluffton football history to collect more than 1,000 career receiving yards, Abraham Groves ’80 was the Beavers’ aerial “go-to” player for four years, from 1976-79. When his playing days were done, he held Bluffton records for career receptions (79) and yards (1,025), and he remains in the top 10 in both of those categories today.

A native of Dalton, Ohio, Groves was also a punt and kickoff return threat and led Bluffton and the Hoosier-Buckeye Collegiate Conference in punt returns as a senior. That year, he also led the Beavers in kickoff returns, and his 35 receptions for 412 yards were, at the time, the second-best single-season receiving statistics at Bluffton. In career punt returns, Groves’ 8.4-yard average per return ranks fourth in the Bluffton record book, while his 143 return yards rank 10th.

Groves broke into Bluffton’s starting lineup as a freshman and caught seven passes for 113 yards. As a sophomore he established himself as one of the top receivers in the HBCC, hauling in 28 catches for 394 yards and three touchdowns and picking up second-team all-conference honors. An off-season leg injury gave Groves a late start to the 1978 season, but he still managed to catch nine passes for 106 yards and a touchdown before getting back to full strength for his record-setting senior season, when he again was named second-team all-conference. In the spring of his senior year, Groves had tryouts with the Detroit Lions and New England Patriots of the National Football League.

Groves was honored with the 1980 A.C. Burcky Award, given annually to Bluffton’s top senior male student-athlete. In addition to his accomplishments on the football field, Groves lettered in basketball as a sophomore and lettered twice in track. He was named the track team’s MVP as a senior when he turned in its top performances in the 200-meter dash (22.8 seconds), 400-meter dash (51.9) and high jump (6-2), and was a member of the 1600-meter relay team (3:28.7).

Groves earned a degree in education with concentrations in art and history. He taught and was a varsity assistant football coach at Massillon Jackson High School for two years before he entered the medical sales business in 1983. He worked in cardiology medical sales for Cordis Corp., a division of Johnson & Johnson, where he was named the sales division’s rookie of the year and the company’s national sales representative of the year several times.

 

Jamie (Knox ’88) Beachy

Jamie Knox BeachyThe leader of two Bluffton volleyball teams that are in the Athletics Hall of Fame, Jamie (Knox ‘88) Beachy was twice named first-team All-Western Buckeye Collegiate Conference and was an Academic All-America selection following her senior season in 1987.

Beachy was a four-year starter on teams that fashioned a 121-42 overall record and captured three conference championships and NAIA District 22 tournament appearances. At the time of her graduation, she held Bluffton records for career kills (641), assists (1,255) and digs (1,227). The Wauseon, Ohio, native still ranks 10th in career assists in the Bluffton record book.

On the volleyball court, Beachy’s talent at every facet of the game made her an invaluable member of Coach Kim Fischer’s teams. As a freshman, she played a defensive role on Bluffton’s 1984 team that went 26-15 and won the WBCC title. She took over setting duties as a sophomore and put up a then-school-record 601 assists as the Beavers improved to 35-6 while collecting WBCC and NAIA District 22 crowns. That 1985 team was inducted into the Athletics Hall of Fame in 1996.

Also a resident adviser and junior homecoming attendant, Beachy was voted a captain for her junior and senior seasons as her role on the court changed to attacker. Both seasons she ranked in the top 10 in the WBCC in kills, kill percentage, digs and even assists.

In 1987, her senior season, Beachy was named the WBCC Player of the Week following her performance in the conference tournament, where she led the Beavers to their fourth title in six years. She also earned all-district honors that year. The 1987 team joined the Hall of Fame in 1998.

After graduating with a degree in math and English education, she taught English at Fairfield Junior High School in Cincinnati for two years and was a stay-at-home mom for nine years. She then became coordinator of the Ohio Reads Program at Lakeside Elementary in Cincinnati, where she tutored second and third graders in reading.

 

Men’s Basketball Team 1984-85

In 1984-85, Glenn Snyder’s 14th and final season as head coach of the Bluffton men’s basketball team, the Beavers posted an 18-10 record and were ranked fifth in NAIA District 22. The 18 wins remain tied for the highest win total in nearly 100 seasons of Bluffton men’s basketball.

Bluffton won a school-record 12 road games that season and set another Bluffton record with 475 assists. The Beavers finished the season with a 7-5 record in the Hoosier-Buckeye Collegiate Conference to finish as the conference runner-up.

Sophomore Pete DuMonte was named all-conference, all-district and honorable mention All-American as he led the team in scoring with 21.2 points per game and rebounding with 9.6 boards per game. Senior Tim Walters and sophomore Bruce Andrews both received honorable mention all-conference honors, and Andrews also picked up honorable mention all-district honors.

Other members of the team included assistant coach Jan Sorgenfrei and varsity players Mike Bruns, Kevin Chalk, Jon Eichar, Jim Hoepf, Todd Koch, Brian Nelson, Dave Sluss, Bob Snyder and Jerry Vanderhorst.

 

Ron Lora ’60

A first-team All-Mid-Ohio Conference selection at offensive end as a senior in 1959, Ron Lora was a main cog in the passing game on teams that make up the greatest era of Bluffton football.

Ron LoraDuring Lora’s four seasons on the gridiron, the Beavers posted a combined 20-0 record in the MOC to win four straight conference championships—a feat that has never been duplicated.

Lora lettered all four seasons and was named a team captain for three of those years. With Hall of Famers Elbert Dubenion and Willie Taylor in the backfield for head coach Ken Mast, the running game took center stage, but Lora was still among the team leaders in touchdowns.

The Bluffton High School graduate also lettered in basketball two seasons for the Beavers and served as president of the Varsity B Club for three years.

After graduating in 1960 with a degree in business administration, Lora spent several years as a coach in the Fostoria school system before returning to Bluffton as a professor of history in 1964. He earned his Ph.D. from The Ohio State University in 1967 and that year moved on to the University of Toledo, where he is now a professor emeritus of history.

The author/editor of several books, Lora is a regular columnist in The Bluffton News and has dozens of published articles and book reviews to his credit. He was a member of the Bluffton Board of Trustees from 1987-2011 and is active in many other organizations.

 

Mike Kelly ’80

Mike KellyA three-year performer at quarterback for Bluffton, Mike Kelly steadily climbed up the list of top career passers. When he graduated in 1980, Kelly ranked third in career completions (95), fourth in career attempts (242) and fifth in career passing yardage (1,028). He was just the sixth player in Bluffton history to pass for more than 1,000 yards and today ranks 17th on the career passing yardage list.

After graduating with a degree in health, physical education and recreation, Kelly held college coaching positions at Edinboro, Marietta, Ohio Wesleyan, Capital and San Francisco State before going to the professional ranks as offensive coordinator of the Winnipeg Blue Bombers of the Canadian Football League from 1992-96. He returned to the collegiate level as head coach at Valdosta State from 1997-99 before returning to the CFL in 2000 with Edmonton.

In 2001 he was the offensive coordinator of the Orlando Rage of the XFL, before joining the ranks of the National Football League as a pro scout with the Philadelphia Eagles. He was also an offensive assistant coach for the Eagles before moving on to the Washington Redskins, then back to the CFL.

A native of Muncie, Ind., Kelly is a member of the Delaware County (Ind.) Athletic Hall of Fame. He has been published many times in football coaching magazines and has a tremendous history with charity organizations, including the Juvenile Diabetes Foundation.

 

Judy (Stutzman ’81) Kanagy

Judy Stutzman KanagyA four-year volleyball standout, Judy (Stutzman ’81) Kanagy was among the great players of the late 1970s and early ‘80s who helped turn the volleyball program at Bluffton into a regional powerhouse.

Kanagy led the Beavers to an impressive 74-41 record (.644 winning percentage) during her four years on the court. In 1979, her junior year, the team was 25-11—Bluffton’s first 20-win volleyball season. The Beavers would go on to reach that 20-win plateau in 18 of the next 19 seasons.

A native of Normal, Ill., Kanagy served as a captain for head coach Kim Fischer and also played three years of softball and one year of tennis at Bluffton. In 1981 she was honored with the Kathryn E. Little Award, given annually at Bluffton to the top senior female student-athlete.

After graduation, Kanagy coached volleyball and basketball at Iowa Mennonite High School for one year before heading to Illinois State University for graduate school, where she earned a master’s degree in physical education administration in 1983. That same year, she completed an internship at the Lake Placid Olympic Training Center.

Kanagy returned to Bluffton and was a member of the health, physical education and recreation faculty from 1983-86. She coached softball, track and field and junior varsity volleyball; served as softball coordinator for the Western Buckeye Collegiate Conference; and directed the women’s intramural program.

Kanagy has also held positions at Camp Friedenswald, America West Airlines, Western Pacific Airlines and Dawn Ministries.

 

Football Team ’62

Coached by Ken Mast, the 1962 football team posted a 7-2 record and claimed the Mid-Ohio Conference championship.

Six Bluffton players earned all-conference honors—Mike Goings, Larry Stover, Willie Stemen, John Weber, Ralph Pitzer and Ken Schwarzentraub. Goings and Stover were also selected to the all-state team among Ohio small colleges.

Goings garnered additional honors as the leading scorer and third-leading rusher among small-college players nationally. In 1962, he set still-standing Bluffton records for most rushing yards in a game (314 yards on 21 carries against Alma), most touchdowns in a season (22) and most points in a season (132).

1962 results, 7-2

Bluffton 29, Grand Rapids 13

Bluffton 32, Alma 8

Bluffton 35, Wilmington 8

Bluffton 31, Defiance 19

Findlay 28, Bluffton 8

Bluffton 12, Ohio Northern 10

Ashland 20, Bluffton 8

Bluffton 27, Manchester 6

Bluffton 41, Northwood 7

 

 

 

Deborah (Wagner ’90) Hucke

A four-year letter winner in volleyball and one-year track participant, Deb (Wagner) Hucke anchored three Western Buckeye Collegiate Conference championship volleyball teams at Bluffton. She earned three All-WBCC selections, three All-NAIA District 22 selections and was the WBCC Player of the Year in 1988.

Deb Wagner HuckeHucke’s volleyball career spanned four of Bluffton’s most successful years, which produced a 125-31 overall record for a .801 winning percentage. Bluffton won the WBCC championship in 1987, 1988 and 1989, and in 1988 the Beavers added the NAIA District 22 title. The 1987 and 1988 teams have been enshrined in the Athletics Hall of Fame.

Team success during those years was a result of the play of Hucke, whose performance still ranks among Bluffton’s best. In 1989 she led the team with 129 blocks and a serving percentage of .931. She also ranks high on the all-time lists of single-season kills (305 in 1987 and 271 in 1988); career kills (1,054); career hitting percentage (.192); single-season blocks (129 in 1989 and 115 in 1986); and career blocks (355).

In 1989 she received the Kathryn E. Little Award as the outstanding senior female athlete at Bluffton and was honored as the varsity athlete with the highest scholastic record.

After her graduation, Hucke divided her time as a homemaker and administrator and teacher at Wee Care Day Care in Celina, Ohio. She has also volunteered at Immaculate Conception Catholic Church and has devoted time to the Celina Public Preschool.

“Bluffton has shaped the many facets of my life,” she says. “First, my volleyball career helped to intensify my leadership skills, work ethic and love for sports while giving me lasting memories. At the same time, my Bluffton experience led to my current family and various professional opportunities.”

 

Cliff Hemmert ’89

A four-year starting quarterback on the Bluffton football team, Hemmert helped lead the Beavers to the NAIA national playoffs in 1987 and 1988.

Atc_hemmert the time of his graduation in 1989, Hemmert held 24 school records. His career totals that still rank among the best in Bluffton football history include: 5,614 yards of total offense (fourth), 4,951 passing yards (fourth), 290 completions (fifth), a .522 completion percentage (seventh), 39 touchdown passes (second) and a pass efficiency rating of 141.1 (second).

Armed with a potent passing game and a powerful running attack, of which he was also a part (663 career rushing yards), Hemmert led four of Bluffton’s most successful teams, tallying a career record of 32-7 for an .821 winning percentage. He was named team Most Valuable Player in 1987, first-team NAIA District 22 in 1989 and A.C. Burcky Award winner in 1989.

After graduating, Hemmert played one season with the West London Aces in the European Football League, leading his team to an 11-1 record and a spot in the league playoffs. Hemmert then began a career with Bank One, where he has held positions as banking center manager, sales and service coach and district manager. He earned a master’s degree in business administration from Ashland University in 2000.

Hemmert is also a licensed high school football and basketball referee who has officiated several playoff football games in Ohio.

 

Harold “Tubby” Garverick ’60

Harold “Tubby” Gaverick, a football linebacker and baseball catcher for the Beavers from 1958-60, transferred to Bluffton from the University of Illinois.

He had to sit out a year before he could play. During that year he served as a football student coach and scouted next weeks opponents. He was elected football co-captain both years he played, and earned all conference recognition both years in football, and in baseball his senior year.

The Lima news article, “BC Blasts Defiance for 20th MOL Win” said, “Gaverick intercepted two passes and joined in practically every tackle, establishing himself as clearly the best defensive player on the field.”

The father of three sons, he was very active in coaching all youth league sports.

After graduation with a degree in business, Gaverick joined State Farm Insurance, was an agent, agency manager and director of education and training. He taught insurance classes at Lakeland Community College and life insurance classes for the National Association of Life Insurance.

He served eight years on Mentor School Board and is the only board member to receive the Mentor Teacher Association’s “Friend of Education” award.

Gaverick retired in 2006 and he and his wife Nola moved to Goodyear, Ariz.

Carlin B. Carpenter

Carlin Carpenter

Carlin Carpenter, head football coach, 1979-2002

Carlin Carpenter led the Bluffton football team for 24 seasons before retiring following the 2002 campaign.

He holds the record for most wins by a football coach in Bluffton history, with 103, and was named the Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference co-Coach of the Year in 2000. That year, he guided the Beavers to a 7-3 record, a national ranking and a share of the HCAC championship.

Carpenter led his 1987 and 1988 teams to the NAIA national playoffs; the 1988 team, along with the 1985 Beavers, have been inducted into the Athletics Hall of Fame as well. From 1985-90, Carpenter’s teams compiled a 44-13 record and were nationally ranked each year. At the time of his retirement, his head coaching tenure was the longest among Ohio’s collegiate head football coaches.

When he came to campus in 1979, Carpenter also started his college teaching career with a position in the health, physical education and recreation department as an assistant professor. From 1980-2003, he was athletics director as well.

Before joining the Bluffton community, Carpenter was an assistant coach at Marshall and Ohio universities and at Defiance College. He earned his bachelor’s degree in psychology at Defiance and a master’s degree in HPER and special education at Ohio University.

Since his retirement, Carpenter has kept busy as an adjunct instructor in the health, fitness and sport science department. In his free time, he enjoys fishing and spending time with his family.

 

Men’s Tennis Team ’86

The 1986 men’s tennis team consisted of a group of hard-working individuals who came together in an amazing season to achieve what no other Bluffton tennis team has been able to repeat. There were many high points during the season, but the greatest came when the team qualified for the NAIA national tournament, an honor earned by winning the NAIA District 22 tournament.

Success was a dream come true for these athletes as the entire team contributed to the advance to the national tournament. Team members Hugo Sandberg, Mike Frey and Tony Mullet received District 22 honors. Coach Pete Yost was named district Coach of the Year.

Sandberg recorded a 17-3 singles record during the season, while Frey was 16-7; Mullet, 12-11; and Ron Falb, 8-12. Sandberg and Mullet also teamed for an 18-3 doubles record, while Frey and Brant Hilty were 6-6 and Falb and John Watkins, 4-8. None of this would have been possible without the help of Yost and his attitude of having fun and enjoying the game of tennis.

Kelly Patton-Holder ’84

Kelly Patton-HolderKelly Patton-Holder was a four-year letter winner in both volleyball and softball, as well as a two-year letter winner in basketball. In 1984 she was a member of the conference-champion softball team and received the prestigious Kathryn E. Little Award for her efforts in Bluffton athletics. For her leadership abilities, she was named captain of both the volleyball and softball teams during her senior year.

Patton-Holder was twice named to the All-Western Buckeye Collegiate Conference volleyball team and, in 1983, was named to the NAIA District 22 team. That year, she had one of the best seasons in Bluffton volleyball history, leading the team in hitting percentage (.845), digs (170), serving percentage (.961) and service reception percentage (.814).

She was also a member of the 1982-83 women’s basketball team that has been enshrined in the Athletics Hall of Fame.

After graduating from Bluffton, Patton-Holder taught health and physical education at Lexington (Ohio) High School and also coached the varsity volleyball and softball teams there. Through the first 14 seasons of her volleyball coaching career, she compiled a 225-91 record without a losing season.

She has chaired Lexington’s health and physical education department and been a Student Council adviser. At the United Methodist Church of the Cross, she has been a Family Life Committee member and Sunday school teacher.

 

Tom Reichenbach ’58

Tom Reichenbach

Tom Reichenbach

Tom Reichenbach quarterbacked the 1956 and 1957 football teams to Mid-Ohio League championships and earned two all-league selections. As a freshman, he earned varsity letters in football, basketball, baseball and track. In his collegiate career, he was a four-year letter winner in football and baseball and a two-year letter winner in basketball, along with his one letter in track.

He led the 1956 football team to an outstanding season, for which the team is already enshrined in the Athletics Hall of Fame. His most memorable Bluffton sports moment was defeating Findlay, 34-13, in 1956 in front of 6,500 fans at Findlay’s Donnell Stadium.

During his time at Bluffton, Reichenbach was also involved in choir. During his junior and senior years, he sang in an octet that performed at many events in the Bluffton area.

He has been employed with Lincoln National Life as a regional manager, and has also been general manager for the employee benefits division of the Washington, D.C., office.

Reichenbach, of Bethesda, Md., has been an active Lions Club member and officer, as well as a member, choir member and finance committee chair at a local Methodist church.

 

Rob Sheldon ’73

Rob Sheldon was a two-year letter winner in both basketball and baseball. A 1973 graduate in education, he went on to earn a master’s degree in administration from Bowling Green State University in 1977.

r_sheldonFollowing stints at Ottawa-Glandorf and North Central high schools, Rob moved his family to Bucyrus, Ohio, and took over as head basketball coach at Wynford High School—a position he held for 24 years. In addition to coaching, Sheldon served as assistant principal and athletics director at Wynford.

Sheldon led his teams to nine league championships, 18 sectional championships, seven district championships, two regional championships and a state runner-up finish in 1988 while compiling a 401-156 record at Wynford. He coached in the North-South, Ohio-Michigan and Wendy’s Classic games. In 2003, following his final season at Wynford, Sheldon received the Paul Walker Award, named after the legendary Middletown High School coach.

Sheldon was inducted into the Ohio High School Basketball Coaches Association Hall of Fame in 2005.

 

 

Allison “Allie” (Thompson ’92) Hall

Alison Thompson HallAlison was a two-sport standout, lettering four years in both volleyball and track. Her accomplishments were rewarded when she was chosen 1992 Female Athlete of the Year at Bluffton.

As a volleyball player, Hall was twice named all-district, including a first-team selection her senior year, when she was also a team captain. She ranked near the top of the Bluffton career lists for kills, hitting attempts and blocking when she graduated in 1992.

Hall was also a four-year letter winner in track. She was a two-time captain and earned the Unsung Hero Award in 1990. At the time of her graduation, Hall held the school discus record.

She was also a member of the International Student Association during each of her four years and was a resident adviser in Hirschy Hall for one year.

Alison has used the education and leadership she gained at Bluffton to positively influence the lives of children as a health and physical education teacher in Ohio and Illinois. Her community activities have included the development of a Fellowship of Christian Athletes group in Greenville, Ill.; membership on a community health committee; and leadership in Bible study groups.

 

Harry Weibel ’58

Harry WeibelHarry Weibel lettered in football each of his four years at Bluffton despite playing in only two games in 1955 due to an extended bout with pneumonia. He was chosen All-Mid-Ohio League in 1954, 1956 and 1957, and led the 1956 and 1957 teams to league titles. Weibel was an integral part of the 1956 team—which has already been enshrined in the Athletics Hall of Fame—and a captain of the 1957 squad while earning third-team All-Ohio honors and honorable mention All-America recognition.

While attending Bluffton, Weibel was a member of the Ohio Student Education Association, the “Ista” yearbook staff and Big Brothers. He also served as president of his class and the Varsity B club. He graduated in 1958 with a degree in education.

Weibel continued his education at the Cooper School of Art, where he earned a degree in graphic arts with a specialization in advertising. He then moved to Indiana University and completed his graduate work in art education.

His career has included teaching assignments as well as graphic design positions at Kidron Body Co. and Troyer Signs Inc. in Wayne County, Ohio. Weibel has been active in his community as well, serving as a Sunday school teacher, PTO president, Little League coach and nursing home assistant.

Baseball Team ’62

1962 baseball team

The 1962 Bluffton baseball squad finished a record-breaking season with a 10-4 mark, including an 8-2 record in conference play, good for a first-place tie under Coach A.C. Burcky.

The 1962 team was equally adept at the plate and in the field. The Beavers hit .323 for the year while the pitching staff compiled a miniscule earned run average on the mound.

62baseball-reunion

 

Teresa “Terri” Blosser ’87

Terri Blosser graduated from Bluffton in 1987 with a bachelor’s degree in health, physical education and recreation. She earned four letters as a standt_blosserout volleyball player from 1983-86. Blosser’s 1985 volleyball team was enshrined in the Athletics Hall of Fame in 1996. She was also a three-year letter winner on the basketball court.

Blosser received the Kathryn E. Little Award her senior year for her athletic achievements. She was also honored with the HPER Outstanding Scholar Award upon graduation from Bluffton. In 1993, Blosser completed her master’s degree in physical education at Bowling Green State University.

 

James Buffenbarger ’60

James Buffenbarger

James E. “Buff” Buffenbarger is a 1959 Bluffton graduate in biology education. Buffenbarger was a four-year letter winner on the talented football squads of the late 1950s. He earned all-league honors three times while also picking up one letter in basketball.

While at Bluffton, Buffenbarger was a member of the Student Christian Association, the Varsity B Club and Big Brothers. He continued his education at Indiana University, where he earned his master’s degree in guidance education.

In 1994, Buffenbarger received the Charles Weaver Lifetime Achievement Award for his service to the Ohio School Counselor Association after 23 years as a guidance counselor at Lima Senior High School.

 

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Paul Jackson ’54

Paul B. p_jacksonJackson graduated from Bluffton in 1954 with a bachelor’s degree in business administration. He was a three-sport athlete as a Beaver, with his greatest accomplishments coming on the hardwood. In the first basketball game in Founders Hall, Jackson scored the winning basket against Ashland. In addition to being a four-year letter winner and captain of the basketball team, he lettered three years on the baseball diamond and once in track and field.

Jackson has been involved with many aspects of athletics in northwest Ohio. He has served Bluffton as a computer programmer and a volunteer clock operator at women’s basketball games.

 

 

 

 

Volleyball Team ’90

The 1990 Bluffton University volleyball team completed an outstanding season with a 35-10 record under the direction of head coach Kim Fischer. The 1990 edition of Beaver volleyball finished the regular season as champions of the Western Buckeye Collegiate Conference (WBCC), posting a spotless 4-0 mark in WBCC competition. To cap off its outstanding campaign, Bluffton knocked off Tiffin University and Rio Grande College in the NAIA District 22 tournament before falling to the College of Mount St. Joseph in four games. Senior standouts Mary Kehres-Bevier and Diane Kempf, hitters from New Washington, Ohio, were both named to the All-NAIA District 22 volleyball team for their efforts on the court.

Edward B. Coleman ’86

Ed Coleman

Edward B. Coleman graduated from Bluffton in 1986. He was a member of the baseball and football teams and participated in the student exchange program to Mexico. Coleman was a four-year varsity football starter and is among the all-time leading receivers at Bluffton. He was named all-district and all-American.

In 1987, Coleman signed with the Detroit Lions as a free agent before a chronic knee injury prematurely ended his football career.

He has since spent time as a correctional program specialist and juvenile parole officer and worked for the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction.

Ed Coleman in action

James M. Oliver ’54

The late James M. Oliver was a 1954 Bluffton graduate, who passed away in 1998. Oliver was an outstanding football player on both sides of the ball. He earned all-conference honors several times and was a four-year letterwinner. He was also a member of the track team and competed in two events, discus and shot put. j_oliverAfter attending Bluffton, he completed his compulsory military service as a paratrooper and then continued his higher education at The Adelphi College, obtaining a master’s degree in social work. Most of his professional career was spent with human service organizations. Prior to his death, he was on the teaching faculty of Youngstown State University’s sociology department, working closely with the urban studies program.

 

 

 

 

 

Stanley F. Naylor ’54

Stanley F. Naylor, a 1954 Bluffton graduate, was a four-year letterwinner in football and track. He held the broad jump record in Mid-Ohio League until the final track meet before the league disbanded. Additionally, he held Bluffton’s broad jump record for 40 years. While in school, Naylor was active in Big Brothers and Sisters, faculty committee, commerce club, vesper choir, joint house councils, student advisors, ISTA photography editor and Varsity B.

s_naylorStan held master financial planner status with American Express Financial Advisors Inc. prior to his retirement in 2000. He is a long-time member of the local Lions’ Club, having served three times as president, and recently received the Melvin Jones Fellowship Award. In Bluffton, he served as Bluffton United Fund chairman, Mennonite Memorial Home Fund Drive treasurer, Bluffton Family Recreation Board president and Bluffton Child Development Board’s director of finance.

Football Team ’87

 

1987 fb

The 1987 Bluffton football team finished a superior season with an 8-2 record under Head Coach Carlin Carpenter. The 1987 squad was ranked No. 1 in NAIA District 22 and No. 10 nationally, and was the first football team to represent Bluffton in the national playoffs. The Beavers averaged 33 points per game and held their opponents to just 15 points a game. Between the 1987 and 1988 teams, more than 75 team and individual records were set at Bluffton, and three of the players continued their football careers by playing professionally in Europe and the United States. Ten players were named to the District 22 first team.

Andy Nowlin ’90

Andy Nowlin

Andy Nowlin graduated from Bluffton in 1990 with a bachelor’s degree in recreation management. Nowlin was an outstanding football player offensively as well as a leader on the field. He was a four-year letter winner and earned all-district honors his senior year. He held the NCAA Division III record for longest reception (99 yards) and is at or near the top of the Bluffton record book in numerous offensive categories.

Nowlin is director of recruitment and personnel service for Starr Commonwealth. He has been an active member of the Van Wert, Ohio, American Legion and on the board of directors of Upward Bound and the YMCA Central Ohio Eldon W. Ward Branch, which he has also served as vice-chair. In addition, Nowlin has been active in the Van Wert Optimist Club; tutoring; and the men’s ministry at his church.

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John S. Mast ’87

John S. Mast of Millersburg, Ohio, graduated from Bluffton in 1987 with a bachelor’s degree in art. A four-year letter winner in baseball, Mast ej_mastarned all-district honors twice. He is Bluffton’s career leader in batting average, on-base percentage and slugging percentage. He also leads Bluffton ballplayers in triples and ranks sixth all-time in doubles.

While on campus, Mast was the intramural sports director for two years, a member of the senior art show and the 1987 May Day king. Mast continued to play ball after graduation, participating on a team that won Class C slow-pitch softball titles at the United States Specialty Sports Association (USSSA) state and national levels, as well as the Amateur Softball Association world title in Atlanta, Ga., in 1987. He was named Most Valuable Player of the USSSA nationals that year. From 1984-90, Mast played with the Akron AA Amateur League. He was a two-time all-star and was named co-MVP in 1989.j_mast_jersey

Mast has been a graphic designer at Graphic Publications Inc. He is actively involved in his church’s worship team and Sunday school, and has been a Vacation Bible School director. He coaches his children’s baseball, soccer and fast-pitch softball teams.

Mike Richards ’73

Mike Richards

Mike Richards graduated from Bluffton in 1973 with a bachelor’s degree in education. He was a two-year letter winner in football and a member of the 1972 Hoosier-Buckeye Conference championship team. He was also a member of the golf team for two years.

After graduation, Richards continued to be active in athletics. He was an assistant football coach at Bluffton in 1981 and from 1993-97. He was a registered track and cross country official for 28 years and spent 15 years as head football coach at four high schools. He has also coached basketball, track and baseball at the high school level.

Richards, superintendent of Allen East Local Schools, served as president of the Ohio High School Athletic Association (OHSAA) Board of Directors. He has been an elected member of OHSAA’s Northwest District Athletic Board since 1995, and was a 2002 recipient of the Ohio Association of Track and Cross Country Coaches’ Distinguished Service Award.

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Baseball Team ’67

The 1967 baseball team, coached by Bill Ramseyer, placed first in the Mid-Ohio Conference with a record of 12-7 overall and 7-3 in the conference. The team was led by a superb pitching staff that compiled a 2.30 ERA on the season, allowing just 55 walks and combining to throw 13 complete games. They posted a fielding percentage of .923 and offensively, Bluffton outscored their opponents 83-69 on the year.

Emil Knorr ’57

Emil Kne_knorrorr was a two-sport athlete at Bluffton. Knorr played football all four years and was named honorable mention all-conference in 1955. He was co-captain in 1956, when Bluffton won a conference title with Knorr starting at both fullback and defensive end. He also played baseball for the Beavers and was a two-year letter winner.

In 1968, Knorr received his master’s degree in mathematics from Boston College. He taught at both the high school and collegiate levels, including at Hiram College and the Gilmour Academy.

Kimberly (Spiegel ’93) Mutchler

Kimberly (Spiegel) Mutchler, Bucyrus, Ohio, had a decorated career at Bluffton in both volleyball and track and field.

k_mutchlerShe participated in volleyball for four years, earning two letters. She averaged 2.66 kills per game, and her career total of 806 kills ranks 16th all-time at Bluffton.

Mutchler also participated in track and field for four years, earning all-distrk_mutchler_actionict honors in 1991 and 1992. She continues to hold the second-best high-jump height of 5’3″.

Mutchler is an elementary teacher in Bucyrus City Schools.

Al Beitler ’76

a_beitlerpicAl Beitler, Greenbelt, Md., was a member of the Bluffton baseball team from 1973-76. Beitler was a pitcher who also compiled what remains the second highest Bluffton batting average in a season, going 17-for-34 (.500) at the plate in 1976. Beitler earned first-team All-Hoosier-Buckeye Conference honors and was named to the NAIA All-District Team.a_beitler_clipping

He graduated in 1976 with a 3.9 grade point average, was nominated to the Pi Delta Society and named the Most Outstanding Sociology Major his senior year. Beitler received a master’s degree in peace studies from Associated Mennonite Biblical Seminary in 1982 and a master’s in social work in 1995. He has worked at Wakefield High School in Arlington, Va., as the minority achievement coordinator.

Softball Team ’92

Coached by Kim Fischer, Bluffton’s 1992 softball team posted a 16-6 record and won the Association of Mideast Colleges tournament after placing second in the conference during the regular season. In winning 11 of its last 12 games, Bluffton outscored its opponents 102-44.

Bluffton batted .331 as a team, led by senior Mary Spain’s .465 average. She posted a .634 slugging percentage, drove in 20 runs and scored 32. The team also stole 58 bases in 60 attempts and had a .952 fielding percentage—tied for the best in program history—and a 3.06 earned run average. Senior Kristie Conley posted the best ERA, at 2.29.

Louis Stokes ’73

Louis Stokes, a Belle Center, Ohio, native, was a standout offensive lineman on Bluffton footl_stokesball teams of the early 1970s. In 1972, the four-year letterman helped lead the Beavers to a conference championship and was named first-team all-NAIA District 22. He also lettered one year each in basketball and baseball. A high school coach from 1973-87, he returned to Bluffton as offensive line coach from 1988-2006 and is now the Beavers’ running backs coach and director of academic support. He has been an adjunct instructor at Bluffton as well.

Stokes received a bachelor’s degree in health and physicall_stokes_action education from Bluffton and, in 1983, a master’s degree in educational administration from the University of Dayton. He and his wife Melanie live in Ottawa, where he also taught at Ottawa-Glandorf High School from 1979-2005 and was athletic director for three years.

 

 

 

Charles Stapleton ’78

Stapleton was a four-year letterman in basketball and a team captain his final three years. When he graduated in 1978 with a degree in c_stapletoneducation, he was Bluffton’s leader in career assists (306) and among the top 10 in career scoring (1,192 points). He now ranks third in assists and 14th in scoring, as well as second in career steals (155). He is the only player in Bluffton history with at least 1,000 points, 300 assists and 150 steals.c_stapleton_jersey

A graduate of Brookside High School in Sheffield, Ohio, Stapleton is senior vice president of Motorists Insurance Group and chief operating officer of Iowa Mutual Insurance Group and Phenix Mutual Fire Insurance Co. The New Albany, Ohio, resident has been a member of the Central Ohio Red Cross board and president of the Pickerington, Ohio, Youth Athletic Association.

J. Roger Howe ’49

The late Roger Howe enrolled at Bj_r_howeluffton in 1946 after serving in World War II. The Bluffton native played basketball, football and tennis, earning multiple varsity letters. He was named the outstanding athlete of 1947 at Bluffton, where he was also involved in music and theatre, among other campus activities.

After receiving his bachelor’s degree in sociology in 1949, Howe embarked on an education career, working as a teacher, coach and principal in Ohio; as superintendent of schools in Ohio and Illinois; and as a faculty member at universities in Arkansas, Illinj_r_howe_plaqueois and Missouri. Along the way, he earned master’s and doctoral degrees in education from Bowling Green State University and Ohio State University, respectively.

Jesse Williams ’89

On the football field, Jesse Williams intercepted a Bluffton career-record 18 passes from 1985-88. Seven of those came in 1987—when the jesse_williamsBeavers went to the NAIA national playoffs for the first of two consecutive years—and represent the third-most interceptions in a single season at Bluffton. A four-year letter winner, Williams was twice named to the NAIA District 22 first team and was a member of three Bluffton teams—the 1985, 1987 and 1988 Beavers—that have been inducted into the university’s Hall of Fame.jesse_williams_jersey

A graduate of Akron East High School, Williams earned his Bluffton degree in recreation management and went on to a career with the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction. Currently director of the north region of the department’s Office of Prisons, he previously served as warden at Allen Correctional Institution and Oakwood Correctional Facility, both in Lima; deputy warden at Mansfield Correctional Institution; and in several positions at Lorain Correctional Institution. He is pastor of Fresh Word Temple in Lima.jesse_williams_action

 

 

 

 

 

Mark Froning ’68

Mark Froning was a member of Mid-Ohio Conference (MOC) championship teams in both basketball and baseball and an all-conference markselection in both sports. He is already in the Bluffton Hall of Fame as part of the previously inducted 1965-66 basketball and 1967 baseball teams. Eighth on the career basketball scoring list with 1,414 points, he averaged 17.2 points per game and scored at least 20 points in 39 of his 82 games. He is still first in career freem_froning_glove throws made, with 424, and second in attempts (550). As a junior in 1966-67, Froning was named second-team NAIA District 22 as well as first-team all-MOC.

Graduating from Bluffton with a psychology degree, Froning became a teacher and coach in Fremont, Ohio. In 1973, he added a master’s degree in school psychology from Bowling Green State University and embarked on a 30-year career in Findlay City Schools, first as a school psychologist and then, from 1979-2003, as director of student services. He retired in 2003 and has since been a psychologist at St. Michael School in Findlay.m_froning_hat

Erin (Kurtz ’00) Baker

Erin (Kurtz) Baker remains in the top five in 11 pitching statistics for a Bluffton softball career. Her rankings include second E_bakerin opponents’ batting average (.216) and shutouts (tied, with nine); third in wins (38), strikeouts (365) and complete games (finishing all 64 games she started); and fourth in earned run average (e_baker_glove2.47). Also second on the fielding percentage list (.991) and a .286 hitter during her four years, Baker was named first-team all-Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference in both 1999 and 2000; Most Valuable Player of the 1999 HCAC tournament, won by Bluffton; and conference MVP during the Beavers’ second-place season in 2000.

After receiving her Bluffton bachelor’s degree in elementary and special education, the Wooster native was an intervention specialist at Marshallville, Ohio, Elementary School for three years. From 2002-07, she was head softball coach at her alma mater, Smithville High School, where she then went on to be an intervention specialist. She earned a master’s degree in special education from the University of Akron in 2009.e_baker_ball