Beavers to Honor Title IX Trailblazers As Part of Hall of Fame Event – Oregon State University Athletics – OSU Beavers
CORVALLIS – Oregon State Athletics will honor a group of Title IX Trailblazers as part of its special Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony on Nov. 5 at Gill Coliseum.
The Beavers announced their Oregon State Athletics 2022 Hall of Fame class in June, This additional group of Trailblazers will be honored as part of the ceremony for their contributions to Oregon State and for paving the way for current and future generations of women’s athletes.
Please note that rosters for some of the teams listed below are not complete. If you have information on individuals or team members that should be recognized among this group of Trailblazers, please contact Oregon State Athletics at damgoodtime@oregonstate.edu
Oregon State Trailblazers
Women’s Basketball:
1979 Team – Made AIAW Nationals under the guidance of head coach Aki Hill (Team Members:Lori Brostrom, Betty Collings, Kathy Riel, Jan Martin, Robyn Clark, Carol Menken, Pam Mollet, Cheri Hoppes, Margy Becker, Debbie Meeker, Karen McDonald, Mary Newman, Gwendolyn Hilyard, Mary K. Pace, Carol Ann Weaver, Kathy Vanderstoel, Marsha Rice, Shannon Jakosky, If you have information on the remaining team members, please contact OSU Athletics at damgoodtime@oregonstate.edu)
1980 Team – NWIT Champions, once again under the guidance of Head Coach, Aki Hill (Team Members: Betty Collings, Carol Menken, Margy Becker, Janet Nicholas, Robyn Sharp, If you have information on the remaining team members, please contact OSU Athletics at damgoodtime@oregonstate.edu)
Women’s Golf:
1975 Team – Finished ninth at Nationals (Team Members: Mary Budke, Rise Lakowski, Mary Stickdale, Partty Scharm)
Gymnastics:
1979 Team – Placed seventh nationally under Head Coach, Ronald Ludwig; National qualifiers (Team Members:Jacquelin Johnson, Sharon Reznick, Nancy Oldemeyer, Mary Ellis, Mary Law, Marlene Pflugrad, Linda Hicks, Melinda Clark, Carol Holmes, and Connie Shuya)
Donna Southwick – In 1977, Donna was the first Oregon State gymnastics All-American and the first Beaver women’s athlete to receive a scholarship.
Janet Brandt – Four-year gymnast and competed on the 1969 team
Women’s Rowing:
1974 Team – Placed 15th nationally and third in the Open Quad, led by Head Coach, Astrid Hancock.
1976 Open Pair – Placed fourth nationally
1977 Team – Finished 10th nationally (Team Members we can confirm: Sheree Gillaspie, Noreen McGovern Zupan. If you have information on the remaining team members, please contact OSU Athletics at damgoodtime@oregonstate.edu)
Softball:
1977 Team – Made an appearance in the Women’s College World Series, and finished tied for 12th nationally under the guidance of head coach Rayne Brooks (Team Members we can confirm: Melinda Ameele, Dawn Wood, Janet Rathbone, Denise Smail, Taraleen Stymer, Denise Marie Peterson, Lisa Adele Hoogesteger) If you have information on the remaining team members, please contact OSU Athletics at damgoodtime@oregonstate.edu)
Lori Davis – Earned All-America honors in her one season as a member of the Beavers, making her the first All-American in program history
Mary Newman – While being recognized as a Trailblazer, she is also being inducted to the 2022 Hall of Fame Class along with the 1980 and 1981 Softball Teams. Mary lettered for 1978-1981.
Women’s Swimming:
Belinda Brimhall – Represented Oregon State at Nationals in 1972 and was the first national scorer in Oregon State history in 1973 – placing 39th in the freestyle
Shelley Dunnigan – Competed on the 1972 relay team
Maureen Kohler – Competed on the 1972 relay team
Janet Kern – Competed on the 1972 relay team
1974 Relay Team – (Team members: Barbara King, Robyn Richards, Robert Maestre (coach))
If you have information on the remaining team members for Women’s Swimming, please contact OSU Athletics at damgoodtime@oregonstate.edu
Women’s Tennis:
Sue Graham – Northwest District Singles Champion in 1967
Mary Paczesniak – Placed first in the Pacific Northwest Doubles Championships in 1969 and second in 1970
Linda Lewman – Placed first in the Pacific Northwest Doubles Championships in 1969 and second in 1970
Patty Nevue – Played from 1971-74 and coached from 1978-82
Cross Country:
Becky Niemi – Joined Myrna Helikson as the first Oregon State runners to make the AIAW National Championships in 1976
Myrna Helikson – Joined Becky Niemi as the first Oregon State runners to make the AIAW National Championships in 1976
1977 Team – First team to represent Oregon State at AIAW Nationals, finishing 22nd under the guidance of head coach Will Stephens. (Team members: Janice Bowerman, Susan Buhler, Martha Hatcher, Jan Murphy Von Scherrer, Joetta Anderson, Rebecca Niemi, Sally Neff, Cathy Kvavle. If you have information on the remaining team members, please contact OSU Athletics at damgoodtime@oregonstate.edu.)
Janet Lovelance – Placed 26th at AIAW Nationals in 1978
Track and Field:
1971 Team – Under the leadership of Head Coach Pat Ingram, the 1971 program tied for 10th in the DGWS with nine different athletes scoring (Team members: Cindy Arbelbide, Leta Gay Berry, Sue Lonsford, Jefi Nored, Nancy Bartham, Susan Pettit, Janet Boucot, Karen Umemoto, Lina Pertmen Winter, Peggy Robinson, Debra Kay Carter, Penny Haakinson, Gloria Martin, Nancy Keeton, Stephanie Sceva, Peggy Sandeen, Karen Thompson, Cherry Blaine)
Cindy Abelbide – Placed fourth in the 880 in 1971
1971 4×100 Relay Team – Finished fifth (Team members: Jeri Nored, Gay Berry, Sue Lonsford, and Peggy Robinson)
Mary Ray Evans – Placed fifth in the 440 in 1971
Jeri Nored – Took sixth in the long jump in 1971
Karen Botts – Finished sixth in discus in 1971
Multi-Sport:
Emily Beard Heard – Was a key contributor to the Beavers’ golf, basketball and field hockey teams from 1968-72
Coaches:
Jane Farr – Coached field hockey, softball and basketball
Lois Pye – Coached cross country and track and field; Helped inaugurate the Oregon Track and Field Championships
Velda Brust – Coached tennis
Judy Kitzman – Helped guide women’s rowing to a 10th-place national finish
Cathy Heath – Coached women’s tennis and worked tirelessly to implement the mandates of Title IX
Will Stephens – Coached track and field
Data tracking for women’s sports has vastly improved over the last 50 years. While tracking down roster information for the individuals and teams above has been difficult, we appreciate any insight you have on ensuring we obtain contact information to the following student-athlete alums and honor this group of Trailblazers for the legacy they have left on Oregon State Athletics.
If you have any information on the above Trailblazers, both individually and team information, please contact Oregon State Athletics at damgoodtime@oregonstate.edu
Oregon State’s 2022 Hall of Fame Class can be viewed here.
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