It's been said often in the last two months that the events of September 11 "touched home." It was said at first to mean that the events happened on U.S. soil, with our airplanes, killing American citizens who had simply reported for work like any other day.

But as the days and weeks have gone by, "touched home" has come to mean something else. As we came to know more, it became apparent that almost everyone knew someone who lost a brother, a friend, a former teammate.

In the small world of intercollegiate athletics, the tragedies have touched home in a way that few of us can remember. Wherever lives were taken on September 11, former student-athletes were taken, too -- in the World Trade Center, on the plane that hit the Pentagon, on the plane that crashed in Pennsylvania.

A few of those who died were somewhat well-known in athletics. A few more became instant heroes when they fought back against the terrorists and their plane remained a tomb but ceased being a missile.

But most of the members of the intercollegiate athletics family who died will not be recognized on television or written about in magazines. They were just regular people who happened to play football at Fordham, soccer at Ohio Wesleyan or softball at Nebraska.

Their schools continue to remember the victims with vigils, memorials, scholarships and jersey-retirement ceremonies. And all of inter-collegiate athletics will remember them with flags on helmets and uniforms, with fund-raising, blood drives and patriotic songs at halftime. This holiday season we will remember the children of our friends who have lost parents, our student-athletes who have lost siblings, our colleagues who have lost best friends.

We also will remember those who work beside us in the pool, on the court and on the field who, when they are not with us, are serving as firefighters, military reservists, police officers and Red Cross volunteers.

Because there are so many stories and so many people in college athletics who were affected by the events of September 11, it is impossible to capture all of those stories here. The NCAA News will continue to accept information about September 11 and related activities, as well as the names of those former student-athletes who died, and publish them in future issues.

Best friends, priceless memories

Tim Finnerty was the kind of guy anyone would love to have for a best friend. He was "Tim" to his wife and "Finn" to his friends, and he had played basketball at the University of Scranton, even playing on the school's 1988 team that had reached the Division III finals. Finnerty also had coached basketball at Wagner College, where he enjoyed interacting with the student-athletes.

Finnerty took a job in the World Trade Center with Cantor Fitzgerald, but he also continued to coach. By day he operated in the world of finance; by afternoon and evening he coached seventh and eighth graders.

"Basketball was one of his passions, and he liked teaching," said Theresa Finnerty, his wife. "He would do anything for anybody. He was very generous and giving."

When the attacks occurred on September 11, Finnerty was in his office on the 105th floor of Tower One. He called his father and told him there was an explosion, but the younger Finnerty said he was OK and they were going to evacuate. It was the last anyone heard of him.

While Theresa Finnerty planned a memorial for her husband, Finnerty's best friend, Jack Sullivan, contacted the NCAA to see if he could replace something that meant so much to his friend -- his watch that he had received from participating on the 1988 Division III runner-up team.

"One of his prized possessions was his NCAA watch," Sullivan wrote. "As usual, he was wearing it on the 11th."

Sullivan asked if he could get a replica of the watch to give to Finnerty's wife and father at the memorial.

"I would be willing to pay any amount for this item," he wrote.

One floor below Finnerty was Dan Trant, who also worked for Cantor Fitzgerald. A two-time all-American in basketball, Trant was captain of the Clark University (Massachusetts) 1983-84 team that played in the 1984 Division III national championship game, losing to the University of Wisconsin, Whitewater.

One of Trant's friends, Wally Halas, former basketball coach and former athletics director at Clark (Massachsetts), described Trant's last moments:

"The plane entered below his floor, leaving no path of escape. Fire, fed by jet fuel, quickly encircled the people on his floor. His last words, by cell phone to his wife, were, 'I love you and the kids. It's getting really hot in here, I don't know if I can get out.' "

Halas also wrote to the NCAA on behalf of his friend.

"I know that his finalist award watch was one of his most prized possessions. I am requesting that the NCAA consider replacing Dan's watch and supplying two additional watches so that all three of his children will have the precious memento commemorating his accomplishments. I will be very pleased to provide all costs incurred with the duplications."

The NCAA created replicas of the watches. There won't be any bills for the friends who requested them.

Nebraska's 'epitome'
student-athlete

When members of the University of Nebraska, Lincoln, softball team saw the attacks on September 11, they wanted to help. So, that afternoon they skipped practice and instead took a field trip to the Lincoln Community Blood Bank, becoming among the first student-athletes to donate blood, a trend that swept across the country.

"At times like this it helps to put things in perspective," said coach Rhonda Revelle. "Yes, we all love softball, but in the big scheme of things it's not as important."

What the team did not know then was that one of their alumnae, also a good friend of Revelle, had died in the tragedy.

Julie Geis, who lettered for the Cornhuskers on the softball team from 1976 to 1979, was senior vice-president and the director of business development for AonLine, the online corporation of Aon Consulting, a company based in Kansas City, Missouri. Geis was on the 105th floor of the south tower, attending a business meeting.

Geis, who had played summer ball with Revelle for five years, worked as hard in the classroom as she did on the field, earning a bachelor's degree in education, a master's degree in educational psychology and measurements, and a doctorate in education administration. She also had been a special education teacher.

She was an active volunteer in the Kansas City area, where she devoted her time to a number of causes. She was the president of an organization called "Women with One Voice," a nonprofit group that assisted women and their families in need of medical services, health care and educational assistance services.

"Julie was the epitome of a Nebraska student-athlete," said Revelle. "She grew up on the farm, worked hard, earned a scholarship, played ball and was very grateful for her education. In her adult life, Julie kept making a difference in people's lives through her teaching and community service. She was a wonderful human being, a warm, generous and kind-hearted individual.

"It is truly an honor for the Nebraska softball program to retire her number and carry out the desire of her family in establishing a scholarship in Julie's name."

More than 50 former softball players returned to Lincoln for the jersey-retirement ceremony -- only the third such ceremony in team history -- and the official opening of Nebraska's new softball field at Haymarket Park.

Geis' framed No. 15 will hang on the outfield fence behind the third-base line.

The gesture meant a lot to Geis' family.

"Through this gesture, our sorrow is softened," said Geis' brother, Mike Geis, who told the current Nebraska student-athletes to see her as a role model.

"When you see the No. 15 jersey hanging on the fence, think of someone who is the epitome of overachievement -- that's Julie," her brother said. "She was gifted, talented, and driven. Realize the potential you have within yourselves. If you follow in Julie's footsteps, you are destined for greatness."

Baseball star, New York hero

Michael Weinberg was supposed to be on the golf course that morning, not at Ground Zero with his fellow firefighters.

On September 11, the former baseball standout at St. John's University (New York) was on vacation and getting ready to tee off at Forest Park golf course. As he waited in the clubhouse for his 9:08 a.m. tee time, Weinberg heard reports that a plane had crashed into the World Trade Center.

A firefighter with Engine 1, Ladder 24 in lower Manhattan, Weinberg wanted to do what he could to help his fellow firefighters. As a brother, Weinberg wanted to be sure his sister, Patricia Gambino, who worked on the 72nd floor of the World Trade Center, was OK.

Weinberg tossed his clubs into the back of his sport utility vehicle and rushed into lower Manhattan. He stopped at his station house and picked up the Rev. Mychal Judge, the fire chaplain, and Capt. Daniel Brethel. None of the men came home.

The family believes that Judge was administering last rites to Weinberg when they were both hit by falling debris.

Weinberg's family was initially relieved that he was on the golf course. Gambino had escaped, and they thought there was no way Weinberg could have gotten to the scene in time to be hurt.

"He flew," Gambino said. "We thought there was no possible way he would be in trouble. For the life of me, I don't know how he got there so quickly."

Perhaps his speed had something to do with his athleticism. Weinberg was the Big East Tournament's Most Outstanding Player in 1988 when he hit two home runs, including a three-run game-winner against Villanova University in the semifinal game. His two-run homer in the championship game against the Wildcats helped St. John's win the conference title and clinch a berth in the NCAA tournament.

Weinberg went on to play two seasons in the minor leagues for the Detroit Tigers before choosing a career as a firefighter.

Weinberg's friends were not surprised that he died trying to help others.

"Mike was a great kid," said Joe Russo, the coach at St. John's from 1974 to 1995, including during Weinberg's tenure from 1986 to 1989. "When I first heard what was going on, one of the first things I told
my wife was, 'I hope Mike wasn't there.' "

Weinberg was there, of course. His family said he would always be where he was needed.

"Everywhere he went, people would say he was striking (looking), but he was more beautiful inside," Gambino said. "He was just an incredible human being and that's why he is with God now."

Jerseys in church

Jillian Schaefer, 12, wore her soccer jersey to the memorial service at St. Agnes Cathedral in Rockville Centre, New York. The service was for her coach, Jimmy Geyer, and it just seemed appropriate.

Geyer was a broker for Cantor Fitzgerald and worked in the World Trade Center. His memorial service was full of children like Schaefer, many of them wearing their game jerseys.

A former football standout at Western New England College, Geyer played football at the school for four years and was a member of the school's first Division III football program in 1981.

"While he was on campus, Jimmy epitomized the ideals of a student-athlete leader, and he carried those values forward in life as a loving husband and devoted father," said Michael D. Theulen, Western New England's director of athletics.

Geyer achieved his real "fame" in coaching youngsters. He coached a team for Michele, his 13-year-old daughter, for eight years. He coached a team for Matthew, his 11-year-old son, for six years. And, he had coached a team for Laura, his six-year-old daughter, for two years.

Over the years, scores of parents have told Kathy Geyer how much her husband's coaching meant to their own children.

"He touched so many kids' lives," she said.

Football players at Western New England will wear Geyer's old jersey number, No. 22, on their helmets this season.

The school has collected money for the Geyer family, and it also will create a "Jimmy Geyer Award" to give to a football player for courage and leadership.

Geyer's death has made an impression on current student-athletes at Western New England.

"When we learned the news, it really hit home that this wasn't something that just happened in New York City, but it affected everyone in our country," said Western New England football captain Jody Lemoi, a senior wide receiver.

"Jimmy Geyer was part of our football family and all of us were deeply saddened by the news. All of us take a lot of things for granted, but now we know that at any moment, our lives can change forever."