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DII honors former student-athletes to celebrate 40th anniversary

Forty-eight former student-athletes will be honored by the NCAA throughout 2013 in celebration of the 40th Anniversary of NCAA Division II,.

Developed through a partnership with the Division II Conference Commissioners Association, the 40th Anniversary Tribute Team highlights one male and one female from each of the division’s 23 current conferences, plus two at-large nominees.

“This group of former student-athletes is meant to reflect the core values of Division II athletics,” said Josh Looney, associate director of Division II. “Commissioners have helped identify a diverse group of championship individuals from Division II’s 40-year history. Not only did these former student-athletes act as champions in athletics and in the classroom, they’ve gone on to live championship lives as well.

“This group is a true representation of Division II’s commitment to providing its student-athletes a ‘Life in the Balance’ that extends beyond athletics.”

Division II gained its own unique intercollegiate athletics identity when Divisions I, II and III were formalized during a special NCAA Convention held in 1973.  Prior to 1973, the NCAA was organized into two divisions - “University” and “College.”

The year-long 40th Anniversary celebration will feature several initiatives branded by Division II’s tradition, history and community influence. A special 40th Anniversary highlight video was unveiled to Division II membership during the 2013 NCAA Convention, officially kicking off the celebration.

Each member of the Division II 40th Anniversary Tribute Team will receive a commemorative 40th Anniversary gift and will have their accomplishments profiled through Division II media channels. Conferences were asked to submit a list of nominees representative of Division II’s ideals. The only requirement was that nominees exhausted their athletics eligibility within the past 40 years and attended a college or university active in Division II.

The NCAA Division II 40th Anniversary Tribute Team:

California Collegiate Athletic Association
Violet Palmer (Cal Poly Pomona women’s basketball, 1984-88)
Chris Wondolowski (Chico State men’s soccer, 2001-04)

Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference
Michelle DePolo (Georgian Court women’s basketball; soccer; softball, 1999-03)
Nicholas Harriott (Caldwell men’s soccer, 2004-08)

Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association
Barvenia Wooten-Cherry (Virginia Union women’s basketball, 1980-83)
Timmy Newsome (Winston-Salem State  football, 1976-80)

Conference Carolinas
Stephanie Ferri-Lewis (Pfeiffer women’s cross country; soccer; swimming, 1991-94)
Clint Bryant (Belmont Abbey men’s basketball, 1973-77)

East Coast Conference
Donna Orender (Queens [N.Y.] women’s basketball, 1975-78)
Brian Kilmeade (LIU Post men’s soccer, 1982-86)

Great American Conference
Janet Cherobon-Bawcom (Harding women’s cross country; track and field, 2000-05)
Drew Beard (Southeastern Oklahoma State football, 2001-04)

Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference
Gail Goestenkors (Saginaw Valley State women’s basketball, 1981-85)
Tom Izzo (Northern Michigan men’s basketball, 1973-77)

Great Lakes Valley Conference
Sandra Magnus (Missouri S&T women’s soccer, 1983-86)
Larry Tucker (Lewis men’s basketball, 1979-83)

Great Northwest Athletic Conference
Mallory Holtman-Fletcher (Central Washington softball, 2005-08)
Grant Dykstra (Western Washington men’s basketball, 2002-06)

Gulf South Conference
Rachel Price-Bell and Ronda Price-Brinley (North Alabama women’s volleyball, 1996-00)
Radovan Chrz (West Florida men’s tennis, 2000-04)

Heartland Conference
Kelsey Baird (St. Edward’s women’s soccer, 2005-09)
Collin Mayer (St. Edward’s men’s golf, 2007-10)

Lone Star Conference
Tammi Julch-Williams (Texas Woman’s basketball, 1990-94)
Roberto Garza (Texas A&M-Kingsville football; track and field, 1997-2000)

Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletic Conference
Teri Clemens (Truman State women’s volleyball, 1974-78)
Jim Crane (Central Missouri baseball, 1973-76)

Northeast-10 Conference
Johannah Leedham (Franklin Pierce women's basketball, 2006-10)
J. Terence Carleton (Bentley men’s soccer, 1973-76)

Northern Sun Intercollegiate Athletic Conference
Lauren Brown (Winona State women’s track and field; women’s volleyball, 2007-10)
Bob Bowlsby (Minnesota State Moorhead wrestling, 1972-75)

Pacific West Conference
Samantha Murphy (Grand Canyon women’s basketball, 2007-11)
Tsung-Hsien “Jet” Chang (BYU-Hawaii men’s basketball, 2010-12)

Peach Belt Conference
Amy Amundson-Smith (Georgia College and State University women’s basketball, 1989-92)
Stilian Shishkov (Lander men’s soccer, 1993-95)

Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference
Lori Pio-Jacques (East Stroudsburg women’s basketball, 1992-96)
David Williams (Bloomsburg men’s tennis, 1978-81)

Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference
Elva Martinez-Dryer (Western State women’s cross country; Track and Field, 1991-95)
Danny Woodhead (Chadron State football, 2004-07)

South Atlantic Conference
Kate Griewisch (Lenoir-Rhyne women’s cross country, indoor and outdoor track and field, 2009-12)
Patrick Bartlett (Wingate men’s basketball; soccer; tennis, 1996-00)

Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference
Selina B. Kohn (Albany State women’s basketball, 1990-94)
Edwin Moses (Morehouse, 1974-78)

Sunshine State Conference
Anna Hallbergson (Barry women’s tennis, 1997-2000):
Ken Corigliano (Saint Leo men’s cross country, 2002-06)

West Virginia Intercollegiate Athletic Conference
Mindy Young-Gagliardi (Pittsburgh-Johnstown women’s basketball, 1988-92)
Sean Isgan (Pittsburgh-Johnstown wrestling, 1977-82)

At-Large
Sheila Baxter (Virginia State women’s basketball, 1973-77)
Shane Carwin (Western State football and wrestling, 1995-99)