Complete biographies for Hall of Achievement 2016 Inductees
HAVERFORD, Pa. - The Haverford College Department of Athletics celebrated its proud history on Friday night as six new members and one team were inducted into the Thomas Glasser '82 Hall of Achievement.
J. Howard "Egg" Morris, Jr. '30, Peter Steenbergen '77, Howard Morris '86, John Loughnane '87, Sarah Zinn '97, and Donna Kaminski '98 – along with the 1945 Haverford College men's soccer team – entered the department's hall of fame during a ceremony at Founders Great Hall in conjunction with the College's Alumni Weekend.
Attendees enjoyed a reception and dinner honoring the seventh induction class in the history of the Hall of Achievement which every two years recognizes selected alumni who have made significant contributions to the success of Haverford College athletics. Through their outstanding achievements, these individuals helped to define excellence for and bring distinction to Haverford and its athletic program.
Master of ceremonies Kevin Foley '83, a 2008 inductee, kicked off the night by sharing stories about Glasser and how it is fitting that the College's Hall of Achievement is dedicated in his close friend's memory. Glasser was Haverford's Varsity Cup winner as the outstanding athlete in the Class of 1982 and a gold medal winner in the 4x400-meter relay at the 1981 Maccabiah Games in Israel.
J. Howard "Egg" Morris, Jr. '30, presented by current assistant track & field coach Rob Upton, competed in three sports during his time at Haverford. He made his greatest contributions to the track & field team where he was a two-time conference champion in both the shot put and discus. Widely considered one of the best "weightman" in the east, he was described as the best athlete Haverford ever had at the time of his graduation and held the College's shot put and discus records all the way up until the 2005 season. He was also a four-year starter and senior captain on the football team where he scored 11 of the team's 19 touchdowns from his fullback position in his final season.
Peter Steenbergen '77, presented by assistant coach Ken Norris '73, was a three-time All-American for the tennis team. He won the Middle Atlantic Conference singles championship in 1976 and was the conference runner-up the following season. His junior season was the first year the NCAA hosted a separate tournament for Division III and Steenbergen advanced all the way to the national semifinals. He made it to the NCAA Quarterfinals the following year before losing to the eventual national champion. He was also an All-American in doubles with Mike Hoffman '81 during his senior season. Steenbergen played No. 1 singles in each of his last three years, plus the final match of his freshman season, and No. 1 doubles all four years.
Howard Morris '86, presented by Jonathan Evans '77, was the first Middle Atlantic Conference Player of the Year in the history of the men's soccer program. He earned that distinction during his junior and senior seasons. During his four seasons, the Fords won the MAC South Division twice. He was named a second-team NSCAA All-American following his junior year. Morris was also a member of the track & field team where he set the school record in the outdoor triple jump with a leap of 45 feet, seven inches. He now ranks fifth in school history in that event.
John Loughnane '87, presented by John Stephenson '88, was a standout behind the plate for the baseball program during his four seasons. He earned second-team ABCA All-America honors during his senior season. During that historic year, he earned first-team All-MAC honors as he batted .432 with eight home runs and drove in 43 runs. Those home run and RBI totals were both school records at the time and still rank among the top 10 single-season outputs in program history. Loughnane also won the Archibald MacIntosh '21 Award and Varsity Cup during his athletic career. Additionally, he was a three-year member of the track & field team.
Former fencing head coach Jim Murray (1981-2001) had the honor of presenting the first two women's fencers into the Hall of Achievement in Sarah Zinn '97 and Donna Kaminiski '98.
Zinn was the first NCAA qualifier in the history of the women's fencing program. She was a four-year member of the team and served as captain during her senior season. Earning two trips to the NCAA Championships, she capped her career with a 19th place finish at the NCAA Championship in 1997. An epee fencer, Zinn also placed third at the National Intercollegiate Women's Fencing Association Championship during her senior season.
Kaminski was the catalyst for sabre fencing on the women's side at both Haverford College and in the NCAA. She became the first female sabriste to compete at the NCAA varsity level, but she had to join the men's team to accomplish that feat. NCAA bylaws allowed women to fence with the men if there is no women's team available and that is exactly what Kaminski did. The attention Kaminski received became the catalyst for women's sabre competition, which was approved by the NCAA for the 1999-2000 season.
Director of Athletics Wendy Smith '87 brought the night to a close by presenting the 1945 men's soccer team. Bill Harris '49 remembered the team through his own words. Relatives of the 1945 team were also presented with bowls for the team's induction. The 1945 men's soccer team completed the first and only undefeated season in program history. The team finished unbeaten and untied in its eight matches to win both the Middle Atlantic Conference Intercollegiate Soccer League and Middle Atlantic Conference Overall Championship.