By Raymond G. Hebert, PhD
Special to NKyTribune
Part two of two parts
These talented student-athletes round out a remarkable journey of over 100 + years that has brought athletic recognition for VMC/TMC/TMU to rival the institution’s academic accomplishments.
Football
Mike Woolf (2002): Woolf set the standard by which all future linebackers at Thomas More were judged. One of the most decorated players in school history, he was a three-time All-Association of Mideast Colleges (AMC) selection and a two-time All-American. He was selected First-Team All-AMC in each of his three seasons and a Champion USA Second-Team All-American in 1991 and 1992.
In his sophomore year, Joe Detzel qualified for the 1961 National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) Golf Championship. (TMU Athletics)
Ryan Reynolds (2002): From 1991–94, Reynolds was one of the most dominant runners in college
football as he helped establish Thomas More's football program. He led the Saints in rushing in both his sophomore and senior seasons. He was a three-time All-Association of Mideast Colleges (AMC) selection and a 1994 Football Gazette Second-Team All-North Region honoree. In 1992, he was a Champion USA Third-Team All-American.
William E. Castleberry (2008): Castleberry was named an All-American (Second-Team in 2000 by D3football.com) during his time playing football with the Saints. He was also a two-time All-Region selection. At his induction, he was the first in career touchdowns with 49, the leader in career games rushing for 100 or more yards with 21 and 100-yard plus games in a season with 10, and also held the two longest rushes in school history.
Chris Wells (2010): One of the top defensive players to play for Thomas More, Wells made his mark in the school record books for his tackles. After the 1995 season, he was named All-American by the American Football Coaches Association as the Saints posted their second-ever undefeated regular season. After graduation, Chris coached the linebackers at Thomas More for four seasons, including serving as defensive coordinator his last two seasons.
Cathy (Santillo) Lynch was one of the top scorers in the history of the Thomas More women’s soccer program. She played for the Saints from 2002 to 2005. When she was inducted in the hall of fame in 2014, she held the record for goals scored with 53 and points with 122. (TMU Athletics)
Mike Strassel (2012): Strassel was a key player on the offensive line for the Saints during his four years as a starter from 1999–2002. In 2000, he helped the team average 233.6 rushing yards per game, while 2001 saw the Saints finish with the third-best rushing offense in the nation.
Todd Naumann (2012): At the time of induction, Naumann was third in program history with 1,748 receiving yards, fourth with 108 career receptions, and sixth for receiving yards in a game with 190.
Nicholas A. Rice (2014): Rice was one of the top linebackers at Thomas More, playing from 1999 until 2002. He had 286 career tackles, including 20.5 sacks and 54.5 tackles for a loss as he was named to the 2002 AFCA All-Good Works Team and a 2002 AFCA All-American.
Dustin Hicks (2016): Hicks set numerous passing records at Thomas More as he played quarterback from 1995 until 1998. At the time of his induction, he held the career record for passing yardage with 5,475 and career completions with 442.
Mark Carlisle (2016): Carlisle was a first team All-PAC selection and was the first Thomas More football player to be named PAC Most Valuable Player in 2006. He was also named an Honorable
Mention All-American by D3football.com in 2006.
Matt Atkins (2018): Atkins was a four-year starter for the Saints. He was a part of the 2001 team that went undefeated, named a 2002 Third-Team All-American by D3football.com, and a 2003 Third-Team All-American by D3football.com. He blocked for 9,935 rushing yards and was a captain of the team his senior season.
Andy Kulina played tennis all four years at Thomas More from 1983–1987. He was the captain for the 1987 team and during his senior year, he was named Academic All-American and was the KIAC champion at sixth singles and District 32 honorable mention with a 14-6 record. (TMU Athletics)
Brad Steinmetz (2020): Steinmetz was named a Second-Team All-American by D3football.com and PAC Player of the Year in 2009. He was a three-time first team All-PAC selection and a two-time All- Region selection.
Men’s Golf
Joe Detzel (2002): One of the best golfers to play for Villa Madonna, Detzel is best remembered for his sophomore season when he qualified for the 1961 National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) Golf Championship. However, that accolade was just one of many on his resumé throughout a four-year career during which he was a starter throughout and team captain as a junior and senior. His success on the golf course has continued after his graduation from Villa Madonna, as he has been both Club Champion and Northern Kentucky Team Champion at Ft. Mitchell Country Club.
Men’s Soccer
Aaron Osborne (2020): Osborne was a NSCAA All-American and PAC Most Valuable Player in 2009. He was a four-time first team All-PAC selection.
Dan Miller (2022): Miller was a four-time All-PAC Selection, including one-time honorable mention, one-time second time, and two-time first team. He was named PAC Player of the Year and NSCAA/Performance Men’s DIII Second Team All-Great Lakes selection.
Lucas Nare was Thomas More’s first-ever track & field student-athlete to qualify for the national championship when he was accepted for the 2014 NCAA Division III Outdoor Championship. Nare was the PAC Indoor Track Most Valuable Player and was a nine-time PAC Champion. (TMU Athletics)
Women’s Soccer
Cathy (Santillo) Lynch (2014): Lynch was one of the top scorers in the history of the Thomas More women’s soccer program, playing for the Saints from 2002 to 2005. At the time of her induction, she held two Thomas More career school records, for goals scored with 53 and points with 122.
Men’s Tennis
Gary Bailey (2008): Bailey was a four-time All-KIAC selection and a two-time district selection as a member of the men’s tennis team at Thomas More. He was also the KIAC Coach of the Year for Thomas More, as his teams won three KIAC titles.
Andy Kulina (2016): Kulina was a four-year letter winner on the tennis court for Thomas More from 1983–1987 and was the captain of the 1987 team that recorded the first final national ranking in program history (it was ranked 23 rd ). As a senior, Kulina was named Academic All-American and was the KIAC champion at sixth singles and District 32 honorable mention with a 14-6 record, including three wins against Division I opponents as a national tournament qualifier and participant.
Men’s Track and Field
Lucas Nare (2020): Nare was Thomas More’s first-ever track and field student-athlete to qualify for the national championship as he was accepted for the 100 and 200-meter dashes at the 2014 NCAA Division III Outdoor Championship. He was the PAC Indoor Track Most Valuable Player and was a nine-time PAC Champion.
Rosemary (Scheper) Mullen was a three-sport athlete in basketball, softball, and volleyball. She was the captain of the volleyball team in 1979–80. She was a part of the very first Hall of Fame class in 1987. (TMU Athletics)
Women’s Volleyball
Rosemary (Scheper) Mullen (1987): Mullen played on the women's basketball, softball, and women’s volleyball teams while at Thomas More. She was a member of the very first Hall of Fame class in 1987 and was the captain for the volleyball team in 1979–80.
Jane (Scheper) Grosser (1991): Grosser was a two-time District 32 selection, and a two-time KWIC state selection. She played for a team that won 31 games as a junior—that same team also won the district championship.
Kim (Flynn) Freppon (1996): Freppon was a four-time District 32 selection and a four-time KWIC state selection. She was a district champ as a sophomore, as the team won 31 games. She posted 524 kills over her final two seasons and led the team in kills for three straight seasons.
Kristi (Flynn) Snyder (1996): Snyder was a two-time District 32 selection and a two-time KWIC state selection. She was a district champ as a sophomore, as the team won 31 games.
Chris Cullinane (2008): Cullinane was a Second-Team All-American during her time with the women’s volleyball program.
Leigh Ann Burke (2012): At the time of induction, Burke was the program record holder in single-season service aces (102) and career service aces (284).
Jane (Scheper) Grosser was a two-time District 32 selection, and a two-time KWIC state selection. (TMU Athletics)
Dr. Beth (Rechtin) Venard (2014): Venard played volleyball from 1989 to 1992 and was one of the top defenders, as she helped lead the 1991 team to its first-ever NCAA Division III Tournament appearance and the 1992 team to the NCAA Division III Final Eight.
Laura Weigele (2016): Wiegele was a defensive specialist for the Thomas More volleyball team from 2001 until 2005. She was named first team All-PAC and the PAC Defensive Player of the Year in 2005 during the college’s first year as members of the conference.
Jody Harris-Kirch (2018): Harris-Kirch was a four-year starter and a two-time captain for the women’s volleyball team at Thomas More. She joined fellow Hall of Famer Jenny Boerger as being one of the only players to be in the Top-5 all-time for kills, digs, and attacks. Harris-Kirch went on to coach volleyball at Roger Bacon High School as an assistant coach for five years. There, she helped coach the team to two state championships.
Katie Sullivan (2020): Sullivan was a four-time All-PAC selection, including first team on three occasions, and was an AVCA All-Region selection in 2011. After her playing career, she spent seven seasons on the Thomas More coaching staff, including serving as the co-interim head coach during the 2019 season.
Kelsey Castiglioni (2022): Castiglioni was a two-time PAC Women's Volleyball Player of the Year and named PAC Freshman of the Year, as well as honorable mention AVCA All-American and All-Region. She was a four-time All-PAC selection, including one-time honorable mention, one-time second team, and two-time first team.
Dr. Raymond G. Hebert is Professor of History and Executive Director of the William T. Robinson III Institute for Religious Liberty at Thomas More University. He is the leading author of Thomas More University at 100: Purpose, People, and Pathways to Student Success (2023). The book can be purchased by contacting the Thomas More University Bookstore at 859-344-3335. Dr. Hebert can be contacted at hebertr@thomasmore.edu.
Paul A. Tenkotte, PhD is Editor of the “Our Rich History” weekly series and Professor of History and Gender Studies at Northern Kentucky University (NKU). He also serves as Director of the ORVILLE Project (Ohio River Valley Innovation Library and Learning Enrichment), as well as Editor of the forthcoming ORVIE (Ohio River Valley Innovation Explorer), premiering in Summer 2024. ORVIE is now recruiting authors for entries on all aspects of innovation in the Ohio River Watershed including: Cincinnati (OH) and Northern Kentucky; Ashland, Lexington, Louisville, Maysville, Owensboro and Paducah (KY); Columbus, Dayton, Marietta, Portsmouth, and Steubenville (OH); Evansville, Madison and Indianapolis (IN), Pittsburgh (PA), Charleston, Huntington, Parkersburg, and Wheeling (WV), Cairo (IL), and Chattanooga, Knoxville, and Nashville (TN). If you would like to be involved in ORVILLE or ORVIE, please contact Paul Tenkotte at tenkottep@nku.edu.
