Our Rich History: Thomas More University Athletics Hall of Fame compendium

By Raymond Hebert
Thomas More University

(Part 1)

Thomas More University’s Athletes of note and “Teams of Distinction” are many. While no history can be comprehensive, we wish to thank the herculean efforts by many people to uncover the great stories, successes, and even national, regional, and conference recognitions. Our target was roughly twenty articles that would, as a composite, celebrate many of the athletic successes that have helped Thomas More become what we are. In an attempt to include even more of our fine athletes, we offer this compendium that lists all Athletic Hall of Fame inductees who are not singled out in one of the other articles. Included is some basic information about each inductee, as well as the year in which they were inducted.

Men’s Baseball

George “Cubby” Lyon (2008): Lyon played in the Red Sox organization after his time at Thomas More. He became the first Thomas More athlete to play pro baseball.

Bobby Young (2008): Bobby Young was the team MVP for the Thomas More baseball team in 1985. Young was signed by the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1985. 

Ron Ryan (2008): Ryan was a two-time ABCA All-Region selection during his time with the Saints baseball program, while also being named a two-time Academic All-American. After his time with the program, he was selected in the 1997 Frontier League draft. 

Robby Kramer (2010): Kramer was one of the best hitters in the history of Thomas More baseball. He was a member of the 2000 Thomas More baseball team that was the first team in school history to reach the NCAA Division III Baseball Tournament and was a two-time All-Mideast Region selection.

Denny Kehoe (2010): Denny was a member of the 1965 baseball team that was our first team to win a conference championship in any sport, when they won the Kentucky Intercollegiate Athletic Conference championship. In 1963 he pitched a no-hitter against Georgetown College and in 1964 he was the first pitcher in school history to beat both the University of Cincinnati and Xavier University in the same season.

Fred C. Geraci (2014): Geraci was one of Thomas More’s top pitchers from 1969 to 1972. At the time of his induction, he was ranked in the Top-10 of career and single-season earned run averages, as well as held the career school record ERA for pitchers who threw at least 100 innings with a 2.34 ERA. He was ranked fourth and tenth in single-season ERA for pitchers who worked at least 25 innings, with a 1.57 in 1971 and a 2.16 in 1970.

John “Jay” Campbell (2014): Campbell played baseball from 1965 to 1968. A number of his pitching records are still in the Top-10 in school history.

Pat Bernsden (2016): Berndsen was a two-time All-Presidents’ Athletic Conference (PAC) selection playing baseball at Thomas More. 

Garren Colvin (2016): Colvin was a four-year pitcher/outfielder for Thomas More from 1983–1986. On the mound he did not lose a game until his junior season and was named All-NAIA as a senior. During his junior and senior campaigns, he was 97-of-228 at the plate and had 73 strikeouts in 119 innings pitched.  

Mike McPherson (2018): McPherson was a standout pitcher on the Villa Madonna team in 1964–1966. He posted a 15-5 record to go along with the team’s overall 42-19 record over those three years.

Larry Israel (2020): Israel was a four-year standout in both basketball and baseball.  On the basketball court he had 493 career points, was co-captain his senior season, led the team in scoring his junior season (12.2 ppg) and was a member of the WCPO’s first-ever College Tri-State All-Star Team as a junior. He was a member of the Villa Players and was one of two sports editors of the yearbook, as well as being named a Who’s Who Among Students in American Universities and Colleges.

Andrew Thole (2022): Thole was a three-time All-PAC, including one-time second team selection and two-time first team selection. He was named PAC Baseball Player of the Year, D3Baseball.com First Team All-American, Thomas More’s first ever D3Baseball.com All-Midwest Region selection team, and was a two-time ABCA All-Mideast selection.

Women’s Softball

Stephanie (Cameron) Wright (2010): Cameron-Wright helped build the foundation for the current success that the Thomas More softball program is enjoying. In 2002, she was named a NFCA All-American Scholar-Athlete. In addition, she was designated a Louisville Slugger All-Region First Team and CoSIDA Verizon Academic All-District and All-American First Teams in 2003.

Kimberly (Kreimer) Ealy (2014): Ealy was the Saints’ top hitter from 2004–2007, as she is ranked in the Top-10 in seven Thomas More career batting record categories.

Stephanie (Frondorf) Perkins (2016): Perkins excelled on the Thomas More softball diamond from 2002–2006. She was a second-team All-PAC selection in 2006.

Jamie (Wisenall) Leavitt (2022): Leavitt was a three-time All-PAC selection, including one-time second team and two-time first-team. Leavitt pitched a total of 423.5 innings, while recording an overall career record of 39-25 in the circle pitching for the Saints.

Men’s Basketball

John Wenderfer (1987): At the time of his induction into the hall of fame, Wenderfer was seventh in program history in scoring (1,404), sixth in rebounding (895), and seventh in FG made (543). 

Bob Velton (1987): Velton was a two-sport athlete while at the former Villa Madonna College, playing under Coach Charles “Charley” Wolf in baseball and basketball. At the time of his induction, Velton was 18th in program history with 1,182 points.

J. Todd Bender (1996): At the time of his induction into the hall of fame, Bender was 18th in program history in scoring (1,128), and third in rebounding (1,010).

Dave Faust (2002): From 1977–1981, Faust was one of the on-court leaders of the men’s basketball team at Thomas More. He served as the point guard for Head Coach Jim Connor and was a team captain as a junior and senior. Along with Jim Nestheide, Faust was responsible for running the offense. Both players paid key roles in the success of Brian O’Conner, who scored 701 points that season as a result of assists from Faust.

Dave Otte (2003): At the time of his induction into the hall of fame, Otte was 22nd in program history in scoring (1,080).

Frank Emmerich (2003): From 1960–1963, Frank Emmerich was one of the leaders on the Villa Madonna Basketball Team. Emmerich led the team in both scoring and rebounding as a junior and senior. 
As a senior, he was named the team’s Most Valuable Player while leading the team in both scoring and rebounding. He was also a unanimous Kentucky Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (KIAC) All-Star averaging 19.7 points and 7.7 rebounds per game.

Steve Butcher (2010): Butcher is one of the top scorers, shot blockers, and rebounders in Thomas More history. 

Jim Nestheide (2010): One of the top assists in Thomas More men’s basketball history, he also ranked first in single season assists with 162 during the 1980–1981 season, seventh with 136 in 1979–1980 and ninth with 134 in 1978–1979. The Thomas More Assists Leader Award presented yearly is named after Nestheide.

Gerry Thelen (2012): Thelen played four years of basketball for Thomas More. The Cincinnati native played under both Charley Wolf and Jim Weyer. He was drafted in the 1961 NBA Draft in the 8th round (70th overall) by the Cincinnati Royals. 
Dan Lenihan (2012): Dan was an outstanding rebounder and is in the Top-10 in Thomas More history.  

Monsignor Donald F. Hellmann (2014): Monsignor Hellmann was one of the pioneers of the Thomas More/Villa Madonna baseball and men’s basketball programs. He was a member of the first-ever baseball and men’s basketball programs after the college began to offer men’s athletics and played against teams that are currently NCAA Division I, such as Xavier University, the University of Cincinnati, and Miami University.

Billy Arthur (2016): Arthur played basketball from 1989–1993 and ranked in the Top-20 in numerous school records.

Joseph Roesel (2018): Roesel was a men’s basketball standout from 1960–1964 for Villa Madonna. His junior year, he led the team in field-goal and free-throw percentages at .490 and .780 respectively. He was a winner of the “Zip Award,” which is presented to the athlete for demonstrating the most hustle and spirit and was the captain of the team his senior season, the second leading scorer, the co-MVP, and the winner of the Bob Breinich Award. He was a rare tri-athlete, playing men’s basketball, tennis, and cross country.

John M. Griffin (2018): Griffin was a three-sport athlete at Villa Madonna, as he was a baseball and men’s basketball standout and also ran cross country, earning a total of ten varsity letters. In 1965 he was named captain of the first-ever KIAC Championship team. He was the MVP of the basketball team his junior year and won the Brienich Award his senior season.  Griffin was selected for Who’s Who in American Universities and Colleges his senior year, recognizing his successes both on the court and in the classroom.

Dave Meyer (2022): Meyer started all four seasons on the basketball court for Villa Madonna College, was the leading scorer, rebounder, team MVP, and leading vote getter on the All-League Team his junior year. He won the very prestigious Breinich Award his senior season.

Women’s Basketball

Maureen Grosser (1987): Grosser was a member of some of the first teams in the women’s basketball’s program and is in the Top-10 record holders in multiple categories.

Susan (Lalley) Mairose (2002): Lalley played basketball at Thomas More from 1981–1985. She was a team captain for three seasons as a sophomore, junior and senior. She led the team in rebounds as a sophomore, received the Hustle Award following her senior year, and as freshman, was honored with the Spirit Award.

Brenda Simon-Niehaus (2003): Brenda Simon emerged as one of the leading figures in women’s basketball history at Thomas More College. In 1985, Simon was named Honorable Mention All-American by the American Women’s Sport Federation (AWSF), and at the time of induction, was one of only 11 players in school history to score 1,000 points.

Amy (Burk) Lawson (2006): Amy Burk Lawson served as a member of both the women’s basketball and the women’s softball team from 1995–1999. She excelled in basketball as Thomas More’s all-time leading scorer with 1,706 career points, at the time of her induction. In 1999, Amy Burk was a College Player of the Year finalist by the Greater Cincinnati Basketball Hall of Fame.

Kim Prewitt (2006): Kim Prewitt was a member of the women’s basketball team from 1993–1996. In her first season with the Thomas More Saints, Prewitt earned the 1993 Association of Mideast Colleges (AMC) Newcomer of the Year. She was a three-time All-Conference (AMC) member and was second all-time in points scored with 1,501 points in her career, at the time of her induction.

Sherry (Clinkenbeard) Smith (2008): Smith was named Newcomer of the Year in the AMC in her freshman year, leading the conference in rebounding and blocked shots. For her career, she ranked in the Top-5 of three individual season records.

Bridget (New) Ison (2010): New was one of the best free-throw shooters in Saints’ history as she ranked first to that point in career free-throws attempted with 503 and first in career free-throws made with 343. Her 757 career rebounds ranked third all-time at Thomas More and she was also sixth in career points with 1,181.

Kim (Byron) Custenborder (2010): One of the greatest rebounders in Thomas More history, Byron-Custenborder pulled down 917 rebounds to rank first all-time at Thomas More at the time of her induction.

Joanna Bess (2012): At the time of her induction, Joanna Bess was 16th in program history with 1,136 points. After graduation, Bess played basketball professionally in Spain and is now an author.

Dr. Shannon Galbraith-Kent (2014): Galbraith-Kent directed the Saints on the offensive end of the court from 1994 to 1998 and was a member of the Saints’ first NCAA Division III tournament team, which advanced to the sectional semifinals of the 1997 season. Dr. Galbraith-Kent returned to Thomas More as a member of the Biology Department, serving as chairperson for multiple terms.

Holly Roberts (2018): Roberts was a women’s basketball standout and at the time of her graduation, she was third all-time in scoring with 1,219 career points, despite missing part of her freshman and sophomore years. She was named to the All-Region team, played in the NCAA tournament, while advancing to the second round as she scored 26-points against No. 1-seed Hope College. After TMC, she coached at Gallatin County for nine years and was named Eighth Region Coach of the Year and advanced to two All-A State Final Fours, won three-straight district titles, and advanced to regionals four-straight years.

Allison (Long) Butler (2020): Butler earned All-American, PAC Woman of the Year, CoSIDA Academic All-American, Jostens Trophy Finalist and PAC Player of the Year honors in 2013.  She was a four-time All-PAC selection, including two-time first team selection and two-time All-Great Lakes Region selection.

Nicole (Dickman) Rice (2020): Rice was a four-time D3hoops.com All-Great Lakes Region selection and four-time All-Presidents’ Athletic Conference (PAC) selection, including three-times as a first team selection.

To be continued . . .

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.