Six Will Be Inducted into BU Athletic Hall of Fame Tomorrow

The BU Athletic Hall of Fame will hold its 51st induction banquet tomorrow, Saturday, May 21. Five Terriers and a former sports information director will be honored. Photos courtesy of BU Athletics

The friends, families, and fans attending tomorrow’s Boston University Athletic Hall of Fame 51st induction ceremony will witness a departure from previous years: as well as the five former student-athletes being recognized for their contributions on and off the field during their BU careers, for the first time an administrator is being honored.

Longtime sports information director Ed Carpenter helped to promote the stories and successes of hundreds of Terrier student-athletes during a BU career spanning nearly three decades. As head sports information director until his retirement in 2006, Carpenter worked with the NCAA championship 1978 and 1995 men’s ice hockey teams, and was host to the national media at the NCAA Men’s Ice Hockey Frozen Four in 1998 and in 2004. He was the primary media contact for the men’s football program, the men’s and women’s tennis, crew, and swimming and diving programs, and the women’s soccer program, as well as men’s hockey.

A recent change in the Hall of Fame bylaws allowing coaches, administrators, and contributors to be named resulted in Carpenter’s appointment.

The retired administrator was stunned when he received word of the honor. “I was overwhelmed. I’m the furthest thing from an athlete, so I was shocked,” Carpenter says. “It’s one of the greatest honors I’ve ever received. But the fact that I’m the first nonathlete is just the cherry on top. I feel blessed.”

Sharing the spotlight are five Terrier greats, representing six sports. Sarah Dalton (CGS’07, CAS’09) enters the Hall of Fame as the BU women’s lacrosse all-time leader in points, goals, and draw controls. The two-time America East Player of the Year scored 91 goals during her senior season—the fifth-highest total by a player in NCAA history. Dalton also led the Terriers to four consecutive America East conference title games and was named to the US Development Team in 2008 and 2009.

Jamie Haas (SED’05) made history in 2005 when she became the first-ever student-athlete in America East softball history to earn three Offensive Player of the Year awards. She was also the first softball player to win BU’s Mildred Barnes Award, given annually to the top female athlete. A four-time All-Conference First Team honoree, Haas led BU to back-to-back NCAA appearances in 2002 and 2003. She says she couldn’t stop smiling when she learned she was being inducted.

“I haven’t been that happy in a while,” says Haas. “I was surprised, to be honest. But it all hit me at once, and it was surreal. My four years at BU were some of the best years of my life.”

Mark Kimball (SAR’82) is one of two dual athletes to be inducted this year. Largely credited with helping to rebuild the Terriers distance program in the late ’70s and early ’80s, the cross country star led BU to three consecutive appearances in the NCAA Cross Country Championships and is the only Terrier to qualify for four straight NCAA Cross Country Championships. On the track, he finished second in the 10,000-meter run at the Penn Relays, the oldest and largest US track and field competition, during his junior year. Former coach Bob Sevene called it one of the best races he’d ever seen.

A three-time world champion and Olympic gold medalist, Florian Mennigen (CAS’06) becomes the first rower in 16 years to be inducted into the Hall of Fame. As a junior, he led the BU men’s rowing team to its second-ever win at the Jablonic Cup. Later that season, the Terrier varsity eight boat finished fourth in the Eastern Sprints—the BU rowers’ best-ever performance in the event. The following year, Mennigen earned the E. Ray Speare Award, given annually to the top BU male scholar-athlete. After graduation, he was named captain of the German eight boat at the 2008 Beijing Olympics. He was a member of the German team that took a gold at the 2012 London Olympics.

Mark Seals (COM’89), a member of the BU football team (the program was disbanded in 1997) and of the track and field team, will enter the Hall of Fame second in interceptions—behind renowned BU athlete Harry Agganis (SED’54), the “Golden Greek”—and third in tackles. As a sophomore, Seals became the first defensive back since BU Hall-of-Famer Bruce Taylor (SED’70) to earn AP All-American First Team status. He recorded eight interceptions and a blocked kick senior year, en route to AP, Kodak, and Camp Foundation All-America honors. Only the second Terrier in program history to win two All-America awards, Seals was honored his senior year with the Mickey Cochrane Award as BU’s top male athlete. Following graduation, he played in the NFL Europe League.

His induction “caught me completely off-guard,” Seals says. “I couldn’t be more excited. And I think it’s wonderful that Ed is going in at the same time. Starting with the directors and coaches, BU always implemented the right environment, keeping kids happy, which is contrary to the horror stories you hear now, where coaches focus only on winning, not character development. BU helped me be the man I am today.”

This year’s inductees will receive a Hall of Fame signature red blazer at the ceremony and will speak briefly about their BU careers. The latest inductees join a roster of great athletes, among them former Red Sox first baseman Agganis, Tunji Awojobi (CAS’97), who holds 13 men’s basketball game, season, and career school records, Indianapolis Colts Ring-of-Honor inductee William Brooks (Questrom’86), and longtime men’s hockey head coach Jack Parker (Questrom’68, Hon.’97).

“To no one’s surprise, our Hall of Fame committee presented yet another impressive group of Terriers for induction,” says Drew Marrochello, BU assistant vice president and director of athletics. “While they competed for us, these five athletes were among the best ever, not only at BU but across all of NCAA Division I athletics, so they are most deserving of this recognition. This year’s class is extra-special with Ed Carpenter’s inclusion—as anyone who had the pleasure to work with him knows, there is not a more fitting or beloved individual to be the first nonathlete to join our Hall’s ranks.”

In addition to the Hall of Fame presentations, a number of recent graduates will be honored. The Aldo Donelli Leadership Awards—presented annually to a male and female senior who have demonstrated outstanding leadership on and off the field—go to Rachel Coll (Questrom’16), field hockey, and John Papale (CGS’14, CAS’15, MET’17), men’s basketball. Mike Sullivan (SMG’90), head coach of the NHL’s Pittsburgh Penguins, receives the annual William French Memorial Award, given to a current or former BU coach or graduate who has distinguished him or herself in the coaching profession in the past year. The Murray Kramer Memorial Award, for an individual or organization in recognition of exceptional media coverage or publicity of intercollegiate sports, will be given to Steve Sera, the executive producer of Moody Street TV, and the Roger Washburn Award, for an alum who has continuously shown altruistic support to BU athletics, will be presented to Wil Duchesneau (CAS’66). Madison Craft (SAR’16), women’s tennis, will receive the Irv Heller Hall of Fame Scholarship, presented annually to a student-athlete who exhibits good sportsmanship and citizenship.

The Boston University Hall of Fame induction ceremony and banquet is tomorrow, Saturday, May 21, at 5:30 p.m., with a cocktail hour beginning at 4 p.m., in the Metcalf Trustee Center, Rafik B. Hariri Building, ninth floor, One Silber Way. The banquet is open to the public and tickets are $70 per person. Contact Sonia Vetrano (svetrano@bu.edu, 617-353-4637) in the athletic department business office to purchase tickets.

Emmanuel Gomez can be reached at mannygo@bu.edu.