1990-99: Continuing to Roll
Football Glory
Rising to prominence throughout the late 1980’s, the Allegheny football team achieved the ultimate goal of winning the NCAA Division III National Championship at the 1990 Amos Alonzo Stagg Bowl. Shaking off a tie in the season opener, first-year head coach Ken O’Keefe’s Gators won its final 13 games of the season, capped off with a dramatic 21-14 overtime win over Lycoming in Bradenton, Florida in the national final on Dec. 8. Lycoming jumped out to a 14-0 lead in the third quarter, before momentum shifted the way of the Gators. Quarterback Jeff Filkovski put the Gators on the board with an 11-yard touchdown run, before he found Julio Locayo with a 7-yard pass to tie the game at 14-all with 1:38 left in the fourth quarter. After Lycoming missed a potential game-winning 41-yard field goal in the waning seconds of regulation, the Gators needed just three plays to score in overtime, with a pass from Filkovski to Kurt Reiser giving Allegheny a 21-14 lead. The Gator defense held on Lycoming’s final possession of the day, with Tony Bifulco sealing the victory by intercepting a Lycoming pass on fourth down to end the game. It remains the only Stagg Bowl to be decided in overtime.
Allegheny saw 10 players earn First Team All-NCAC honors, and led the NCAC in scoring offense, averaging 34 points per game, while finishing second in total offense (401.5 yds/g), total defense (259.3 yds/g), passing defense (84.7 yds/g), rushing defense (112.5 yds/g), and scoring defense (11.2 pts/g). O’Keefe was named the NCAC Coach of the Year, while Filkovski, Bifulco, linebacker Darren Hadlock, center John Marzka, and defensive back David LaCarte were all named All-America.
Gators Run Past NCAC Foes
Under head coach Ralph White, the Allegheny women’s track and field team captured five NCAC championships in a seven-year span between 1990-96, while producing seven NCAC MVPs and having eight athletes combine to win 15 All-America honors. In taking a look at the impressive stretch…
1990: NCAC finish: 1st. Conference champions: 6. NCAC MVP: Donna Moulton (NCAC champion in the 200 and 400). All-American: Donna Moulton - 7th place in the 200.
1991: NCAC finish: 2nd. Conference champions: 7. NCAC MVP: Lynda Kohl (NCAC champion in the 5,000 and 10,000). All-Americans: Lynda Kohl - 3rd place in 5,000; 5th place in 10,000. Alyse Holden - 8th place in 1,500
1992: NCAC finish: 1st. Conference champions: 5. NCAC MVP: Alyse Holden (NCAC champion in the 800, 1,500, and 3,000. All-Americans: Sue McQuiston - 5th place in javelin; Jennifer Eddy - 8th place in javelin
1993: NCAC finish: 1st. Conference champions: 6. NCAC MVP: Tina Chase (NCAC champion in the 5,000 and 10,000. All-American: Sue McQuiston - 8th place in javelin
1994: NCAC finish: 1st. Conference champions: 6. NCAC MVP: Tina Chase (NCAC champion in the 3,000, 5,000, and 10,000. All-American: Laura Moeller - 5th place in 400 hurdles.
1995: NCAC finish: 2nd. Conference champions: 5. NCAC MVP: Laura Moeller (NCAC champion in the 1,500; runner up in the 800. All-Americans: Laura Moeller - 5th place in 400 hurdles; 5th place in 800; Kari Bonomo - 6th place in high jump
1996: NCAC finish: 1st. Conference champions: 9. NCAC MVP: Alison Anibaldi (NCAC champion in the 400, 800, and 1,500. All-Americans: Ali Anibaldi - 2nd place in the 800; Kari Bonomo - 5th place in high jump
A Regional Reign
Between 1988 and ‘92, the Gators won five straight NCAC and Mideast women's cross country regional championships. Head coach Ralph White was named the NCAC Coach of the Year in all five seasons, and the Gators produced the NCAC individual champ in both 1989 (Sue Castor) and 1991 (Alyse Holden). In addition, Holden finished first at the 1991 NCAA Mideast Regional Championships earning Mideast Runner of the Year, before earning All-America with a sixth-place finish at the Division III National Championships. Over the five-year span, the Gators turned in four top-10 finishes at the NCAA Championships, highlighted by a seventh-place finish in 1990, when Katie Tiedermann led the way for the Gators, finishing 16th.
Dietz Dominates During Record Run
From 1988-92, Molly Dietz was a key component of four Allegheny volleyball NCAC Tournament Championship programs, becoming the first three-time NCAC Player of the Year and two-time All-American in program history. Deitz, a 2002 Allegheny Hall of Fame Inductee, three-time AVCA All-East Region and three-time All-NCAC First Team designee was an all-around presence for the Gators, dominating the play in front of the net for four seasons. Dietz owns the career marks for blocks with 976 stops, finishing tops in all-time attack percentage with a .329 clip and third in all-time kills with 1,682 career tallies for the Gators. Dietz holds four of the top six single-season block totals, including a program record 302 in 1991.
Barclay Spearheads Tennis Success
Upon graduating in 1993, Kristen Barclay left Allegheny College as the most decorated student-athlete in the history of the women's tennis program, spearheading the squad during a massively successful era of success. The Scotdale, Pennsylvania native opened her career with a 15-7 record in singles along with a 13-8 mark in doubles, earning All-NCAC First Team singles and second team doubles plaudits after an 18-8 singles record and 17-8 doubles mark during her sophomore season. Barclay joined Kristie Kachuriak as the first two Academic All-Americans in the history of the program, as both earned the honor in 1992. By that year, Barclay had made her name well known in the Gator history books as she had set program marks in career doubles and career singles wins. Barclay and Kachuriak once again made history the following season, earning Academic All-American honors again while additionally teaming to win All-NCAC First Team Doubles honors. Barclay graduated Magna Cum Laude with an additional All-NCAC First Team Singles accolade, the third of her career, leaving Meadville with 68 career singles victories, 64 career doubles wins and 132 combined victories, all of which currently rank in the top three in the history of the program.
Stan the Man
Stanley Drayton remains one of the top athletes in Allegheny College history, as he was a standout in both football and track and field. On the gridiron, Drayton graduated as the Allegheny career record holder in both rushing yards (3,272) and rushing touchdowns (54). At the time of his graduation, he was the NCAA Division-III all-time leading rusher, while Drayton also held the top two single-season rushing totals in program history, gaining 1,375 yards in 1991 and 1,255 yards in ‘92, while his 27 touchdowns in 1991 remain atop the team’s record book. The 1992 North Coast Athletic Conference Offensive Player of the Year, Drayton earned First Team CoSIDA All-America laurels in both 1991 and ‘92.
He was just as dominant on the track, as the sprints specialist was twice named both the NCAC’s Outdoor (1991, ‘93) and Indoor (1991, ‘92) Track MVP. He remains the Allegheny school record holder in both the 100 (10.63) and 200 (21.67) meter dashes, and amassed a total of 17 NCAC indoor and outdoor championships, including winning both the 100 and 200 titles at the outdoor championships each year between 1991 and ‘93. In 1992, he went on to earn All-America honors at the NCAA Division III Outdoor Track & Field Championships with a sixth-place finish. Drayton was inducted into the Allegheny Hall of Fame in 1995, and currently is employed as the running backs coach of the Chicago Bears.
Filkovski: A Two-Sport Superstar
In the early 1990's, one of the most prominent athletes at Allegheny College was Jeff Filkovski, who was a standout in both football and baseball.
As the quarterback, he led the Gators to the 1990 National Championship, earning consensus All-America honors from Associated Press, Champion and Football Gazette along the way. He ranked sixth at Allegheny in career passing yards with 2,364 and TD passes with 19, and second in career completion percentage and passing efficiency. During the 1990 championship season, he was a First-Team All-NCAC quarterback and was the Second-Team All-NCAC punter. That season, he threw for a then-school record 1,604 yards, completed 62.4% of his passes and tossed 16 TDs. As a baseball player, he was a first team All-NCAC pick in 1991 when he drilled 11 home runs, still fourth in a single-season in Gator history. He also stands fourth on the school’s all-time home runs list with 26. During his collegiate career, the Gator football team was 36-7-2 and the baseball team was 102-58. Filkovski is a native of Penn, Pennsylvania.
A Program-Changing Season
The Allegheny women's swimming and diving team finished second at the 1991 NCAC Championships, defeating Denison by 17 points and knocking the Big Red out of the runner-up spot for the first time since the 1987 season. The Gators won six individual titles, while picking up a pair of relay wins. Melissa Moody, the NCAC Women’s Diver of the Year, scored 462.70 in the three-meter during the year, which was a new national record. In addition, Kate Thoman was named Women’s Swimmer of the Year and Tom Erdos named Women’s Coach of the Year. Thoman finished second at the NCAA Championships in the 500 free (4:57.26) as senior Marci Hennessey finished fourth in the 200 I.M. (2:09.85), Moody finished fifth in one-meter diving (337.85), and the team of Hennessey, Thoman, Diel and Schaner finished fourth in the 400 Medley Relay (3:59.67).
Going Out on Top
The Allegheny wrestling program was disbanded in 1993 due to the combination of rising costs, no conference affiliation, and lack of sufficient facilities. However, the latter days of the program did produce some fine memories. In 1988, sophomore Tony Pendolino became the Gators first All-American in five years after finishing fifth at the NCAA Championships at 134 lbs, earning the Dennis Andrews Memorial Wrestling Award. That same season Jim Cessna was named a CoSIDA Academic All-American. In 1990, the Gators produced a pair of All-Americans at the NCAA Division III Championships, with Rick Kaliczewski placing fourth at 190 lbs., and Pendolino seventh at 134 lbs, helping Allegheny finish 24th. Kaliczewski and teammate Shane Fisher were also named Academic All-America by the National Wrestling Coaches Association following the season.
Decorated Duo
Two vital cogs of the Gators’ impressive reign atop the NCAC in the 1990’s were the distance tandem of Alyse Holden and Tina Chase, as the duo combined for 15 NCAC titles and three conference MVP honors. In 1991, Holden won the conference championship in the 1,500, and went on to earn All-America honors in the event with an eighth-place finish at the NCAA Championships. In 1992, Holden was named both the NCAC Indoor and Outdoor Track MVP, after taking gold at the indoor championships in the 800, 1,000, and 1,500, while winning the conference outdoor titles in the 800, 1,500, and 3,000. Chase captured gold in the 10,000 at the conference outdoor championship in 1992, ‘93, and ‘94, while also winning two conference titles in the 5,000 (1993, ‘94), and one in the 3,000 (1994). In 1994, she was also the conference’s indoor champ in both the 3,000 and 5,000.
Two-Time All-American Arie Boosts Gator Booters
Ziv Arie ended his men's soccer career with one of the most illustrious seasons in program history, assisting on 16 goals in 1993, a single-season program record, while ending his career with a program-record 34 career assists, finishing second in the all-time points listing with 94 total points over his career. In addition to his success on the field, Arie earned the second Academic All-American honor of his career in 1993, becoming the first Academic All-American in program history, additionally picking up four All-NCAC awards and earning a spot in Phi Beta Kappa alongside teammate Mike Newmann, the first time that two members of one program accomplished the feat. In addition to Arie’s success on the field, Ron Gruca netted 11 goals and the team picked up 12 wins, which was a new program record at the time.
Twice as Nice
After finishing no higher than third in the first seven North Coast Athletic Conference championships in which they participated, the Gators won the NCAC men's track outdoor title in both 1992 and ‘93. In 1992, Allegheny athletes won seven events, led by Stanley Drayton, who earned the gold in both the 100 and 200 meter dashes, as well as the 4x100 relay. In all, the Gators posted top-three finishes in 12 of the 18 events contested, with head coach Ralph White earning NCAC Coach of the Year plaudits.
A season later, the Gators repeated, and turned in a performance just as dominant. Gator athletes once again won seven different events, with Drayton earning NCAC Track MVP laurels after winning the 100, 200, and 4x100 relay, while taking second in the long jump. After winning the shot and finishing second in the discus, Fletcher Brooks was tabbed the NCAC Field MVP, while White earned his second consecutive Coach of the Year honor.
Brooks, who remains the Allegheny record holder in both the shot and disc, went on to earn All-America honors in the shot put at the 1993 NCAA Championships, taking third overall, while Drayton finished sixth at nationals in the 200 to earn his first career track All-America accolade.
Don't Chase Her
The 1993 season saw the Gator women earn their sixth straight NCAC cross country team title, while an Allegheny runner was crowned the conference champ for the sixth time in nine years. At the 1993 NCAC Championship in Springfield, Ohio, Tina Chase picked up a four-second victory, crossing the line in 18:57. She led a contingent of five Gators that finished in the top nine overall, as the team finished with 31 points, 32 better than second-place Kenyon. Chase went on to be one of four Gators to earn All-Region honors (joining Taira DeFazio, Serena Fraser, and Maggie Rehm), before ending her career as an All-American following an eighth-place finish at the NCAA Division III National Championship.
Huber Shoots Her Way Into History
Kim Huber finished her career as the Allegheny women's basketball program leader in most offensive categories, becoming the first All-American in team history. A three-time Women’s DIII News All-American and two-time WBCA/Kodak All-American, Huber was a two-time NCAC Player of the Year and three-time All-NCAC First Team pick. Huber owns the career scoring title (2,053 points), single game scoring record (44 points vs. Oberlin, 2/7/96), the three highest scoring seasons in program history (593 points, 95-96; 534 points, 93-94; 490 points, 94-95) along with program marks in career made field goals (822), career made free throws (406) and scoring average (19.7) while finishing second in program history in career rebounds (825). Huber was named to the Allegheny Hall of Fame in 2006.
Historical Season Earns Laurels
In 1993, a 37-5 season provided Allegheny with the NCAC baseball regular season and tournament championship, additionally giving the team a sweep of the major awards as Steve Cook is named NCAC Player of the Year, Pat Broadwater earns NCAC Pitcher of the Year awards and Rick Creehan picks up his second NCAC Coach of the Year honor. The Gators hosted the 1993 NCAC Tournament Championship, opening the tournament with a 13-8 win over Wooster before taking the championship series against the Ohio Wesleyan Battling Bishops with a 9-4 win to clinch the tournament title. Cook scattered 65 hits during the ’93 season, closing out the year with a .451 average, the fourth highest in program history, as Broadwater ended his career with the fourth lowest ERA in program history, earning a 2.76 earned run average over 169.2 innings pitched.
Machuga Mows Them Down
During her four-year career (1993-96), pitcher Laurie Machuga helped the Gators maintain their status as a national softball power. Two decades after graduating, Machuga remains arguably the most dominant pitcher in NCAA Division III history. She burst onto the scene as a freshman in 1993, earning First Team All-America honors after leading Division III with 216 strikeouts and throwing two no-hitters, including the first perfect game in program history in a 4-0 win over Hiram on May 4. As a sophomore in 1993, she again led the nation in strikeouts, with 211, and established a still-standing NCAA record by throwing 75 consecutive shutout innings, spanning 12 appearances between Mar. 25-Apr. 29. In 1995, Machuga set a new NCAA Division III record in strikeouts when she whiffed 316 batters, a whopping 62 more than the previous national mark. That season, she also threw four no-hitters, including two in as many days in wins over Mercyhurst (May 6) and Westminster (May 7). As a senior in 1996, she wrapped up her career in fine fashion, posting the second highest single-season strikeout total in D-III history with 291, while throwing five more no-no’s, and one perfect game. For her career, the four-time All-American graduated with an 81-19 record, and graduated as the NCAA Division-III all-time leader in career strikeouts (1,025), while ranking second in career shutouts (46).
A Versatile Standout
In keeping with Allegheny’s theme of “Unusual Combinations,” 1995 graduate Laura Moeller excelled in a number of distinctly different events during her track and field career, earning a total of 11 All-NCAC accolades and four All-America honors. As a sprinter, Moeller was a two-time NCAC outdoor runner-up in the 400 meter dash, while also turning in second-place performances in the 500 meter dash at the 1992 and ‘93 indoor conference championships. As a mid-distance runner, Moeller won the 1995 NCAC outdoor title in the 1,500, while earning All-America honors in the 800 in both the 1993 indoor season and the 1995 outdoor campaign. She was also a highly-regarded hurdler, winning the conference outdoor title and finishing fifth at the NCAA Championships in the 400 hurdles in both 1994 and 1995. The 1995 NCAC Outdoor Track & Field MVP, Moeller still owns team records in both the 400 hurdles (1:02.52) and the 500 meter run (1:19.37).
Wilcher, Michalski Lay Lacrosse Foundation
After years of pressure by students looking to add the sport, the Allegheny women’s lacrosse program began in 1994 under the leadership of John Wilcher, who also served as the head women’s soccer coach. Although the team struggled during its early history, Jill Michalski served as a highlight, becoming the first player in program history to earn All-NCAC First Team honors after scoring 33 goals in the program’s first season. The following season, Michalski would net a still-standing program record nine goals in a 15-1 win over Alfred on April 2nd, 1995, a single game tally that has only been equaled once since 1995 (Kelsey Rodgers vs. Hiram, 2013).
Musgrove Mashes
A major piece of the Gators’ mid-1990’s baseball success was slugger Joe Musgrove. Musgrove ended his four-year career with the Gators as one of the most distinguished hitters in the history of the program. He has the career school records in batting average, slugging percentage and runs batted in, with single season records in batting average, doubles, runs batted in and a tie for home runs. He had quite the innocuous start to his career, as he played in just two games as a freshman, and then just 15 more as a sophomore, accumulating just 28 at-bats through two seasons.
Musgrove came into his own in 1996, batting .503 (80-for-159), the single season school record, and also setting records in runs batted in (74) doubles (25) and total bases (139). He finished third on the team in home runs with 10, while scoring 58 times, tied for the fourth highest single season total in program history. For his efforts as a junior, he was named to the American Baseball Coaches’ Association All-America First Team and All-Region First Team, in addition to first team All-NCAC honors. His power numbers increased as a senior, as he hit a school-record tying 16 home runs and drove in 72 runs, the second highest total in school history, behind his previous years’ total. Starting all 48 games, he also scored 63 times, third highest in school history, and tallied 139 total bases, tying his own school record. He was named a first team All-American for the second time in his career, in addition to All-Region and All-Conference First Team. For his career, he owns a .458 batting average, .821 slugging percentage and 156 runs batted in, all school records. He also helped the squads to a 138-43 record during his four years, with a pair of NCAA Division III Regional appearances.
Fearsome Front Line
For the duration of the 1990’s, the Gator volleyball team featured a blistering front line attack. Following the 1993 graduation of two-time All-American Molly Dietz, Molly McCoy assumed the reigns, earning First Team All-NCAC honors in both 1996 and ’97 while graduating as the program’s all-time leader in career kills with 1,761. Over her final two seasons, McCoy totaled 1,186 kills, and eclipsed 30 kills in six different matches, highlighted by a 33-kill effort in a four-match win over Case on Oct. 22, 1997.
After McCoy graduated, Tonya Andrews stepped right in, and proved to be just as impressive. Andrews still ranks second in program history in career kills, behind McCoy, with 1,714. After earning Second Team All-NCAC honors as a freshman in 1997, McCoy was a First Team pick in both 1998 and ’99. She owns three of the program’s top four three-set match kill performances, topped by a pair of 26-kill efforts, once in a 1998 match with Manchester and again in 1999 vs. Grove City, while Andrews’ 40 kills in a five-set bout with Goucher on Oct. 3, 1998 remain the most in program history.
A Historic Season
The 1995-96 men's tennis team finished the season with a 21-6 record, which remains the best single-season mark in program history. The Gators were led by the dynamic duo of Trey Westbrook and Matt Barclay. Westbrook earned First Team All-NCAC honors after amassing an impressive 24-3 mark in the #1 singles spot, while Barclay was a Second Team All-NCAC performer at the #2 spot after going 20-8. Westbrook and Barclay additionally teamed up as Allegheny's top doubles tandem, amassing a record of 18-3 to earn Second Team All-NCAC plaudits. Westbrook's mark of 24 singles wins stood as a program record for 17 seasons before being topped by 2014 graduate Patrick Cole, while Barclay graduated as the team's all-time leader in career singles (73) and combined (127) victories.
A Power Trio
The 1995-96 Gator men’s basketball team boasted a prolific offense, averaging over 75 points per game and eclipsing the 85-point mark in seven different contests. The impressive scoring attack was bolstered by a trio of All-NCAC standouts in Dave Masciola, Deron Black, and Jerry Ambooken. Masciola became just the second player in team history to be named the NCAC Player of the Year, as he led the conference in scoring with 538 points, at the time the second-highest single-season total in Gator program history. Ambooken led the NCAC in three-point field goals, connecting on 67, while Black averaged a conference-best 6.2 assists per game (162 total). In addition to the three NCAC statistical leaders, second-year head coach Phil Ness was named the NCAC Coach of the Year after leading the Gators to a 17-10 record.
Another Erdos Leads the Charge
In 1997, the Allegheny women's swimming and diving team finished seventh at the NCAA Division III National Championship to continue an unprecedented streak which saw the Gators make 18 consecutive team finishes within the Top 20. Four years after the graduation of her brother and fellow multi-All-American T.J., Jennifer Erdos put together a storybook season. She earned All-American in the 200 back (2:08.02 – 5th) and the 400 I.M. (8th – 4:38.69), before going on to be named GTE Academic All-America. Ann Magdic finished fourth in 200 breast (2:21.79 – 4th) while joining Erdos in the All-American 200 medley team (Erdos, Smullin, Magdic, Ruffennach – 10th – 1:51.01), 800 free relay (Magdic, Smullin, Erdos, Ruffennach – 7th – 7:52.61), and 400 medley relay (Erdos, Smullin, Magdic, Ruffennach 4th – 3:56.89). The squad finished third at NCAC Championships, led by Erdos, who earned All-NCAC in 200 back (2:10.94), 400 Freestyle and 200 Freestyle Relay.
A Legendary Figure
It would not be a stretch to say that arguably the most impactful figure in the history of Allegheny athletics was Norm Sundstrom. Hired at Allegheny as the head men’s basketball and golf coach in 1970, Sundstrom’s arrival paid nearly immediate dividends for both squads. After the 1969-70 basketball squad finished a paltry 4-12, Sundstrom immediately turned the it around, leading them to a 10-9 record and a share of the PAC championship in 1970-71. Over the next nine seasons, the Gators never finished below .500, while winning the outright conference championship in both 1974-75 and 1978-79, and after both seasons, Sundstrom was tabbed the PAC Coach of the Year.
Sundstrom also turned the fortunes of the men’s golf team, propelling the Gators into national prominence. Under Sundstrom, the Gators won nine consecutive PAC championships between 1974-84, while finishing in the top four at the NCAA Division-III National Championship each year between 1977-83, highlighted by winning the 1983 NCAA Division III title, after which Sundstrom was named the NCAA Division III National Coach of the Year.
Named the Allegheny director of athletics in 1979, Sundstrom turned over the reigns of the basketball program to one of his former players, John Reynders, who led the Gators to continued success throughout the 1980’s. As the Gators’ athletic director, Sundstrom was instrumental in a number of major projects, including the creation of the Allegheny Hall of Fame, as well as the founding of the Golden Gator Club, which remains the primary fundraising force of Allegheny athletics 35 years later.
Sundstrom remained the head golf coach until 1997, leading the Gators to 21 consecutive trips to the NCAA Division III championships and 15 top-10 finishes, while his team won the NCAC championship in each of his final three years at the helm He was named the District II Coach of the Year 14 times, the PAC Coach of the Year nine times, and the NCAC Coach of the Year five times, and is one of just four Division III coaches in the Golf Coaches Association of America Hall of Fame.
Following Your Lead
When the legendary Norm Sundstrom stepped down from the athletic director post in 1992, he was succeeded by Rick Creehan. Five years later, Sundstrom retired from his coaching spot, and Creehan again succeeded him in taking over the Gator golf team for the 1997-98 campaign. Creehan immediately helped the Gators continue their run of success, as the 1997-98 squad won 10 of 14 events during the regular season, before capturing the NCAC championship and finishing third at the NCAA Division-III Championship. Bobby Ruffing was named the Regional Player of the Year, and was one of three Gators to earn All-America honors, joining Mike Gasper and Mike Korenoski.
Swan Song
In his final season behind the bench for the Gators, head coach John Wilcher guided the 1997 Gators to an 18-2-0 overall record, which remains the best in program history. During the season, the Gators put together winning streaks of nine and five games, but finished second in the NCAC by a half game behind Denison. Wilcher was named the NCAC Coach of the Year for the third time in his career, while Jamie McGrady became the first player in program history to be named the NCAC Defensive Player of the Year, while also going on to earn All-America honors, as 14 of the Gators’ 18 wins came via shutout.
A Place to Call Home
While Allegheny athletics had called the David Mead Field House its home since 1955, the Gators began to outgrow their old home at the dawn of the 1990’s. As part of then-President Daniel Sullivan’s vision to make the campus more attractive to prospective students, plans for a new athletic center were developed. Athletic Director Rick Creehan worked with Sullivan and the development department to raise funds for the new building, and received the largest gift from trustee David Wise ’53, who played golf and soccer while attending Allegheny. Wise’s $5 million donation, plus another donation of nearly $2 million from Donald Munroe ’32, aided the plans, and the groundbreaking took place in May 1995 at the top of Highland Avenue adjacent to the Mellon Pool.
Completed in September 1997 for an estimated cost of $12.7 million, the David V. Wise Center was the crown jewel of small college athletic facilities. In addition to brand new office space, the Wise Center boasted a 200 meter indoor running track suspended over a 27,000 square foot sports forum large enough for four full courts. On the ground floor, a 1,000-seat performance arena was constructed, complete with Neo Shock floor technology, the same used in a number of NBA venues. The new building also included racquetball courts, dance studios, and ample locker room space.
After the building was officially dedicated on Oct. 17, 1997, the first sporting event in the new Wise Center took place on Nov. 4, when the Allegheny volleyball team hosted Kenyon in the opening round of the NCAC playoffs. Coach Bridget Sheehan’s Gators made it a memorable night, as they defeated the Ladies 3-1, highlighted by a 20-kill, 17-dig performance from Molly McCoy.
Throwers Thrive
Between 1992 and 2000, the Allegheny men’s track and field saw its throwers earn six All-America honors and 14 NCAC individual championships. The Gators particularly thrived in the javelin, as the Gators produced the conference champ in that event in each season between 1992 and 2000. In 1993, Fletcher Brooks became the first Gator field athlete to earn All-America, as he finished third at the D-III Championships with a throw of 55’ 4”, which remains a team record. Two years later, Dave Murray finished sixth at nationals in the shot with a throw of 51’ 8.25”, while Warren Phillips was also an All-American in the javelin, taking fifth at the D-III championships.
In 1997, Phillips and freshman teammate Pat Madigan became the first pair from Allegheny to earn All-America honors in the same event, with Madigan finishing as national runner up in the javelin, one spot ahead of Phillips, who graduated as a four-time NCAC champ in the event. Madigan added a seventh-place finish at nationals in 1998 to earn his second straight All-America honor, while he was the NCAC javelin champ in each of his final three years at Allegheny (1998-2000).
A Decade of Success
The Gators’ 1990 NCAA championship kicked off a decade of unbridled success for Allegheny football. Between 1990 and ‘99, Allegheny amassed an overall record of 93-16, including undefeated regular seasons in 1990, 1991, 1994 and 1996. The Gators captured six NCAC championships and made six trips to the NCAA playoffs in an eight-year span (1990, ‘91, ‘93, ‘94, ‘96, ‘97).
In 1991, the Gators played host to Albion in the first round of the NCAA playoffs, and in front of a record crowd at Robertson Field, defeated the Briton’s 24-21 on a 24-yard field goal by freshman Chris Merski in overtime. The Gators carried a 24-game winning streak, which was the longest in the nation at the time, into their second round matchup against perennial power Dayton. Trailing 22-7 at the end of the third quarter, the Gators rallied with a pair of touchdown runs by Darren Dosch to tie the game. Allegheny’s T.J. Florkiewicz preserved the regulation tie by blocking an Albion field goal in the final seconds of the fourth quarter. Merski opened the overtime period by connecting on a 25-yard field goal, but Dayton countered with a touchdown on their opening possession of the extra session to end the game.
In 1993, the Gators dropped the season-opener to defending NAIA national champ Westminster, but rebounded to win the final nine games of the regular season and win its fifth NCAC title, while the 1994 squad went 10-0 in the regular season, only to be defeated by Mount Union in the NCAA playoffs for a second straight season.
The 1996 Gators were both an offensive and defensive juggernaut, scoring 50 or more points six times, while allowing seven or fewer points in six different games en-route to another 10-0 regular season. For the third time, Allegheny was pitted against Mount Union in the NCAA playoffs, and the Gators were edged 31-26. A year later, after finishing as co-NCAC champions with Wittenberg, the Gators again faced Mount Union in the NCAA playoffs. Trailing 34-24 with five minutes left to play, Jim Mormino sprinted for a 50-yard touchdown to make it 34-30, but the extra point was missed. The Gator forced Mount Union to punt, and took over on their 19 with 1:35 left. Allegheny drove to the Mount 38, but Kyle Adamson’s last second pass was intercepted on the 20-yard line to end the game.
| CoSIDA All-Americans, 1990-99 |
| 1990: John Marzka (OL), David LaCarte (DB), Jeff FIlkovski (QB) |
| 1991: Jeff Pearson (DL); Stanley Drayton (RB), Tony Bifulco (DB), Ron Bendekovic (OL) |
| 1992: Ron Bendekovic (OL); Stanley Drayton (RB) |
| 1993: Brad Goe (OL); Eric Winslow (DL) |
| 1994: Eric Winslow (DL); Marvin Farr (DB): Paul Bell (QB); Matt Allison (OL) |
| 1995: Nick Reiser (DE/LB); Brian Adams (DL); Bob Tatsch (DL) |
| 1996: Chris Conrad (WR); Jim Adamson (QB) |
| 1997: Jim Mormino (RB); Zach Kessler (OL); Willie Green (DB) |
| 1998: Zach Kessler (OL) |
| 1999: Corey Belaney (LB); Dave Monaghan (DL) |
| NCAC Major Postseason Honors |
| 1990: Ken O’Keefe - NCAC Coach of the Year |
| 1991: Ken O’Keefe - NCAC Coach of the Year |
| 1992: Stanley Drayton - NCAC Offensive Player of the Year |
| 1993: Ken O’Keefe - NCAC Coach of the Year |
| 1994: Paul Bell - NCAC Offensive Player of the Year |
| 1996: Ken O’Keefe - NCAC Coach of the Year; Nick Reiser - NCAC Defensive Player of the Year |
| 1997: Jim Mormino - NCAC Offensive Player of the Year |
Lorenzen’s Career a Hit
Another outstanding contributor in a long-list of Allegheny softball standouts, Jen Lorenzen is a fixture in the Gators’ record book after a stellar career between 1997-2000. Ranking first on the school’s all-time charts for homeruns (27), slugging percentage (.725) and bases on balls (76), she also currently ranks second in total bases (321), hits (187) and doubles (41). In addition to her oustanding offensive production, Jen guided Allegheny to back-to-back NCAC regular season championships in 1998 and 1999.
One of the most feared hitters in the region, Jen earned All-East Region plaudits in her final three years of eligibility. In 1999, she batted .481 and belted nine homeruns enroute to North Coast Athletic Conference (NCAC) Player of the Year honors. At the end of the season she was named to the NCAA Division III All-American team.
Owner of an impressive .422 career batting average, Jen earned First Team All-Conference accolades in Allegheny’s first three seasons as a member of the NCAC. In each of those first three seasons, she led the conference in homeruns each year while ranking among the top 10 in batting average and runs batted in. As a rookie in 1997, Jen paced the Gators with a .444 batting average while also leading the team in doubles, RBI, homeruns, on-base percentage, and slugging.
Champs Again
Runners-up in both the 1996 and ‘97 NCAC men's basketball championship tournament, the Gators reclaimed the top spot in the NCAC after winning the 1998 conference tournament with a 66-64 win over top-seeded Wooster. The Gators then won their opener in the NCAA tournament, topping Baldwin Wallace 97-88, before falling in the second round to Hope by an 80-66 score to finish with an overall record of 22-7. The Gator, who never lost consecutive games over the course of the season, were led by the one-two punch of junior guard Jake Delsandro (12.8 pts/gm, 4.5 ast/gm) and senior post Chris Creahan (11.0 pts/gm, 8.0 reb/gm).
Sowa Leads Gators in Record-Breaking Season
Matt Sowa earns NCAC Offensive Player of the Year and Paul Hogan garners NCAC Coach of the Year accolades as the Gators set a new program record with 14 wins. Sowa netted 16 goals, eight assists and 40 total points, which still stands as the most points during a single season program history. Sowa additionally scored NSCAA All-Region Second Team honors.
Eklund Nets First Major Lacrosse Award
Under first-year head coach Maureen Hager, the 1999 Gator lacrosse team immediately sets a historical tone, as Barbara Eklund becomes the first player to earn a major award for the program, earning NCAC Newcomer of the Year accolades during a stellar freshman campaign. Eklund scored 45 goals to lead the squad, earning All-NCAC Second Team accolades in addition to her historical award.
