Allegheny College Athletics

1980-89: A Time of Prosperity

Ascending to New Levels 
Under head coach Ken Levels, who starred at Hiram College in the early 1970’s, the Allegheny wrestling team began to establish success on a national level on the eve of the 1980’s.  In 1979, the Gators finished 19th at the NCAA Division III championship, boasting a pair of All-Americans in Thomas Elcott (150 lbs) and Eric Templin (HVY), who each finished fourth at the NCAA championships.  In 1980, Elcott captured the national championship in the 150 lb division, before the Gators finished a then- program-best 14th at the 1981 NCAA Championships.  In 1982, four different Gators - Bob Muth (HVY), Randy Graves (190), Rod Mohney (158), and Tom Dowler (126) all won PAC championships, with Muth and Graves earning All-America at the National Championships.  Muth then capped off the most successful era in program history by winning the 1983 NCAA title at the heavyweight division and leading the Gators to a 12th-place finish at the national championships, a program-best.

Strong from the Start
In 1980, women’s cross country was introduced at Allegheny College by head coach Fiore Bergmasco.  In the inaugural year, the Gators did not truly comprise a “team,” as it was made up of a pair of individuals in Jennifer Colgrove and Julie Meyer.  Competing as individuals throughout the season, the duo fared quite well, highlighted by Colgrove’s sixth-place finish at the Eastern Association of Intercollegiate Athletics for Women (EAIAW) Regional Championships, and 51st place showing at the 1980 Association of Intercollegiate Athletics for Women National Championship. Colgrove remains one of the most heralded athletes in Allegheny cross country history, as she closed out her career by winning the regional championship in 1982 and going on to earn All-America with a fifth-place finish at the national championship.  

Elcott Makes Mat History
One year after finishing fourth at the NCAA Division III National Championships, Elcott became the first Gator wrestler to win a national title, as he went a perfect 5-0 at the 1980 National Championships en-route to capturing gold in the 150lb weight class and helping the Gators place 14th as a team.  He ended his career as a three-time All-American, finishing runner-up as a senior at the 1981 D-III Championships, and going on to represent the Gators at the Division I National Championships.  Also a three-time All-PAC honoree, Elcott was named to the Allegheny Hall of Fame in 1993.

Magical Murphy
Coach John Reynders’ success in men's basketball continued in 1980-81, leading the Gators to their third consecutive PAC title, thanks to a late surge that saw the team end the season on a 9-game winning streak, highlighted by a dramatic 93-88 win over John Carroll in mid-January that took four overtimes.  Junior guard Phil Murphy was a big reason for the team’s success, as he became the lone player in program history to be named PAC Player of the Year after averaging 20.6 points per game.  Allegheny finished the season 16-8 overall, and 11-3 in conference play, and made its fourth trip to the NCAA playoffs in six years.  Murphy ended his four-year career with 1,267 points, which was third most in team history at the time of his graduation.

A Gator Hat Trick
The Gators notched three consecutive Presidents’ Athletic Conference (PAC) men’s tennis championships from 1980-82, dominating the PAC under the tutelage of head coach Arthur “Pinky” Bates.  In 1981, a Gator squad that would eventually earn a spot in the Allegheny Hall of Fame, went 17-2, saw Bates win PAC Coach of the Year honors, and won an unprecedented eight of nine championships, sweeping the doubles brackets while winning five of the six singles championships, going 26-of-27 as a team during the conference championships. 

John Mercer '84, the #1 singles player, ended the year with a 12-3 singles record and 13-2 doubles record. Steve Kaufman '81 finished the year 13-1 at #2 singles and 13-1 at #1 doubles, while Ed Pritchard '81 (#3 singles), finished the year 11-4 overall and 11-4 at #2 doubles. Mark Phillips '84 was 12-1 on the year, 11-1 at #4 singles. He teamed with Pritchard to go 10-2 at #2 doubles, while sporting a 10-3 overall doubles record. Bill Ashbaugh '84 was 10-2 at #5 singles and 11-4 overall, while going 13-2 in doubles. Greg Finnerty '83 was 12-2, predominately at #6 singles, where he was 10-1, teaming with Ashbaugh to go 12-1 at #3 doubles. Doug Sedlak '83, the alternate for matches, was 4-0 at #6 singles. Other members of the squad included Jim Casselberry '81, Barry Enterline '81, Tom Koenig '82 and Joe Hallos, Jr. '83.  The precedent set in 1980 and continued in historic fashion during the 1981 season continued in 1982, when the squad won their third consecutive championship.

Lightning Laura
Following in the steps of Joan Lange, who starred for the Gator swimming team in the mid 1970’s, Laura Laderer was the Gators’ first true superstar in the pool in the 1980’s.  As a sophomore in 1980, Laderer became the first female in Allegheny history to earn All-America honors, doing so in an incredible five different events, including the 100, 200, and 500 freestyles, as well as a part of the 200 and 400 medley relay squads.  For her career, Laderer earned a total of 12 All-America honors, and at the time of her graduation, she held every freestyle (6), butterfly (3), and individual medley (3) record in team history, as well as being part of five record-setting relay teams. 

Named the 1981 Allegheny Female Athlete of the Year, Laura went on to marry Terry Hartford, another prolific Gator swimmer who earned a total of nine All-America honors and was a first-ballot inductee into the Hall of Fame in 1992. The Hartford tradition continued at Allegheny in the 2000's, as their sons Colin (2009-12) and Terry (2008-10) starred on the gridiron for the Gators.  
 
In the Spotlight
Allegheny hosted the final AIAW Division III Swimming & Diving Championships at the Mellon Pool on March 11th, 1982, featuring teams throughout  Division I (Denver, Notre Dame), Division II (Bloomsburg, Slippery Rock) and Division III (Wooster, Denison). Hamline won the three-day championship with 440 total points, followed by Bloomsburg (310), Wisconsin-Eau Claire (172), Cortland (137) and Allegheny (132). It wrapped up an extremely successful season for the Gator women, who finished with an overall record of 11-1 in dual meets, and saw Lisa Bauer, Laura Laderer, and Janet Zurochack all earn All-America honors in front of the home crowd.
 
Muth a True Wrestling Heavyweight 
In 1983, Bob Muth capped off an undefeated 36-0 senior campaign by winning the NCAA Division III heavyweight national championship with a 25-9 win over 335lb. behemoth Malcolm McLeod of Concordia University.  It was a fitting finish for arguably the most decorated wrestler in Allegheny history, as he won the PAC heavyweight championship in four straight seasons, while finishing seventh en-route to All-American honors at the 1982 national championships.  For his career, Muth posted a sparkling 106-14-6 record, including a 66-3-2 mark over his final two years.
 
Golden Era Capped With Gold Medal 
A true national powerhouse throughout the late 1970’s and 80’s under head coach Norm Sundstrom, the Allegheny men’s golf team won the NCAA Division III National Championship in 1983.  Trailing by 10 shots after the first two rounds of the national tournament, the Gators assembled a third-round score of 318 to enter the final day just two shots behind leader Ramapo.  The team then closed the event with a final round 297, the lowest single-day score by any team in the four-day event, to capture a two-stroke victory over Ramapo, thanks in part to a hole-in-one by Dave Hagstrom, the first recorded ace in program history.   It marked the seventh straight top-four finish nationally for the Gators, and highlighted a run that saw Allegheny qualify for the NCAA Championship for 30 consecutive seasons.
 
Clarke Leads Gators to Gold 
While all five Gators had a hand in the team’s national golf title in 1983, none stand out more than Matt Clarke.  The senior topped the individual leaderboard at the four-day event, marking the lone individual golf championship in program history.  He shot a one-under 71 on the opening day of competition, before following with rounds of 78 and 76.  Clarke then led the Gators’ final day charge by shooting an even-par 72 on the fourth and final day to finish with a four-round total of 297.  It marked the second consecutive All-America finish for Clarke after taking 22nd at the 1982 D-III Championships.  He was named to the Allegheny Hall of Fame in 1993.
 
Heralded Held
The first mid-distance star for the Allegheny men’s track program was 1983 graduate Tom Held.  He was an eight-time PAC champion, sweeping both the 800 and 1,500 in each of his four years.  In 1982, he set a still-standing PAC record in the 1,500, with a winning time of 3:55.00, while the next season, he broke the conference mark in the 800 with a time of 1:55.20.  Held was a two-time All-American in the 1,500, as he took second at the 1982 Division III National Championships, and seventh in 1983.  He was also the first Allegheny track and field athlete to earn Academic All-America honors, doing so following his 1983 senior campaign.  Held was inducted into the Allegheny Hall of Fame on the first ballot in 1983, and in 2014, was named to the PAC’s 60th Anniversary All-Time Track and Field Team.  
 
A Pioneering, Prolific Career for Colgrove
While more than 30 years have passed since her graduation, Jennifer Colgrove remains one of the most heralded female athletes in Allegheny College history. The first true female superstar in Gator history, Colgrove put together a magical four-year track and cross country career.  After placing 13th at the 1981 AIAW cross country championships, Colgrove became the Gators’ first NCAA Mideast cross country champion in 1982, before going on to earn All-America honors with a fifth-place finish at that season’s NCAA Division III Championships.
 
She made her mark on the track and field scene as a junior in 1982.  Facing the grueling task of competing in both the 5,000 and 10,000 meter runs at the NCAA Championships, she earned All-America honors in both events, taking third in the 10K and fourth in the 5K.  A season later, Colgrove again earned All-America plaudits with a third-place finish in the 5,000, which remains the highest finish in the event for a Gator in program history.  She remains the school’s record holder in both the 5,000 (16:42.2) and 10,000 (36:03.4), and was named the Allegheny Female Athlete of the Year in both 1981-82 and 1982-83.  After graduating, she went on to enjoy a long professional running career.  A five-time Olympic trials qualifier, she competed in the World Championships in 1993, ‘94, and ‘95, and was the silver medalist at the 1995 Pan-Am Games in the marathon.

National Newcomers
Just three years into its existence, the Allegheny women’s cross country team won the 1983 Mideast regional championship, and made its first trip as a team to the NCAA Division III National Championships.  The Gators finished 10th at the national meet, led by Susan Meyers, who finished 56th, and Julie Meyer, who took 60th.  It kicked off a span in which the Gators competed at the NCAA championship in eight of the next 10 seasons.
 
Bates Ends Hall of Fame Career
Pinky Bates departed the Gator men's tennis program after the 1983-84 season, leaving Meadville as the program leader in men’s victories.  Under his tutelage, the Gators went an unprecedented 79-9-1, including the PAC domination in the early 80s.  Bates, who graduated from Allegheny in 1932, organized the first tennis team at Meadville High School in 1927 before succeeding Dick Biddle as the head tennis coach in 1977.  The Gators won three consecutive PAC Championships under Bates; finishing three consecutive second-place finishes after the championship run.  Bates was elected to the Allegheny Hall of Fame in 1989.

Putting the "AC" in the NCAC
In February 1983, Allegheny College became one of seven charter members of the newly-formed North Coast Athletic Conference.  Seeking a conference comprised of similar national liberal arts institutions, as well as one that sponsored a breadth of championships in women's sports, Allegheny joined Case Western Reserve, Denison, Kenyon, Oberlin, Ohio Wesleyan, and Wooster in forming the new league.  The formation of the NCAC was announced at joint press conferences in Pittsburgh, Cleveland, and Columbus.  The first official season of NCAC competition took place in the fall of 1984, and the 21 sports championships sponsored (11 men, 10 women) were the most of any Division III conference in the nation.  
 
World Series Bound
After finishing in third place in the Women’s Keystone Conference in the 1983 regular season, the Gator softball team made their mark on the national level, finishing 26-7 and winning the Eastern Regionals to advance to the World Series for the first time.  Brenda Bates was First Team All-WKC and All-Region, and was named to the NCAA All-Tournament Team.  Julie Dennis set a new school record in hits (32), at-bats (98), triples (5), and RBIs (26).

Staying Power
The Allegheny men’s golf team enjoyed unparalleled success in a 9-year period between 1975-84 under head coach Norm Sundstrom.  The Gators won nine consecutive PAC championships over the span and saw their players earn seven PAC MVP honors (Bill Watt and Jim Allen twice, with one apiece for John Jones, Ed Podufal, and Bob Bradley).  In addition to their dominance on the conference level, the Gators were just as impressive on the national stage, turning in top-four finishes at the national championship in each season between 1977 and ‘83, highlighted by winning the 1983 NCAA Division III title.  Ten players combined to earn 21 All-America honors between 1977 and ‘84, led by Allen, who was a four-time honoree and Watt, Podufal, and Dave Hagstrom, who were each three-time All-Americans.

Fresh Start
After the Gators finished second in the PAC in each of its final three years as members, the squad announced its presence in the North Coast Athletic Conference with authority, capturing the 1984 NCAC cross country title.  The Gators totaled just 38 points on the day, 19 ahead of second-place Wooster, and had two runners earn NCAC First Team honors, as Paul Egbert finished fifth (27:50) and William Broderick sixth (28:06).  The Gators went on to place sixth at the Mideast regionals, which up to that point was their highest finish ever.

Thomas, Kohl Sine as Gators Take Conference Crown 
Allegheny won the 1984-85 NCAC women's tennis championship during a dominating season, finishing 10-4 overall with an unblemished 5-0 mark in conference play.  Tory Thomas, an Allegheny Hall of Famer, paced the squad, earning NCAC Championships at top-flight singles and top-flight doubles with partner Kris Kohl.  Thomas and Kohl accounted for two of six total NCAC individual championships for the Gators, who swept doubles play in the bracket-style tournament, along with seeing Becky Buster winning second-flight singles and Cindy Dressler taking the fifth-flight bracket.

New Conference, Similar Results
In 1984-85, the Gator men's basketball team competed in their first season in the new North Coast Athletic Conference.  While the conference affiliation may have changed, the team’s success remained intact, as the squad finished 19-9 overall and 9-1 against NCAC foes, advancing to the conference championship game before being edged by Ohio Wesleyan, 65-59.  Highlighted by a 41-point outburst in a win over Oberlin on Feb. 6, sophomore sharpshooter Brian Stadnik established a new school record by totaling 528 points on the season, good for an average of 21.1 points per game, as he earned First Team All-NCAC accolades.

Creehan Turns the Tide
When fans walk through the front doors of the college's Wise Sport and Fitness Center, baseball jersey No. 33 is in full, eye-catching display. It's the Allegheny uniform of Head Coach Rick Creehan.  Another legendary coach on the Robertson Field diamond, Creehan also additionally served as the school's athletic director for several years before departing to administrative heights at other colleges.  Taking over the program in 1985, Creehan and staff elevated Allegheny baseball to new heights with expanded schedules from 20 to 30-plus games, and some championship teams had played almost 50 games before their playoff runs ended. In his first season as head coach and in the first year of the conference’s existence, Creehan leads the Gators to a 29-17-1 record, leading the team to the NCAC Championship and subsequent appearance in the NCAA Division III Tournament, the first bid in program history, scoring the first tournament win in program history, 12-5, over Maryville (Mo.).  Creehan would helm the Allegheny program until 1997, helping the squad to the 1985 NCAC Championship along with NCAC crowns in 1993 and 1997, amassing a career record of 377-170-3, helping usher in a new era of Allegheny success.

A Run of Success
Led by Jennifer Shaver, the Gators captured consecutive NCAC cross country championships in 1985 and ‘86.  In 1985, Shaver and teammate Christine Dudeck finished first and second, respectively, at the NCAC championship meet, and were two of five Gators to earn First Team All-NCAC accolades, as Susie Meyers finished fourth and Carol Glatz seventh under coach Alison Stanford, who was named the NCAC Coach of the Year.  Two weeks later at the NCAA Championships, Allegheny finished ninth, led by Shaver’s 56th-place individual finish.  A year later, the Gators again cruised to the conference title, led by Shaver, who won her second straight conference championship.  All five of Allegheny’s runners finished among the top seven, with Karen Thorndill taking third, Dudeck fifth, Glatz sixth, and Meyers seventh.  At the NCAA Championships, the Gators turned in their highest finish ever by finishing fifth, highlighted by Shaver, who finished 34th in a 360-runner field.

Five Years of Hoop Royalty
Fresh off of the move to the North Coast Athletic Conference, Allegheny sports thrived in the mid-1980's, but no team enjoyed the change as much as the women’s basketball squad, who christened the program’s move to the NCAC with five consecutive conference championships.  Under the leadership of Kay Gould, the Gators won their first tournament crown with a 24-3 overall record and 11-1 conference mark, led by the program’s first 1,000 point scorer and future hall of famer Brenda Bates.  A 26-2 record sparked the Gators to the championship the following season, as the team scored a still-standing conference record 112 points against Denison on January 11.  Ronda Seagraves took leadership of the 1987 program with similar results, as the Gators went 24-3 and 12-0 in the conference en route to the hat trick championship.  Suzanne Helfant, current Kenyon College coach and Allegheny Hall of Famer, earned Player of the Year honors in a 19-6 1988 season that procured yet another tournament championship. The era ended with a 20-7 record in 1989, as the Gators closed out a stellar streak with their unprecedented fifth championship.

Well Beyond their Years
Introduced as a varsity sport at Allegheny in 1985, the women’s soccer team wasted little time in leaving its mark.  On Sat. September 14th, the Gators hosted Ohio Wesleyan in the first varsity women’s soccer contest in school history, and blanked the Battling Bishops 3-0.  Nellie Springer scored the first goal in team history with an unassisted tally seven minutes into play, and the Gators added two more goals in the first half, with Georganne Morin scoring in the 41st minute, assisted by Missy Fovel, and Springer scoring with just 90 seconds left in the half, off an assist from Morin.
 
The win was a precursor for an incredibly successful season for the first-year Gators, who finished 11-2-2 overall, and 9-1-2 in the NCAC to claim the conference championship.  Morin was named the NCAC Player of the Year after scoring 48 points, on 18 goals and 12 assists, while Springer was the leading scorer in the NCAC after totaling 62 points, which remain a program record, on 28 goals and six assists.  

Going Streaking
After opening the 1986 season with a 6-5 loss to Glassboro in Orlando, Florida, the Gator softball team won its next 34 games, and capture another regional championship.  The team advanced to its second consecutive World Series, dropping a tight 2-0 decision to eventual national champion Eastern Connecticut State.  Allegheny finished the season ranked fourth in the country, and three players - second baseman Gia Cellularo, outfielder Melissa Vogel, and shortstop Nancy Nelson - were named All-America.  Kathy Kuhar was named the first Academic All-American in program history, while Shelley Brown threw a school-record 16 shutouts.

Getting Closer
After averaging just three wins over a seven-year span between 1979 and ‘85, the 1986 Gators improve to 6-4 overall, and 4-2 in the NCAC, under first-year coach Peter Vaas, who served as an assistant at Allegheny from 1974-78 before moving to the University of New Hampshire as the offensive coordinator.  The 1986 campaign was highlighted by shutout victories over Oberlin (10-0), Ohio Wesleyan (21-0), and Washington & Lee (34-0).  Mike Mates (OL), Mike Parker (DL), and Curtis Browns (RB) are all named First Team All-NCAC.  Brown ran for 808 yards and led the NCAC with 10 touchdowns, while Parker was named AP All-America after posting 140 tackles.

Dudeck Dazzles
Following the back-to-back NCAC individual titles from Jennifer Shaver, Christine Dudeck claimed Allegheny’s third straight NCAC Runner of the Year honor in 1987, winning the conference championship race in a time of 17:21, 15 seconds ahead of second-place finisher and teammate Carol Glatz.  One week later, Dudeck won the NCAC Mideast Regional championship, before going on to become just the second All-American in program history after finishing 13th at the 1987 NCAA Division III National Championships with a time of 18:08.5.

Back on Top
After falling in the championship game of the 1985-86 NCAC men's basketball tournament, the Gators responded by winning the 1986-87 conference championship, and winning a then-program best 22 games.  Led by a star-studded lineup that featured future Allegheny Hall of Famers Brian Stadnik, Rich Seidel, Terry Gray, and Garret Daggett, the Gators reeled off winning streaks of nine and seven en-route to its conference championship that was sealed by a 96-94 overtime victory over Ohio Wesleyan, a team that had topped the Gators in the NCAC title game just two years prior.  Coach John Reynders was named the NCAC Coach of the Year, while Stadnik, Daggett, Seidel, Gray, and Mike Jones all were honored with All-NCAC selections.  Stadnik set a program record by scoring 526 points on the season, Gray set a then-school record with 194 assists, Daggett blocked a program-best 54 shots, while Seidel took advantage of the new three-point line by sinking 46 treys to lead the team, and finish second in the NCAC.

Fabulous Freshman 
In 1987, freshman Marci Hennessey became the first Allegheny female to win a national title, as she captured the NCAA Division III backstroke championship with a time of 59.43 seconds.  She finished her career by earning All-America honors in all four years, and graduated as the school record holder in the 100 backstroke, 200 individual medley, and 400 medley relay.  During her four years, the Gators never finished lower than 11th at the D-III National Championships, including a pair of fourth-place finishes. Hennessey was inducted into the Allegheny Hall of Fame in 2001.
 
Immediate Impact
In just her second season at the helm, volleyball coach Bridget Sheehan’s 1987 Gators turned in a dominant campaign, finishing 42-5 and advancing to the NCAA Division III national tournament.  Sheehan was tabbed the NCAC’s Coach of the Year, while then-junior Carol Frederick earned the program’s first NCAC Player of the Year Award, and was one of three Gators to earn All-NCAC plaudits, joining junior classmates Sue Plyler and Jamie Smartz. 

Turnaround Complete 
After tying Carnegie Mellon 7-7 in the season-opener, the Gators ended the 1987 regular season with nine straight victories to secure their first undefeated regular season since 1917, and earn their first NCAC championship in team history.  Following a 30-24 win over Swarthmore in the regular season finale, the Gators ascended to a #5 national ranking, and received its first ever berth in the NCAA Division III national playoffs.
 
On Nov. 21, 1988, Allegheny hosted #2 Washington & Jefferson at Robertson Field in the first round of the NCAA playoffs.  In a driving snowstorm with wind chills below 0, the Gators took a 17-9 lead with one minute remaining in the fourth quarter, only to see W&J rally with a 27-yard touchdown pass and successful two-point conversion in the final seconds to force overtime.  The Presidents intercepted the Gators on the third play in OT, and after taking over at the 25, a 13-yard touchdown run sealed the W&J victory.
 
Despite the early playoff exit, the season was a historic one for the Gators, who out-scored opponents a combined 267-119 and allowed just 12 touchdowns in 11 games. Sophomore running back David Brown ran for 805 yards and a conference-leading 16 touchdowns, while Mike Mates (OL) and Mike Parker (DL) were named All-America.  Parker, a 1999 inductee into the Allegheny Hall of Fame, was also lauded as the NCAC’s Defensive Player of the Year after totaling a conference-leading 11 sacks and over 100 tackles. 

A Throwing Starr
In the early years of the North Coast Athletic Conference, Sandie Starr emerged as the league’s first dominant female athlete.  She won a total of eight NCAC championships during her career, sweeping the indoor and outdoor shot put titles each year between 1985-87 and being named the NCAC Field Athlete of the Year in both 1986 and ‘87.  Also a two-time NCAC discus champion, Starr twice earned All-America honors, finishing seventh in the shot put at the 1986 NCAA Outdoor Championships, and sixth in 1987.  A 2003 inductee into the Allegheny Hall of Fame, Starr still owns the school record in both the shot put and discus.

Stadnik the Scorer
Nearly 30 years after graduating, 1987 grad Brian Stadnik remains arguably the most prolific player in Gator basketball history.  The 6’5” small forward scored 1,694 career points, which remains a program record, despite playing without the three-point line for three of his four seasons.  He owns three of the top-10 single season scoring marks in school history, highlighted by a 563-point effort during his senior season of 1986-87.  Also the sixth-leading rebounder in program history (627), Stadnik is one of just two players in team history to score over 40 points in a game, as he netted 41 points in a Feb. 6, 1985 victory over Oberlin, when he set still-standing program records for field goals made (18) and attempted (29).  In addition to his individual success, Stadnik was instrumental in leading the Gators to one of their most successful stretches in team history, as they went a combined 73-34 overall and captured the 1987 NCAC tournament championship.

Two-Headed Monster
The Allegheny women’s soccer team captured the NCAC championship in each of its first four years in existence, and a big reason why was the duo of Nellie Springer and Georganne Morin.  Nearly 30 years after graduating, the pair still remains atop the Gator record book in every major offensive statistical category.  Both players remain the only two in team history to earn three NSCAA All-America honors (doing so in 1986, ‘87, and ‘88), while Morin was crowned NCAC Player of the Year in 1985, and Springer in both 1986 and ‘88.  Springer led the NCAC in scoring in all four of her seasons, highlighted by back-to-back 62-point campaigns in 1985 and ‘86, while she owns four of the top five single-season totals in goals in program history, scoring 28 in 1985, 26 in 1986, 17 in 1987, and 23 in 1988.   For her career, Springer scored 94 goals with 30 assists, and her 218 career points remain the program standard.  Morin is the second leading scorer in school history, netting 52 goals and a program-best 39 assists for a total of 143 points.  During the four-year careers of Springer and Morin, the Gators went a combined 56-14-4, and a staggering 31-1-4 against NCAC opposition.

Future Hall of Famers Sweep Conference Awards
In 1988, Rick Grimm and Tim Brudzewicz, the first All-Americans in Allegheny baseball history, are named the NCAC Player and Pitcher of the Year, respectively, as Allegheny finishes the season 27-12.  Brudzewicz, who additionally earned his second consecutive All-America notation during the ’88 campaign, closed out the season with a still program-record 11 wins throughout the season, striking out a single-season program mark of 119 batters, and was inducted into the Allegheny Hall of Fame in 1999.  At the end of his career, Brudzewicz struck out a program- and NCAC-record 266 strikeouts while posting 25 career victories, which was the program mark until Jeff Mountain usurped the totals with 26 wins during his career.  Grimm hit .466 during the season, which was the program record until Joe Musgrove batted .503 in 1996, and stands third on the all-time hitting list with a .446 batting average and second in slugging percentage (.727).

A Season to Remember
The 1988 season remains the most successful in the history of Allegheny softball, as the Gators finished 38-5 and advanced to the championship game of the World Series, where they were edged 3-2 by Central Iowa.  In the regional playoffs, the Gators out-scored their opponents a combined 22-0 in three wins, before picking up victories in the World Series over Central Iowa and Eastern Connecticut.  Over the course of the season, the Gators turned in winning streaks of 13 and 14 games, and head coach Sheilah Lingenfelter was named the NCAA National Coach of the Year.  Shelley Brown, Nancy Nelson, and Gia Celularo were each named All-America, with Brown setting a school record by posting a svelte 0.48 ERA and Nelson setting then-school marks with seven homers and 50 RBIs.  The 1988 softball team was inducted into the Allegheny Hall of Fame in 2003. 

Breaking Through
After winning the NCAC title in each of its first four years of existence, and routinely being ranked in the top 20, the Gator women's soccer team took it to the next step in 1988.  The team finished 16-4 in the regular season, including a 6-0 mark in conference play while outscoring NCAC foes a combined 28-1.  All four of the losses came to Division III squads ranked in the top-20, while the Gators defeated Division-I St. Francis and Division II foes SUNY-Buffalo, Gannon, and Mercyhurst, which advanced to the 1987 Division II Final Four.  
 
Ranked 11th in the nation following the regular season, the Gators earned their first bid to the 16-team NCAA Division III National Championship, traveling to William Smith College in Geneva, New York on November 5th to take on Hartwick in the opening round.  The Gators’ Anne Goodwin scored the game’s first goal, assisted by Nellie Springer in the 20th minute, only to see Hartwick score twice before halftime to take a 2-1 lead.  The Gators were unable to come back from the halftime deficit, however, and saw their season end.  Following the 1988 campaign, nine of the Gators’ 11 regular starters earned All-NCAC laurels.  Springer was named NCAC Player of the Year for the second time in her career after scoring 54 points, on 23 goals and eight assists, while Morin finished with nine goals, nine assists, and 27 points, and Denisee Petrossi 22 points on eight goals and six assists.  
 
One of the most talented athletic teams in Allegheny history, the 1988 women’s soccer squad featured five players who earned at least one All-America accolade.  In addition to three-time All-Americans Springer and Morin, Petrossi, who graduated as the third all-time leading scorer in team history with 43 goals, 29 assists, and 115 points, was named All-America in 1989, alongside teammate Amy Miltenberger, who was a strong two-way midfielder.  Forward Jen Vescio, who was a freshman on the 1988 squad, was named All-America in 1991, finishing with 29 goals, 24 assists, and 82 points for her career.

Twice for Thoman 
As a freshman in 1988, Kate Thoman capped off a stellar rookie campaign by winning the NCAA Division III national championship in the 400 individual medley, turning in a winning time of 4:31.88, which at the time was the second fastest performance in the event in NCAA championship history.  After earning All-America in the event in both 1989 and 1990, Thoman wrapped up her career by becoming the first Allegheny athlete to win two national titles after capturing the 1991 400 IM championship in a time of 4:34.57.  Thoman graduated as the Allegheny team record holder in the 200, 500, 1,000, and 1,650-yard freestyles, and the 400 IM, and was inducted into the Allegheny Hall of Fame in 2001.   
 
Magical Melissa
After earning All-America honors in both the 1- and 3-meter dives as a freshman in 1988, Melissa Moody won the 1989 NCAA Division III championship in the 1-meter after posting a score of 433.80, which was the second-highest recorded in the event at the national championships.  Moody then closed out her career by capturing her second NCAA title as a senior in 1989, finishing first in the 3-meter dive by setting an NCAA record with a combined score of 462.70.  During her tenure, Moody earned a total of six All-America honors (three in each board), and helped the Gators finish in the top-11 at the NCAA Championships three times, including two fourth-place efforts.  The lone athlete in Gator history to earn national championships in two different events, Moody was named to the Allegheny Hall of Fame in 2001.

Memorable Season
After setting a school record with 24 wins before falling in the 1988 NCAC championship game, the 1988-89 Gators countered by putting together one of the best seasons in program history in what would be John Reynders’ final year at the helm.  The Gators finished 22-8 and 10-2 in the NCAC, winning the conference tournament with a 56-54 victory over Wooster in the title match to earn its third straight trip to the NCAA playoffs.  Awarded a home game in the opening round of the national tourney, the Gators dispatched Hope College 71-67 in front of a standing room only crowd at the David Mead Fieldhouse, before going on to be eliminated in the third round by Calvin, 89-87.  Known for his high-flying dunks and play above the rim, senior Garret Daggett became the first player in team history to be named the NCAC Player of the Year, and was one of four players to earn All-NCAC plaudits,  Dagget was joined on the First Team by his high school classmate Gene Williams, while Marcus Amos was a Second Team selection and Perry Junius an Honorable Mention pick.  Reynders stepped down following the season as the winningest coach in team history, amassing a career record of 181-78 in 10 years on the bench.

Back Again
One year removed from their appearance in the NCAA title game, the 1989 Gator softball team captured the school’s fifth straight regional title, and finished the season 30-10 after falling 1-0 in the World Series to Central Iowa.  Shelley Brown again earned All-America honors, and graduated as the school record-holder in innings pitched (611), strikeouts (309), wins (77), ERA (0.75), and shutouts (39).  Fellow All-American Teva Eiler joined Brown to form a potent one-two combination in the circle, as she went 11-3 pitching wile also batting .342.  Center fielder Penny Whiteman was a third Gator to garner All-America accolades, as she record 58 hits, which at the time were the second most in a single season in team history.
 
The Erdos Legacy Grows
T.J. Erdos, who swam under his father Tom for Allegheny, closed out his career with an unprecedented 27 All-American honors between 1989 and '93.  Picking up 11 individual All-Americans along with 16 relay plaudits, Erdos is a member of the still-standing program relay record times in the 400 free (3:07.45, 1992) and 800 free (6:50.10, 1990) relays along with holding still-standing individual marks in the 200 free (1:41.14, 1992) and 200 I.M. (1:53.42, 1992).  He was inducted into the Allegheny Hall of Fame in 2003 as a first ballot selection.

Gators Reign Supreme in the NCAC
After the banner 1987 campaign, the Gator volleyball team remained dominant, picking up four consecutive NCAC championships between 1988-91, and making several appearances to the NCAA Division III Tournament.  A 44-9 record in 1988 earned the program a NCAC Championship, the first of four consecutive titles for the Blue and Gold.  The Gators went 35-13 in 1989, 30-14 in 1990 and 27-17 in 1991 to win three more titles, as Molly Deitz won three consecutive NCAC Player of the Year honors during that stretch.  During this incredible stretch of success for the program, Sue Plyler became the first All-American in program history, earning the honor in 1988.  Dietz followed suit, earning the honor in 1990 and 1991.  Overall, Allegheny went 178-58 during this stretch of time while establishing the program as a constant title contender in the NCAC. 
 
The Climb Continues
The 1988-89 Gators women's swimming team finished 11th at the NCAA Championships, picking up seven All-American honors. Kate Thoman, Kelly Diel, Tammy Bachman (Academic All-American), Janet Toth, Melissa Moody (One-Meter National Champion), Susan Keonig and Kelly Donahue all earned the honor. 19 school records were set during the course of the season, as Moody set new marks in both the one- and three-meter boards. Tim Riggs was named the 1989 NCAA Division III Diving Coach of the Year and NCAC Diving Coach of the Year.