With a history of excellent athletes and coaches, Eastern athletics announced its first class for the newly established Hall of Honor at the annual sports awards dinner on April 26.
“We chose honor instead of fame because it’s more biblical,” President David Black said at the beginning of the ceremony. “Honor connotes commitment to specific things in addition to being a stellar athlete.”
A committee chose three inductees for the first honorary class: Athletic Director and Coach Tom Byron ’58, women’s basketball and lacrosse player Andrea Collesidis Roos ’02 and men’s tennis and basketball player W. Donald Gough ’67.
Byron served from 1958-63 as athletic director and head coach of men’s soccer, men’s basketball and baseball, in addition to serving as an education professor and dorm proctor. Byron, who was known as the face, heart and soul of Eastern athletics during his time here, passed away in 1972.
Roos was one of Eastern’s most talented female athletes of all time. She was an offensive machine with 1,956 career points in basketball and 342 career goals in lacrosse. Roos holds the record for career goals in all three NCAA divisions, making her the top scorer in collegiate women’s lacrosse history.
Gough starred on the tennis courts, leading his team to two undefeated seasons and a trip to the NAIA national tournament in Kansas City, Miss. in 1966. Gough currently serves as the president of Eastern’s Board of Trustees.
The 2008-2009 Award of Excellence was given to seniors Nick Mandia, men’s lacrosse, and Ashley Hackman, women’s soccer. Three more seniors, Tyrone Coleman, men’s basketball, and Karen Hertzog and Alissa Brubaker, softball, were honored with the Alumni Award.