CHRISTYN CHAMBERS ABARAY – 2001, Women's Soccer
Abaray was one of the nation’s premier defensive players in 2000, her third season as the starting sweeper for the Washington University women’s soccer team. A third-team National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) All-American selection in 1998, she was also a four-time all-UAA honoree and two-time team captain. She started all 78 games in her career on defense, and guided the Bears to a 60-16-2 overall record. Abaray led the Bears to the school’s first Final Four in 1997 and a Sectional Final appearance in 1998 – both years the Bears set a school record with 17 wins. Abaray is Associate Director of Athletics and Senior Woman Administrator at Swarthmore College in Pennsylvania. |
CHRIS ALEXANDER – 2002, Men's Basketball
Alexander is one of four players since 1952 to lead the men’s basketball team in scoring three-straight years – 1998-99 (17.7 ppg), 1999-00 (17.1 ppg) and 2000-01 (15.3 ppg). A 1999 Division III News and Basketball News Honorable-Mention All-America as a sophomore, he scored 427 points and led the Bears to a UAA Championship and an appearance in the NCAA Tournament. Alexander was a three-time first-team all-UAA and a three-time all-Region honoree, and was named the 1999 UAA Player of the Year. He ranks sixth in school history in scoring (1,495), and is also third in field goals made (614) and sixth in blocked shots (135). Alexander guided the Bears to a 70-33 overall record with two NCAA Tournament appearances in his four years. He was chosen as the William H. and Elizabeth Danforth Distinguished Senior Athlete recipient. |
RICH BERENS – 1994, Men's Tennis
A three-time men’s tennis All-American (1993, Singles, Doubles; 1994, Singles) and a six-time all-UAA selection, Berens graduated as one of the top players in school history. Also a three-time team captain, he qualified for the NCAA Tournament in singles three times and doubles once, and was the UAA Most Valuable Player in 1994. Berens touted a career singles record of 54-15 and a career doubles mark of 42-28, for an overall record of 96-43. His highest national ranking was fourth, and he received the William H. and Elizabeth Danforth Distinguished Senior Athlete Award.
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JIM BURMEISTER – 1961, Distinguished Service
Burmeister has been a member of the Washington University community for 58 years. He currently serves as Director of Commencement, and has held positions of University Registrar, Director of Alumni Programs and Executive Director of University Relations. The 2001 Gloria W. White Distinguished Service Award honoree, Burmeister served 35 years as advisor to Thurtene Junior Honorary. He earned a bachelor’s degree in political science in 1961, a master’s degree in business administration in 1963 and a master’s degree in psychology in 1967. Burmeister serves on the W Club Executive and Eliot Society Committees, and is a strong advocate for Washington University Athletics. |
JEFF DOYLE – 1994, Football, Track & Field
Doyle was a two-time All-America and four-time all-UAA selection at offensive line for the Bears, and also threw the shot put, hammer and weight for the men’s track and field team. He earned third-team All-America accolades in 1991 and second-team All-America honors in 1993. Doyle was the first player to receive Offensive Player of the Week in the conference as a lineman, when he led the Bears to an upset victory over nationally-ranked University of Rochester. He was a Dean’s Award recipient in 1990, and earned a bachelor's degree in engineering in 1994 and a master’s degree from the Olin Business School in 1998. Doyle started all 40 games in his four years, and was a team captain as a senior. A W. Alfred Hayes award winner, he helped guide the Bears to a 23-17 mark in four seasons. |
MARK EDWARDS – 1969, Men's Basketball, Track & Field, Men's Basketball Coach
Edwards guided his alma mater to the 2008 and 2009 NCAA Division III Men’s Basketball National Championship, becoming just the fourth school in DIII history to win back-to-back titles. In 31 seasons at the helm of the Bears, Edwards has won over 550 games and is a six-time National Coach of the Year honoree. Edwards has also guided Washington U. to a school-record 28-consecutive winning seasons and a UAA-best 10 conference titles. He won his 500th career game with a 72-49 victory over Chicago on Feb. 28, 2009, becoming the 28th coach in Division III history to achieve the feat. Edwards graduated from Washington University in 1969, and was a four-year letterwinner in basketball and track and field. He earned Basketball Most Valuable Player honors in 1969, and held the school record for most rebounds in a game until 2000. |
NANCY FAHEY – Women's Basketball Coach
Fahey is the only coach in NCAA Division III history to win five national championships. She guided the Bears to four-straight National Championships from 1998-2001, becoming just the second women’s team, and third overall in NCAA history to win four-consecutive titles. Washington U.’s 1999 and 2000 championship teams posted perfect 30-0 records, becoming the second program in NCAA history to post back-to-back unbeaten National Championship seasons. Fahey and the Bears have finished first or second in the UAA 23 of 24 seasons in the conference, earning UAA Coaching Staff of the Year honors 17 times. On Nov. 26, 2011, she became the fastest coach in NCAA women’s basketball history to reach 600 career wins. Fahey ranks fifth all-time in NCAA women’s basketball history in winning percentage, and has led Washington U. to 23 NCAA tournament appearances, including a Division III record 10 NCAA Final Four appearances. |
DAVID PEARCE – 1951, Men's Basketball, Baseball
Pearce earned three letters playing both basketball and baseball (1949, 1950, 1951) at Washington University. He guided the basketball team to a 17-6 record in the 1949-50 season and a 16-5 mark in the 1950-51 season, leading the team in scoring (11.2 ppg) in 1950. Pearce scored 18 points in a 55-53 win over Vanderbilt during the 1949-50 season. In baseball, Pearce pitched a complete game in a 9-6 victory over Nebraska on April 13, 1950, and tossed a four-hitter in a 5-3 win over Missouri on April 17, 1949. After graduating, Pearce and twin brother Richard served two years in the Army. In 1955, the brothers co-founded the Pearce Corporation, an architectural firm. In 1984, a joint venture team of the Pearce Corporation and the Eggers Group was selected to renovate the existing WU Athletic Complex. He served as the Principal in Charge and Project Manager for the Architectural Team. |
SHELLEY SWAN REED – 1996, Volleyball
Reed was a member of the 1994 and 1995 NCAA Division III National Championship volleyball teams. She received the 1995-96 Honda Award as the NCAA Division III Collegiate Women’s Athlete of the Year and was named the Asics/Volleyball Magazine and AVCA Player of the Year in 1995. Reed recorded 584 kills as a senior, and guided the Bears to a two-year team record of 84-5. She earned first-team All-America honors in 1995 and second-team accolades in 1994, and was a two-time NCAA All-Tournament Team, AVCA all-Central Region and all-UAA honoree. Reed was also named the 1995 UAA Most Valuable Player. A first-team Academic All-America selection in 1995 and the A. Gwendolyn Drew Award recipient in 1996, she ranks fourth in school history and eighth in NCAA Division III history in hitting percentage (.428). |
LIZ SWARY – 2005, Softball
Swary was a three-time NFCA All-American (2003, 2004, 2005), and is the softball school-record holder in six offensive categories. She guided the Bears’ softball team to two UAA titles and four NCAA Tournament appearances in her four-year career, and had a career batting average of .413 with 26 home runs and 174 RBIs. As a senior, Swary batted .415 with seven home runs and a school-record 57 RBI and earned NFCA First-Team All-America, First-Team All-Midwest Region and First-Team all-UAA honors. Swary was honored as the 2005 ESPN The Magazine Softball Academic All-America of the Year, and was a three-time first-team ESPN The Magazine Academic All-America, Academic All-District VII, NFCA Scholar Athlete and Academic All-UAA selection. She had a 29-game hitting streak in 2002, ninth best in NCAA Division III history, and ranks 18th in NCAA Division III history in doubles (55) and 25th in RBIs (174). Swary received the A. Gwendolyn Drew Award in 2005. |
SUE TUCKER – 2000, Women's Basketball, Softball
Tucker was a two-year starting point guard for the women’s basketball team and starting shortstop on the softball team in its inaugural season in 2001. She was a member of three-straight NCAA Division III National Championship teams in 1998, 1999, 2000, including back-to-to back 30-0 seasons in 1999 and 2000. A two-time all-UAA selection, Tucker guided the Bears to three UAA Championships – 42-1 record – and ranks second in school history in three-point field goal percentage (.404). She earned NCAA Tournament All-Sectional honors in 1999, and was a member of the UAA All-Academic Team. |