The USM athletics department celebrated their rich athletic history as six former student-athletes and one coach were inducted into the USM Athletics Hall of Fame, as a part of the Husky Hall of Fame Banquet and Ceremony on Oct. 2, at the Kenneth Brooks Student Center on the Gorham Campus.
The 25th Silver Anniversary Hall of Fame inductee class included USM athletic and academic standouts from five decades and several sports. The addition of the seven new members to the Hall of Fame brings the Hall’s total to 163 members.
The 2010 inductees included former USM baseball standout and a graduate of the class of 1952, Richard “Dick” Jordan; former women’s basketball standout of the class of 1971, Bonnie Titcomb Lewis; former men’s soccer standout of the class of 1982, Rupert Lewis; former USM men’s basketball head coach Bob Brown; former women’s basketball standout and All-American of the class of 1999, Tracy Libby Lizotte; former USM All-American outfielder Michael McCullum, also of the class of 1999, and Renee Heath-Towne of the class of 2004 who is a former two-sport star for the Huskies in field hockey and softball.
“This Hall of Fame class is a very strong group of people. “The banquet went very well,” USM Athletics Director Al Bean said.
There were also three special awards presented at the banquet, which included the Richard A. Costello Special Achievement Award, the Clifford O.T. Weiden Award and the David Drew Service Award.
The Richard A. Costello Special Achievement Award was presented to Les LaFond, who as a former basketball player and coach, and a graduate of the class of 1952 continuously showed commitment to USM athletics.
The Weiden Award, which applauds the support that a local business gives to USM athletics, was presented to Yankee Ford.
The David Drew Service Award was presented to Janis Childs, professor of nursing. Childs is the Director of Learning Resources in the College of Nursing and Health Professions, and also served for six years as the Faculty Athletics representative to the NCAA.
Richard “Dick” Jordan was a member of the baseball team at the former Gorham State Teacher’s College, and led them in batting average and homeruns in his four year career from 1949-1952. While stationed in Mississippi, Jordan also played baseball for the U.S. Air Force before his career at Gorham State Teacher’s College.
Jordan graduated from Gorham State in 1952 with a degree in education and served as an important figure in Portland. He served terms as the President of the Portland Teacher’s Association and the Portland Principals Association.
“When I first called Mr. Jordan up he was stunned. He said something along the lines of ‘Who remembers me?’” Bean said.
Jordan’s daughter spoke on his behalf at the banquet and expressed the pride he felt by being inducted, according to Bean.
“This is somewhat typical of older inductees. It is very important to them,” Bean said.
Bonnie Titcomb Lewis captained the USM women’s basketball team in her senior season and helped them earn a 19-8 record over her three-year career spanning from 1968-1971. During her senior season she helped lead USM to the Northeast Regional Tournament and the MAIAW Tournament.
She was also a standout in track & field before it was an official varsity sport at USM, and was impressively invited to the Olympic trials.
Rupert Lewis was a skilled athlete for the Huskies men’s soccer team as he helped recognize the program as one of top in New England during his career that spanned from 1979-1982. During his time as a Husky, Lewis put up exceptional numbers as he tallied 44 career points and 19 goals scored while leading USM to a record of 52-19-7. Lewis was recognized as an All-State and an All-District 5 player in 1981 and 1982, as well as an All-New England player in 1982.
“Rupert is a very special person and a tremendous athlete,” Bean said.
Lewis, who came to USM from Jamaica, was a member of the Jamaican National Field Hockey team, and is now in his fifth year as head coach of the St. Joseph’s College (Standish) field hockey team.
Men’s basketball coach Bob Brown made a name for himself on the sidelines at Hill Gymnasium and beyond as he led the Huskies in what can be argued as three of the best seasons in the program’s history. From 1987-1990, Brown led the Huskies to a 66-24 record, and guided them to three NCAA Tournaments, the program’s first Little East Conference Championship, and an NCAA Division III Final Four appearance in the 1988-1989 season. Brown is currently Cheverus High School’s boys’ basketball head coach.
Tracy Libby Lizotte comes from a long list of tremendous women’s basketball players at USM, but there is no doubt that she left her mark as one of the greatest. Libby Lizotte scored 1,106 points, pulled down 780 rebounds and tallied 245 blocks in her career from 1996-1999. During that span, the USM women’s basketball team went 79-11 and won three consecutive LEC Championships. Libby Lizotte was named MWBCA Player of the year and was honored as a New England Women’s Basketball Association first team selection both in her senior year. Her other awards included being a three-time All-LEC first team selection, a WBCA Northeast Regional All-District selection, and a ECAC Division III New England Region All-Star second team selection.
Michael McCullum was a four-year starter for Coach Ed Flaherty on the storied USM baseball team, and played a key role on the 1997 Huskies’ National Championship team with his powerful bat at the plate and his speed in the outfield and on the base paths. McCullum was honored as an ABCA All-American and was named the LEC Player of the Year in 1999, while also swiping first-team All-LEC and All-New England honors.
Renee Heath-Towne was a tremendous presence for the Huskies in both field hockey and softball during her four years at USM. In field hockey, in which her career spanned from 2000-2003, Heath-Towne helped guide the Huskies to two berths to the ECAC New England Division III Championships, and the programs first LEC Championship and berth to the NCAA DIII Tournament in 2003.
Heath-Towne played for the softball team from 2001-2004 and helped lead the Huskies to an impressive record of 108-56-2. She was honored as a National Fastpitch Coaches’ Association Regional All-American and an All-NEISCA player in 2002, 2003, and 2004, and also was a four time All-LEC selection.
Heath-Towne served as Bean’s intern for three years, and is now a registered nurse at Maine Medical Center.
“Overall, it was a great night,” Bean said.