UNIVERSITY LIGGETT SCHOOL \ ALUMNI
\ ALUMNI
Alumni Athletic Hall of Fame Past Recipients
The Alumni Athletic Hall of Fame was created to honor and celebrate our many wonderful alumni athletes and the rich athletic history at University Liggett School.
Class of 2022
Bruce Birgbauer ’60 GPUS
Sports Achievements at GPUS
- Football: JV freshman and sophomore years; Varsity junior and senior years
- Basketball: JV freshman and sophomore years; Varsity junior and senior years (co-captain senior year)
- Varsity Tennis: all four years; state champion teams in ‘57-‘59 (co-captain and finalist in state doubles senior year)
- In senior year, he lettered in four sports and was a finalist in the Detroit Junior District golf championship
- U-Club: all four years
- Sports Editor for the Periscope junior and senior years
Other Achievements at GPUS
- Class President (senior year)
- Class Vice President (junior year)
- Class Treasurer (sophomore year)
Sports Achievements after GPUS
Williams College: 1960-64
- Freshman and Varsity Tennis
- Freshman and Varsity Squash
Harvard Law School: 1964-67
- Played on Law School squash team in A league competition
- Won Massachusetts Class B State singles Championship
Additional Sports Achievements
Competitive Squash: 1968-82
- Nationally ranked singles and doubles player
- Won five City of Detroit championships, plus doubles championships with squash partner George Haggarty ’59 GPUS
- Won 16 State of Michigan and Western Championships, eight singles and eight doubles
(seven with George Haggarty) - Nationally ranked in the top twenty-three times for singles and several times in doubles (with George Haggarty)
- Won several matches for the United States in Laptham-Grant competition with Canada and on trips to England, Rhodesia, and South Africa
- Former President of Michigan and of Western Squash Racquets Associations
Tennis
- Won Men’s doubles tournament at the Grosse Pointe Club and at the Neighborhood Club
- Nationally ranked doubles player with partner Peter Monroe ’60 GPUS in the 65 and older category for one year
Golf
- 1983 Country Club of Detroit Club Champion
- 1975 Belvedere Golf Club Club Champion
- Six holes in one: including one at Stream Song on his Honeymoon in 2021
- Two days after his eightieth birthday, Bruce shot 74 from senior tees in Florida; also shot age his age at Country Club of Detroit
’60 GPUS
Kevin Whitfield ‘91
Sports Achievements at ULS:
- Varsity Football: 3 years all State (1988, 1989, 1990); 1st Team 1990; 3 Years all East (Detroit Metro); 3 years All Conference MIAC; 1990 Team MVP
- Varsity Basketball: 3-year letter winner (2 year starter); All State Honorable Mention 1990-91
- 1990 U Club Inductee
Sports Achievements after ULS:
- Wayne State Varsity Football: 1991 started at Free Safety (season was cut short due to back injury); 1992 moved from Free Safety to Slot Receiver, starter; 1993 All conference Receiver GLIAC (Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference);
- Semi-Pro:
- Pontiac Chargers - App Pro Receiver 3 Seasons (1997, 1998, 1999); played in All-Star game held at the Pontiac Silverdome; played in All Start game held in Orlando;
- Michigan Bearcats (2 seasons)
- Detroit Buccaneers (1 season);
- PRO FOOTBALL:
- CFL - Camp participant with the Hamilton Tigercats (1996)
- Tried out for the Atlanta Falcons (2000) tore hamstring and called it a career
Additional Information:
- Member of the Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity: Director of membership, parliamentarian, historian, VP, Secretary, Sargent at Arms, Projects: Focus Hope, Forgotton Harvest, Big Bros/Big Sis;
- Member Prince Hall Affiliated Free and Accepted Masons
- He is a Shriner
- Works for Lear Corporation in Ft. Wayne, IN
Emmet “Tripp” Tracy III ‘92
Sports Achievements at ULS:
- ULS Hockey: Goaltender on the 1989-1990 State Championship team; Named all-state that year; played travel hockey Junior/Senior year
- ULS Lacrosse: played varsity Attack for three years; was all-state in lacrosse and "fun to coach and he scored a ton" according to John Fowler who also described him as "unique and dynamic"
- Was on the academic Honor Roll (Junior/Senior Year) and Latin Honor Society
- A Liggett Lifer -having attended ULS from K-12th (but went to Milton Academy his freshman year)
Sports Achievements afterward:
1992-1996 Harvard University Hockey Team:
- Four years varsity
- Shared goaltending minutes his first two years
- Lone/starting Goaltender last two years
- All were ECAC Championship winning seasons
- He was nominated to the All-ECAC Hockey Rookie Team 1992-1993
- Drafted in the 9th round (218th overall) by the Philadelphia Flyers in the 1993 NHL Entry Draft
- Played Professional Hockey from 1996-1998::
- Carolina Hurricanes NHL
- Springfield AHL
- New Haven AHL
- Richmond ECHL
Additional Information:
- After retiring from hockey in 1998, Tracy worked for CNN before rejoining the Hurricanes organization as an announcer for the 1998-1999 Season
- NHL Color Analyst NBC 2014/2015
- He has been with the Hurricanes broadcasting team ever since and is part of one of the most popular NHL Broadcast duos in the country
- Currently is a sports (Hockey) radio commentator and podcast host
Monte Squiers ‘07
Sports Achievements at ULS:
Varsity soccer – 4 years
- Four-year varsity soccer player as an “instrumental” defender
- Started and played full 80 minutes in 81 of 83 matches over four years
- A major contributor to State Championship match win 1 – 0 sophomore year, helping to shutdown Kalamazoo Hackett’s high-powered offense
- Helped the team to the Regional Championship games in both junior and senior years, only to lose both games in shootouts. Volunteered to shoot and scored a goal in both games
- Co-captain junior and senior years
- All-district, all-regional, and all-state first team both junior and senior years (as chosen by the coaches association)
- 4-point grade point average helped the team to All-Academic Honors
Varsity basketball – 3 years, JV – 1 year
- Captain senior year
Varsity ice hockey – 4 years
- Co-captain
- All-conference, all-district, all-regional first team
Other Achievements at ULS
- Student council class officer 2006, 2007
- Summa cum laude
- Terrill Newnan Scholar every year
- Salutatorian
- Elected 2007 commencement speaker by class popular vote
Sports Achievements after ULS
Massachusetts Institute of Technology 2007 – 2011
Varsity soccer – 4 years
- 2007 - Started in 14 out of the 16 games (had an injury early in season)
- 2008 – Started 18 of 18 games, played every minute of entire season
- 2009 – Season-ending ACL injury in first game
- 2010 – Co-captain
- Academic All-Conference Team Sophomore and Senior year
Varsity ice hockey – 2 years (No varsity program junior/senior years)
- Elected team captain sophomore year
- Club hockey – senior year
Varsity lacrosse - 1 year (freshman year)
- Started 13 out of 13 games
Varsity crew – 1 year (senior year)
- First boat – Varsity 8 in all regattas
- Boathouse record in the 2000m erg sprint
- Student Advisory Athlete Committee: 2008-2011
- Chair of Health and Wellness Committee
University of Vermont 2011 – 2015
- Club ice hockey – 2 years
Additional Information:
- Undergraduate: MIT (Aeronautical and Astronautical Engineering), 2007-2011
- Medical School: University of Vermont, 2011-2015
- Residency: Orthopaedic surgery in Grand Rapids, MI Spectrum Health/Michigan State University 2015-2020
- Fellowship: Pediatric orthopedic surgery in Palo Alto, CA Stanford University 2020-2021
- Fellowship: Orthopaedic oncology surgery in Salt Lake City, UT University of Utah/Huntsman Cancer Institute
Class of 2020
Michael C. Ware '69 GPUS
AT GPUS
- Varsity Tennis: 1968, 1969 National Junior Ranking; National Junior Circuit; 1969 State High School Singles Champion; 1967-68 State High School Doubles Champion. And at the same time …
- Varsity Baseball: '68 and '69
- Soccer: '67, '68, '69; Captain '69
- Basketball: JV '66; Varsity '67, '68, '69
- Additional: U Club '67, '68, '69 (president); Athletic Council '68, '67 (secretary)
Sports Achievements Afterward
- University of Michigan 1969-1973
o Varsity Tennis: 1970-1972 Big Ten Championship Team; 1971-1973 Big Ten Doubles Champion; 1971 Big Ten Singles Champion; 1971, 1972 Participant in two NCAA Tournaments; 1970-1973 Varsity Letter Award, University of Michigan Tennis Team.
- Professional Tennis: 2011 Received the United States Tennis Association's "William F. Beyer Award". "The award is given to an individual who is felt to have contributed immeasurably and unselfishly to the game of tennis."
- 1978 National Indoor Men's Doubles Tennis Champion
- 1979 Joined the Men's Professional (USTA) Tennis Tour;
- 1973-1990 Continued play in local tournaments: numerous sectional and divisional rankings in both singles and doubles
- 1971-1979 State of Michigan Men's Doubles Champion
Additional Information:
- 1973 President of Druids, University of Michigan men's senior honorary society; 1972 President of Sphinx, University of Michigan men's junior honorary society
- Additional Tennis Involvement
o 1979-Present: General Manager and Director of Tennis, Huron Valley Tennis Club, Ann Arbor, Michigan
o 1981-Present: Administrator (Former Head Coach) of Detroit Competition Training Center Programs (National USTA Player Development Program).
o 1976-1979 Director of tennis teaching program for developmentally disabled children in Washtenaw County Saint Louis School for Boys, Chelsea, Michigan
o 1975-1981 Director of Tennis, Pheasant Run Apartment Community, Ann Arbor, Michigan
o 1977-1978 Head Tennis Professional, Liberty Sports Complex, Ann Arbor, Michigan
o 1973-1979 Played men's professional tennis tour, Penn Circuit, United States Tennis Association, New York, New York
o 1973-1979 Assistant Tennis Coach, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan
o 1976 Head Tennis Professional, Racquet Club of Ann Arbor
o 1972 Director of Tennis and Head Professional, University of Michigan Varsity Tennis Center, Ann Arbor Michigan
o 1971 Tennis Professional, The Meadow Club, Southampton, Long Island New York
o 1966-1970 Assistant Tennis Professional at Country Club of Detroit, Grosse Pointe
- Professional Information
o 1973-1975 Recreational and Occupational Therapist, Department of Psychiatry, University of Michigan Medical Center (inpatient)
o 1972 Physical Education Instructor, Pioneer High School, Ann Arbor, Michigan
o Currently a Clinical Supervisor and Senior Staff Psychologist, St. Joseph Mercy Health System, Ann Arbor, Michigan and has published several papers and presentations on psychology and also on the game of tennis.
'69 GPUS
Tomasine Polizzi Marx 1978
AT ULS
o Varsity Field Hockey: Four years; Senior year Captain. Undefeated seasons 1977, 1978; Unscored upon team in 1976
o Varsity Volleyball: four years; MVP of Volleyball senior year; Captain Senior year;
o Varsity Tennis: two years Freshman and Sophomore Years; competed in States
o Varsity Lacrosse: Junior and Senior Year
o Additional: Senior Class President; Athletic Honor Society; Proud Lake Counselor; Head of ULS Summer Camp swim program
Sports Achievements Afterward
Albion College 1978-1982:
o Field Hockey: The most prolific scorer in MIAA field hockey history; named Most Valuable Player each season during her four-year career at Albion, where she led the Britons to three conference championships, two regional playoffs and a 24-4-2 conference record; Marx scored 73 goals in 64 career matches, set four MIAA scoring and field records, was named to the MIAA All-Star Team and was named to the USA Field Hockey's Mitchell and Ness All-American team as an honorable mention selection. Was profiled as a Sport Illustrated "Face In The Crowd" in 1981: TOMASINE POLIZZI, GROSSE POINTE, MICH., "Polizzi, an Albion College senior, had all five goals in a 5-3 field hockey win over Olivet. She has paced the Britons to three Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association titles and set single-season league records for goals (17) and points (34)." US Field Hockey Coaches Div 1 All-American Honorable Mention 1981; Albion College Athletic Hall of Fame Inductee 1995. After graduation Marx continued to play field hockey with the Detroit club team and represented the Great Lakes region at the national tournament.
Additional Information:
- Current member of University Liggett School Board of Trustees (2015-present). Marx is the Vice President Finance -West Market for St Joseph Mercy Health System and Trinity Health. Board Member and Chair, Grosse Pointe Chamber of Commerce (2013-present).
Kirk Haggarty 1986
AT ULS
o Soccer: 4 years Varsity Player 1982-1985; 1st Team All State Class B/C 1984 & 1985; Alternate Captain 1985; State Champions in 1982 (Class D) and 1983 (Class B/C); Scored the second of three goals to win the 1983 State Final; "one of the top 2-3 best defenders" Coach Backhurst ever coached.
o Tennis: 4 years Varsity player 1983-1986; 1st Team All State Class C/D 1986; 2nd Team All State Class C/D 1985; 1st Team All State Class C/D 1984; Co-Captain 1986; Won 3 individual state titles (#3 doubles in 1983, #1 doubles in 1984 and #1 doubles in 1986)
o Basketball: Varsity Player 1983/1984 and 1985/1986 (Sophomore and Senior); Co-Captain 1985/1986
Sports Achievements Afterward
Georgetown University 1986-1990:
o Soccer: Varsity Player 1986 (freshman year only; was forced to choose between soccer and tennis and play year round)
o Tennis: 4 years Varsity player 1986-1990; Co-Captain 1988-89 (Junior); Captain 1989-1990 (Senior); Big East Champions 1990 (first non-scholarship program to win the Big East); Big East Champions #2 Doubles in 1990; All-Academic Team - Big East 1989/1990; Over 110 wins in 3.5 seasons - held men’s tennis record at the time (missed 1/2 season freshman year while on soccer team)
Additional Information:
o Squash - Won National Championship and Ranked #1 in "D" flight in 1991; Won National Championship and Ranked #1 in "C" flight in 1992; Member of the US Team in 4 Lapham -Grant Competitions (US vs. Canada) 1993, 1995, 1997 & 1998; Co-Captain (with George Haggarty Sr. '59 GPUS) of 1997 US Lapham-Grant Team; 20 Detroit Athletic Club Championships (10 Singles Titles/10 Doubles Titles); State of Michigan Doubles Champion - open division
o Paddle Tennis: Picked up platform tennis in 2016 and currently hold mid-level national ranking
Brian Bruenton 1998
AT ULS
- Varsity Football: '95, '96, '97, '98: Received various game balls throughout career; Played WR and Safety throughout football career; All-Metro conference football team – 1st team offense ’97 and 98, Honorable mention 96’; Metro Conference Champions: ‘98 (undefeated team that year); All-Conference and All-State Senior year; Coached by Gary Hills.
- Basketball: MVP: ’95 (for JV); MVP: 1997-98 (For Varsity); 1st Team All-Conference: 1996-1997 & 1997-98; Captain: 1997-98; Voted Metro Conference Player of the Year in 1998; All-State, All-Metro regional honors in basketball. Coached by Bruce Pelto.
- Track & Field: Brian Bruenton is a member of the University Liggett School record 200-meter sprint medley relay that was broken in 2002 (?).
Sports Achievements Afterward
United State Military Academy at West Point 1998-2002
- Played D-1A football: 3-year lettermen. 2000 Ranked 5th on the squad in receptions; 2001 ranked 2nd on team receptions and highest per-catch average on the team with more than one reception (13.6); Started every game senior and junior season at WR as part of a 3-WR starting rotation at Army; Catching a TD in both the 2000 and 2001 Army-Navy game. "He was a great player and an even better person; caught a touchdown in the Army-Navy game (seen live on TV by Bob Wood); He played football all 4 years at West Point.
- Worked out for multiple NFL Teams following senior season, including the Washington Redskins, Indianapolis Colts, and Atlanta Falcons, but his playing career ultimately ended in 2002.
Additional Information
- Brian served in active duty for one year at Ft. Sill
- Currently works as a Director of Sales for Bioventus (Medical Device), and resides in Denver, CO.
Richard Trim, Faculty/Coach
AT GPUS
- Varsity football Coach from 1952 – 1967: 1952 was a perfect, undefeated season; 1957: was a perfect, undefeated and untied season "thanks to excellent training and coaching” by coach Dick Trim; 1966: another "perfect, undefeated season accomplished by a unified team effort combined with outstanding coaching and incredible individual performances"; team broke total yardage, scoring and passing records that year.
- Varsity Baseball Coach from 1952-1956
- Middle School Basketball Coach.
Additional Information
- Taught Upper School Spanish
- Summer School Administrator
- Member of the U Club
- The 1967 Pericon is dedicated to Mr. Trim and Mrs. Trim "for his sincere and genuinely caring self … and to Mrs. Trim, because her office is a gathering place where students could discuss, protest and/or just listen. They have left their mark on GPUS."
- He became Headmaster of Hampton Roads Academy in Virginia in 1968
Class of 2019
Heidi Henkel McGarry 1982
AT ULS
- Field Hockey: four years varsity player; undefeated in ‘82; MVP of Varsity Field Hockey Team her senior year; Senior year lead the team to victory with 15 wins and 0 losses and 1 tie; The team also traveled to the east coast after winning the Kingswood Tournament and defeated several Connecticut teams as well
- Lacrosse: Four years varsity player; during her four years on the team they won four Midwest lacrosse titles; Heidi was also on the championship team that won in Sewickly, PA (Per Coach Rom Stackpoole)
- Track & Field: Freshman year
- Athletic Council ’78-‘79, ’81-‘82
- Captain of the Blue Team ‘82
- Ruth Frank Award ‘82
- Athletic Honor Society ‘82
AFTERWARD
Pine Manor College:
- Played field hockey for two years; she lead the team and was given a position on the All-Star team that featured many US Olympians; as a sophomore she scored the winning goal against rival Wheelock College and she tied up an important game against Barrington.
- Played lacrosse for two years
Graduated from the University of Michigan in 1986
ADDITIONAL INFO
- Heidi plays Series 1 paddle tennis in Winnetka, IL in the North Shore Women's Platform Tennis; Heidi coached he daughter's Middle School volleyball team at Sacred Heart where her team was 51-1, winning championships for three consecutive years
- Coach Brock: “She was a naturally agile and gifted athlete who excelled in field hockey and lacrosse. Her leadership on and off the field has been vital to her teams and also to the Athletic Council, which she served on for two years”
JT Parks 1983
AT ULS
- Football ’78-‘82: Four years varsity player (quarterback); co-captain his Junior and senior year; team MVP Junior and Senior Year; All-state honorable mention
- Baseball ’79-‘83: Four years varsity player baseball (short-stop); Made All-State three years in baseball; team MVP sophomore, junior and senior year; All-Conference Junior and Senior year; Co-captain senior year
- Basketball ’79-‘83: Four years varsity player (point guard); team MVP junior and senior year; All-Conference junior and senior Year; All-State Honorable Mention Senior year; Was basketball co-captain for three years
- Athletic Council President, Secretary
- 1982-1983: Voted Most Valuable Athlete
- 1982-1983: US Army Athletic Award Recipient
AFTERWARD
- At CMU: Played JV baseball and rugby
- Coached rugby, youth soccer and youth baseball
ADDITIONAL INFO
- Described by Bob Wood: “one of the very best athletes we had at the school during the entire 1980s”
- Football coach Tom Taber: “he had an outstanding mind and an uncanny ability to know where to be on the field at all times; JT was frequently able to almost single-handedly win a game in critical situations”
Chris Ford 1996
AT ULS:
- Varsity Soccer: Sophomore, Junior and Senior year (Co-Captain); MHSAA Regional Champions and Class C-D State Finalists '94 season; MHSAA District and Regional champions '95 and Chris was selected for the 2nd All-Conference Team and the MHSAA Coaches Association All Regional Team; Metro Conference Academic Excellences Award recipient; ULS Soccer team he played on was district champs in ’92-93 and ’94-95. The team was among the final four in the state in ‘95-96;
- Varsity Ice Hockey: Four years varsity player; MHSAA District finalists '94; Chris was recognized as a top defender '94; MPHL All League Team and All Academic Honor Roll '95; Senior year Co-Captain; All-State Class BCD Defenseman '96; Michigan High School Coaches Assn. Honorable mention '96; MPHL All League Academic Honor Roll '96; MPHL All League "Dream Team" in '96 (stats were 28 games, 94 shots on goal and 6 goals); Received the "1990 Trophy" awarded to the ULS player who demonstrates characteristics of the school's last State Championship hockey team.
- Varsity Baseball: Four years varsity player; Selected for Class C 1st Team; All District Baseball Team; All State Baseball team; Certificate of Merit/All District Player MHS Baseball Coaches Association; Metro Conference Academic Excellence Award; Traveled with the ULS Baseball team to attend camp run by Chet Lemon; Elite League/College Prep Travel Baseball summer of '96; He was on the Athletic Council in ’94-95 and ’95-96.
- Chris brought honor to the game; was dedicated and competitive and made every team he was on better; consistently demonstrated sportsmanship and character and was a true leader on and off the field.
- He was the Founders Day Student Speaker on Athletic Life in 1996
- ULS Senior Athlete MVP in 1996
- Proud Lake Counselor '95, '95; ULS Day Camp Junior Counselor '93; Counselor '94.
AFTERWARD
- Lawrence University: Was a starting baseball in-fielder 1997-2000 at St. Lawrence University; 1st base. Fielding 984%; Put outs: 224; Double plays: 14
ADDITIONAL INFO
- Chris has been a teacher at Forman School (CT) since 2004 and is Director of the Ingenuity Program and a member of Senior Staff. During this time at Forman, he has taught mathematics and coached alpine skiing, hockey, rock climbing, and baseball.
- In 2012, Chris received his certification in the Strategic Instruction Model from the Center for Research on Learning at the University of Kansas.
- Before coming to Forman, Chris taught Ecology at Gore Range Natural Science School in Red Cliff, CO. He also taught Biology, Physics, and Chemistry at a charter school in Boulder.
- He has directed trips for Wilderness Ventures, a backcountry adventure company based out of Jackson Hole, WY. He is highly admired by Faculty/Coach emeritus Muriel Brock who notes that his strong work ethic gave him notice by coaches at every stage and in every sport he played.
Leython Williams ’03
AT ULS
- Football: Four years varsity: ’99, ’00, ’01, ’02; Captain Senior Year; All Conference: ’01 and ’02 school years Linebacker award: ‘01 All-State: ’02; All East: ’02; Team MVP: ’02; 99 tackles and average 6 yards per carry in Jr. year (’01); Led team in tackles sophomore through senior year. Set new school record in tackles with a career of 347 tackles; Had 1,006 all-purpose yards Averaged 8.9 yards per carry Averaged 28 yards per catch
- Basketball: Four years varsity; Captain: sophomore-senior years; MVP: Sophomore- senior years; Two All Conference Selections
- Track: Three years varsity: ’01, ’02, ‘03; All-Conference junior and senior year
- Athletic Council 2001, 2002, 2003
- Voted “Most Athletic” in 2003
AFTERWARD
- Central Michigan University: Played D1football (LB) at CMU but had injuries and had to quit; Served on the student athletic advisory board.
- Current Work in Athletics: Is a certified Doctor of Physical Therapy with "Athletico" where he specializes in blending his athletic prowess/background with his physical therapy expertise in musculoskeletal function to best serve his PT patients. He is also an affiliate physical therapist for the Chicago Bears football team. He is also a certified Emergency Medical Technician. Expresses his deep appreciation to his ULS teammates and coaches in his bios and interview.
ADDITIONAL INFO
Coach Langford: “Leython was the best teammate anyone could ever have. If you were a member of his team he was the guy that had your back. He would stay after practice and help others with their shot put or discus form.”
Jim Schmidt
AT ULS
- 37 year teacher and coach at ULS
- 1974 Middle School Cheerleader Coach
- 1975 – 2009 Helped organize & run the Middle School Outing Club with Larry Griffin and continued its operation and mission (upon Larry’s departure) for 25 years. The Outing Club introduced Middle School students to a variety of athletic activities that they could continue to experience in out of school settings. These activities included hiking, biking, cross country skiing, sledding, canoeing, orienteering, outdoor disc/Frisbee golfing, miniature golfing, and camping. During this time the Outing Club also initiated the Treasure Hunt which quickly spread to the Upper School.
- 1975 – 1977 Middle School Boys Basketball Announcer & Scorer
- Coached eighth grade students in the technical and lighting aspects of the Middle School drama program and auditorium events.
- 1978 – 1980 Middle School Girls Basketball Varsity & Junior Varsity Coach; Responsible for all practices and games for 80 girls with no assistants. (Overall record of 22-0)
- Outdoor Education/Geology Trips: Students were given the opportunity of combining the athletics of hiking, climbing, mountain biking, and whitewater rafting with the study of physical geology and environmental science. This was accomplished through three and four week trips to Wyoming, Oregon, Utah, South Dakota, and Alaska.
- 1980 – 1983 Middle School Softball Coach Responsible for all practices and games for 80 girls with 2 assistants. (Overall record of 15-2)
- 1985 – 2009 Eighth Grade Dean – Later to become Dean of Student Activities for M.S. Organized and started first “Spirit Week” at University Liggett School.
- 1991 – 2017 Upper School Varsity / Junior Varsity / Middle School Softball Coach: Overall Varsity Record 438 – 224; 10 District Titles – 5 Regional Titles – 1 Metro Conference Title – 6 MIAC Titles; 7 Time District Coach of the Year – 2 Time Regional Coach of the year; Was named Gatorade’s “Will To Win” Coach of the year along with “Player Of The Year” Maggie Dillon
- 1976 – 2000 Ice Hockey Announcer & Scorer for McCann Rink Announced and scored all home Ice Hockey games for the Boys Varsity Team, Boys Junior Varsity Team, Girls Varsity Team, Middle School Bantam Team, and the Middle School Peewee Team
- 1980 – 2018 Announcer for Boys Football Games. Announcer & Scorer for Girls Softball Games
ADDITIONAL INFO
- Organized and began the first “Talent Show” at University Liggett School
- 1976 – 1980 Technical Director for Kresge Auditorium
- 1979 – 2006 Director of the ULS Summer Science Enrichment Program: Initiated, organized, & ran the only high school accredited program for Upper School students ever offered by University Liggett School
- As an acknowledgment for many years of service to the ice hockey program at ULS, Jim was given the honorary title of “The Voice Of McCann” by athletic director Bob Wood.
- Donated a new school bus to ULS so the softball team could attend spring training in Florida
- Donated a new golf cart to the school so that the softball team could get their pitching machine out to the field. (Golf cart is still in use by the athletic department today.)
Faculty/Coach Emeritus (posthumous)
Class of 2018
Susie Mascarin Keane ‘82
Education
- University Liggett School, Class of 1982
- University of California, Los Angeles, Class of 1992
Tennis Achievements at University LiggettSchool
- 1978-79: Played tennis on the girls’ varsity tennis team her freshman year; team record was 10-1 that year
- 1978-79: Won the Number 1 Michigan State singles championship
- 1979-80: Played #3 singles on the boys' varsity Tennis team
Tennis Achievements at the National/International Level As a Junior Player
- Winner of five national junior singles championships and four national junior doubles championships
- 1978: Won the US Girls 14 and Under indoor title and qualified for and competed in her first of 10 US Open Championships; was nationally ranked 2ndin this age category
- 1979: Won Southern Championship Tennis Title and represented the United States in both the Bonne Belle Cup, the Continental Cup and was a member of four Wightman Cup teams
- 1980: Was the International Tennis Federation World Junior Champion following title wins at the Easter Bowl, US Open, Italian Open, and Orange Bowl Championships; also a recipient of the Maureen Connolly Brinker Outstanding Junior Sportsmanship Award
As a Professional Player
- 1980: Signed with the International Management Group and competed on the Women’s Tennis Association tour for eight years, reaching at least the quarterfinals in more than 20 professional singles and doubles tournaments;
Competed in all the major tennis tournaments while playing against the likes of Chris Evert and Martina Navratilova
- 1982: Defeated 3rdseeded Billie Jean King in the first round of the USOpen
- 1986: Reached a career-high singles ranking of No. 32; Competed on the Miami Beach Breakers World TennisTeam
- 1988: Competed on the South Florida Breakers World TennisTeam
- Winner of three National doubles tennis titles with Eva Welsher in the 40 and over age division
Platform Tennis Achievements
- 2002-2010: Won six APTA national titles in an eight-year span with her doubles partner, MaryDoten
- 2008-2009: Susie and Mary won every tournament they entered during this season
Hall of Fame Inductions
- Inducted into the Tennis Hall of Fame for the USTA/Midwest Section in Indianapolis in 2009
- ¥nducted into the Platform Tennis Museum and Hall of Fame in 2014
Coaching Experience
- 1988: Retired from professional tennis (after shoulder surgery) and began assistant coaching at UCLA while earning an undergraduate degree in Communications
- Upon her return to Grosse Pointe, Susie continued coaching tennis at all levels while raising her three children
- Established and coached the tennis program at St. Paul Catholic School for both boys & girls,2005-2010
- Volunteer assistant coach at Grosse Pointe South high school,2008-2010
Golf
- President of the Orlando Women’s GolfAssociation
- Past President of Bay Hill Women’s GolfAssociation
- Winner of the Country Club of Detroit Club Championship, 2009 &2010
- Winner of the Bay Hill Club Championship,2018
Volunteer/Family Life/Other
- Proud mom of Matthew, Charlie, and Samantha Kane
- Member of Central Florida Women’s League since2013
- Breast cancer survivor since 2014
Katherine Riddle Miller ‘96
Education
University Liggett School, Class of 1996 Washington and Lee University, Class of 2000
The University of Virginia, Master’s in Education, 2005
Sports Achievements at University Liggett School
- 1992-1996 Varsity Women’sLacrosse
- Captain senior year
- 1992-1996 Varsity women basketball
- Captain senior year
- All-metro conference “Dream Team” her senior year
- 1993-1996: varsity volleyball
- Captain Senior year
Leadership & Awards at University Liggett School
- President of her junior and senior class
- Headmasters Prize recipient (1996)
- 1995 Terrill Newnan Scholar
- Winner of the Betty Ellis Cup
- Winner of the Class of '44 Cup
- Cum Laude Society
- Recipient of the Emily Baker Service Award
- Recipient of the Dr. Frank Bicknell Award
Sports Achievements at Washington and Lee University 1996-2000 Varsity Women’s Lacrosse Team (Div. III)
- 2000: Played in the famous Intercollegiate Women’s Lacrosse Coaches Association "North-South" game
- 2000: Received the Outstanding Women’s Lacrosse Offensive Award (MVP- Offense)
- Academic All-American
- 2000: Received the Wink Glasgow Spirit & Sportsmanship Award (which is an Athletic Department award)
- 1999 and 2000: Team Captain (named one of their All-Time TeamCaptains)
- Named to the All-Old Dominion Conference First Team in 2000; Second Team in 1999
- Named an Intercollegiate Women’s Lacrosse Coaches Association All-Region player in2000
- Named to the South Atlantic Regional All American Second Team in2000
- During her career, Riddle amassed 100 goals and 41 assists to rank fourth on the all-time W&L career scoring list.
- Was featured on W&L lacrosse promotional materials
Teaching & Coaching Experience
- 18 years of teaching at St. Stephens and St. Agnes School in Alexandria, VA; is currently the 7th grade Dean and former Middle School History Chair; received the Outstanding Teacher(2006)
- In 2005 was selected to attend Princeton’s Klingenstein Summer Institute for Early career teachers
- Katherine coached various teams for a decade at SSSAS including, middle school and JV lacrosse, middle school and Varsity basketball team, and middle school volleyball
Charles-Robert “C.R.” Moultry ‘99
Education
University Liggett School, Class of 1999
Western Michigan University, Bachelors of Science in Exercise Science, Class of 2003 University Of Michigan, Bachelors of Science in Nursing, Class of 2009
Sports Achievements at University Liggett School
- 1995-1999: Four Years varsity football
- 1998 & 1999 Most valuable player
- 1999 Team Captain; Named Best defensive lineman
- 1998 All-Metro Conference champions (undefeated season)
- 1998 2nd team all-conference selection
- 1995-1999: Four Years varsity basketball
- 1999 Team Captain; Set school record for rebounds; Named Most Valuable Player, 2ndteam All-Metro Conference, Honorable Mention All-State
- 1998 All-Metro Conference champions (undefeated season)
- 1998 2nd team all-conference selection
- 1996 Named the Most improved player
- 1996-1999 Three Years varsity baseball
- 1999 Team Captain, Named Most Valuable Player, All Metro Conference
- 1998 2nd team all-state, All-Metro Conference, Named Most Valuable Player
- 1998 Team reached state semi-finals
- 1999 President of the Athletic Council; 1996-1999 Athletic Council Representative
- 1998-99 Senior Most valuable athlete
- 1998 Junior Class Athlete of the year
- 1996 Freshman Athlete of the year
- University Liggett School band
- Played Saxophone and was a Michigan state Solo Ensemble I performer in 1997-1999
Sports Achievements at Western Michigan University
- 1999-2003 varsity football
- 2000 MAC Football Honor Roll; WMU Scholar-Athlete
- 2000 Ellis Scholar athlete award
- 1999 & 2000 Representative on the WMU player cabinet
- Wore the All-Time Jersey #73 for all four years that he played on the team
- 2000 Selected as WMU summer orientation leader
Professional Experience
- RN in the Peds Cardiothoracic Intensive Care Unit at C.S. Mott Children's Hospital, Michigan medicine
- RN in the Cardiovascular Intensive Care Unit at The Frankel Cardiovascular Center, Michigan medicine
Coaching
- 2004-2006 Assistant Varsity Football Coach, Hartford High School, Hartford, VT
- 2005 Head Basketball and Baseball Coach, Hartford Parks and Rec
- 2016-2018 Head Baseball Coach, Redford/Livonia Little league baseball
- 2017-18 Vice President, Redford/Livonia Little League Baseball Board of Directors
- 2018-19 President, Redford/Livonia Little league baseball
David Backhurst
Education/Military
Syracuse University, BA History 1968 the University of Massachusetts, MAT, 1972 US Army, Infantry, 1968-70
At University Liggett School Teaching
- 43-year history teacher at University Liggett School
- 1972-79: Middle School history teacher and advisor
- 1979-2015: Upper School history teacher, department chair (1988-1998, 2007-2012)
Coaching
Early Coaching Career
- 1972-78 coached Middle School Squirt Hockey and soccer
- 1979-81 Upper School JV soccer
- Boys Varsity Soccer Coach for 32 seasons(1982-2014)
- 1982, 1983, 1996, and 1999 Michigan State Championship Teams; Runner Up State Champions 1985, 1987 and1994
- His boys' varsity teams won 425 games, lost 218 games, and tied 53 games
- League Titles: Metro Conference 1996, 1999; Michigan Independent Athletic Conference1982-1991
- District Titles: 25; Regional Titles:14
- Coached both of his sons on varsity soccer at ULS!
- Girls Varsity Soccer Coach for 24 seasons(1985-2008)
- 2005 Michigan State championship team
- His girls varsity teams won 301 games, lost 109 games, and tied 29games
- League Titles: Metro Conference 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997,1998,1999, 2000, 2002, 2005, 2006, 2007
- District Titles: 15; Regional Titles:1
- David also led 4 trips to/tours of Europe with boys’ soccer team in 1985, 1988, 1992, and 1995.
Awards & Accolades
- 1988: Bronze Award, National High School CoachingAward
- 1994: National Soccer Coaches Association of America Coach of the Year for Secondary Schools Boys Division II, Region 4, Central
- 1998: Michigan High School Coaches Association Award(girls)
- 2000-01: Michigan High School Coaches Association Award(boys)
- 2000: NFHS Coach of the Year Award, Central section(Boys)
- 2001: Finalist Award, National High School Soccer Coaches Association "Coach of the Year" Award
- Inducted into the 2013 inaugural class of the Michigan High School Soccer Coaches Association Hall of Fame;
Additional & Post-Retirement Activities
- Current JV Boys Assistant Soccer Coach at ULS
- Drives the sports team buses
- Provides a fantastic Detroit Tour for alumni who come back to town for Alumni Weekend (this past year's tour sold out!)
- Coaches the alumni soccer players at our annual alumni soccer game each summer
- Started summer soccer camp/clinics at ULS in 1977 through2011
- Coached for the Grosse Pointe Soccer Association (U8, U19)
- Division or Class chair in MIHSSCA: 30 years for boys and 22 years for girls
Faculty/Coach Emeritus
Class of 2017
Glynn Conley '59 GPUS
Education
- Grosse Pointe University School, Class of 1959
- Tufts University and Wayne State, Class of 1968
- Wayne State University School of Education, Class of 1969
Sports Achievements
Grosse Pointe University School
- Athletic Council President: ’58-59
- U-Club: 4 years
- Baseball: Varsity 4 years
- Track: Varsity 2 years
- Football:
- Varsity: 4 years
- Co-Captain: ’58
- All-State 1st team Back Class C-D ‘58
- All-Suburban Detroit 1st team ‘58
- 1957-58: scored 43 pts (2nd highest); 7 touchdowns (most);
extra points = 1 run; Tackles = 8 (13th highest out of 24); Rushing = 68/445 (6.5) (3rd); Receiving = 1/11 yrds (5th); kick-off returns = 4/58 (14.5) (3rd) - In 1958, the football team was undefeated, and Conley was the leading rusher and point scorer of the team
- During the entire Trim years, he was the second-leading season scorer with 73 points
Tufts University: Freshman and sophomore year Football and baseball
Professional Experience
- Teacher, Guardian Angel School, 1968-1974
- Teacher & Coach, University Liggett School 1974-2009
Awards, Accolades & Community Service
- Inducted into the MHSBCA Coaches Hall of Fame: 2002
- Five Time recipient of the MIAC Baseball Coach of the Year
- Glynn has been coaching baseball in some capacity since the 60's.
Coach at University Liggett School:
- JV Football
- JV Basketball
- Varsity Basketball
- Varsity baseball from 1973-2008: His contributions to the baseball program were wonderfully recognized by Dan Cimini when he retired Glynn's baseball number
- 2004 Awarded the “Champions for Children” grant by ULS to spent entire month of March following Detroit Tigers’ Spring training
Jimmy Carson '86
Education
- University Liggett School, Class of 1986 (PreK 3 – 10th grade)
- The American College of Financial Services, (Chartered Life Underwriter & Chartered Financial Consultant)
Sports Achievements
University Liggett School
- Varsity Baseball 1983
- 1984: Drafted at age 16 into the Verdun Junior Canadiens (Quebec Hockey League) for the ‘84-‘85 and ‘85-‘86 seasons.
National Hockey League Experience
LA Kings
- Drafted by the LA Kings into the 1986 NHL Entry Draft as the 2nd overall pick
- Scored 37 goals as an 18-year-old rookie in the 1986-87 season
- In just his second NHL season, Carson notched 55 goals and 107 points - which at the time was the most goals ever scored by an American-born player in one season
Edmonton Oilers
- In 1988, in one of the biggest trades in sports history, Carson was traded to the Edmonton Oilers along with the Kings' three first-round draft picks ‘89, ‘91 and ‘93 and $15 million cash in exchange for Wayne Gretzky, Marty McSorleyand Mike Krushelnyski.
- During the 1988-89 season with the Oilers, Carson scored 49 goals and 100 points
Detroit Red Wings
- Traded to the Detroit Red Wings in 1989
- Had three 30+ goal seasons with the team
LA Kings
- In 1993, in another blockbuster trade, Carson was traded for Paul Coffey and went back the LA Kings where he played for two seasons with
Wayne Gretzky - The Kings lost to the Montreal Canadiens in the Stanley Cup finals in 1993.
Vancouver Canucks
- 1993-94 season
- The Canucks lost to the NY Rangers in game 7 of the Stanley Cup finals
Hartford Whalers
- 1994-95 and 1995-1996 seasons
International Hockey League
Detroit Vipers
- 1996-97 and 1997-98 seasons
- Member of the 1997 Turner Cup Championship Team
Post-Professional Hockey Career Experience
- 2014: Participated in the Red Wings versus Maple Leafs NHL Winter Classic alumni game at Comerica Park
- Regularly participates in Red Wings alumni games for various charities
Current Professional Experience
Financial Services Professional, CLU, ChFC
- Northwestern Mutual Financial Services: 1997-2008
- All State Financial Services: 2008-Present
Awards & Accolades
- 1986: Carson was the youngest player in the NHL
- Scored more goals as a teenager – 92 – than any player in NHL history
- 1986-87 season: Named to the NHL All-Rookie Team
- 1992-93: Carson was NHL single-season record holder for regular season games played with 86 (a record shared with Bob Kudelskiwho also played 86 games in the 1993-94 season)
- Had two 100-Point Seasons: LA Kings 1987-88 and Edmonton Oilers 1988-89
- 1989: Named to the NHL All-Star Team
- 2016 Named a Legend of The LA Kings
Martina Jerant '91
Education
- University Liggett School, Class of 1991
- Brown University, Class of 1995
- Columbia University, Masters in Public Health 2000
Sports Achievements
University Liggett School
Volleyball: JV 1987-‘88; Varsity 1990-‘91
Basketball:
- Varsity 1987-‘91
- Co-Captain senior year
- 1991 Michigan All-State Team: Class C 2nd Team
- 1990 Michigan All-State Team – Class C 3rd Team
- Sophomore, Junior and Senior year MVP
Brown University Women’s Basketball
- The third leading scorer in Brown women’s basketball history, Jerant led the Bears to three Ivy League Titles and their first appearance in the NCAA Tournament in 1994 (pulling down 24 rebounds - one shy of the school record - in an Ivy League playoff game against Dartmouth, which determined the League’s automatic bid to the Big Dance)
- Three-time First Team All-Ivy selection
- The Ivy League’s Rookie of the Year, as well as the Ivy League’s Player of the Year as only a sophomore
- The all-time leading rebounder in Brown’s history with 991
- One of just three players in Brown women’s basketball history to be a three-time First Team All-Ivy selectee
- One of just four players to earn All-Ivy honors all four years of her career as she earned Second Team honors as a freshman in 1992
- In 1994, she was named to the Academic All-Ivy team.
- Three-time team MVP, Jerant is Brown’s all-time field goal percentage leader, averaging 52.8 percent from the field throughout her career
- She is Brown’s second highest woman in career free throws made, compiling 435, and second highest women in blocks, making 213.
- Basketball team won three Ivy League Championships while she was on the team
- Started the most games in Brown women’s basketball history
Additional Sports Experience:
- 1992 and 1993: As a member of the Canadian National Basketball Team, Jerant competed in the Junior World Qualifying Games
- 1994: Played basketball in the Goodwill Games and the International Student Games
- 1995: Participated on the Canadian National Basketball team in the Olympic Qualifying Games of that year
- 1996: Jerant became the first women’s basketball player from Brown to compete in the Olympic games, when she represented Canada in the 1996 Atlanta Summer Games
- 1997: Competed in the Croatian Senior basketball league, which won the Nations Championship. Competed in the Euro-league basketball team, traveling internationally to Italy, Germany, Austria, France, Czech Republic, and Israel
- 2002: Waterford Basketball team, Ireland
- 2003 - 2007: Competed in the Croatian Senior basketball league
Coaching & Professional Experience
- 1996-1999: Assistant Basketball Coach at Columbia University while completing her Master’s Degree in Public Health
- 1999-2002: Hospital Administrator at Montefiore Medical Center and Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York, NY
- 2003 – 2009: Pilates and Yoga studio owner, operator and certified instructor
- 2009-2011: Manager, Research and Education at YogaMedics
- 2011-2016: Manager, Training Department, LifeTime Fitness
- 2016 – present: Manager, University of Michigan Center for RNA Biomedicine
Awards & Accolades
- 1994: Martina capped off her brilliant career at Brown by earning the Marjorie Brown Smith Award as the school’s female varsity athlete of the year
- She is one of only four female athletes at Brown to win both the Kate Silver Award, which she received in 1992 as the first-year female varsity athlete of the year and the Marjorie Brown Smith Award
Michael Fox '93
Education
- University Liggett School, Class of 1993
- Boston University, Class of 1997
- Wayne State University, Masters in Exercise Physiology and Physical Training, Classes 2001 and 2003
Sports Achievements
University Liggett School
- Earned 10 Varsity letters at University Liggett School in three sports
- Football (4 letters):
- 1989, 1990, and 1991: 1st Team all MIAC Player
- 1992: 1st Team All-Metro Conference in two positions - Running Back and Kicker
- 1992: Team Captain and Team MVP
- 1992: 1000-yd Rusher and more than 2,000 all-purpose yards for the season
- 1992: Twice scored a rushing TD, Kickoff return for TD and receiving TD in the same game
- 1992: Detroit News Prep Athlete of the Week
- 1992: All East Detroit News 2nd Team Running Back
- 1992: All Metro East Free Press 2nd Team Running Back
- 1992 1st team All State Class C Running Back Detroit News
- 1992 Honorable mention All-State running Back All Classes Detroit free Press
- 1992 Michael kicked all his own extra points after scoring touchdowns this entire season; furthermore, he played almost every play during his four years on the team.
- Basketball (2 letters):
- 1992 Most Improved Player
- 1993 Team Captain
- 1993 Coaches leadership Award
- Track (4 Letters):
- 1990: All MIAC First Team (100 and 200 meter races)
- 1991: All MIAC First Team (100 and 200 meter races)
- 1992: All MIAC First Team (100 and 200 meter races)
- 1993 Team Captain
- 1993 Team MVP
- 1993 All Metro Conference Second Team (100 and 200 meter races)
- Finished Top 5 in school history for both Shot Put and Discus
- Member of Top 5 in school history 400M and 800M relay teams
- Michael also active in the outing club, giving tree, holiday festival, 4A and Blue Key while balancing a full athletic schedule
Boston University Football Team
- 3-year letter winner of only undefeated football team in Boston University history
- 1994 Spring Football MVP
- 1994 Team Most Improved Player
- 1995 Spring Football MVP
- 1996 Team’s Leading rusher
- 1996 Spivak Award Winner for being the team’s Most Outstanding Offensive Back
- 1996 All Yankee Conference Honorable Mention
National Football League
- 1997 Chicago Bears Mini Camp Attendee
- 1999 Cincinnati Bengals Mini and Fall Camp Attendee
Community Service & Professional Experience
- Member of the Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc., Detroit Alumni Chapter
- Kappa Leadership & Development League Advisor: program designed to aid young men of high school age to grow and develop their leadership talents in every phase of human endeavor. Kappa League provides both challenging and rewarding experiences to enhance their lives. To date, Michael has advised more than 300 young men steering them toward the college path
- Volunteer At: Sound, Mind and Body Football Academy; Nardin Park Recovery Center; Eastside Youth Sports Foundation; And Michael puts on his own free football clinic and passing league for children in Metro Detroit
Professional Experience
Athletic Trainer/Physical Fitness Instructor and Owner at MACK Athletic Complex
Class of 2016
John Welchli DUS ‘46
A high achieving student athlete at Detroit University School and at Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island, John Welchli went on weave athletic excellence throughout the rest of his life, too.
Widely considered to be one of the greatest American scullers of all time, Welchli has competed in and won rowing events and regattas across the globe for more than 60 years.
At DUS, Welchli played baseball and ran track, and at Brown, he captained the cross country team, was a four-year team member of both track and swim teams.
Welchli competed in the 1956 Summer Olympics in Melbourne, Australia as a member of the U.S. Olympic Rowing Team, the most successful group ever boated by the United States, winning six medals in seven events. He won the Sliver Medal in the four without coxswain event with fellow Detroit Boat Club teammates James McIntosh, and identical twins John McKinlay and Arthur McKinlay. He was one of the famous Detroit Boat Club Seven, coached by the acclaimed rowing coach Walter M. Hoover.
Between 1955 and 1965, Welchli won a combined 32 U.S. National and Candian Henley National gold medals, and for many years held the U.S. National 2000 meter record in the lightweight single and double, and also the Candian Henley in the lightweight singles. He took first place in the singles and in the 50-and-over bracket for four without coxswain in the First Annual Masters Rowing Championship in Vermont.
Competing as a Master Senior Sculler until 2010, Welchli holds a decade-long undefeated winning streak in the National and International Masters Competition. He is a member of the DBC Hall of Fame, the National Rowing Foundation Hall of Fame and the Brown University Athletic Hall of Fame, and was Nominated as Michiganian of the Year by The Detroit News in 1996.
Welchli remains a member of the DBC Rowing Team to this day.
DUS ‘46
Megan Brady Hishmeh ‘89
Megan Brady Hishmeh was at home on the ice and field and in the water throughout her Liggett athletic career. She participated in the first ever Liggett varsity girls’ ice hockey team from 1987 to 1989, leading the team in scoring and most minutes played. During the same three years, Hishmeh played varsity field hockey, achieving All-State player status.
A four-year varsity girls’ soccer player, Hishmeh nailed All-State, and was recognized with All-State Honorable Mentions her sophomore, junior and senior years and led her team to Class B Championship in 1988 and 1989, Second Team All-Converence in 1989, and ECSL Second Team All-Division.
As a junior and senior, Hishmeh was a varsity swimmer, specializing in butterfly and backstroke. In 1989 she was honored with the United States Army Reserve National Scholar Athlete Award.
At the University of Vermont, Hishmeh played JV field hockey in 1989 and 1990. She also played on the ice hockey team, serving as captain for three years, and leading in scoring and penalty minutes each of the four years she played.
An ice hockey coach for 22 years, Hishmeh led the Princeton Day School girls’ varsity hockey team to State Tournament Championships in 2000, 2001 and 2002 and achieved USA Hockey Coach of the Month in June 2009. She was head coach of the multiple title-winning Montville Mustangs, the first woman in New Jersey ever to coach a men’s high school varsity team. She led the team to the 2014 Haas Division Title win, and was named the 2013-14 New Jersey High School Coach of the Year. She also coached her own three sons’ teams for several years.
As an ice hockey official, Hishmeh has traveled to Canada, China and Finland for various championship games.
Michigan Chapter.
Jennifer Miller ‘92
While Miller excelled at varsity basketball in 1988 and 1989, her real love was cross country, which she ran in 1989, and then at the varsity level in 1990 and 1991. She achieved conference champion and won three All-Conference awards, was regional champion, All-Regional, and MVP and captain all three years. In 1990 and 1991 she achieved All-State status.
Miller placed tenth in the National Championship Meet in 1991 as TAC (former USA Track and Field) All-American. The same year, she was named runner-up to Class A champion at the Michigan AAU Championship Meet of all Class A, B, C and D All-State runners. She also established seven new course records during that season, and was the first Liggett students to be named to a Michigan “Dream Team.” Miller still holds her top record of Liggett School All-Time Top Twenty Cross Country.
Competing in varsity track all four years, Miller established multiple records and was 1992 State Champion in the 3,200 meters, achieving the second fastest state time. She was also named All-Conference, and MVP and champion in 1991 and 1992.
At University of Colorado in Boulder, Miller ran varsity track, indoor track and cross country on the national qualifying team. She has participated in the Team in Training Marathon for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society and has the distinction of running the IMOGENE Pass Run, an extremely difficult race, even for well-prepared athletes.
Romilly Brigid McMahon Stackpoole
Athletic Director, Physical Education Teacher, Coach
In 1968, Romilly Brigid McMahon Stackpoole joined The Liggett School with an already impressive resume of athletic instruction, locally and in the UK. As Athletic Director and coach of numerous athletic teams, Stackpoole positively influenced the lives of countless student athletes. She served as a mentor to many coaches and officials.
Between 1968 and 2000, Stackpoole served as Athletic Director and Middle School Girls’ Athletic Director. She taught physical education and coached field hockey, lacrosse, volleyball, basketball, Irish dancing and gymnastics.
In 1977, Stackpool, as coach, led the champion Girls’ Lacrosse Team to victory at the inaugural Midwest School Girls’ Lacrosse Tournament. She went on to coach the team to five Midwest titles between 1978 and 1982. During the 1990s, Stackpoole won the middle school Lacrosse and Field Hockey End-of-Season Tournaments, and actively coached Field Hockey and Lacrosse Clinics at Sauk Valley, Detroit Country Day School and University Liggett School.
Between 2000 and 2016, Stackpoole actively pursued and achieved certification as a Field Hockey and Lacrosse official. She officiated at Michigan’s State High School Lacrosse Finals, and coached Freshman Team Field Hockey at Grosse Pointe South High School.
In 1984, Stackpoole worked with Muriel E. Brock to form the Middle School Inter-Scholastic Athletic Program, and in 1999 she was the proud recipient of the Excellence in Teaching Award at University Liggett School. In 2005, she was named Official of the Year by the Michigan Lacrosse Association, and in 2008, she was inducted into the United States Lacrosse Hall of Fame, Michigan Chapter.
Faculty/Coach Emerita
Class of 2015
Neil “Shorty” McMillan DUS ‘08
Neil “Shorty” McMillan was a huge presence in the athletic world of turn-of-the-last-century Detroit University School. As a quarterback on the football team under legendary Coach Knickerbocker, McMillan pioneered the use of the game-changing forward pass. During his senior year, McMillan led the DUS team to score an incredible 465 points during seven regular season games, giving up a mere 15 opposition points.
On the baseball diamond, McMillan dominated the short stop position, and he shined as left wing on the ice in hockey. At DUS, McMillan served as secretary of the Athletic Association.
At the University of Michigan, McMillan again leveraged his football prowess, and led the 1909 freshman team to an undefeated season, securing his reputation as an exceptional quarterback.
As a sophomore, McMillan started in all six games in the historic undefeated 1910 Wolverine season, playing the most challenging game of the season with a broken shoulder. Fielding H. Yost, then-coach of the Wolverines, said of McMillan, “I never had a man handle the work in that position as well as did McMillan in his first year.”
McMillan started his junior year with gusto, leading the Wolverines to a 4-0 record in the first four games of the season, including a 19-0 shutout against Ohio State. In early November 1911, McMillan suffered a dislocated knee and was forced to relinquish the quarterback spot. In all, McMillan started ten games as quarterback, never losing a game he started.
McMillan also played shortstop for the Literary Baseball Team in 1913, and served as Sergeant At Arms for the Literary Class during the same year. He was also a member of the Alchemist Society.
DUS ‘08
Jack Foster DUS ‘48
On and off the field, court, diamond and track, Jack Foster was a true sportsman, a leader in every sense. Enthusiastically, he played baseball and ran track. With power and precision, he played football and basketball.
As captain of the football team, Foster scored an incredible six touchdowns in a single game. He also collaborated as co-captain of the basketball team. He was awarded 14 varsity letters during his time at DUS.
An academic leader, Foster served fellow students as class president all four years, and as president of the Athletic Council during his junior and senior years. He was vice president of the Student Council, and a member of the Cum Laude Society. He received the Sportsmanship Cup and was awarded the George Fink Scholarship. Foster also was awarded the Edsel Ford Scholarship for two years.
Foster matriculated to Dartmouth College in New Hampshire, and before graduating in 1952, played fullback on Dartmouth’s football team all four years, lettering in his junior and senior years.
After he earned his MBA from the University of Chicago in 1954, for 10 years Foster served as president at the metal producer Joseph T. Ryerson & Sons, Inc. He served on the boards at Mount Sinai Hospital in Chicago, at Chicago Foundation for Education and at Outward Bound, and he was the recipient of the Boys and Girls Club Support Award.
The 1948 DUS yearbook honored Foster in this way: “Few of us will forget his unselfish and sportsmanlike conduct on the athletic field, nor can we forget his individual playing and inexhaustible spirit and physical resources.”'
DUS ‘48
Peter Monroe GPUS ‘61
A staunch advocate for inclusion in athletics, Peter Monroe excelled academically and in several sports while at GPUS. In tennis, he was a four-year Michigan Regional Singles Champion, a three-year Michigan State Singles Champion, and was the Michigan Closed Junior Tennis Champion and played on the Maumee Valley IT All Tournament Team during his senior year. He was ranked sixth and ninth in junior singles by the Western Tennis Association.
In addition to running varsity track during his junior and senior years, Monroe played varsity basketball for three years, achieving the leading scorer during his senior year.
While at GPUS, Monroe served as vice president of his sophomore class, and was Student Council co-president his senior year. For all four years, Monroe participated in Service Club and in band, and was a Terrill Newnan Scholar each year. He was the Trustees Cup winner, the Fletcher Book Award and Willimas Book Award winner, as well as the Magna Cum Laude Latin Award recipient. Monroe graduated summa cum laude and was first in his class.
At Williams College in Massachusetts, Monroe played varsity tennis for four years, achieving No.1 singles during his junior year, during which his team won the New England Intercollegiate Championship. As tennis team captain his senior year, Monroe led the team to second rank in New England. He graduated magna cum laude, Phi Beta Kappa, and received the Moody Award Scholarship to Oxford University in England, where he graduated with a first-class degree.
While at Oxford, Monroe was awarded “blue” for tennis competition against Cambridge University in 1966. At Harvard Law School, Monroe qualified to participate in joint courses with Harvard Business School. In 2012 and 2013, he participated in senior tennis tournaments.
Professionally, Monroe served as CEO of the Resolution Trust Corporations under Presidents Bush and Clinton, as COO of the Federal Housing Authority under HUD Secretary Jack Kemp, and as Special Assistant to the Under Secretary Richard Van Dusen.
Monroe worked for George Romney, Dick Cheney and Donald Rumsfeld in real estate related capacities, and is Director and Broker with Klein & Heuchan Realtors in Florida and CEO of National Real Estate Ventures, LLC.
“The important thing to me about Grosse Pointe University School is that no student-athlete was ever left behind…anyone who showed potential was allowed and encouraged to excel,” says Monroe.
GPUS ‘61
William Hummel ‘78
William Hummel ascends the Athletic Hall of Fame as the best University Liggett School football player of the 1970s. Former University Liggett School Athletic Director Bob Wood said Hummel was “arguably the best football player to ever play at the school.” During his senior year, Hummel achieved All Conference, All Metro and All State Linebacker status.
Hummel also participated in varsity wrestling and varsity basketball, and achieved All State in track and field, for which he team captain and MVP in 1976 and 1977. He holds the University Liggett School discus record and Class D 4x100 relay for his first place finish at the state meet. Hummel made the All Time Top Ten list in the 100 yard dash, the 100 meter, and discus.
Recruiters from the University of Michigan, Michigan State University, Albion College, Eastern Michigan University, Colgate University and Brown University extended invitations to Hummel; he chose University of Virginia, walking on to the team his freshman year and earning a scholarship his second year. He started on the varsity football team all four years, and earned Most Improved Running Back during his third year.
After earning an MBA from University of Pittsburgh, Hummel served as director of marketing for Ferguson Enterprises, and vice president and general manager at Hilti USA. He volunteered for Rotary International and Habitat for Humanity.
As a coach, Hummel was active in youth football, basketball and lacrosse. His son Matt was a Virginia All State Lacrosse Player and State Defensive Player of the Year.
At Liggett, teammates were more than fellow sporting students to William Hummel. They were, and continue to be, friends of the very best kind. “We played together and won (and lost) as a team with fun, friendship and dignity,” he says.
Paula Cornwall '84
University Liggett School, who played varsity tennis for four years – each year as the No. 1 singles player. She led the team to four consecutive state and regional championships and was Most Valuable Player on the team her senior year. She held state and regional rankings in 1980-84 and qualified for the Western Closed Tournament of Southeast Michigan. She also ran varsity track her sophomore and junior year. She is a 1988 graduate of the University of Michigan.
“The tradition of excellence in athletics at University Liggett School really stuck with me and I felt it was important to maintain the high level … I did not want to let the school down.”
- Varsity tennis four years
- Four years as #1 Singles player (plus two more as #1 singles player in Middle School)
- 3 years 1stteam All-State girl’s tennis
- Selected to the Prince All-American team, Senior year
- Named to the All-State Academic team
- Michigan State singles champion, Senior Year
- Michigan State singles Finalist, Junior year
- 2 years singles Regional Champion, Junior & Senior year
- 1 year Regional singles Finalist (runner-up), Sophomore year
- Led the team to four consecutive State & Regional Championships
- Most Valuable Player on the Team, Senior Year
- Team finished ranked in the Top 10 in the State for all classes at the end of the season
- Held State & Regional Rankings 1980-84. Qualified for the Western Closed Tournament of Southeast Michigan
- Girl’s Athletic Council Representative, Sophomore Year
- Varsity Track: Sophomore and Junior year
UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN ’88, BA, History
Professional Career & Volunteerism
- Coach, Grosse Pointe South JV tennis team, 2008-present (JV MAC Championship team – 8 years)
- Coach, varsity field hockey coach, 2015
- Tau Beta Association: Executive Board Member (Secretary & Treasurer); Chair of the Children’s Center Detroit Christmas Gift Program
- Toys 4 Tots Host, 2004 – present
- University Liggett School Alumni Board Member, 2015
Class of 2014
George Haggarty GPUS ‘59
Throughout his professional career and life, George Haggarty reached back to his athletic career accomplishments for inspiration to fuel his life’s many successes. A varsity tennis player from 1956 to 1959, Haggarty and doubles partner Bob Wood were State Class Champions and State Team Champions in 1956, 1957 and 1959, and State Class Champions in 1958. Haggarty went on to excel on the varsity men’s tennis team at Colgate University in Hamilton, NY in 1961 and 1963. In 1961, Haggarty held a 19-1 record. At Colgate, he was named Emeritus Trustee in 1999 and in 2008 was awarded the Brian Little Alumni Award for Distinguished Service, the highest tribute given to an alumnus.
But tennis wasn’t Haggarty’s only shining sport. He also played varsity basketball at GPUS from 1957 to 1959, helping the team earn Maumee Valley Country Day Tournament Champions in 1958-1959, for which Haggarty earned the MVP award. He also served as the Class President during his sophomore and senior years at GPUS.
In 1965, Haggarty earned his MBA in Accounting from the University of Michigan. He served as president for the Grosse Pointe Farms Foundation from 1997 to 1999, as president of the Country Club of Detroit from 1997 to 1998, as president of the Detroit Athletic Club in 2005, and as president of the United States Squash Racquets Association from 1990 to 1993. Haggerty was president of the Grosse Pointe Academy from 1985 to 1987, and president of the Michigan Squash Rackets Association from 1970 to 1972.
Currently active in Racquet up Detroit and on the DAC Foundation Board, Haggerty also serves on the Beaumont Foundation Board.
Haggerty also proudly served the University Liggett School Board of Trustees from 1989 to 1995 and from 1996 to 2002.
GPUS ‘59
Harris Brown GPUS ‘66
“You can’t win anything unless you are prepared to lose everything.” That’s the mantra that carried Harris Brown through his competitive sports and academic careers, his service in the United States Navy and as a prosecutor with the State of Florida.
Four varsity sports kept Brown busy at GPUS. From 1962 to 1965, he played starting wide receiver in football, varsity from 1963, and carrying the team to an undefeated record in 1965. During the Coach Trim years, Brown set seven individual records, including 13 touchdowns and a 79-point scoring record.
Outside the football season, Brown played varsity baseball in 1963, and varsity basketball from 1964 to 1966, during which he achieved leading scorer of the season each year, and was selected for the Third All-State Basketball Team in 1966. Brown ran varsity track from 1963 to 1966.
As Class President in 1963, Brown was recognized as the Terrill Newnan Scholar. He graduated cum laude in 1966, and matriculated to Brown University where he played varsity basketball. Brown earned his law degree from Boston University Law School, but not before playing at Madison Square Garden with the Law School basketball team.
Brown served active duty in the U.S. Navy between college and law school, and set up private practice in Jacksonville, Florida.
GPUS ‘66
Marty Wittmer ‘83
An active sportsman at University Liggett School, Mary Wittmer excelled in both soccer and hockey. A varsity soccer player from 1981 to 1983, Wittmer helped his team reach First Team All State and held a single season scoring record. As team captain his senior year, Wittmer led the University Liggett School soccer team to the state championship.
As a freshman playing varsity hockey, Wittmer achieved State Championship, and accomplished All-State selection during his senior year. He also served as co-captain of the team during his senior year.
After graduation, Wittmer attended Lake Forest College in Chicago, where he continued the successes he began at ULS in both soccer and hockey, playing on the varsity team of each sport each year he attended Lake Forest College. In soccer, he achieved All League Honors and led the team as captain his senior year. In hockey, Wittmer achieved All League Honors from the American Collegiate Hockey Association, served as captain during his senior year. He excelled as a goal scorer, tying sixth place in scoring 63 goals, and tying tenth place for socring 112 points.
In 2002, Wittmer was inducted into the Lake Forest College Athletic Hall of Fame.
A dedicated and accomplished educator, Wittmer was recognized in 2008 with the Kent Denver School Donald S. Merry Award for Excellence in Middle School Teaching, and in 2000 received the University Liggett School Excellence in Teaching Award. Since 1986, Wittmer has coached soccer and hockey, and at Kent Denver School, he currently serves as the Assistant Varsity Soccer Coach, the Varsity Hockey Coach and the Middle School Girls Soccer Coach.
Wittmer credits athletics as the door through which he entered University Liggett School and developed and nurtured his most important friendships.
“These lifelong friends shaped my life and with them I was able to accomplish a great deal in athletics,” he says.
Monica Paul Dennis ‘92
Athletics fueled Monica Paul Dennis to success at University Liggett School. “Athletics provided me with an opportunity to release energy and have fun,” she says. “They also helped me learn key life skills such as determination, dedication, hard work and spirit.”
From middle school on, Dennis spread her athletic prowess across several sports, including field hockey, volleyball, ice hockey and soccer. She spent rehab time in the water as a swimmer. She led many of these teams as a captain, and in high school, was MVP in soccer and field hockey. She participated in several First and Second All State Teams and All Division Teams.
At Sweet Briar College in Virginia, Dennis played varsity field hockey as a freshman and as a senior. She received the prestigious Pschirrer Award for a First Year Athlete. During this time, she received the Southeast ODAC Player of the Week Award multiple times, and was selected as a Southeast ODAC All American Player.
What she learned through sports, Dennis shared freely. As a Liggett physical education teacher and coach in 1996 and 1997, she instructed and led the field hockey and ice hockey teams and was an assistant coach in soccer. In 1996, she was the coach for the Liggett state championship field hockey team.
Dennis has a long and successful career as a coach. In 1996 and 2002 through 2007, she coached with the Grosse Pointe Soccer Association, and from 2002 to 2005, she coached with the Grosse Pointe North/South Joint Field Hockey Team. In 2004, Dennis was awarded the National Field Hockey Coach of the Year from US Field Hockey, and she served as 2004-05 Vice President of the Michigan High School Field Hockey Association. For 10 years, beginning in 2004, she served as a coach for the Grosse Pointe Hockey Association and St. Clair Shores Ice Hockey, for which she is currently the off-ice training coach.
Currently, Dennis serves as the varsity coach for Grosse Pointe South field hockey, and she is the co-owner and coach for Southeast Recreational Field Hockey.
Class of 2013
David Rentschler ’52 DUS
Mr. Rentschler was on the varsity baseball, basketball, football and track teams all four years of Upper School. He was president of the Athletic Council and held the Headmasters Scholarship.After graduation he played football for the University of Michigan where he was second string to the great Ron Kramer.
George Perrin ’64 GPUS
Mr. Perrin was on the varsity football, basketball and baseball teams at GPUS. He was the school's starting quarterback for three years, and led the team to break nine school records. He alone set three school records in football. Mr. Perrin was the MVP of the Maumee Valley Invitational Tournament for three years. In basketball, Mr. Perrin set the school record for most points scored in a single game (40 points). He also led the GPUS baseball team his senior year with a .405 batting average.
John Neil Patterson '06 DUS
Mr. Patterson was a track and field athlete at Detroit University School. Some of his times/marks bettered the winning times in the 1906 Olympics, an event he was not allowed to participate in because of his young age. It wasn’t until 1908 he met the United States age requirement and became at the time the youngest Olympian from the United States. He has held numerous Liggett school records since 1904, and set the still-standing Liggett high jump record in 1906. He held state and national records in the hurdles and is still No. 2 on the Liggett Top Ten high hurdle rankings even though the hurdle height was 42” tall until 1934 and today it is only 36”. He participated in four of DUS’s five consecutive state Class A championship teams. Patterson is the only high school athlete to win an event at the prestigious Penn Relays which today is still the most famous amateur track event in the world.
Laura Khelokian Byron ‘87
Mrs. Byron played varsity field hockey, volleyball, lacrosse and soccer at University Liggett School. She was captain of the field hockey team her junior and senior year, and was named top scorer and MVP in her sophomore year. For volleyball Mr. Byron received honorable mention by MIAC her senior year. She was the leading scorer on the soccer team her freshman and sophomore year, and team captain her senior year. She was also a member of the Liggett athletic council for three years.
Mrs. Byron played varsity field hockey all four years at Dartmouth College. She was team captain her junior and senior year, and held records for most goals in a season and most goals in a career.
Gene Overton
Mr. Overton worked at University Liggett School for 37 years and during that time he was a tireless supporter of Liggett athletics. In addition to work in the classroom, Gene worked 36 of his 37 years teaching as the scoreboard official for both boys and girls home and away games. He was also a starter for the track team. He also recorded University Liggett School's wrestling meets, basketball and girls softball games. He traveled on numerous occasions with the teams to spring training and games in Florida as well. Mr. Overton has continued to film games event after his retirement and filmed this year's Final Four in Battle Creek and the all-star game.
For his dedication, Mr. Overton was also inducted into the Basketball Coaches Association of Michigan Hall of Honor in 1994. He was part of the inaugural class for his category.
Faculty Emeritus
Class of 2012
Allen Taber '80
While at University Liggett School, Allen Taber played varsity hockey, football and baseball. He was instrumental in the hockey team’s 1980 state championship win. In both 1979 and 1980, he was captain of the hockey team and was named the team’s most valuable player.
The Detroit News honored Taber in 1979 and 1980 as a 1st team “Class B” all-state center. He was also named in ’79 and ’80 as a 1st team “all-class” all-state forward by Michigan Hockey Weekly. 1980 was a big year for Taber, he also was captain of the football team and named as the teams MVP. The Detroit News named him 1st team “Class D” all-state defensive back. In 1979, he helped lead the baseball team to the “Class D” state championship. Taber also excelled in the classroom. He graduated in the top ten percent of his class and was recruited by Harvard, Brown,
Colgate and Dartmouth.
While at Dartmouth, he played varsity hockey and was the team’s leading scorer during his junior year. Also during his junior year, he was the Ivy League’s top goal scorer. Taber received his bachelor of arts from Dartmouth and earned his master’s degree from the University of Michigan.
Art Getz ’67 GPUS
Art Getz earned letters for varsity football in his sophomore, junior and senior years. He was starting quarterback all three years and was co-captain his senior year. Undefeated his junior year, Getz had single-season and career records for best completion percentage, most touchdown passes and yardage. He played varsity basketball three years and was all suburban and all state senior year with the highest scoring average. He was starting shortstop for the baseball team all for three years as well.
Bob Wood ’59 GPUS
Bob Wood played football, basketball, tennis and baseball beginning in the fourth grade. His high school tennis team was state champions three out of four years and he won state doubles championships with partner George Haggarty as a sophomore, junior and senior. Bob was the athletic director, tennis coach and freshman advisor at Liggett for 37 years. He increased the number of sports at Liggett from 13 to 22. He is also the first and only high school tennis coach in the nation to be inducted into the National Federation of High School’s Hall of Fame. This induction will mark his fourth induction into an athletic hall of fame.
Heather Heidel Petty ’93
Heather was a varsity tennis player for four years. She was captain, MVP and during her time at Liggett the team moved from Class C to Class A for competition purposes. Petty and the team won the state championship all four years. She was recognized in USA Today for her All-American status. She was the MVP for soccer and held the record for most goals for both men and women. She was also MVP for varsity women’s hockey. She received a full tennis scholarship to Kansas University and played for Kansas’ soccer team as well.
Kevin Crociata ’90
Kevin Crociata earned four-year letters for varsity baseball and basketball. He lettered in cross country as a freshman. Crociata was a member of the 1990 Michigan East All-Star Team and was recruited by Stanford, Notre Dame, Yale University and Northwestern for baseball. In basketball he was part of four league championships and was a four-year starting shooting point guard.
Lauren Ealba ’02
Lauren Ealba received all-state, all-region, all-district and all-conference honors for four years of high school play on the varsity soccer team. She was the Liggett soccer captain and MVP for three years. She also received the MVP award from the Metro Conference for two years. Ealba currently holds school records for soccer goals scored in a season (46 in 2000) and soccer goals scored in a career (139 from 1999-2000). She also had all-state, all-region and all-metro honors, and was named a 2002 High School Tennis All-American. She was also all-state and all-region in ice hockey.
Muriel Brock
Muriel Brock, who coached varsity field hockey and served as the girls’ athletics director for 36 years at University
Liggett School, was an inspiring, much-loved leader.
She oversaw the athletics program during a time of tremendous change in women’s sports. Under the guidance of Coach Brock, the girls’ field hockey teams held undefeated seasons from 1970-1974, and in 1973 and 1974 the teams were un-scored upon. Brock also started the school’s lacrosse and ice hockey programs. Brock was known for her dedication in helping student-athletes reach their highest potential both on and off their field. She also founded the Liggett summer camps and ran them for many years. Liggett summer camps still run today.
Coach Emerita
Class of 2011
Bruce Garbutt '53 DUS
Bruce’s early years of baseball, ice hockey, basketball and ping pong prepared him well for his varsity career at Detroit University School. In fact, one of his most memorable coaches, William Yeager, said he had the fastest hands he had ever seen, which Bruce attributes to playing a lot of ping pong at a young age.
In addition to Coach Yeager, Bruce cites Norm Platine (baseball) and Robert Page (track) for recognizing his potential and working with him. Bruce also acknowledges Earl Kimber (basketball) as another inspirational coach.
Bruce summarized the attributes that best characterize his athletic career as “stick-to-it-ive-ness,” persistence, being a team player, never giving up and fulfillment in a job well done.
Bruce played varsity baseball, basketball and football at the Detroit University School. In 1951 and 1952, he was on the footall team that won the SSC Championship. In 1952, his basketball team was the District Champs in Class D. In 1952, Bruce was on the varsity baseball team that took the SSC championship. Bruce received 13 out of a possible 16 varsity letters in four varsity sports.
At Western Michigan University, Bruce participated in varsity football and intramural basketball and was an intramural badminton singles champion. After college, he played semi-pro baseball as a pitcher in Canada.
Chuck Wright '66 GPUS
Chuck’s “fierce desire to compete” began back when, as a 5-year-old, he played with the 8-year-olds on the Kerby School playground. Interested in every sport, he played baseball, football, basketball, tennis and swam as he was growing up.
At GPUS, Chuck helped lead the tennis team to the state championship in 1964, 1965 and 1966. He was the 1966 MVP in both tennis and football. After Liggett, Church played soccer, basketball and tennis at Trinity College and received eight varsity letters. He also received the school's Middleton Award for being the Trinity athlete with the most spirit. Chuck was named Top Midwest Senior tennis player and was also inducted into the Michigan State Hall of Fame for tennis.
Coaching became a very important part of Chuck’s life. During his career, he started the varsity tennis team in Charlevoix and coached it and the freshman basketball teams for a number of years. His coaching career at Liggett included seventh and eighth grade soccer; junior varsity basketball and tennis; as well as varsity basketball and varsity tennis. His honors included league coach of the year in basketball multiple times, and state coach of the year in tennis.
Onnie Killifer '74
It’s not a cliché to say that Onnie Killefer has sports in her blood. One grandfather was a professional baseball player and coach, and the other played in the first Davis Cup Tennis Team in 1905, representing the U.S. Along with her mother, Onnie was a runners up at the National Mother-Daughter Grass Tennis Championship in Rhode Island in the mid-1970s.
While at Liggett, Onnie played field hockey, tennis, volleyball and basketball. The field hockey team she was on was undefeated in her four years with the team and unscored upon in the last two years.
Onnie went on to play field hockey at Stanford, where she was an All-American her last two seasons. She also played two years of varsity basketball and a year of tennis. She was one of the first field hockey players west of the Mississippi to make the National Field Hockey Team in 1978. The team beat Holland, the number one team in the world, and many other nations that year. They trained for the Olympics in 1980, but the U.S. boycotted the games in Russia, so they didn’t compete.
After coaching field hockey at Stanford and taking an unknown, unranked team to a #12 ranking, Onnie went back to school for a master’s degree in Physical Education. Today, she is the department chair in Kinesiology/PE at Cabrillo College in northern California, where she teaches physical education.
Andrea Kincannon '83
Growing up, Andrea Kincannon was naturally drawn to physical activity and anything fun. Encouraged by her parents, Andrea participated in track and played basketball while at Liggett.
Andrea's track abilities were recognized by the Michigan High School Athletic Association and she was named an individual state champion in the 200-meter dash in 1980, 100-meter and 200-meter runs in 1981 and 1982 and the 400-meter run in 1983.
After Liggett, Andrea went to Bates College, where she ran indoor track for three years and played basketball her senior year. She took home several honors for the Women's Indoor Track All-Time Top Ten Performances, including setting a school record in 1984 women's 4x200-meter relay. In 1985, she also set the school records for the 55-meter and the long-jump, with a mark of 18' 7." In 1986, Andrea set records for the 200-meter and 400-meter races and followed that up with another honor in 1987 for the 300-meter run.
On a national level, Andrea competed in the 1986 Division III, National Women's Indoor Track Championship and was an All-American for long jump and the 400-meter race. In the 1987, Andrea ranked 13th in Division III for rebounding. She was also named to the New England Division III Senior All-Star Basketball Game.
Mike Coello '90
While at Liggett, Mike played varsity hockey, during which time he was named to the All-State Academic Team, First Team All-State, MVP in 1990 and served as team captain in 1988-89 and 1989-90, during which the team won the Michigan State Ice Hockey Championships. Mike played varsity soccer and was named to the second team All-State. He also played varsity lacrosse and was named to the second team All-State twice and the All-State Academic Team.
Mike played varsity ice hockey at Williams College, where he helped the team rank first in its division and took home the William E. McCormick Coaches' Award. While in college, he also played junior varsity lacrosse and soccer.
After college, Mike played professional hockey for a year in Landeslida, Erding, Germany.
After graduating from Liggett, Mike went on to Williams College in Massachusetts, the University of Michigan Medical School, and is associate staff at the Division of Thoracic Surgery at William Beaumont Hospital; assistant professor of surgery, Oakland University William Beaumont Hospital School of Medicine; and co-director, Center for Reflux and Esophageal Cancer Prevention at Beaumont.
Doug Wood '90
Doug Wood only had three coaches for the 12 sports seasons at Liggett but credits all three of them – David Backhurst (soccer); John Fowler (hockey); and Bob Wood (tennis) – for pushing him to achieve what he would not have without them.
After graduating from Liggett, Doug went on to Babson Colleage, where he learned “that just because you were a good high school athlete does not mean anything – when you get to college everyone is good."Doug made his mark at Liggett. His junior and senior years, he led the varsity soccer team in points and held the school record for assists. He also helped lead the varsity hockey team to a state championship in 1990 and was the top point scorer all for years. He still holds the career point record for Michigan High School hockey. Doug also played in three state tennis championships. At Babson, he played varsity hockey and his team make the NCAA Division III tournament three years in a row. The team also won the ECAC Division III hockey title his sophomore year. In 1994, Doug's college team make the final four in the NCAA tournament and he led the team in points and earned the MVP award.
Most recently Doug has coached high school hockey at both Liggett and DeLaSalle.
When Mike Coello attended Liggett, it was simply the enjoyment of playing sports and the camaraderie of his teammates and friends that was important. It was later that he realized the value of the unique experience of playing sports at Liggett.
“Our coaches, for the most part were our teachers. There was always the balance between athletics and academics that was stressed. Sports provided an outlet and structure. Friendships were forged. The work ethic and concept of teamwork were further developed and ingrained in me and have served me well in college, training and surgery.”
2021, University Liggett School.
All Rights Reserved.
University Liggett School is a private preschool and kindergarten through 12th grade college preparatory school in Metro Detroit that is nationally recognized for its innovative curriculum and arts and athletics offerings.
1045 Cook Road,
Grosse Pointe Woods, Mi 48236
313-884-4444
313-884-1775
2021, University Liggett School. All Rights Reserved.
University Liggett School is a private preschool and kindergarten through 12th grade college preparatory school in Metro Detroit that is nationally recognized for its innovative curriculum and arts and athletics offerings.