By Robert McKinney, Assistant Athletics Director, Communications
SALEM, Ore. -- The Willamette University Athletic Hall of Fame Class of 2023 has been announced by Director of Intercollegiate Athletics Rob Passage. The Class of 2023 includes six former Bearcat student-athletes. The Hall of Fame induction ceremony is set for Saturday, June 17 as part of Willamette's Alumni Reunion Weekend and will be held in Hudson Hall inside the Rogers Music Center. The ceremony is tentatively scheduled for 2 p.m. (PDT).
Selected for induction into the Class of 2023 were women's tennis player Carrie (Bellandi) Weatherbie '94, MAT '96, football player Michael Cho '78, softball athlete Marcie (Hagen) Myers '04, women's cross country and track and field athlete Kari (Holbert) Mooers '04, women's soccer player Amy (Morris) Sanderl '02 , and women's track competitor Monica (Scott) Fiedler '01.
Carrie (Bellandi) Weatherbie BA'94, MAT'96, Women's Tennis
Bellandi played three years of tennis at Willamette. She was named Northwest Conference of Independent College (NCIC) Player of the Year three times, earning the award in 1993, 1994, and 1996. She won the conference singles title each year and claimed the doubles title in 1994 and 1996. Bellandi was an NAIA National Qualifier in 1993 and 1996. She was named an NAIA District 2 Scholar-Athlete all three years and an NAIA National Scholar-Athlete in 1996.
Michael Cho '78, Football
Cho's Willamette football career came to an end as a first-year player in the fifth game of the 1974 football season when an in-game injury left him paralyzed. He went on to compete as a Paralympic athlete in the sport of air rifle after joining the U.S. national team in 1984. He was the United States Champion in 1985, 1986, and 1987, placed third at the 1985 World Championships in Germany, and placed second at the 1986 Pan American Games. In 1988, he competed at the Paralympic Games in Seoul, South Korea, and finished seventh, eighth, and ninth in the three events in which he participated.
Marcie (Hagen) Myers BA'04, Softball
At Willamette, Hagen was chosen first-team All-Northwest Conference at third base all four years. She also was named All-West Region in 2002. In 2003, Hagen led the conference with a .444 batting average, which currently ranks third all-time at Willamette. During her senior year in 2004, she also led the team in batting average, while ranking first on the squad in slugging percentage, walks, and on-base percentage. She holds Willamette records for single season assists (158) and career assists (471). Hagen ranks second all-time in career batting average (.400) and is fifth all-time in career on-base percentage (.460).
Kari (Holbert) Mooers BA'04, MBA'05, Women's Cross Country/Women's Track and Field
A six-time individual conference champion, Holbert won the NWC Cross Country Championship in 2002, the 3,000-meter steeplechase in 2002, 2003, and 2004, and the 1,500-meter run in 2003 and 2004. She qualified for five NCAA National Championships with three in cross country and two in track and field. She earned All-America honors in cross country by finishing 23rd in the nation in 2003 and 34th in the country in 2004. Mooers still holds all-time top 10 track and field times at Willamette in the 800-meter run, 1,500-meter run, 3000-meter steeplechase, 400-meter hurdles, and the 6-kilometer race in cross country.
Amy (Morris) Sanderl BA'02, Women's Soccer
The 2002 Jean Williams Award winner for outstanding senior female student-athlete, Morris was selected First Team All-NWC three times, in 1999, 2000, and 2001. In addition, she was named the Northwest Conference Player of the Year and was a First Team All-America choice in 2001. She scored 56 goals and registered 27 assists during her career, including 20 goals in 2001, the third highest single-season total in school history. Morris helped lead the Bearcats to four straight NCAA Tournaments, with the team reaching the Elite 8 three times and the Final Four twice.
Monica (Scott) Fiedler BS'01, MAT'03, Women's Track and Field
Scott received All-America honors three times in the javelin by finishing in the top five at the NCAA National Championships in 1999 (5th), 2000 (3rd), and 2001 (2nd). She set the National Meet record in 2001 only to have the record broken later during that meet. Scott currently has the fourth-best javelin throw in Willamette history at 147' 5". She was the NWC champion in the javelin in 1999 at 125' 6' and in 2001 at 137' 6".
