SALEM, Ore. -- The Willamette University Athletic Hall of Fame Class of 2024 has been announced by Director of Intercollegiate Athletics Rob Passage. The Class of 2024 includes six former Bearcat student-athletes and two outstanding teams. The Hall of Fame induction ceremony is set for Saturday, June 15, and will be held in Hudson Hall inside the Rogers Music Center. The ceremony is tentatively scheduled for 2 p.m. PDT.
Individuals selected for induction into the Class of 2024 were softball athlete Molly (Barnes) Johnson BA'07, MAT'08, football players Kamell Eckroth-Bernard BS'00 and Todde Greenough BS'89, men's cross country and track and field athlete Aaron Hollingshead BA'05, women's track competitor Andrea May BA'07, and women's golfer Whitney Ueno BA'09. Teams to be inducted are the 1987-88 men's basketball team and the 2001 men's cross country team.
Molly (Barnes) Johnson BA'07, MAT'08, Softball
A four-year All-Conference performer for the Bearcats, Barnes' name remains throughout the softball record book at Willamette. At the time of her induction, Barnes stands #3 in career hits (160), doubles (39), and career batting average (.365), #4 in total bases, games played, games started, and at bats. She is #5 all-time in home runs and RBIs and #7 in slugging percentage. Barnes is also in the top 10 of seven individual season records, including #3 in home runs (7) and slugging percentage (.709).
Kamell Eckroth-Bernard BS'00, Football, Men's Track and Field
One of the top defensive backs and kick returners in Willamette football history, Ekroth-Bernard still holds school records for interceptions in a game (3), plus the game, season, and career records for punt return attempts, yards, and touchdowns. His 75-yard punt return against Linfield on October 18, 1997, is also the longest in school history. A First Team All-NWC performer in 1999, Ekroth-Bernard helped anchor some of the most dominant defenses in Willamette history during his career.
Todde Greenough BS'89, Football
The 1989 Booth Award winner, Greenough was a three-year team captain and received All-Conference honors all four years for the Bearcats. The NCAA Division III leader in total offense in 1987, Greenough held 16 school records at the time of his graduation. He still holds school records for completions in a game (38) and a career (571), as well as career records for passing attempts (1,024), passing yards (7,872), and total plays (1,260).
Aaron Hollingshead BA'05, Men's Track and Field, Cross Country
The 2004 NWC Conference Cross Country Champion, Hollingshead was a three-time All-America performer at Willamette, once in cross country and twice in track & field. In addition to his 2004 championship, Hollingshead finished fourth in the NWC in 2001 and 2002, followed by a second-place finish in 2003. His All-America recognition in cross country came from a 21st-place finish in 2003. In track & field, he was named the Athlete of the Meet at the 2005 NWC Championships after winning the 3,000-meter steeplechase and the 5,000-meter run. Nationally, he finished sixth in the steeplechase in 2004 and was second in 2005. \At the time of his induction, Hollingshead is #2 all-time at Willamette in the steeplechase at 9:01.55 and #3 at 8,000 meters in cross country with a time of 24:24.54.
Andrea May BA'07, Women's Track and Field
The 2007 NWC Track and Field Championships Athlete of the Meet, May was a seven-time conference champion. She won the 100-meter dash in 2005, 2006, and 2007, the 100-meter hurdles in 2006 and 2007, the 200-meter dash in 2006, and was part of the winning 4 x 400-meter relay team in 2007. May competed at the NCAA Track & Field Championships as part of the Willamette 4 x 400-meter relay team that had a runner-up finish in 2006 and finished fifth in 2007 and eighth in 2005. At the time of induction, May is the school record holder in the 100-meter hurdles at 14.72 seconds, is #3 all-time in the 100-meter dash at 12.38, ranks #4 in the 200-meter dash at 25.31, and is #10 in the 400-meter dash at 57.945. She is part of Willamette's record-holding teams in the 4 x 100-meter relay (47.78 in 2007) and the 4 x 400-meter relay (3:47.42 in 2007).
Whitney Ueno BA'09, Women's Golf
The 2008 NWC Women's Golf Player of the Year, Ueno received first-team all-conference honors all four years at Willamette. She was the medalist at five conference events during her career, including winning the NWC Championship in 2006 and 2008, the NWC Fall Classic in 2005 and 2006, and the NWC Spring Classic in 2008. In 2006, Ueno participated in the NCAA Championships at Howey-in-the-Hills, Florida, and had the second-lowest round of the tournament (75) before eventually finishing 10th overall.
1987-88 Men's Basketball
The 1987-88 men's basketball team won the Northwest Conference Championship as the first undefeated (10-0) champion in 54 years. The first season for Hall of Fame Coach Gordie James saw the Bearcats win their first outright conference title in 28 years and finish with an overall record of 18-10. With five players averaging double figures for the season, the balanced squad shot 44.9% from beyond the three-point arc and scored 76.3 points per game. Seniors Rich Ash and Mike Shepard both earned First Team All-Conference and All-District honors, while junior Scott Marshall and freshman Erik Clarkson were named Second Team All-NWC. The Bearcats won their opening round game in the District Championship before losing at the buzzer to College of Idaho.
2001 Men's Cross Country
The 2001 men's cross country team won the Northwest Conference Championship and made Willamette University's first-ever appearance at the NCAA Division III National Championships, finishing seventh overall. The NWC Championship was held in Salem at Bush's Pasture Park and saw five Bearcats finish in the top nine: Jacob Stout (3), Aaron Hollingshead (4), Aaron Young (5), Nathan O'Brien (8) and Scott Overby (9). At the NCAA Division III National Championships, Willamette was led by Stout's 5th place finish, followed by Young in 27th, Mark Welsh (103), and Hollingshead (106).
