2015 Wheaton Hall of Honor inductions to take place this weekend
Wheaton, Ill. - The Wheaton College Athletics Department will induct nine individuals into the Hall of Honor during the October 10th Homecoming festivities. This years inductees are: Janet (Ahlborn) Dudek (Women's Basketball); Chris Allen (Men's Soccer); Chris Brown (Football); Eric Brown (Men's Soccer); Jamie (Gantner) Allen (Women's Soccer); Rob Mouw (Men's Soccer); Heather (Pancake) Fincher (Women's Track & Field and Women's Basketball); John Peays (Football and Men's Track & Field) and Amber Wiersma (Women's Soccer).
Founded in 1976, the Wheaton College Athletic Hall of Honor is dedicated to recognizing former players, teams, and coaches who have made a significant contribution to Wheaton athletics. Wheaton recognizes athletics as an integral part of the educational program of the college; its nominees have proven to have learned valuable lessons in discipline, sacrifice, perseverance, cooperation, and commitment.
There will be a reception for this year's nine inductees following the Homecoming football game versus Augustana on October 10 (approximately between 4-5 PM) in the lobby of King Arena at the Sports and Recreation Complex on the Wheaton campus.Janet (Ahlborn) Dudek '94
Perkiomenville, Pa.
Women's Basketball
Degree: Chemistry
Janet Ahlborn was a presence for the Wheaton women's basketball team in her four-year career. A three-time All-CCIW selection, Janet established a school record for career field goal percentage with a mark of 51.0% that is currently second in school history. Her 1,195 career points ranks seventh all-time and she is third in school history with 779 career rebounds. In the 1991-92 season she collected 242 rebounds, the second-highest single-season total in school history and a mark that is currently fourth in the record books.
Janet recalls of her Wheaton playing career, "I learned from the example set for me by the older basketball players that a leader serves the group by intentionally loving, encouraging, and helping the younger players. That helped me to be a more Christ-like leader when I was a senior and after college as well, as I directed a Christian summer camp for eighteen years." She continues, "I learned from Coach Beth Baker to persevere in difficulty, both from her coaching and from her life. Coach Baker had a vibrant faith in Christ that didn't change with circumstances. God has allowed me to experience some difficulties I never could have imagined were ahead for me, and I have appreciated the example of Beth's life of persevering faith."
Reflecting on a favorite memory of her playing career Janet says, "During my senior year, we played the top-ranked team in the conference, Millikin University, in mid-January. At halftime we were down about 20 points. We had a young team that year, and they didn't know to give up. We slowly cut the lead through the second half, tied it up with a few minutes left, and then hung on to win by two. It was a huge win for us against a tough team and I know we made Coach Baker proud that day."
Janet and her husband Jeff live in Perkiomenville, Pennsylvania, with their two children: Julia (11) and Renalia (8).Chris Allen '00
Charlotte, N.C.
Sports: Men's Soccer
Degree: Interdisciplinary Studies: Business and Christian Education
Chris Allen was a four-year starter at defender for Wheaton from 1996-99. He was the defensive anchor on Wheaton's 1997 National Championship team and the 1999 Division III Runner-Up squad. He was a critical member of the program in 1996-98 when Wheaton set a NCAA All-Divisions record with a 66-game unbeaten streak.
Playing in 89 career matches in those four seasons, Chris was a four-time First Team National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) All-Region selection. A three-time team captain, he also earned First Team All-CCIW each of the four years of his career.
Chris recalls that winning the Division III Championship in 1997 was a highlight of his playing career, in addition to performing in front of the cheering home crowd.
He reflects on his playing days, "We can set goals in life for success, and most of the time when we achieve them we realize they don't ultimately satisfy. I remember standing on the field after the National Championship Match thinking, 'I just want to keep competing." Chris concludes, "There is nothing better than doing something you love and competing with people you love."
Chris is the Chief Talent Office for Movement Mortgage. He and his wife Jamie, also a Hall of Honor inductee this year, reside in Charlotte, North Carolina with their four children: Tait (11); Grayson (9); Ellie (7) and Emmett (4).Chris Brown '00
Little Elm, Texas
Sport: Football
Degree: Secondary Education
Chris Brown earned All-American recognition at guard in 1997 as he anchored the offensive line for the Wheaton football team. Chris earned All-Region honors in 1996 and again in 1997 and the four-year starter at guard was a three-time All-CCIW honoree (1995-97).
He says while playing football at Wheaton he learned, "Quitting is not an option there; are times in life where it would be much easier to quit and move on to the next option. Wheaton football, more precisely the men responsible for the program, taught me that no matter how tough things get that persevering is the way a man handles situations. Through my time as a Wheaton football player, I had plenty of opportunities to practice and observe this idea. It is without a doubt that the examples set for me by the men of this program, and the opportunities to put this concept into practice, has had a greater impact on who I am as man than any experience in my life."
He resides in Little Elm, Texas with his wife Jenna and their two children: Avery (10) and Riley (6). Chris is a teacher and coach at Little Elm High School where he teaches U.S. History and serves as the offensive coordinator for the football team.Eric Brown '00
Wheaton, Ill.
Sport: Men's Soccer
Degree: Business/Economics
In his four-year playing career for the Wheaton men's soccer program, Eric Brown earned NSCAA All-America honors three times. A four-time NSCAA All-Region honoree, he also earned All-CCIW four times including CCIW Player of the Year twice (1998 and 1999). Eric and fellow inductees Chris Allen and Rob Mouw were critical members on Wheaton's 1997 Division III Championship team and the 1999 Division III Runner-Up squad. He also was an instrumental member of the program when Wheaton set a NCAA All-Divisions record with its 66-game unbeaten streak (1996-98).
He is Wheaton's all-time leader in goals with 86 and also the school record-holder in career points with 210. Eric's 38 career assists is second-most in school history and his 17 assists in 1998 is third in school history. He tallied 24 goals in 1998, which is second-most in school history and he holds the program's single-game record for goals with five.
Eric says of a key lesson that he learned, "I learned the importance of building a winning team. I still talk about this at work; it starts at the top and filters down." He says of a favorite memory, "It was very meaningful to win the National Championship with my brothers [Scott and Skip] on the team. All the work and dedication that went into that moment for us as a family was priceless."
Eric is the Managing Director of Sales for Performance Trust Capital Partners. He and his wife Lesley live in Wheaton with their five children: Parker (12); Hank (10); Maryn (9); Danny (8) and Brooks (6). Jamie (Gantner) Allen '00
Charlotte, N.C.
Sport: Women's Soccer
Degree: Elementary Education
A four-year starter on defense for the Wheaton women's soccer program, she helped lead the Crusaders to four CCIW Championships. A three-time team captain, she was named the team's "Best Defensive Player" all four years that she competed (1996-99). In 1999 she became Wheaton's first four-time All-CCIW selection in women's soccer.
Jamie picked up NSCAA First Team All-Region recognition in 1997 and again in 1999 and was a Second Team All-Region honoree in 1998. She was the team captain on Wheaton's 1999 squad that made the program's first trip to the NCAA Tournament's "Sweet 16". She played in 78 games in her career.
"I truly learned the importance of community through my athletic experience," notes Jamie. "I loved the girls I played with—we were not only teammates, we were best friends, doing life together both on and off the field. We walked through ups and downs on the soccer field, but more importantly, we walked through real-life wins and losses. We shared our hearts (pre-practice devotions, soccer DSG groups, prayer requests) as well as many laughs (pranks on Pete Felske, dancing on the bus, road trips). I learned the value of strong, Christian friendships, and to this day, some of my best friends are my Wheaton teammates."
Jamie resides in Charlotte, North Carolina, with her husband Chris, also a Hall of Honor inductee this year and their four children: Tait (11); Grayson (9); Ellie (7) and Emmett (4).Rob Mouw '00
Fullerton, Calif.
Sport: Men's Soccer
Degree: Political Science
Rob Mouw transferred to Wheaton from Taylor University in 1997 and he made an immediate impact. A three-time NSCAA First Team All-American, Rob helped lead Wheaton to the 1997 Division III Men's Soccer Championship and National Runner-up recognition in 1999. The 1998 NSCAA Division III Player of the Year, he was a three-time NSCAA First Team All-Region performer. The CCIW Co-Player of the Year in 1999, he was a three-time All-CCIW selection
Rob is second in school history with 69 career goals and is second in school history with 173 career total points. His 35 career assists ranks fourth in school history. Rob scored 24 goals in 1998 and did so again as a senior in 1999 and both marks are tied for the second-highest single-season total in school history.
"I appreciate that Coach Bean always told recruits to choose a school and not a soccer program," recalls Rob. He continues, "Having taken sports probably too seriously in high school, I think I learned perspective playing sports at Wheaton. Playing soccer at Wheaton while simultaneously preparing me for life after college and trying to grow in my Christian faith brought perspective to my priorities."
Rob mentions, "College teammates end up spending an incredible amount of time together. I particularly have fond memories of the time spent on the road with my teammates. The time in the buses, on airplanes, in hotels and in restaurants stand out as the times where we really bonded. The result is that it brought a greater sense of purpose to what we were trying to accomplish together."
Rob lives in Fullerton, California, where he is a Corporate Business Development Manager for Royal Corporation. He and his wife Sarah have two children: Claire (3) and Emily (1).Heather (Pancake) Fincher '00
Washington, D.C.
Women's Track & Field and Women's Basketball
Degree: Theology and Christian Education & Ministry
Heather Pancake won NCAA Division III Championships in the heptathlon as a junior in 1999 and again in 2000. She was a four-time All-American in the heptathlon with a second place finish in 1998 and an eighth-place finish in 1997. She was named the "Outstanding Performer" at the 1999 CCIW Outdoor Track & Field Championships and was a seven-time CCIW Champion with four conference championships in the heptathlon (1997-00); two titles in the javelin (1998-99) and one championship the 100-meter hurdles (1997). Her 4,705 points in the heptathlon at the 2000 CCIW Outdoor Track & Field Championships remains a conference record. She earned Third Team CoSIDA Academic All-America At-Large recognition as a senior in 1999-2000.
A two-sport standout, she was a two-time All-CCIW honoree in women's basketball. She is ranked 20th all-time in the women's basketball record books with 944 career points and is seventh in school history with 692 career rebounds. Her 181 career steals ranks 10th in school history.
Heather recalls, "One of my favorite memories was created at Nationals my senior year. I invited all the heptathletes to join hands before the first event of our two-day competition, and almost everyone gathered together for a prayer; the comradery during that event was incredible."
She recollects, "'Lighten up Pancake' is something my basketball coach, Beth Baker, used to say to me. Coach Baker was referring to how I often took the game too seriously, and she always encouraged me to pursue excellence but enjoy the process and take pleasure in the game. Her words are a continued reminder to be in the moment and enjoy life."
Heather is currently attending Georgetown University Law School and anticipates earning her Juris Doctor in 2016. This fall she began serving as a part-time tax law clerk at Baker & Hostetler, LLP and in 2016 is slated to be an Associate with the firm. Heather and her husband Matthew live in Washington, D.C.John Peays '00
Boone, N.C.
Sport: Football and Men's Track & Field
Degree: Business/Economics
John Peays was selected as a Third Team All-American at free safety to the inaugural D3football.com All-American Team in 1999. As a junior in 1998 he returned an interception 98 yards for a touchdown against North Central to establish a school record that still stands today. In 31 career games for the Crusaders, he recorded 11 interceptions, including five picks in his senior season (1999). He recorded 204 career tackles, including 159 solo stops and was the team leader in interceptions in his sophomore and junior seasons.
"I learned the value of discipline, hard work and mental toughness in training, plus how these virtues are critical in pursuing a life-long relationship with God," notes John.
He recalls, "My two most satisfying accomplishments were revenge victories at home against Illinois Wesleyan in 1998 and Millikin in 1999. We had suffered disappointing losses the previous year and after devoting enormous effort toward these games in offseason training, planning and preparation, these victories brought the deepest satisfaction."
John and his wife Courtney live in Boone, North Carolina with their children: Luke (10); Nyle (8) and Asha (5). He serves as the National Director for Donor Ministries with Samaritan's Purse International Relief.Amber Wiersma '00
Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Women's Soccer
Degree: International Business
Amber Wiersma transferred to Wheaton in 1998 from Calvin College and twice earned NSCAA All-Region honors for Wheaton. As a senior she earned NSCAA Second Team All-America recognition in 1999. She was a two-time All-CCIW honoree and was named the 1999 CCIW Most Outstanding Player. In her senior season, Amber helped lead the women's soccer program to its first NCAA Tournament "Sweet 16" appearance.
She scored 12 goals with 14 assists as a senior in 1999; her 14 assists was the second-highest single-season assist total in school history at the time. She was honored as a CoSIDA Second Team At-Large Academic All-American in 1999, combining her work on the field and in the classroom.
Amber reflects on her time at Wheaton, "I had the privilege to play with an amazing group of Christian women who were both teammates and friends, and who challenged one another to grow both on and off the field, under the coaching, leadership and support of Pete Felske and Conga [assistant coach Tim Daniels]. The lessons learned during those years have carried forward: the value of friendships, trust, discipline, preparation, perseverance, and the importance of leveraging individual strengths to achieve as a team that which exceeds any of the individual parts."
Amber lives in Amsterdam where she is Executive Director with ABN AMRO Bank, N.V.
Originally published by Wheaton College Athletics: /news/2015/8/28/GEN_0827154822.aspx