School Spirit Abounds during Homecoming
Principia College welcomed home alumni and friends for Homecoming October 19–21. The jam-packed weekend included both varsity and alumni games, a pep rally, live entertainment, and a barbeque and bonfire. The event drew about 580 people from across the United States.
At the center of the activities was the Gold & Blue Athletic Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony. Begun in 2006, the Hall of Fame honors alumni every two years in two award categories. The Blue Award recognizes individuals, teams, and coaches who achieved notable and widely respected levels of athletic achievement while at Principia College. The Gold Award honors alumni who were successful athletes while at the College and demonstrated exceptional character, commitment, and leadership both at the College and after graduation.
This year, the following alumni were inducted into Principia's Gold & Blue Athletic Hall of Fame:
Gold Award Recipient
Richard “Dick” Tullis (US’30, C’34)
Dick Tullis played three sports all four years (track and field, basketball, and football) and was captain two times each of the basketball and football teams. He went on to fill several pivotal roles at Harris Corporation and to be honored numerous times for his wide-ranging philanthropic contributions to the city of Cleveland, Ohio. He also served as a Principia Trustee and was the first recipient of the David K. Andrews Distinguished Alumni Award.
Blue Award Recipients
Lyn Gerber (US’72, C’76)
In more than 25 years of coaching women’s tennis, Lyn Gerber took four teams to NCAA Division III Nationals. The 1983 team, undefeated at Nationals, captured the championship. Coach Gerber was inducted into the SLIAC Hall of Fame in 2016.
Lewis Howes (US’01, C’05)
A two-sport athlete, Lewis Howes set an NCAA All-Division football record for receiving yards in one game (418 yards) in 2002. In track and field, he set numerous school records and earned NCAA DIII All-American honors in 2005.
Suzanne “Suzy” Verheul Kratz (C’85)
A three-time NCAA DIII All-American, Kratz was the Flight 2 doubles champion with Julie (Rhodes, C’83) Sanderude at Nationals in 1983. That year, the team was undefeated in DIII competition, resulting in an NCAA team championship.
Reed Newland (C’97)
Three of Reed Newland’s 16 school records still stand: in the 100- and 200-yard butterfly and as a member of the 800-yard freestyle relay team. He qualified for Nationals twice and is a four-time NCAA DIII All-American, finishing 5th at Nationals in the 200-yard butterfly his senior year.
Rachel Charlston Wann (US’01, C’05)
A multisport athlete, Rachel Wann competed at Principia in basketball and track and field, setting three school records—in discus, hammer throw, and shot put. She earned NCAA Division III All-American honors for the hammer throw her junior and senior years, finishing 8th both years.
1972 Men’s Basketball Team
The team won their first 12 games and exceeded the 100-point mark four times, with a record 126 points in their highest scoring game. They ended the season at 16–7, a school record that still stands.
Throughout Homecoming Weekend, alumni reunited with teammates and coaches and forged new connections—with both alumni and current students. As Director of Athletics Pete Paciorek put it, “Seeing how the love of sport and the pursuit of excellence through competition never goes away was highly apparent throughout the weekend. The legacy of Principia College Athletics is deeply rooted in excellence and character development. It was special to witness the bond between our current student-athletes and the 2018 Hall of Fame inductees.”
Note: Learn more about this year's inductees and those from previous years.