Dec. 26, 2004
Here is just a sampling of former Notre Dame monogram winners who have been in the news in 2004. These news items are taken from www.und.com and the Monogram Club’s newsletter, Inside Irish. If you have similar news items to pass on to the Monogram Club, please do so by contacting assistant SID and Monogram Club publicist/archivist Pete LaFleur at 574-631-7516 (fax: 631-7941) or lafleur.4@nd.edu:
Former ND hockey All-American Greg Meredith will be one of six NCAA Silver Anniversary Award recipients for 2005 (Jan. 9, at the Honors Dinner during the NCAA Convention in Dallas). The award recognizes former student-athletes who have distinguished themselves since completing their college careers 25 years ago. Meredith – who still holds the ND record for career goals (104) – received an NCAA postgraduate scholarship and was a finalist for a Rhodes Scholarship. Currently managing director for Putnam Lovell NBF Securities, he also has held positions with Salomon Brothers, Nationsbanc Capital Markets and Fenway Partners. He earlier worked as president and chief executive officer at HSBC Capital (’01-’02), was president/CEO of the Printvision software company (’02-’03), and is the founder and president of the Proctor Capital private investment/strategic advisory firm. A four-year player in the NHL with the Calgary Flames (’80-’84), Meredith later was an assistant coach at Harvard. He now coaches with the St. David’s Hockey program for boys and girls and in 1997 formed the Meredith Family Foundation, which benefits children and adults with significant intellectual disabilities while also funding educational initiatives (among them the Paul E. Meredith scholarships at Notre Dame). … link: http://und.collegesports.com/genrel/111904aaa.html.
Former Notre Dame basketball player Danielle Green (’99) presented the flag in pregame ceremonies (pictured) and later was honored at the Sept. 11 ND-Michigan football game. Green was wounded in late May while on duty with the U.S. Army in Baghdad, Iraq. She suffered significant injuries to her left arm and left leg and was recuperating at Walter Reed Army Medical Center (Washington, D.C.). The Chicago native and her husband William Byrd were married earlier in 2004. … http://und.collegesports.com/sports/w-baskbl/spec-rel/091004aaa.html
Joe Theismann (’71) – an All-American and Academic All-American as a quarterback at Notre Dame – was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame on Aug. 14. He compiled a 20-3-2 record as a starting quarterback with the Irish while throwing for 4,411 yards and 31 touchdowns, setting school records for passing yards in a game (526) and season (2,429) and TD passes in a season (16). The current ESPN sportscaster’s 15-year pro career included leading the Washington Redskins to a 1982 Super Bowl victory and earning league MVP. Theismann is the 40th Notre Dame player (most from any school) in the Hall of Fame, which includes five former ND coaches. … http://und.collegesports.com/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/081904aad.html and http://und.collegesports.com/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/081904aab.html
Former Irish football fullback and recent Monogram Club board member John Sweeney (’83) recently was named chief of the division of general surgery at the prestigious Baylor College of Medicine (in Houston).
Former ND football receiver James Roolf (’73) recently received the Joliet (Ill.) Region Chamber of Commerce and Industry’s Hershman Community Service Award and the Joliet UNICO 2004 Citizen of the Year (UNICO is the nation’s largest Italian American service organization). Roolf – president of First Midwest Bank’s Joliet division and chairman of the Will County Center for Economic Development – has been praised for his visionary leadership and active involvement with numerous boards and projects. He was chairman of a campaign that led to funding for the new hospice home for Joliet Area Community Hospice and has joined in the city’s effort to find an alternative to the low-income housing at Evergreen Terrace. Originally from Leetsdale, Pa., Roolf retains title of senior VP for investor relations at First Midwest – which he has seen grow from a local bank to a network of nearly 70 branches in 40 Illinois and eastern Iowa communities.
Lawrence Kissner (’82) – a Notre Dame monogram winner in football and wrestling – recently was featured in the Parkland (Fla.) Gazette, in recognition of his unique gifts presented to children at the cancer ward of Joe Dimaggio Children’s Hospital in Hollywood, Fla. Kissner’s wife, the former Mary Allen (also ND ’82), had been creating quilts for the cancer patients when Larry suggested different designs and fabrics for quilts going to little boys. After a quick crash course on the sewing machine from his better half, Kissner began turning out quilts that feature camouflage, dinosaurs, army tanks and other classic boyhood motifs. A lifelong resident of south Florida, Kissner was the United Healthcare VP of national distribution operations before recently relocating with Mary and their two children (he now is CEO of United Healthcare of Kentucky).
Former Notre Dame All-America golfer Tom Matey (’53) posted the 13th victory of his amateur career by winning the 2004 club championship at Orange Tree Golf Club in Orlando. The 72-year-old rallied to shoot his age in winning the medal-play title. Matey is president of Las Olas Resorts (Cocoa Beach), which recently received the prestigious Gold Crown designation from Resort Condominiums International (RCI).
Former Notre Dame basketball player Brooks Boyer (’94) just completed his first season as vice president of marketing for the Chicago White Sox, after working 10 seasons with the Chicago Bulls (the last six as senior director of corporate partnerships). Boyer – who received a graduate degree from the DePaul business school – is responsible for White Sox marketing, promotions and broadcasting efforts, as well as overseeing ticket, sponsorship and suite sales.
Former Notre Dame tennis player Alicia Salas (’04) spent eight days in China during the summer of 2004, as a member of the American Express Collegiate All-Star Team. The team took part in a series of clinics, matches, and cultural exchanges hosted by the Chinese Tennis Association (CTA). She was one of 10 players (five women and five men) and three coaches selected to represent the U.S on the trip, which included stops in Hong Kong, Tianjin and Beijing (with sightseeing excursions to The Great Wall and Ming Tombs). … http://und.collegesports.com/sports/w-tennis/spec-rel/081004aaa.html
Two former ND student-athletes – basketball player Harold Swanagan (strength and conditioning) and softball player Nicole deFau (camps/facilities) – have joined the athletic department as interns. Other former ND monogram winners currently involved in ND athletics include: head coaches Dave Poulin (hockey) and Tim Connelly (women’s cross country); assistant coaches Andy Slaggert (hockey), Coquese Washington (women’s basketball), Chris Whitten (men’s golf), Kris McCleary Ganeff (softball), Michelle Dasso (women’s tennis), Carrie Nixon (women’s swimming) and Alissa Moser (women’s lacrosse); coordinator of men’s basketball operations Martin Inglesby; senior associate AD Missy Conboy (played basketball); assistant ADs Brian Boulac (football), Jim Fraleigh and Tom Nevala (both were student managers); academic services for student-athletes advisor Adam Sargent (lacrosse); and equipment managers Henry Scroope and Matt Kerls (both were student managers).
Former Notre Dame hockey players Yan Stastny and Mark Eaton were members of the U.S. national hockey team that won the 2004 Deutschland Cup title, in Hannover, Germany. Stastny, who plays for the Nuremberg Ice Tigers in Germany, had a goal and an assist in the four-game tournament. Eaton, a defenseman with the NHL’s Nashville Predators, scored in the title-clinching win vs. Slovakia (4-0). The U.S. also posted wins over Germany (5-1) and Switzerland (4-2) while losing to Canada (5-3). … http://und.collegesports.com/sports/m-hockey/spec-rel/111804aaa.html
Notre Dame’s 25-man All-Century Basketball Team recently was announced and included: Bob Arnzen, Austin Carr, Matt Carroll, Adrian Dantley, LaPhonso Ellis, Pat Garrity, Tom Hawkins, Collis Jones, Leo Klier, Moose Krause, John Moir, Troy Murphy, Paul Nowak, Kevin O’Shea, John Paxson, Ron Reed, David Rivers, Dick Rosenthal, Walt Sahm, John Shumate, Jack Stephens, Chris Thomas. Kelly Tripucka, Bob Whitmore and Monty Williams. Notre Dame will hold its Centennial Gala on the night of Saturday, March 5, at the DeBartolo Center for the Performing Arts on campus. The event follows Notre Dame’s final home men’s basketball game that afternoon vs. Pittsburgh. The gala will feature hors d’oeuvres and beverages, followed by a specially-produced package of videos and remarks. All 25 members of the all-century Team will be invited to attend and will be featured and introduced. Tickets will be available to the general public, with details TBA. … http://und.collegesports.com/sports/m-baskbl/spec-rel/110404aaa.html
Rev. James Riehle, C.S.C., executive director emeritus of the Notre Dame Monogram Club, recently was honored by the athletic department on the occasion of his 80th birthday. Gifts included a ceremonial photo collage (pictured) produced by honorary monogram recipient Mike Bennett and South Bend-based Lighthouse Imaging.
The Notre Dame baseball team’s 2005 Opening Night Dinner will feature two top Major League pitchers as keynote speakers at that Feb. 10 Joyce Center event. Seven-time Cy Young Award winner Roger Clemens and Houston Astros teammate Brad Lidge – a former Notre Dame standout and arguably the top relief pitcher in the game – will share their thoughts with the Joyce Center crowd. For dinner ticket information, contact the ND ticket office at (574) 631-7356. … http://und.collegesports.com/sports/m-basebl/spec-rel/122104aad.html
Former ND hockey coach Lefty Smith asks Irish hockey alums and all Monogram Club members continue offering prayers for Paul Regan, a former Irish hockey player who is undergoing treatment on five sets of cancers. … Smith and current Irish head coach Dave Poulin have been elected to the board of directors for the O’Hana Heritage Foundation and will be heading a fundraising campaign to build a home-away-from-home facility for medically fragile children in the Michiana area. … Poulin is hosting a mini-reunion of all former ND hockey players, managers, trainers and JV participants during the first weekend of February (when the Irish play host to Nebraska-Omaha).
Shannon Boxx (’99), Monica Gonzalez (’01), Ruth Riley (’01), Kate Sobrero-Markgraf (’98) and Jan Viviani (’03) – Boxx and Sobrero were two of the top players on the U.S. women’s soccer team that won the 2004 Olympic gold medal while Riley was a member of the victorious U.S. women’s basketball team; Gonzalez captained the Mexican women’s soccer team to an historic appearance at the ’04 Olympic Games while Viviani competed with the U.S. fencing contingent in the men’s epee team event. … http://und.collegesports.com/genrel/111204aac.html
Reggie Brooks (’93), Bobby Brown (’00) and Mirko Jurkovic (’92) – the trio of former Irish football players were selected to join the broadcast team for a pair of radio shows produced by Notre Dame Sports Properties (NDSP); Jurkovic and Brooks now provide analysis during the Official Notre Dame Football Postgame Radio Show (a 90-minute broadcast on South Bend’s U93, immediately following Westwood One’s coverage of every Irish football game) while Brown is a co-host on the weekly Official Notre Dame Football Coaches’ Show (live on U93, Mondays at 7:00). … http://und.collegesports.com/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/090204aab.html
David Givens (’02) – the Notre Dame football product had five receptions (one for a touchdown) in Super Bowl XXXVIII, as a member of the victorious New England Patriots (32-29 over the Carolina Panthers). … http://und.collegesports.com/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/020204aaa.html
Matt Kerls (’04) – the former Notre Dame student manager was named an assistant equipment manager at his alma mater. … http://und.collegesports.com/genrel/071304aaa.html
Tameisha King (’03), Ryan Shay (’02) and Luke Watson (’03) – the former Notre Dame track standouts, who compiled 20 All-America finishes between them, competed at the U.S. Track and Field Olympic Trials in Sacramento, Calif., with King placing 6th in the long jump prelims (21′. 0.5”) while Shay placed 10th overall in the 10,000 meters (28:49) and Watson finished 14th in the 5,000 (13:53). … http://und.collegesports.com/sports/c-track/spec-rel/071004aaa.html … http://und.collegesports.com/sports/c-track/spec-rel/071304aaa.html … http://und.collegesports.com/sports/c-track/spec-rel/071904aaa.html
Alissa Moser (’02) – the former Irish women’s lacrosse standout has rejoined the program as an assistant coach. … http://und.collegesports.com/sports/w-lacros/spec-rel/082304aaa.html
Carrie Nixon (’02) – the former Irish swimming All-American and 18-time BIG EAST champ has returned to her alma mater as an assistant coach with the Notre Dame women’s swimming team. … http://und.collegesports.com/sports/w-swim/spec-rel/063004aaa.html
Alan Page (’67) – the former All-America defensive lineman received the NCAA’s prestigious Theodore Roosevelt Award (recognizing a distinguished citizen of national reputation and outstanding accomplishment) and also served as the speaker at Notre Dame’s 2004 commencement; currently a Minnesota Supreme court judge, Page joined baseball/football player Angus McDonald (in ’31) and baseball alum Joe Kernan (in ’98) are the only former Notre Dame student-athletes to speak at their alma mater’s graduation. … http://und.collegesports.com/genrel/010704aab.html
Dave Poulin (’82) – the former Notre Dame hockey star became the 18th member of the Philadelphia Flyers Hall of Fame (he totaled 161 goals and 223 assists in 467 career regular-season games spanning a 13-year career with Philadelphia, Boston and Washington). … http://und.collegesports.com/sports/m-hockey/spec-rel/022304aaa.html
Knute Rockne (’14) – the Kansas Turnpike Authority honored the legendary football coach with a new memorial at the Matfield Green Service Area (milepost 97), not far from where Rockne died in a 1931 airplane crash; the memorial includes large photographic panels describing aspects of Rockne’s life, a life-sized cutout of Rockne and audio clips from his famous speeches. … http://und.collegesports.com/genrel/042104aaa.html
Nicholas Sparks (’88) – former Irish track standout who received Notre Dame’s Rev. Robert F. Griffin, C.S.C, Award, in honor of the famous author’s literary achievements that include “Message in a Bottle” and “A Walk to Remember,” among others; he and his wife Cathy – who reside on New Bern, N.C., with their five children – also have donated $1.5 million to Notre Dame’s master of fine arts program in creative writing. … http://alumni.nd.edu/awards/griffin.html
Pat Steenberge (’72) – the former Irish quarterback again directed a highly successful Notre Dame Football Fantasy Camp, with proceeds helping to benefit the Monogram Club’s Brennan-Boland-Riehle Scholarship Fund. … http://und.collegesports.com/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/060904aaa.html … http://und.collegesports.com/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/061404aaa.html … http://und.collegesports.com/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/070204aaa.html
Tom Timmermans (’04) – the former Notre Dame basketball center signed a professional contract to play for the Cantabria Lobos, a professional team in Torrelavega, Spain (200 miles north of Madrid). The Lobos play in Spain’s 18-team LEB Division I. … http://und.collegesports.com/sports/m-baskbl/spec-rel/082104aaa.html