Bronco Hall of Fame adds six
Oct. 8, 2001
KALAMAZOO -- The Western Michigan University Athletic Hall of Fame has announced the addition of six new members in 2001. The Hall of Fame's newest class will be honored at a banquet Nov. 17 at the Fetzer Center on the WMU campus. The event begins at 6:30 p.m.
Tom Duits (Track and Field/Cross Country '78), Wayne Gagne (Hockey '87), Bob Gill (Men's Tennis '65), Sue Weigand-Byron (Women's Tennis '84), Tony Kimbrough (Football '88), and Maria Shoup-Holbrook (Track and Field/Cross Country '85) are the newest inductees to the hall, comprising the 2001 class.
Tom Duits became the first Michigan native to run the mile under four minutes (3:59.2), accomplishing that impressive feat at the 1978 Penn Relays. A 1978 outdoor and indoor All-American in track, he established WMU records for the outdoor 1500 mile, indoor mile, and 880. Duits earned All-America honors in cross country in 1976 by placing 35th in the nation. He captured MAC championships in the mile, 1500 and 5000 and Central Collegiate Conference outdoor 1500 titles in 1976 and 1978. He was voted CCC Athlete of the Meet at the 1978 championship and was the mile champion at the 1979 National Sports Festival.
The runner-up for the 1987 Hobey Baker Award as the top collegiate hockey player in the nation, Wayne Gagne was a First Team All-American on two occasions and was also MVP of the Central Collegiate Hockey Association during his career. He was named to the All-CCHA tournament team in 1986 and served as WMU team captain in 1987. Gagne is the Broncos' all-time leading scorer as a defenseman, totaling 42 career goals, 199 assists, and 241 points.
Bob Gill claimed a trio of Mid-American Conference tennis championships during his collegiate career. Gill won the 1964 No. 1 singles crown and a pair of No. 1 doubles titles (1963, '64). He reached three consecutive No. 1 singles finals and advanced to the round of 16 at the 1964 NCAA Championships with doubles teammate Mike Goodrich. That duo advanced further than any Bronco singles or doubles players in school history. Gill helped WMU place eighth at the 1964 NCAA Tournament and claim three conference championships (1963-65) during his career. He went on to serve as head coach at Bowling Green for 20 seasons, posting a 232-201 career ledger and earning MAC Coach of the Year honors in 1982. Bob is the son of WMU Hall of Famer John Gill.
Sue Weigand-Byron concluded her collegiate tennis career
as one of the most dominant
players in WMU women's tennis history. A four time All-MAC selection
(1981-84) and a four time conference champion, Weigand-Byron
was the first woman singles player in MAC history selected to
the NCAA Tournament, accomplishing that feat in 1984. She won
MAC titles in No. 1 singles (1981), No. 2 singles (1984), and
No. 1 doubles (1981, '83) and was a two time runner-up in both
singles and doubles. Weigand-Byron owns the best career winning
percentage in school history (.778) and ranks fourth all time
in victories with 179. Her 30 singles triumphs during the 1984
season are the No. 3 single-season total.
A 1984 Olympic qualifier and two time NCAA participant (1984, '85), Maria Shoup-Holbrook helped WMU win its first MAC championship in 1985. That same year she established program standards in the 400-meter hurdles (:54.94) and 100 hurdles (:14.02). Shoup-Holbrook was named 1985 co-athlete of the year and was twice honored as team MVP (1983, '84). She rewrote Bronco records five times during her career, including a record 4,871 points in the heptathlon in 1983.
The quarterback of one of the most memorable WMU football
teams in school history, Tony Kimbrough won the 1988 Vern
Smith Award as the MAC's MVP. He ranks sixth in
career total offense with 4,055 yards and owns or shares program
records for completions in a game (32) and pass attempts (57).
Kimbrough threw 19 touchdown strikes in 1988 to help WMU capture
the MAC title with a 7-1 mark and advance to the California Raisin
Bowl. He threw for 366 yards and a pair of scores and rushed
for 65 yards in that game against Fresno State to earn game MVP
honors. He went on to play in the Canadian and Arena Football
Leagues.
Media contact: Geoff Brown, 616 387-4138, geoffrey.brown@wmich.edu