Eastern Michigan Athletics

EMU Inducts Eight into Hall of Fame

9/22/2017 1:44:00 PM | E-Club

The 2017 class will also be recognized during halftime of the football game Sept. 23

YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) — The Eastern Michigan University E-Club Alumni Chapter, a group of former EMU varsity athletic letterwinners, welcomed eight new members into the E-Club Athletic Hall of Fame this weekend. The Class of 2017 was honored at the Hall of Fame ceremony Friday, Sept. 22, in the atrium EMU Convocation Center.

The Class of 2017 includes: Brian Bixler (Baseball), Walter Church (Football), Lauren Clark (Softball), William DuLac (Football), Jessica Hupe (W. Soccer), Robin Loheide (W. Gymnastics), Lela V. Nelson (W. Track & Field), and Tiberia T. Patterson (M. Track & Field).



BRIAN BIXLER
Baseball: Earned three letters in baseball from 2002-2004...Named Mid-American Conference Freshman of the Year in 2002...Earned All-American honors by Louisville Slugger as a freshman...Named to the MAC All-Tournament Team in 2003 and 2004, earning Most Valuable Player in 2003...Awarded All-MAC First Team, NCAA All-Region First Team, and Collegiate Baseball First Team All-American as a junior...Voted MAC Player of the Year in 2004...Earned Academic All-District First Team and Academic All-American Second Team honors in 2004...Set MAC records, in 2004, for longest hitting streak (34 games) and hits (110)...Ranked third in the NCAA Division I in batting average (.453), second in hits (110), and third in on-base percentage in 2004...Leads the EMU record books for a single season in hits with 110 (2004), runs scored with 74 (2004) and batting average with .453 (2004)...Finished career in the top-10 all-time records for hits (258), RBIs (123), runs scored (194), triples (10), stolen bases (64), home runs (30), and batting average (.366)...Drafted by the Pittsburgh Pirates in the second round, 52nd overall pick, of the 2004 Major League Baseball June Amateur Draft from EMU...Won a Gold Medal representing the United States in the 2007 Baseball World Cup in Taiwan...Played professionally for 11 years with various organizations including the Pittsburgh Pirates, the Cleveland Indians, the Washington Nationals, the Houston Astros, the New York Mets, the Philadelphia Phillies, and the San Diego Padres...Played in the major leagues for the Pittsburgh Pirates (2008-2009), the Washington Nationals (2011), and the Houston Astros (2012)



WALTER CHURCH
Football: Graduated in 2000 and 2008...Four-year letter winner for the EMU football team...Started four seasons as quarterback for EMU...Named Mid-American Conference Freshman of the Year in 1996...Earned the EMU Elton J. Rynearson Award for the EMU football player who best combines athletic ability and scholastic excellence in 1998...Named First Team Academic All-MAC in 1998 and 2000...Played in 40 games starting in 39 during his career and graduated with virtually every passing record at EMU...Served as team captain in 1999 and 2000...Awarded team Most Valuable Player in 2000...Earned MAC Player of the Week for his performance against Northern Illinois University on November 11, 2000...Became the first player in EMU history to eclipse over 8,500 career yards of total offense which also ranks first all-time in the EMU record books...Holds the longest passing play in EMU history with 89 yards to teammate Eric Powell at Western Michigan University on October 17, 1998...Set EMU records for total offensive plays (1,657), total offensive yards (8,628), pass attempts (1,441), pass completions (807), and passing yards (9,142)...Owns or shares every passing record in EMU history with Charlie Batch, including attempts, completions, yards, and touchdowns for a game, season, and career...Played professionally in the Arena Football League for two years, the arenafootball2 league (af2) for two years, and the United Indoor Football League (UIF) for one year...Member of the 2002 Arena Cup Championship Team Peoria Pirates along with four other former EMU players (Brandon Campbell, Lincoln DuPree, Jermaine Sheffield, and Jason Short)



LAUREN CLARK
Softball: Graduated in 2007...A four-year letterwinner from 2004-07...Started four seasons as EMU's shortstop...Awarded Mid-American Conference Player of the Year in 2006 and 2007...Earned First Team All-MAC honors in 2006 and 2007, as well as earning Easton All-American Third Team honors in her final season...Grabbed First Team NFCA Great Lakes Region honors in both 2006 and 2007 while being selected the All-MAC Tournament Team in both years as well...Ranks in the top-10 of EMU's record books for a single season in runs scored (35), hits (65), RBI's (43 in 2007 and 42 in 2006), doubles (15 in 2006 and 2007) and home runs (13)...Ranks in the top-10 of EMU career records for hits (184), doubles (40), homeruns (24), runs scored (101), RBI's (95), and assists (372)


 
WILLIAM DULAC
Football: Earned three letters for the EMU football team from 1970-72...Started three seasons as an offensive lineman from 1970-1972...Served as team captain in 1972...Compiled a 20-7-3 win-loss record while playing for EMU...Drafted by the Los Angeles Rams in the seventh round, 167th overall pick, of the 1973 National Football League draft...Played professionally in the NFL with the Los Angeles Rams (1973) and the New England Patriots (1974-1975)



JESSICA HUPE
Women's Soccer: Graduated in 2005...Earned four letters for the EMU women's soccer team and one for the women's basketball team...Started four seasons as a forward from 2000-2004...Named to the Mid-American Conference All-Tournament Team in 2001...Earned All-MAC First Team honors in 2002 and 2004, as well as Second Team honors in 2001...Selected as Academic All-MAC in 2002 and 2004...    Earned ESPN the Magazine/CoSIDA Academic First Team and All-Great Lakes Region second team in 2004 and third team in 2001...Named to the Verizon Academic District IV Academic Second Team in 2001 and 2002...Helped lead the team to a 29-16-3 MAC record in her four years on the team...Set EMU single season records for goals in a season (17 in 2002) and points in a season (39 in 2002)...Holds the EMU career records for goals scored (49) and points (117), and is third all-time in career assists (21)  



ROBIN LOHEIDE
Women's Gymnastics: Graduated in 1996...Four-time letter winner for women's gymnastics from 1990-1993...Named to the Mid-American Conference All-Tournament Team in 1992 and 1993...MAC Championship all-around runner-up to teammate Allyson Newman in 1992...Served as team captain in 1993...Awarded team Most Valuable Gymnast in 1993...Was the MAC Champion in the all-around (38.8), beam (9.7), and floor exercise (9.675) in 1993...Qualified for the 1993 NCAA Championships competing in the all-around as the first ever gymnast from the MAC...Fourth at large seed going into the NCAA Championship all-around in 1993...Named MAC Senior of the Year in 1993...Set EMU records in vault (9.8), bars (9.8), floor (9.9) and all-around (38.8)...Appeared in Sports Illustrated May 5, 1986 issue of "Faces in the Crowd"



LELA V. NELSON
Women's Track and Field: Graduated in 2005...Earned several varsity letters for the women's track and field indoor and outdoor teams from 2002-2005...Earned the Mid-American Conference indoor long jump title in 2004...Earned MAC Indoor Championship First Team honors in 2004 and Second Team honors in 2003 and 2005...Earned MAC Outdoor Championship Titles in the 100-meter hurdles, long jump, and the 400-meter Relay Team...Voted the 2005 MAC Outdoor Championship Most Valuable Performer ...Named MAC Outdoor First Team in 2005...2005 NCAA Division I Outdoor Champion in the heptathlon...Two-time outdoor NCAA All-American in the heptathlon and long jump (2005)...Left EMU holding eight EMU all-time records including the outdoor 100-meter high hurdles (13.34), long jump (21-3.5), heptathlon (5,878), the 400-meter relay team (44.99), the 800-meter relay team (1:33.8), the 1600-meter relay team (3:36.23) and indoor in the pentathlon (3,894) and the 1600-meter relay team (3:38.49)...Won the 2006 USA Indoor Pentathlon Championship while placing sixth in the long jump at the same meet...Placed fourth in the heptathlon at the 2006 USA Outdoor Championships...Had the top performance of the women's long jump at the 2008 Reebok Boston Indoor Games, with a 6.50-meter mark...Represented the USA at the 2008 IAAF World Indoor Championships in the long jump as the only female EMU National Champion born in the US...Qualified for the Olympic Trials in both the long jump and the heptathlon



TIBERIA T. PATTERSON
Men's Track and Field: Graduated in 1998...Earned several varsity letters for the EMU men's track field indoor and outdoor teams from 1991-1994...Served as team captain in 1993 and 1994...Mid-American Conference Indoor Champion in the 55-meter high hurdles in 1991, 1993 and 1994...MAC Indoor Champion in the 60-meter high hurdles in 1994...MAC Outdoor Champion in the 110-meter high hurdles in 1993 (:13.6) and 1994 (:13.67)...Named MAC Most Valuable Performer at the 1994 Outdoor Championships...Set the State of Michigan collegiate records and EMU records for the indoor 60-meter high hurdles (:07.69) and outdoor 110-meter high hurdles (:13.67), both were previously held by EMU alumnus and Olympic gold medalist Hayes Jones...1994 NCAA Division I Indoors All-American in the 60-meter high hurdles


 
2024 E-Club Athletic Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony
Saturday, September 21
E-Club Athletic Hall of Fame - Gina Tempro
Thursday, September 19
E-Club Athletic Hall of Fame - Matt Shoemaker
Thursday, September 19
E-Club Athletic Hall of Fame - Tavelyn James
Thursday, September 19