Eastern Michigan Athletics
E-Club to Induct Five into the EMU Athletic Hall of Fame
8/8/2025 10:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball, Women's Basketball, Men's XC, Men's Track & Field, Women's Track & Field, General, E-Club
Ceremony will be held Friday, Oct. 10, in the George Gervin GameAbove Center
Click Here to Register for the Event.
YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) — The Eastern Michigan University E-Club Alumni Chapter, the official varsity athletic letterwinners club, has announced today, Aug. 8, the addition of five new members into the E-Club Athletic Hall of Fame. The Class of 2025 will be honored at the Hall of Fame ceremony Friday, Oct. 10, at 6:30 p.m.
This year's EMU Hall of Fame class showcases five outstanding contributors: Patrice Beasley, a dominant sprinter who amassed 13 individual Mid-American Conference titles, multiple relay crowns, and still ranks in EMU's top-10 indoor and outdoor record books; John Bowler, a four-year men's basketball letterwinner who scored 1,427 points, grabbed 801 rebounds, and became one of only two MAC players to average a double-double in his final season; Nikki Knapp, a four-year women's basketball starter who totaled 1,511 points, 802 rebounds, and led EMU to four postseason berths; Ben Reese, a six-time NCAA All-American miler and three-time MAC steeplechase champion who ran the second sub-4:00 mile in school history; and Bill Tuscany, EMU's Associate Head Athletic Trainer for 32 years, whose care supported 105 MAC championship teams.
This year's class will mark the 49th anniversary of the E-Club Athletic Hall of Fame with a dinner followed by a ceremony at 6:30 p.m. inside the George Gervin GameAbove Center. The Class of 2025 will then be recognized during the EMU football game Saturday, Oct. 11, against Northern Illinois University.
Reservations are $50 and include the dinner reception and ceremony. To register online using a credit card please visit https://tinyurl.com/2d5623bv
The biographies for the Eastern Michigan University Athletics Hall of Fame 2025 inductees follow below.
PATRICE BEASLEY
Women's Track & Field: Graduated in 2007... Four-year letter winner as a member of the EMU women's indoor and outdoor track and field teams from 2003-06 ... Earned eight individual Mid-American Conference Championship titles and five as a member of a relay team ... At the MAC Indoor Championships, won the indoor 60m dash and 200m dash twice (2004, 2006) ... Won the outdoor 200m dash three consecutive years (2004, 2005, 2006) along with three straight outdoor 4x100m relay victories (2003, 2005, 2006) ... Won the outdoor 100m dash and the 4x400m relay (2006) ... Holds five MAC Championship titles as a member of the 4x400m and 4x100m relay teams ... Selected outdoor First Team All-MAC in 2005 ... Named MAC Athlete of the Week several times throughout her EMU career ... Named Most Valuable Performer at the MAC Outdoor Championship in 2006 ... NCAA Regional Qualifier in the 100m dash ... Remains in the top 10 all-time EMU records for the indoor 60m, 200m, and 4x400m relay team and outdoor for the 100m, 4x100m relay team, 4x200m relay team, and 4x400m relays team.
JOHN BOWLER
Men's Basketball: Graduated in 2007 ... Four-year letter winner for the men's basketball team from 2002-06 ... Named All-MAC West Division in 2006 and received MAC Honorable Mention recognition in 2004-05 ... Earned First Team All-MAC honors in 2005-06 ... One of just three players in school history to score more than 1,400 points and grab more than 800 rebounds in a career ... One of only two MAC players to average a double-double in their final season (2005-06) ... One of just 11 players in school history to average double digits in both points and rebounds in a single season ... Was the first EMU player since 1987-88 to average at least 20 points with 10-plus rebounds in a season ... Led the team in 2005-06 team averaging 20.1 points per game, 10.8 rebounds, 17 double-doubles, and made 443 free throws, ranking third in single-season history ... Finished EMU career with 1,427 points, 801 rebounds, and 32 double-doubles ... Played professionally for six seasons in Germany's top professional league from 2006-2012.
NIKKI KNAPP
Women's Basketball: Graduated in 2008 ... Four-year starter on the EMU women's basketball team from 2002-06 ... Lead EMU to a four-year overall record of 80-30, conference record of 47-17, two WNIT post-season appearances and one NCAA Tournament appearance ... Named All-MAC Second Team twice in the 2003-04 and 2005-06 seasons, third team in the 2004-05 season, and was named to the MAC's All-Freshman team in 2002-03 ... Member of the 2003-04 MAC Championship Team and named to the MAC All-Tournament team ... Earned MAC Player of the Week twice in Dec. 2005 and Dec. 2004 ... Carried a career 12.6 scoring average and 6.7 rebound average per game and a career .504 field goal percentage ... Finished EMU career with 1,511 points, 411 free-throws, 543 field goals, 120 games played, 104 game starts, 3,281 minutes played, 16 double-doubles, and an EMU all-time record of 802 rebounds.
BEN REESE
Men's Cross Country/Track & Field: Graduated in 2003 ... Four-year letter winner for the EMU men's track and field and cross country teams from 1996-00 ... In cross country, he won the Mid-American Conference individual championship in 1997 and was runner-up in 1998 ... Was named all-regional twice, All-MAC twice, and was the Michigan Invitational champion in 1998 in cross county ... On the track side he was a six-time NCAA All-American ... He finished third in the mile run at the 2000 NCAA meet, ran the second sub-4:00 mile run in EMU history (3:59.83), was a three-time MAC outdoor 3,000m steeplechase champion, won two 1500m titles, three 3,000m crowns, and two 5,000m titles ... Named the MAC Most Valuable Performer in 1997 and 1999 and was the Most Valuable Performer at the Central Collegiate Conference Championships twice (1996 and 1997) ... Earned three additional MAC titles as a member of the Distance Medley Relay team (1996, 1999, 2000) ... Remains in EMU's top-10 all-time records in the mile, 1,500m run, and the 4x800m relay and Distance Medley Relay.
BILL TUSCANY
Sports Medicine: Graduated from EMU in 1973 with a bachelor's degree and again in 1973 with a master's degree ... Served as the Associate Head Athletic Trainer and retired in 2018 after 32 years of service to EMU ... Predominantly oversaw EMU's Olympic sports out of Bowen Field House throughout his tenure ... At the time of his retirement, he had worked with 105 of EMU's 143 MAC Championship Teams ... Member of the EMU Athletic Training Alumni Chapter ... Served as a lecturer and preceptor in EMU's accredited athletic training curriculum ... Certified member of the National Athletic Trainer's Association (NATA) and received recognition for years served ... Member of both the Michigan Athletic Trainers Society and the Great Lakes Athletic Trainers Association and is a licensed Athletic Trainer by the State of Michigan ... Served as a Board of Certification Examiner from 1978 until 2009 at which time the exam was computerized ... Before returning to EMU in 1986, he was the head athletic trainer at Lewis University in Romoeville, Ill. from 1976-86 ... In addition to his athletic training duties, he served as the Director of the Emergency Medical Service and as an associate professor in physical education from 1981-86 ... Inducted in to Lewis University Athletic Hall of Fame in 1993.
YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) — The Eastern Michigan University E-Club Alumni Chapter, the official varsity athletic letterwinners club, has announced today, Aug. 8, the addition of five new members into the E-Club Athletic Hall of Fame. The Class of 2025 will be honored at the Hall of Fame ceremony Friday, Oct. 10, at 6:30 p.m.
This year's EMU Hall of Fame class showcases five outstanding contributors: Patrice Beasley, a dominant sprinter who amassed 13 individual Mid-American Conference titles, multiple relay crowns, and still ranks in EMU's top-10 indoor and outdoor record books; John Bowler, a four-year men's basketball letterwinner who scored 1,427 points, grabbed 801 rebounds, and became one of only two MAC players to average a double-double in his final season; Nikki Knapp, a four-year women's basketball starter who totaled 1,511 points, 802 rebounds, and led EMU to four postseason berths; Ben Reese, a six-time NCAA All-American miler and three-time MAC steeplechase champion who ran the second sub-4:00 mile in school history; and Bill Tuscany, EMU's Associate Head Athletic Trainer for 32 years, whose care supported 105 MAC championship teams.
This year's class will mark the 49th anniversary of the E-Club Athletic Hall of Fame with a dinner followed by a ceremony at 6:30 p.m. inside the George Gervin GameAbove Center. The Class of 2025 will then be recognized during the EMU football game Saturday, Oct. 11, against Northern Illinois University.
Reservations are $50 and include the dinner reception and ceremony. To register online using a credit card please visit https://tinyurl.com/2d5623bv
The biographies for the Eastern Michigan University Athletics Hall of Fame 2025 inductees follow below.
PATRICE BEASLEY
Women's Track & Field: Graduated in 2007... Four-year letter winner as a member of the EMU women's indoor and outdoor track and field teams from 2003-06 ... Earned eight individual Mid-American Conference Championship titles and five as a member of a relay team ... At the MAC Indoor Championships, won the indoor 60m dash and 200m dash twice (2004, 2006) ... Won the outdoor 200m dash three consecutive years (2004, 2005, 2006) along with three straight outdoor 4x100m relay victories (2003, 2005, 2006) ... Won the outdoor 100m dash and the 4x400m relay (2006) ... Holds five MAC Championship titles as a member of the 4x400m and 4x100m relay teams ... Selected outdoor First Team All-MAC in 2005 ... Named MAC Athlete of the Week several times throughout her EMU career ... Named Most Valuable Performer at the MAC Outdoor Championship in 2006 ... NCAA Regional Qualifier in the 100m dash ... Remains in the top 10 all-time EMU records for the indoor 60m, 200m, and 4x400m relay team and outdoor for the 100m, 4x100m relay team, 4x200m relay team, and 4x400m relays team.
JOHN BOWLER
Men's Basketball: Graduated in 2007 ... Four-year letter winner for the men's basketball team from 2002-06 ... Named All-MAC West Division in 2006 and received MAC Honorable Mention recognition in 2004-05 ... Earned First Team All-MAC honors in 2005-06 ... One of just three players in school history to score more than 1,400 points and grab more than 800 rebounds in a career ... One of only two MAC players to average a double-double in their final season (2005-06) ... One of just 11 players in school history to average double digits in both points and rebounds in a single season ... Was the first EMU player since 1987-88 to average at least 20 points with 10-plus rebounds in a season ... Led the team in 2005-06 team averaging 20.1 points per game, 10.8 rebounds, 17 double-doubles, and made 443 free throws, ranking third in single-season history ... Finished EMU career with 1,427 points, 801 rebounds, and 32 double-doubles ... Played professionally for six seasons in Germany's top professional league from 2006-2012.
NIKKI KNAPP
Women's Basketball: Graduated in 2008 ... Four-year starter on the EMU women's basketball team from 2002-06 ... Lead EMU to a four-year overall record of 80-30, conference record of 47-17, two WNIT post-season appearances and one NCAA Tournament appearance ... Named All-MAC Second Team twice in the 2003-04 and 2005-06 seasons, third team in the 2004-05 season, and was named to the MAC's All-Freshman team in 2002-03 ... Member of the 2003-04 MAC Championship Team and named to the MAC All-Tournament team ... Earned MAC Player of the Week twice in Dec. 2005 and Dec. 2004 ... Carried a career 12.6 scoring average and 6.7 rebound average per game and a career .504 field goal percentage ... Finished EMU career with 1,511 points, 411 free-throws, 543 field goals, 120 games played, 104 game starts, 3,281 minutes played, 16 double-doubles, and an EMU all-time record of 802 rebounds.
BEN REESE
Men's Cross Country/Track & Field: Graduated in 2003 ... Four-year letter winner for the EMU men's track and field and cross country teams from 1996-00 ... In cross country, he won the Mid-American Conference individual championship in 1997 and was runner-up in 1998 ... Was named all-regional twice, All-MAC twice, and was the Michigan Invitational champion in 1998 in cross county ... On the track side he was a six-time NCAA All-American ... He finished third in the mile run at the 2000 NCAA meet, ran the second sub-4:00 mile run in EMU history (3:59.83), was a three-time MAC outdoor 3,000m steeplechase champion, won two 1500m titles, three 3,000m crowns, and two 5,000m titles ... Named the MAC Most Valuable Performer in 1997 and 1999 and was the Most Valuable Performer at the Central Collegiate Conference Championships twice (1996 and 1997) ... Earned three additional MAC titles as a member of the Distance Medley Relay team (1996, 1999, 2000) ... Remains in EMU's top-10 all-time records in the mile, 1,500m run, and the 4x800m relay and Distance Medley Relay.
BILL TUSCANY
Sports Medicine: Graduated from EMU in 1973 with a bachelor's degree and again in 1973 with a master's degree ... Served as the Associate Head Athletic Trainer and retired in 2018 after 32 years of service to EMU ... Predominantly oversaw EMU's Olympic sports out of Bowen Field House throughout his tenure ... At the time of his retirement, he had worked with 105 of EMU's 143 MAC Championship Teams ... Member of the EMU Athletic Training Alumni Chapter ... Served as a lecturer and preceptor in EMU's accredited athletic training curriculum ... Certified member of the National Athletic Trainer's Association (NATA) and received recognition for years served ... Member of both the Michigan Athletic Trainers Society and the Great Lakes Athletic Trainers Association and is a licensed Athletic Trainer by the State of Michigan ... Served as a Board of Certification Examiner from 1978 until 2009 at which time the exam was computerized ... Before returning to EMU in 1986, he was the head athletic trainer at Lewis University in Romoeville, Ill. from 1976-86 ... In addition to his athletic training duties, he served as the Director of the Emergency Medical Service and as an associate professor in physical education from 1981-86 ... Inducted in to Lewis University Athletic Hall of Fame in 1993.
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