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IN THIS ISSUE... Outfielder Tony Hines (left) is one of five seniors leading the 2008 baseball team which hopes to gain its fourth GLIAC postseason tournament 1.............................................................................From the Director berth in the last five years. Hines and classmate 2-4 .......................................................2008 Hall of Fame Inductees Derek Ranck were named American Baseball Coaches Association North Central Region 5..............................................................................Baseball Preview Preseason All-Americans. 6............................................................................... Softball Preview More baseball on page 5 7................................................Men’s & Women’s Tennis Previews 8......................................................Alumni - Where Are They Now? Senior pitcher Molly Yetman will look to follow 9.........................................................90 Foundation Alumni Events up on a successful 2007 campaign in which she 10.....................................................Fall 2007 Academic Honor Roll earned several individual accolades including All- America and GLIAC Player of the Year. Wayne 11 ...........................................................Fall 2007 Award Recipients State, the defending GLIAC champion, was 12-13 .................................................. Department News and Notes ranked 20th by the National Fastpitch Coaches 14-15 .........................................Top 100 Accomplishments of 2007 Association in its preseason top 25 poll. More softball on page 6 16............................................................................................ Donors IBC ................................................................................ Warrior Club Among the student-athletes who achieved WARRIOR WITHIN academic and athletic success last fall is senior Compiled and edited by the WSU Sports Information Office center Frank Lietke, who was a semifinalist for the Draddy Trophy. The award recognizes an ASSISTANT A.D./MEDIA RELATIONS individual as the absolute best in the country for his Jeff Weiss ASSISTANT SPORTS INFORMATION DIR. combined academic success, football performance Tom Gorman and exemplary community leadership. More awards on page 11 CONTRIBUTORS Rob Fournier, Director of Athletics Jeff Evans, Assistant A.D./Marketing & Tickets Mekye Phelps, Sports Information Intern Forty-two (42) student-athletes achieved 4.00 Angie Ruth, Director of Development GPAs and another thirty-two (32) earned All- America honors in 2007, a year in which the PRINTING department garnered its highest overall national Think Arbor - Royal Oak, Michigan finish in school history (24th). These are just three PHOTOS examples of all that WSU Athletics accomplished Mark Hicks (WestSide Photo), NCAA Photos, Ron Harper, in the last calendar year. Steve Knoche, Jason Clark, Arinett Ross and Tom Gorman More accomplishments on pages 13-14 Entire contents are copyrighted by WSU’s Department of Athletics ON THE COVER The Wayne State University Department of Athletics announced its all-time top 10 men’s basketball student-athletes as selected in online voting and at Warrior basketball games earlier this season. The men were honored at a ceremony Jan. 25 as the Warriors hosted Gannon University. Pictured from left to right are Ron Hammye (representing the late Russell Lightbody), Allison Tookes (representing Robert Solomon), Art Johnson, Grady Lowry, Tony Goins, George R. Duncan (representing George “Baby” Duncan), George Brown, Marty Letzmann, Raheem Muhammad, Charlie Primas, and Wayne State Director of Athletics Rob Fournier. The women’s top 10 honorees were announced Feb. 16 as Wayne State hosted Grand Valley State. More 90 Foundation events on page 9 WWW.WSUATHLETICS.COM THE ONLINE HOME OF WARRIOR ATHLETICS FANS AND MEDIA can always access up- to-date information on every WSU athletic team including weekly releases, statistics, rosters, biographical information on the individual coaches and teams, and selected team media guides. The site also provides links to the Wayne State University President Irvin D. Reid and Athletic Director NCAA, the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Rob Fournier presented a commemorative basketball to all-time Conference (GLIAC), College Hockey America top 10 selection Art Johnson at a special ceremony in January. (CHA) and other sport-related sites. From the Director WARRIOR WITHIN in school history to record 1,000 career rebounds) and Robert Solomon WHO KNEW? (who holds the record for career scoring average). It was literally a “who’s BY ROB FOURNIER who” of nine decades of basketball. From those twenty point games of the early years, to NCAA tournament appearances against the likes of It was a cold, rainy January afternoon Kentucky and DePaul, to the consistently winning championship teams — like many before and many to come after. of head coaches Charlie Parker and Ron Hammye — it was a night of When the eight young men entered the Central celebration and reflection. High School gym that Saturday afternoon, At the conclusion of that first 1918 season, Coach Holmes and his they were excited about their new adventure, team commemorated that basketball premier with a “theatre party” (as it but not for the history of the moment. That never crossed their minds, or was described) and a “feed” (they did talk somewhat differently back in if it did, it was never recorded. Instead it was what has enthralled those 1918). Ninety years later, it was again a night of theatrical significance in the arena of athletic competition since the first Olympiad — a chance highlighted by stars of another era. to test themselves against a like-minded opponent. Just as that first team could not have imagined their institution The new (and first) Athletic Director David Holmes had been preparing almost a century later, so too the honorees probably knew little of their for the contest for months, albeit he didn’t know who the competition would predecessors. There were approximately 150 students at Detroit Junior be. Fittingly, since no one knew anything about this group of young men College (Wayne State’s earlier namesake) that initial campaign, and that from Detroit, there was little interest in playing a contest against them. first season they sold almost 150 season tickets — at a dollar per ticket. After all, could they even measure up to the competition? It has been a Holmes was even ahead of his time as a marketer. regular misjudgment over the years by opponents of a WSU team. And certainly his stewardship became the foundation of the athletics Holmes’ charge since that previous fall was to start an athletic program. But Wayne State athletics has always been more than one program. The merits, purpose, and advantages of such an undertaking person. It is seniors who “mentor” first year student-athletes about had been debated and, the advantages so transparently obvious, the traditions, sacrifice and hard-work. Those young men and women then formation was encouraged, not questioned. His ambition was more “hand-off” that history to succeeding teams, generations and alumni. It singular (if not daunting) — create a competitive athletic program that is why the 90 Foundation theme should resonate with so many. What mirrored the beliefs and mission of the school. Holmes’ design remains we are today is a direct result of those who have been a part of our past. remarkably uncontroverted some 90 years later. It is in many ways the And they will be tomorrow’s legacy. Wayne State athletic department of today. Our achievements, be it measured on the field of competition, or A few weeks ago, we welcomed back the best of the best from these in less obvious attributes (like hard work, sacrifice, determination, and short 90 years of basketball. The top ten men’s basketball players were perseverance), helped to shape lives and became guiding examples selected by online voting and in-house balloting at games. The likes to meet the challenges of the future. Obviously, not everyone won a of the honorees had never been assembled before – George Brown (a championship while at the corner of Cass and Warren, but everyone, in member of the NCAA Sweet Sixteen team), George Duncan (single game one way or another, built the foundation of what we are today, and what points leader with 50 in 1960), Tony Goins (record holder for career field we will become, because of their commitment. goals and career three pointers), Artie Johnson (all-time career leader Interestingly, only six days after that first basketball game, another in steals and assists), Marty Letzmann (among the all-time leaders in Detroit “legend” was born some ninety years ago – Ernie Harwell. If Mr. scoring, free throws and rebounding), Russell Lightbody (a three-time Harwell has been the face of major league baseball around here, WSU captain who led the nation in scoring in 1923-24), Grady Lowry (one of has been the face of City athletics for just as remarkable a period of WSU’s all time best in field goals made, free throws made, blocked shots time. And although a little worn, and maybe even showing an occasional and steals), Raheem Muhammad (in four years led WSU to 80 victories “laugh line”, we still look good, because of you who have been a part of and was the GLIAC Player of the Year), Charlie Primas (the first player our family for the past 90 years. Welcome home…again. 1 WARRIOR WITHIN 2008 Hall of Fame Inductees PIERRE BROWN DAVE CROSKEY

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