ST. JOSEPH, Mo. — Missouri Western Athletics and the Griffon Hall of Fame committee are thrilled to announce this year's class, one packed with rich history whose honors still stand tall today.
The 2023 Hall of Fame class includes three trailblazing volleyball teams from the 1980s, three of Griffon Football's most-outstanding players, Griffon Men's Basketball's first-ever MIAA Defensive Player of the Year and one of the most loyal Missouri Western alums of all-time. Rogers Pharmacy Hall of Fame Weekend begins Friday, October 27, with a private reception for the inductees followed by dinner and the induction ceremony at 7 p.m.
1983 Volleyball Team
Led by Hall of Fame Head Coach Rhesa Sumrell, the 1983 Griffons were in year nine of the program's existence when they set a then-program best record of 59-9 overall and went 13-1 in the CSIC. Spearheaded by All-CSIC players like first-team spiker Shelly Skoch, first-team setter Lynn Umbach, and second-team spikers Mendy Chandler and Barb McMahill, Missouri Western marched all the way to its third-ever CSIC Championship. The Griffons went on to win the District 16 Championship, yielding zero set losses throughout six matches and then clinching the Bi-District 8 title in a 3-0 win over Arkansas Tech.
Throughout this run, Umbach and Skoch also earned All-American Honorable Mention honors. The District 16 Championship catapulted Missouri Western into the NAIA National Tournament, winning its first two matches and eventually going 4-3 overall. This capped the Griffs' season with a fourth-place finish in the national tourney, their best finish in program history.
1985 Volleyball Team
Once again coached by Sumrell, the 1985 Griffons reached the 50-win mark for the second time in team history, going 54-11 and 13-1 in the CSIC, winning their fourth conference championship in six seasons. This season's batch of All-CSIC standouts included first-team hitter LeAnn Martens, first-team setter Lynn Umbach, honorable mention hitter Lynna Cochran and honorable mention hitter Brenda Nelson. Umbach and Martens took home All-American awards, with Umbach making the first team and Martens the second team.
Along the way to this historic season, the team faced national powers like Hawaii-Hilo and St. Mary's College (California) in Hawaii. In just their 11th-ever season, 1985 produced the Griffons' 10th campaign in a row with a winning record. Winning the District 16 Championship for the fifth consecutive season, Missouri Western made its fifth-straight NAIA National Tournament, tying for seventh place.
1987 Volleyball Team
With Head Coach Mary Nichols taking over the team for her first-ever season at the helm of Missouri Western Volleyball, the 1987 Griffons did not skip a beat. Punctuated by a 35-match winning streak from Oct. 3 to Nov. 20, Missouri Western won 63 matches and only lost six times, both team records. Hitters Kris Riviere and Cheryl Williams garnered First Team All-CSIC honors, and hitter Ashley Harms and setter Roberta McDaniel made the honorable mention team.
With Williams being awarded a nod to the All-American First Team, the Griffons rode their-red hot streak to a CSIC Championship and their seventh consecutive District 16 title, taking place on their home court in St. Joseph. Taking their talents to Milwaukee, Wisconsin, the Griffons made their seventh consecutive NAIA National Tournament. Nichols and Missouri Western capped a celebratory year by going 5-2 up north, finishing with a fifth-place showing at the big dance.
David Bass - Defensive End, Football, 2008-12
From St. Louis, Missouri, to the Griffons' all-time sacks leader, defensive end David Bass made life miserable for opposing offensive coordinators, bringing down the quarterback 40.5 times from 2008-12. Bass' best season came in 2011 when he recorded 14.5 sacks, the second most in a season, getting to the QB with four sacks on two separate occasions, a single-game record for MWSU. Bass terrorized signal-callers and beat down the backfield in general, racking up an MWSU all-time record of 56 tackles for a loss and setting another all-time record for 283 yards lost.
For his efforts, the three-time All-MIAA defensive end also became a consensus All-American in 2011 and two-time All-American. Playing in the 2012 East-West Shrine Game, Bass ended his collegiate career as a finalist for the Gene Upshaw Award, an honor bestowed to the best offensive or defensive lineman in all of NCAA Division II football.
Michael Hill - Running Back, Football | 2008-12
A perennial standout from start to finish during his playing days in St. Joseph at Central High School and MWSU, running back Michael Hill left quite a mark on Griffon Football. From 2008-12, Hill became the program's all-time leading rusher with 4,969 yards and second in rushing touchdowns with 35. During the Griffons' run to the NCAA DII Quarterfinals in 2012, Hill's season-record 311 attempts led him to a record of 2,168 rushing yards.
Hill is a three-time All-MIAA player with two first-team selections and is a two-time All-American, earning consensus All-American status in 2012. The 2012 D2Football.com and MIAA Player of the Year was a finalist for the Harlon Hill Trophy, the DII equivalent of the Heisman Trophy. Hill ended his collegiate career on top, being named the offensive MVP in the first-ever Raycom College Football All-Star Classic.
Larry Taylor - Guard, Men's Basketball | 2001-03
Playing from 2001-03, Larry Taylor set a bar for Griffon Men's Basketball that still stands to this day. Taylor first graced the scene with an All-MIAA Honorable Mention selection in 2001-02, helping the Griffons become MIAA Regular Season Co-Champions with a 16-2 conference record. Taylor and Missouri Western finished the season with a 33-7 record and an NCAA South Regional berth, their first since 1999.
As the Griffons won the MIAA Tournament for the first time in 2003, Taylor earned the team's first-ever MIAA Defensive Player of the Year Award. Taylor's 18.9 points per game and team-high 60 steals sustained another excellent season for the squad, with MWSU going 23-8 overall and earning its second-straight South Central Regional appearance. The 2002-03 All-Defensive Team and NAPC/Pontiac All-South Central Second Team member is fifth in MWSU history with 320 assists in just 61 games played, cementing his legacy as one of the greatest all-around players the Griffons have ever seen.
Joe Henry - Wide Receiver, Football | 1975-76
Taking Griffon Football's passing game to a whole new level from 1975-76, Joe Henry's all-time marks are timeless. Henry was the most productive wide receiver for Missouri Western during the first 23 seasons of the program as the only receiver logging 1,000+ receiving yards in a single season. Henry hauled in 1,016 yards in 1975, ranking him fifth among only six Griffons all-time with 1,000+ seasons, earning him First Team All-District 16 and All-American Honorable Mention honors that year.
In 1976, Henry was voted team captain headed into his senior season. His 660 receiving yards garnered him a spot on the All-CSIC First Team, cementing him second all-time with 19.04 yards per catch and third with 4.2 receptions per game. After graduating from Missouri Western in 1977 with a Bachelor of Science in Health and Physical Education/Fitness, Henry was recently honored in 2019 as a part of Griffon Football's All-Decade 1970s Team.
Rich Loehnig - Meritorious Service
A man of many hats, Rich Loehnig participated in two sports during his playing days as a Griffon. Hall of Fame Coach Gary Filbert recruited him as a foundation player for his first Griffon Men's Basketball team as a four-year institution in 1969-70, starting 24 games and leading Missouri Western with 16.3 points per game. Starting 50 games overall in his two-year basketball career, Loehnig also suited up for Griffon Baseball in 1970.
One of just 20 college seniors invited to play in the Mathews Memorial Game in Springfield, Missouri, following the 1970-71 season, Loehnig then enjoyed a 38.5-year career with Burlington Northern, retiring in 2009. Loyal to the Griffons for life, he has been a member of the Missouri Western Gold Coat Club since 1989, serving as a board member for many years. One of Loehnig's greatest contributions includes when he co-chaired the annual Missouri Western Charity Golf Classic with Hall of Famer Carl Butcher for a decade, helping build it into the single biggest annual fundraiser with proceeds benefiting both Griffon Athletics and the St. Joseph YWCA for Shelter for Abused Women and Children.
*Damon Bailey - Forward, Men's Basketball | 2001-2003
Missouri Western Men's Basketball saw much success with Damon Bailey on the court, going 46-15 overall and 22-8 in conference games during his two seasons as a Griffon. That includes a regular season MIAA co-championship in 2002 and an MIAA Tournament Championship in 2003 with two NCAA South Central Regional appearances during his time. That 2003 MIAA Tournament was also the first time the tourney was held in Kansas City, Missouri.
Bailey led the charge in that 2003 run, receiving MIAA Postseason Tournament MVP honors. Bailey was an effective scorer for the Griffons as his 590 points in the 2002-03 season ranks second all-time and his 496 points in the 2001-2002 season puts him at fourth all-time in the single season records. Over his two seasons as a Griffon, Bailey logged 1,086 points, billing him 12th all-time in career scoring. Bailey earned Second Team All-MIAA following the 2001-02 season and was a First Team All-MIAA pick following his 2002-03 season.
*Eldra Paixao - Guard, Women's Basketball | 2003-05
Eldra Paixao began her basketball career as a youth player in Brazil. She then took her skills to South Plains College in Texas helping her team to a 30-2 record and the WJCAC championship. With that pedigree, Hall of Fame Coach Dave Slifer was happy to see Paixao join the Griffons. No sooner did Paixao get on campus was her presence on the court felt. In her first season as a Griffon in 2003-04, she established herself as a premier player being named not only First Team All-MIAA but also as the MIAA Defensive Player of Year award.
She followed up that performance with another First Team All-MIAA performance in 2004-05. Her quick hands and basketball acumen produced team-leading steals totals in both seasons she played, posting 107 and 81 for a career total of 188 steals. Those totals are ranked No. 1 and No. 2 all-time for a season. Paixao capped off her career earning the Missouri Western 2004-05 Female Student Athlete of the Year award.
*Selected for last year's Hall of Fame Class but could not attend the ceremony.
