Class of 2023 is Inducted into Willamette Athletic Hall of Fame

By Robert McKinney, Assistant Athletics Director, Communications, (503) 370-6110

SALEM, Ore. -- The Class of 2023 was inducted into the Willamette University Athletic Hall of Fame on Saturday, June 17 at Hudson Hall on the Willamette campus. A total of five Bearcats were inducted, with all five entering the Hall of Fame as student-athletes. The induction ceremony was part of Willamette's Alumni Reunion Weekend.

Inducted into the Class of 2023 were women's tennis player Carrie (Bellandi) Weatherbie '94, MAT '96, football player Michael Cho '78, softball athlete Marcie (Hagen) Myers '04, women's cross country and track and field athlete Kari (Holbert) Mooers '04, and women's track competitor Monica (Scott) Fiedler '01.

The Willamette University Athletic Hall of Fame will induct the Class of 2024 on Saturday, June 15, 2024, as part of Alumni Reunion.

Willamette University Athletic Hall of Fame nomination form

Willamette University Athletic Hall of Fame Class of 2023

Carrie (Bellandi) Weatherbie BA'94, MAT'96, Women's Tennis

Bellandi played three years of tennis at Willamette after transferring from the University of California-Santa Barbara. She was named Northwest Conference of Independent Colleges (NCIC) Player of the Year three times, earning the award in 1993, 1994, and 1996. Bellandi won the conference singles title each year she competed and claimed the doubles title in 1994 and 1996, helping the Bearcats win team championships during those two years. An NAIA National Championship qualifier in 1993 and 1996, Bellandi reached the third round in singles in 1993 and partnered with Brooke Gannon to reach the third round of doubles in 1996. Also an outstanding student, Bellandi was named an NAIA District 2 Scholar-Athlete all three years and an NAIA National Scholar-Athlete in 1996.

Inducted by: Kalee Weatherbie

Michael Cho '78, Football

Cho's Willamette football career came to an end as a first-year player in the fifth game of the 1974 football season when an in-game injury left him paralyzed. After initially picking up the sport of table tennis, Michael went on to compete as a Paralympic athlete in the sport of air rifle after joining the U.S. national team in 1984. He was the United States Champion in 1985, 1986, and 1987, placed third at the 1985 World Championships in Germany, and placed second at the 1986 Pan American Games. In 1988, Cho competed at the Paralympic Games in Seoul, South Korea, and finished seventh, eighth, and ninth in the three events in which he participated. After finishing his competitive career, Michael turned his focus toward being an advocate for people with disabilities.

Inducted by: Steven Turner, BS'76

Marcie (Hagen) Myers BA'04, Softball

Hagen was chosen First Team All-Northwest Conference at third base all four years she played for the Bearcats, from 2001-04. She also was named All-West Region in 2002 and was a 2004 National Fastpitch Coaches Association All-American Scholar-Athlete. In 2003, Hagen led the conference with a .444 batting average, which currently ranks third all-time at Willamette. During her senior year in 2004, she also led the team in batting average, while ranking first on the squad in slugging percentage, walks, and on-base percentage. At the end of her senior season, Hagen held eleven individual career records for the Bearcats. At the time of her induction, Hagen held Willamette records for single season assists (158) and career assists (471). She ranks second all-time in career batting average (.400) and career hits (165), third all-time in career stolen bases (66), and fourth in career on-base percentage (.460).

Inducted by: Damian Williams

Kari (Holbert) Mooers BA'04, MBA'05, Women's Cross Country/Women's Track and Field

A six-time individual conference champion, Holbert won the NWC Cross Country Championship in 2002, the 3,000-meter steeplechase in 2002, 2003, and 2004, and the 1,500-meter run in 2003 and 2004. Holbert qualified for five NCAA National Championships during her Willamette career. Three were in cross country, where she earned All-America honors in 2003 by finishing 23rd and in 2004 with a 34th-place finish, and two were in track and field. Holbert still holds all-time top-10 track and field times at Willamette in the 800-meter run, 1,500-meter run, 3000-meter steeplechase, 400-meter hurdles, and the 6-kilometer race in cross country. Holbert was a member of six championship teams - 2002, 2003, and 2004, in both cross country and track and field. Holbert continued running after leaving Willamette and has been a part of two co-ed championship teams in the Hood to Coast Relay and qualified for the Boston Marathon.

Inducted by: Bob Gray

Monica (Scott) Fiedler BS'01, MAT'03, Women's Track and Field

Scott received All-America honors three times in the javelin by finishing in the top five at the NCAA National Championships in 1999 (5th), 2000 (3rd), and 2001 (2nd). She set the National Meet record in 2001 only to have the record broken later during that meet. At the time of her induction, Scott held the record for the best javelin throw in Willamette history at 147' 5". She was the Northwest Conference champion in the javelin in 1999 at 125' 6' and in 2001 at 137' 6".

Inducted by: Soren Sorensen

Also Selected for Induction

Women's soccer player Amy (Morris) Sanderl '02 also was selected for induction, but was unable to attend this year's ceremony. She hopes to attend an induction ceremony in the near future.

Amy (Morris) Sanderl BA'02, Women's Soccer

Morris, the 2002 Jean Williams Award winner for outstanding senior female student-athlete and a finalist for the prestigious Ad Rutschman Small-College Athlete of the Year, was selected First Team All-NWC three times, in 1999, 2000, and 2001. Her senior year in 2001, Morris was named the Northwest Conference Player of the Year and was selected as a First Team All-American. For her career, Morris scored 56 total goals, including 23 goals in 2000 and 20 goals in 2001, the third and fourth highest single-season totals in school history. Morris also contributed 27 assists as a Bearcat, helping her accumulate 139 career points, which is second all-time at Willamette at the time of her induction. Morris helped lead the Bearcats to four straight NCAA Tournaments, with the team reaching the Elite 8 three times and the Final Four twice. Morris was unable to attend this year's induction ceremony.