Press Release courtesy of Middlebury Athletics
Middlebury College today announced its 2018 class of inductees for the Middlebury Athletics Hall of Fame. The fifth class to be inaugurated, this year’s group includes graduates representing four different decades, from as early as 1968 to as recent as 2003. The inductees combined to play 10 different sports at the College. One honoree is being recognized for his service as a longtime coach, while two have represented the United States at the Olympics.
The induction ceremony and dinner will be held on Saturday, November 3.
Terry Aldrich—Coach
Terry Aldrich was a 36-year head coach at Middlebury, primarily with the skiing and cross-country running programs. He spent 31 years coaching skiing, leading the women’s teams to the 1979 and 1980 AIAW National Championships. He coached 30 All-Americans and three Olympians.
Aldrich served as the head cross-country coach for 36 years. His women’s teams captured six NCAA Championships, 10 NESCAC titles, and 11 NCAA regional crowns. The men’s program began its rise under Aldrich, capturing its first NESCAC Championship during his final year in 2010 and advancing to the NCAAs for the first time.
John Atherton ’93—Soccer, Hockey, Lacrosse, Football
John Atherton, a member of the Class of 1993, was a standout athlete at Middlebury who earned 12 varsity letters in four sports. He achieved All-American honors on the soccer field as a defender, earning All-New England honors three times.
In lacrosse, he was a three-time honorable mention All-American selection in four seasons, while also earning all-conference honors for three years.
On the ice, Atherton was a steady defenseman for the nationally ranked Panthers, who won the ECAC title during his first year on the team. He also played one season of football, where he made an immediate impact on defense and special teams.
Meg Bonney Martinson ’03—Soccer, Alpine Skiing, Lacrosse
Meg Bonney, a member of the Class of 2003, excelled in three sports at Middlebury. On the soccer field, she scored more goals (53) and recorded more points (119) than any other player in school history. A four-time All-NESCAC selection, she earned conference Rookie of the Year honors in 1999 and was named the league’s Player of the Year in 2000.
Bonney was a member of the alpine ski team for two years, earning All-American honors in 2001. On the lacrosse field, her teams posted a 51-1 mark with two NCAA and three NESCAC titles during her three seasons.
J.P. Gowdy ’99—Swimming
J.P. Gowdy, a member of the Class of 1999, earned All-American honors on 17 different occasions in the pool, while earning honorable-mention honors seven times. In 1997, he captured the NCAA Championship in the 400 individual medley (IM), completing the race with a time of 3:59.85.
Gowdy was an All-American in both the 200 and 400 IM during each of his four seasons on the team. He set individual program records in the 100 freestyle, 200 IM, 400 IM, and 200 butterfly, three of which still stood at the time of his induction. He was also a part of four record-holding relay teams.
Victoria Hoyt ’89—Squash, Lacrosse
Vic Hoyt, a member of the Class of 1989, is the most decorated squash player in school history. She earned All-American honors in each of her four seasons with the Panthers, competing against all divisions. Hoyt was ranked among the top-14 collegiate players and is widely known for revolutionizing the sport of squash at Middlebury.
Upon graduation, she went on to play for the U.S. Women’s National Team from 1990–1997 and represented her country in the 1995 Pan American Games in Colombia.
Hoyt played professionally for a number of years, regularly maintaining a top-10 ranking in the U.S., while moving up as high as 35th in the world.
Kate Irvin Pfeffer ’01—Cross Country, Track and Field
Kate Irvin, a member of the Class of 2001, earned All-American honors 10 different times at Middlebury, more than any other athlete in track history.
Irvin earned All-NESCAC honors during all four spring track seasons, winning the NESCAC title in the 800 meters, while capturing the 1,500 twice. Irvin placed third for three consecutive years (1999–2001) at the NCAA Championships in the 1,500.
In the fall, Irvin was a member of the cross-country team, which won its first NCAA Championship in 2000. She was a top-four finisher in all four championship races, as the Panthers finished second in 1999 and third in 1997.
Sue Long Wemyss ’82—Cross Country, Alpine and Nordic Skiing, Track and Field
Sue Long, a member of the Class of 1982, came to Middlebury as an alpine skier and was one of the top racers on the AIAW National Championship team in 1979, earning All-American honors.
She converted to Nordic racing, where she earned several top finishes as a senior, winning the individual and relay races at UNH.
Following Middlebury, she was the 1984 National Champion in the 10K and 20K events, winning the Olympic Trials before competing in the 1984 Olympic Games.
In cross country, Long earned All-American honors in 1981, placing third at the NCAA Championships.
John Morton ’68—Nordic Skiing, Track and Field
John Morton, a member of the Class of 1968, was a standout Nordic skier at Middlebury, who went on to become a world-class biathlete and ski-trail designer.
During his senior year, he finished first in every carnival cross-country event, winning the EISA Championship for the second time. He was second at the 1968 NCAA Championships. Morton was a member of the U.S. Biathlon Team from 1968–1976, winning a U.S. National Championship in 1974 and in 1976, while competing in the 1972 and 1976 Olympics.
Morton is the designer of over 225 trail projects across the United States and abroad.
The Middlebury Athletics Hall of Fame is located in the Peterson Family Athletics Complex. The Hall of Fame inducted its first class in January 2015, in conjunction with the opening of Virtue Field House. The Hall of Fame will induct up to 10 individuals a year. To be eligible, former student-athletes who are nominated for consideration must be at least 10 years removed from their final year of collegiate competition. Coaches, administrators, and staff must have served with distinction and be a minimum of five years removed from their employment with the College in order to receive consideration. Pre- and post-Middlebury accomplishments can factor into a nominee’s candidacy as long as the accomplishments fall within the sphere of athletic achievement and bear some connection to the nominee’s athletic career at Middlebury.
Nominations are now being accepted for the Class of 2019, which will be inducted in November of 2019. For information about the Middlebury Athletics Hall of Fame, including complete biographies of the inaugural class and a link to the nomination form, please visit http://athletics.middlebury.edu/traditions/halloffame.
