Sunday, February 27, 2011 Tue DALLAS POST PAGE 11 SPOrts Five inducted into PSU Wall By SARAH HITE shite@mydallaspost.com Five members of the athletic community were inducted into the Penn State Wilkes-Barre Ath- letics Wall of Fame on Saturday, Feb. 12. For one of the honorees, the event was (mostly) a surprise. Jack Monick, who will soon retire from his position of athletic direc- tor at the campus, didn’t have a clue he was being saluted prior to the men’s and women’s basketball games until his entire family and a close friend came to the campus that day. “I didn’t have any idea until I saw them,” said Monick, of Wilkes-Barre. The Athletics Wall of Fame at Penn State Wilkes-Barre began last year as a way to recognize the accomplishments of athletes, ad- ministrators, staff and coaches, said Scott Miner, men’s basket- ball coach, who spearheaded the program. Last year, there were three in- ductees and this year’s five honor- ees included former coaches, ath- letes and administrators who have helped various sports get off the ground at the campus. Dr. Robert Faux, an instructor of electrical engineering and mathematics courses, was honor- ed for his participation in volley- ball as both a student athlete and head coach. Faux, of Tunkhannock, played volleyball for two years at Penn State Wilkes-Barre and received All-Conference honors for both athletics and academics. He went on to play varsity volleyball at the college’s University Park campus, during which time he played in the final four of the National Col- legiate Athletic Association na- tional championships. “It’s a great honor,” he said of “It's a great honor. It's a wonderful group here from Penn State athlet- ics and sports. They have the foresight here to see how important athletics are in addition to education.” Dr. Robert Faux PSU/WB Athletics Wall of Fame inductee receiving his award. “It’s a won- derful group here from Penn State athletics and sports. They have the foresight here to see how im- portant athletics are in addition to education.” He served as head volleyball coach at Penn State Wilkes-Barre from 1990 until 2001. “You learn a lot of lessons from the personal interaction in sports,” Faux said. “Certainly, coaching is very similar to teach- ing, as well.” Denise Dymond Mackowiak, of Rochester, N.Y., formerly of Tunkhannock, was also an avid volleyball player during her time at Penn State Wilkes-Barre. She co-captained the women’s team from 1982 through 1984 and earned All-Conference honors for those two seasons. She helped the 1984 team end its season with a 15-1 record. Upon graduating in 1986 with a degree in marketing, Dymond Mackowiak returned to Penn State Wilkes-Barre to coach the women’s volleyball team. “Sports had a very positive ef- fect on my life during school,” she said. “I just loved to play and it was great for my mind and body.” Dr. Kelly Huff Rattray, of East Stroudsburg, similarly believes in the importance of maintaining TC Ra Sn Wil Ba Senkics Waktiol Jaa BILL TARUTIS/ FOR THE DALLAS POST Penn State Wilkes-Barre Wall of Fame inductees pose for a photo at the Wall. From left, are Jack Monick, Dr. Robert Faux, Dr. Kelly Huff Rattray, Dr. Tom Winter and Denise Dymond Mackowiak. one’s mind and body with sports during collegiate years — and she agreed with Mackowiak on the sport, too. Rattray played volleyball dur- ing the 1983-84 season at Penn State Wilkes-Barre and received All-Conference honors. “I think it was just such a nice balance,” she said. Dr. Thomas Winter, of Shaver- town, was also awarded a spot on the Penn State Wilkes-Barre Ath- letics Wall of Fame for his contri- butions to the cross country, men’s basketball and tennis pro- grams. Winter, a professor of physics at Penn State Wilkes-Barre, coached the cross country team during the 1980s. He spearheaded the men’s basketball team and free-weight program during his time as acting campus executive officer from 1994 to 1997. He contributed to the refurbishment of the tennis courts during that time, and still donates his time and money to the upkeep of the tennis courts. He’s also the creator of two fit- ness competitions on campus — the Pump and Run contest, which is held during the summer festiv- al, and an annual upper body strength contest. “It’s nice to be healthy,” Winter said. “It’s not so much the sports emphasis on competition, but we all want to be healthy.” Winter was a gymnast in col- lege and, at 64 years old, is still ac- tive at least six days a week. “It’s part of life,” he said. “If you're not healthy, you can be mi- serable.” Penn State Wilkes-Barre Ath- letic Director Jack Monick, left, receives a plaque in honor of his induction into the school's Wall of Fame from Student Affairs Director Kathie Flanagan-Her- stek. Blan Valley West during a girls junior high basketball contest. [ oe Lady Mountaineer Nikki Wren drives to the hoop against Wyoming Dallas’ Katie Kravitsky goes in for an uncontested layup against Wyoming Valley West during a seventh-grade girls basketball game. Kravitsky leads DJHS lady cagers” win atie Kravitsky poured in nine points to lead the Dallas seventh-grade girls bas- ketball team to a 22-11 victory over Wyoming Valley West in the first round of ivision I playoffs, avenging a five-point loss to the Lady Spartans just one week earlier. The Dallas seventh-grade girls came up short against Hanover in the championship game, finding themselves on the losing end of a 30-22 score. Nikki Wren led the way for the Mountaineers with 14 points. In eighth-grade action, Dallas lost to Wyoming Valley West, ending its season at 8-3. AT RIGHT: Courtney Hoats of Dallas makes a steal near the sideline against Wyoming Valley West. Lauren Dottor catches a pass for Dallas against Wyoming Valley West in girls junior high basketball. BILL TARUTIS PHOTOS/ FOR THE DALLAS POST
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