Reading, Pa. (Oct. 18, 2009) - Homecoming and Family weekend at Alvernia University culminated Sunday afternoon in the induction ceremony of the 2009 Class of the Athletics Hall of Fame. Inducted on Sunday were Cristie Ansbach, Daimen Hunter, Carl Solarek, Jr., Steve Westley, and the 1991 Baseball team.
Ansbach, a 1998 graduate, was the point guard for teams that hold the best four year winning percentage in school history. After going 19-8 in her freshman season that ended in an ECAC South Championship, Ansbach and the Crusaders went 22-6 in each of the next three seasons making the NCAA Tournament each year and picking up a Pennsylvania Athletic Conference (PAC) championship in 1998.
Ansbach was a two-time PAC Player of the Year and two-time All-American. She was named Most Valuable Player of the 1995 ECAC South Championship as a freshman, and sits fourth on the career scoring list at Alvernia with 1,479 points. She is the career leader in both assists (653) and steals (385) and second in both free throws made (410) and free throw percentage (.775).
Ansbach also ran cross country at Alvernia and was the 1996 women's cross country most valuable runner and All-PAC in 1997.
Hunter was part of the 1997 Men's Basketball Team which was inducted in the inaugural class last season. His impressive list of accomplishments include two-time PAC Player of the Year and All-American. He was a 1997 Preseason All-American and named the 1997 Dick Vitale Preseason Division III Player of the Year. He was the 1995 ECAC South Rookie of the Year and 1997 Columbus Multimedia Mid-Atlantic and National Player of the Year.
Hunter is third all-time in scoring at Alvernia with 2,242 points and the career leader in both free throw attempts (619) and steals (218). He is second in free throws made (447), assists (323), and points per game (20.4).
Solarek, Jr. was inducted both individually and with the '91 baseball team. He transferred to Alvernia from Temple University and was First Team All-District 19 in both 1991 and '92. In 1991 he was honored as the District 19 Player of the Year when he was seventh in the nation in batting average, second in hits per game, 10th in doubles per game, and 16th in RBIs per game.
Solarek, Jr. is fourth all-time in career batting average at .414 and second all-time in career ERA at 2.71. He holds the sixth and seventh best single season stolen base records with 21 in 1991 and 22 in 1992. He also holds the single season record for innings pitched with 76.1.
Solarek, Jr. and Carl Solarek, Sr. are the second father-son combo inducted into the Hall of Fame following Jack McCloskey, the head coach of the 1997 men's basketball team, and son John, an assistant with the team.
Wesltey is regarded as the first "big man" at Alvernia and a cornerstone of the men's basketball program. He was a four-sport athlete at Alvernia participating in tennis, golf, and baseball along with basketball. Westley was named to the First Team All-Keystone Athletic Conference in 1981. He was named MVP of the Philadelphia Holiday Tournament after going a perfect 16-for-16 from the floor. Westley also served the university as President of the Alumni Board for three years.
The 1991 baseball team was the first team to win a conference championship and advance to regional play. The team finished with an overall record of 30 wins and nine losses going 10-1 in NAIA District 19 play. The team amassed a .318 batting average, scored 356 runs with 405 base hits that included 33 home runs, and went 62-for-74 in stolen base attempts.
- Crusaders -