Alumni Celebration Dinner

Saturday, September 24, 2011 – Alumni Gymnasium

I am pleased and proud to spotlight a number of awards given to some of our newest alums, as well as to recognize one of Bates’ hallmark athletic programs.

First, I want to salute our Senior Citation Award recipients. To qualify for a Bates Senior Citation, the candidate must clearly demonstrate accomplishment far superior to that which is normally expected of our athletes. The Citation is meant to honor those Bates athletes who, by their athletic accomplishments and demonstrated excellence, have risen to a very select, if not unique level.

Brian Ellis, Basketball (unable to be here – Teach for America in FL)

Brian graduated as the 8th all-time leading scorer in men’s basketball. He began his career being named the NESCAC Rookie of the Year and finished by passing the 1,000 career points mark, and averaging 17.5 points a game, ranking 4th in the NESCAC. He was again voted First-Team All State by the Maine Men’s Basketball Coaches and Writers Association, and earned his second All NESCAC laurels.

Ethan Waldman, Indoor and Outdoor Track & Field

As a freshman at Bates, Ethan’s experience in track and field was limited, with little background in the throwing events. He participated in the pentathlon and then moved to the sprint events his sophomore year. In his junior year, Ethan found his place in the throwing events when he burst onto the New England track and field scene. He was All-New England and All-ECAC in both the shot put and discus, finished All-NESCAC (top three) in the shot put, and landed 8th on Bates’ all-time performance list in both the shot put and discus. In Ethan’s senior year his indoor season produced Maine State and ECAC DIII titles in the shot put, while breaking the indoor school record for the event. He was the runner-up at the New England DIII Indoor Championships and made his 1st trip to an NCAA Championship where he earned All-American honors. Ethan’s senior outdoor season saw him become an NCAA provisional qualifier in both the shot put and discus throw, and he won the New England DIII title in the discus, rising to 4th place on Bates’ all-time discus performances. He finished his career by competing at NCAA’s for the 2nd time that year, in the outdoor shot put.

Ben Manter, Alpine Skiing

In his first two years with the Alpine Skiing program, Ben compiled 5 top-15 carnival finishes on the Eastern Intercollegiate Ski Association circuit, laying the groundwork for even better things to come in his junior and senior years. As a junior and a captain of the team, he finished the regular season with 4 top 15 carnival finishes on his way to making his first appearance at the NCAA Collegiate Skiing Championships. Competing against the best collegiate skiers in the NCAA, Manter finished 26th in the giant slalom, then earned coveted NCAA All-America honors when he finished 10^th in the slalom. Ben became the 3rd Bates male to be named All-American. In his senior season, Ben continued his impressive run, adding 6 more top-15 carnival finishes to his résumé. Another trip to the NCAA’s produced a 19^th-place finish in the giant slalom and a 17^th-place finish in the slalom. More importantly, Ben’s talent, leadership and experience led the Bates combined alpine and Nordic ski teams to an 11^th place at the 2011 NCAA’s, the best national finish for the team since 1999.

Micaela Holland, Alpine Skiing

In her first year on the Eastern Collegiate Ski Association circuit, Micaela turned in 2 top-15 carnival finishes and qualified for the NCAA Collegiate Skiing Championships, where she finished 26^th in the slalom and 22^nd in the giant slalom against the best collegiate skiers in America. As a sophomore, Micaela finished the regular season with three top-15 carnival finishes and qualified for her second trip to NCAA’s. There she finished 18^th in the slalom and 31^st in the giant slalom. In her junior year, Micaela was named team captain and had two top-15 carnival finishes. She was battling a knee injury as she entered her senior year which limited her training to one day a week and caused her to miss a number of races. Nonetheless, Micaela finished her career with her best carnival finishes. She garnered four top-15 EISA carnival marks and again returned to the NCAA Championship, where she tied her best finish of 18^th place in the slalom and also notched her best finish in the giant slalom, at 20^th. As with Ben, Micaela’s performance helped lead Bates’ combined alpine and Nordic ski teams to 11^th place at NCAA’s, the team’s best showing since 1999.

Rebecca Waldo, Rowing

Rebecca became the cornerstone of the women’s rowing program from her first day on campus with many of her teammates citing Becca as being the most influential athlete on the team. Rebecca was a member of the Bobcats’ varsity 8 for all 7 of her racing seasons, and her work ethic was a driving force behind the back-to-back-to-back national runner-up finishes Bates achieved at the NCAA Championships in 2009, 2010 and 2011. Rebecca’s accomplishments with her teammates also included 5th, 2nd and 3rd-place finishes among over 30 boats in consecutive years of the Head of the Charles Regatta. During those 3 seasons, she and the Bates varsity 8 also produced 3 consecutive 2d-place finishes at the New England Rowing Championships, along with a program-best 2nd-place finish at the 2011 ECAC National Invitational Rowing Championships. Individually, Rebecca was named a 2nd Boat All-American at the end of her sophomore year by the College Rowing Coaches of America. In both her junior and senior seasons, Rebecca was a CRCA First Boat All-America and NESCAC All-Conference First Team selection. She graduated with an overall regular season record of 56 wins against just six losses as a Bobcat, the best mark of any rower in Bates history.

Charlotte Green, Swimming

Setting 17 Bates records, 14 NCAA consideration performances and being named All-NESCAC and national swimmer of the week, Charlotte left her mark as one of Bates’ all-time greatest swimmers, and perhaps the program’s greatest sprinter. In her 1st year alone, she set or was a part of breaking 5 school records. Individually she set the 50- and 100-yd freestyle school records and was instrumental in setting the record in the 200-, 400- and 800-yd freestyle relays. As a sophomore, Charlotte lowered her record times in the 50 and 100 freestyle and set the record in the 200 freestyle. Charlotte made NCAA B cuts in three relays and three individual events, and earned All-NESCAC recognition in the 50 freestyle. In February of 2009, she was named national swimmer of the week by CollegeSwimming.com. Charlotte spent the fall semester of her junior year abroad in Scotland, where she continued her swimming and helped establish a Scottish national record in the 200 medley relay before returning to Bates to lead the Bobcats to their best finish in 7 years at the NESCAC Women’s Swimming and Diving Championship. Last year Charlotte led her team to match its best NESCAC finish ever, at fifth place and she tied the school record in the 50 free and set the record in the 200 free. She was also a part of four school relay records: the 200 free, 200 medley, 800 free and 400 free. Charlotte was also an Academic All-American all 4 years, graduated with honors in English, and was inducted into the Bates Scholar-Athlete Society. Lastly, Charlotte was also named the Female winner of the Senior Sportsmanship Award last year. The Senior Sportsmanship Awards is annually presented to one man and one woman in the senior class, who through their actions have consistently demonstrated the ideals of sportsmanship.

Natalie Ruppertsberger, Nordic Skiing

Natalie is of the most successful female athletes to have come through the Bates Nordic skiing program. It began with her 1st year on the team when she was among the top 3 Bobcat competitors for nearly every event that year. Natalie’s sophomore-year highlights included a 9th-place finish in the 5K Classical race at the Bates Carnival, an 8th-place finish in the 10K Classical at the UVM Carnival, and at the Middlebury Carnival she took 3rd-place in the 10K Classical race. At the 2009 NCAA Collegiate Skiing Championships, hosted by Bates, she placed 22^nd in the 5K Classical and 29^th in the 15K Freestyle. A co-captain her jr year, Natalie had 6 top-10 finishes during the regular season, one of the best female performances in Bates Nordic skiing history. She rounded out the campaign with an 18^th-place finish in the 5K Classical and 32^nd-place finish in the 15K Freestyle at the 2010 NCAA Championships. Her senior year saw another 6 top-10 finishes in the regular season. She finished 32^nd in the 5K Freestyle and 24^th in the 15K Classical at the 2011 NCAA Championships. On the academic front, Natalie was inducted into the Bates Scholar Athlete Society and lastly, was the Department of Athletics’ choice for the 2011 Bates Female Athlete of the Year Award.

Chris Murtagh, Indoor and Outdoor Track & Field

Chris spent 4 years compiling an unrivalled litany of accomplishments starting his 1st year when he won the Maine and NESCAC titles in the javelin, as well as NESCAC Rookie of the Year. After a repeat of his javelin successes his sophomore year, Chris was named team captain as a junior, and he began competing on an even higher plane. He was All-NESCAC (top three) in the shot put, hammer and javelin, and an NCAA provisional qualifier in the javelin, hammer and discus. Chris also landed at the No. 3 spot on the Bates all time javelin list. Chris’s senior year surpassed all others as he took his place among the best and most versatile throwers in Bates’ proud track and field history. The indoor season saw Chris bag the Maine state title in the weight throw, and he later won the ECAC DIII crown, as well, qualifying for the NCAA’s in the process. At NCAA’s Chris placed 5th in the weight throw for his 1st All-America laurels, with a final distance that would have won the event the year before. Chris’s shot putting got better and better as well, and he finished his career 2nd on Bates’ all-time performance list, as well as 6th on the discus list. He established the Bates record for the hammer throw, putting himself atop an all-time performance list that includes 12 other Bates All-Americans and 4 NCAA champions. His final act as a Bobcat was winning 7th place in the hammer at the NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships to take home his 2nd All-America award. Lastly, Chris was named the 2011 Bates Male Athlete of the Year for his exceptional senior season.

Patrick Murphy, Baseball

We give out 4 senior awards each year and the one not mentioned yet is the Male Senior Sportsmanship Award. Again as noted a few minutes ago, this award is presented to one man and one woman in the senior class, who through their actions have consistently demonstrated the ideals of sportsmanship winner. It honors two student-athletes who, through their actions in the competitive arena of intercollegiate athletics, have demonstrated one or more of the ideals of sportsmanship, including fairness, civility, honesty, unselfishness, respect and responsibility. Pat was the unanimous choice for last year’s Male Senior Sportsmanship Award. He was a four year member of the Baseball team and part of the winningest class in Bates baseball history with back to back seasons that saw more than 20 wins for the first time ever. Pat also was a Captain his senior year and helped me and the Baseball program significantly in the search for and the transition to the new Baseball Coach. On the field, Pat was a model player and he leaves the program as Bates’ all time stolen base leader. In addition to being Bates’ Sportsmanship Award winner, Pat was also named to the NESCAC-All sportsmanship team.

Milton L. Lindholm Scholar-Athlete Award

Now I would like to highlight the winners of the Milton L Lindholm Scholar-Athlete Award which is presented to those students who have achieved excellence in the classroom while balancing full participation in varsity athletics. It is awarded each year to the senior woman and senior man who have the highest grade-point average among those who have earned varsity letters, including one in his and her senior year.

Unable to be with is the winner of the Female Lindholm Award – Dana Lindauer a Classical & Medieval Studies major and Track runner from Needham, MA who achieved a 3.94 GPA!

The Male Lindholm Award winner is Cody Newman – Cody was Chemistry major and a Lacrosse player from Montclair, NJ who also was a team captain and finished with a 3.94 GPA as well. He won the Chemistry Department’s highest awards for research and Scholarship was an All NESCAC Academic selection as well as an All NESCAC Sportsmanship Award winner. Lastly, Cody was honored as a Bates Scholar-Athlete Society inductee.

Men’s Soccer 50th

And now we turn our attention to some other alums, a few who may not be quite as recent, but whose accomplishments are equally impressive and timeless. This evening marks the beginning of a yearlong celebration of 50 years of Bates Men’s Soccer. In 1962, the Bobcat’s first varsity soccer team took the field and enjoyed an impressive 5-3-0 season. Since then, Men’s Soccer has had 6 NESCAC tournament appearances and in 1992 made it to the ECAC championship. Current Head Coach George Purgavie has been at Bates helm since 1983, making him one of the most tenured coaches on campus. The Men’s Soccer program continues to graduate student athletes who have experienced success in the NESCAC and are academically and morally prepared to become engaged citizens. Men’s Soccer has brought great pride to Bates College and its Department of Athletics over the last 50 years. Thank you, Bates Men’s Soccer and congratulations to all of our honorees on their wonderful accomplishments!