The Newman University Athletic Hall of Fame will induct five new members Feb. 9.
The 2019 class is Dana and Larry Fugate, Laryssa Ferreira Booth, the 2006 men’s cross-country team, Kent Boomsma and Billy Murphy.
Dana and Larry Fugate
The Fugates have been generous supporters of Newman University Athletics for more than 25 years. The two have provided support and given financial gifts to the athletic department for various major funding campaigns including the building of Fugate Gymnasium. Dana and Larry are great representatives of Newman University Athletics and the Newman community.
Laryssa Ferreira Booth ’11
Booth impacted the women’s tennis program greatly from 2009 to 2012. She remains the most decorated Newman women’s tennis player to date achieving two Heartland Conference Player of the Year titles, First Team honors on the All-District 7 list, Conference Player of the Week, which she achieved 10 times, as well as the honor of Female Athlete of the Year at Newman twice. In the 2011-12 season she served as the assistant coach for the women’s tennis team. Booth is a well-deserved recipient of this honor.
2006 Men’s Cross-Country Team
This team achieved the conference championship and three All-Conference First Team honors. The team also produced the first two individuals in Newman University history to qualify for nationals. Runner Blake Henry placed second in the conference tournament, Nick Bell sixth and Nick Abbott ninth. Nate Bell placed 11th and Andrew Shahan 14th; both received honorable mention awards. Abbott was a NAIA freshmen All-American in 2005 and First Team All-Conference all four years as a Jet.
Other team members are Michael Baggett, Joel Gichinga and David Young, coached by Josh Schepis and assisted by Ron Russell.
Kent Boomsma ’98
Boomsma attended Kansas Newman College and was a member of the men’s baseball team from 1994 to 1997. He is best known for his career batting records where he leads in home runs, extra base hits and total bases. Boomsma received First Team All-Conference, All-Region and an All-American honorable mention from 1995 through 1997. To this day, Boomsma’s records are still listed in the top categories for his years as shortstop on the Jets team. His name is consistently seen in the top five of all the major offensive categories including total batting average and RBIs.
Billy Murphy
Billy Murphy started the Newman University bowling programs in 2002 and has been the head coach ever since. He has been named National Collegiate Bowling Coaches Association Coach of the Year twice in his career. Throughout the program’s 17-year history, the men’s and women’s teams combined have produced 25 top-20 and 13 top-10 finishes in the coaches’ poll, three individual national champions and 19 appearances in the Intercollegiate Team Championship. Bowler Cory Simmons achieved Intercollegiate Singles Champion in 2004, Bianca Montagnino earned the women’s title in 2005 and Georgia Wiggins followed in 2012. Simmons was the first Jet to earn NCBCA All-America honors in 2006 and Derek Hartnell was named All-American in 2009 and 2010.
The five new inductees will be formally honored during halftime of the men’s basketball game at 3 p.m. Feb. 9, 2019.
The Hall of Fame ceremonies will continue inside Dugan-Gorges Conference Room following the game with a social hour from 5-6 p.m., with the banquet dinner and induction to follow beginning at 6 p.m.
Tickets for the dinner and ceremony are $25 each or $200 for a table of eight.
Click here to purchase your tickets
