Worcester, Mass. - The Clark University Athletics Hall inducted four outstanding former student-athletes and honored a pair of historic teams last Thursday evening at the Dolan Field House as a part of the University's three-day Reunion Weekend.
Sean Fleming '03 (men's basketball), Charlene Jankowski '99 (women's soccer), Gina Pizzimento '92 (women's basketball), Jen Scavone '05 (softball, women's soccer) and Ray Shanahan '29 (baseball, men's basketball) became the 14th induction class while the 1981-82 and 1982-83 women's basketball teams received special recognition after making back-to-back NCAA Final Four appearances.
Fleming helped lead the revitalization of the men's basketball program, earning All-America accolades as the Cougars returned to national prominence. During his four years (1999-03) Clark went to the NCAA Tournament three times, advancing to the Elite Eight round on two occasions and had an overall record of 87-27 (76.3 winning percentage) and a 40-8 mark (83.3 winning percentage) in league contests.
He currently ranks first on the school's all-time list in free throw percentage (86.5), ranks second in three-point percentage (43.0), fourth in steals (154) and seventh in scoring (1,561) and assists (236).
The individual awards rolled in for Fleming as well. He was named NEWMAC Player of the Year in both 2002 and 2003 – one of only two players in the award's history to win the honor in consecutive seasons. Also as a senior, he was honored with the Fred C. Hebert Trophy, given annually by the Clark University Department of Athletics to the top senior male athlete.
Jankowski was a four-year starting forward during the women's soccer team's most storied era. The Cougars were 49-19-7 in her career and made three trips to the postseason. She led Clark to the only undefeated regular season in program history (16-0-1) and to an NCAA Tournament berth in 1998.
A two-time All-New England performer, Jankowski was named an NSCAA All-American in 1998 and is the program's all-time leader in goals (41). She also ranks second in career assists (19) and in career points (101) and was a three-time all-conference selection (1996, 1997 and 1998).
Pizzimento, meanwhile, was one of New England's elite floor leaders during her career, guiding the Cougars to an incredible 92-19 record and four seasons of 20 or more wins. During her freshman season the Cougars went 26-0 during the regular season and advanced to the NCAA Quarterfinals, putting together the longest consecutive winning streak in NCAA history at the time (36 games).
After coming off the bench in all 29 games as a freshman, Pizzimento started the final 82 games of her career and led the Cougars to three straight ECAC Tournament appearances. She finished her career as the school's all-time steals leader (275) and is second in program history with 450 assists. In all four years she had more assists than turnovers, including a sophomore campaign that saw her hand out 169 helpers and collect 90 steals.
A two-time first-team softball All-American, Scavone was named NEWMAC Rookie of the Year (2002), NEWMAC Player of the Year (2005) and was both a four-time first-team all-conference selection (2002, 2003, 2004 and 2005) and a four-time All-New England honoree.
Her name is splashed all over the Clark record book, ranking first in batting average (.448), slugging percentage (.748) and triples (18). She also ranks in the top five in several other categories, including second in on-base percentage (.512), runs scored (127) and doubles (41) third in total bases (278), fourth in homeruns (11) and fifth in career hits (168) and stolen bases (30).
She burst onto the scene as a freshman starting all 38 games and finishing with a .424 batting average, 53 hits, 37 runs scored, 90 total bases, a .720 slugging percentage, a .985 fielding percentage and a school record 15 doubles. The Cougars finished with the second most wins in school history (26), a second-place finish in the NEWMAC and advanced to the ECAC Tournament.
Scavone was also a four-year member of the women's soccer team, appearing in 60 games and finishing with 25 career points (11 goals, three assists).
Shanahan (deceased) earned eight varsity letters in the mid to late 1920s playing both basketball and baseball. An outstanding student-athlete, he was a four-time recipient of the Jonas Clark Scholarship and was president of the Gryphon Society.
The first athlete in school history to serve as captain for three years (men's basketball), Shanahan also served as the student body president during his junior year. The Pasticcio, the University's annual yearbook, named Shanahan the most popular student as well as the best athlete.
In addition to these luminaires, the Hall of Fame will give special recognition to the 1981-82 and 1982-83 women's basketball teams that advanced to consecutive Final Fours. Over those two seasons, Clark went a combined 43-15 and was led by a trio of current Clark Hall of Famers - Head Coach Barbara Stevens (inducted in the Class of 2006) and current Clark assistant coaches Marge O'Brien (inducted in the Class of 1995) and Wanda Mazzamurro (inducted in the Class of 2009).
Stevens led Clark to a 123-45 overall record in six seasons and was named District I Coach of the Year in the 1982-83 season, while O'Brien – a three-time first-team All-American – was named the Kodak Division III National Player of the Year. Mazzamurro, a four sport standout while at Clark, led the Cougars in assists 39 times in the 58 games over the two year span.
Members of the team during the Final Four appearances include: Debbie Allen (1982, 1983), Martha Dray (1983), Laura Habacker (1983), Judy Hodge (1982, 1983), Lynne Howes (1982, 1983), Debby Libby (1982, 1983), Joyce Mazzella (1982), Wanda Mazzamurro (1982, 1983), Mary McIntyre (1982), Kelley O'Brien (1982, 1983), Marge O'Brien (1982, 1983), Karen Petropulos (1982), Chris Reed (1982, 1983), Susan Wessling (1982, 1983) and head coach Barbara Stevens (1982, 1983).
