David G. Barrett, '77
College basketball fans everywhere recognize Dave Barrett’s composition, “One Shining Moment,” which since 1987 has served as the theme for CBS’ NCAA Basketball Championship Series. He enjoyed his own “shining moment” on Albion’s campus a year ago when the tune was played by the British Eighth following the William K. Stoffer Lecture delivered by Duke University head men’s basketball coach Mike Krzyzewski.
“One Shining Moment” opened the door to many opportunities for Dave, who now composes regularly for television: the Olympics, the U.S. Tennis Open, ABC, and the CBC. He released an album, The Music of Golf, a project which grew out of his compositions for CBS’ golf series. He won a silver medal at the New York Film Festival for a hip-hop song in Don’t Cross that Line—a short film about gambling and student athletes. And he won an Emmy for scoring a PBS documentary on the writer C.S. Lewis, The Magic Never Ends.
During his career at Albion, Dave earned awards for his play on the soccer field. He achieved All-MIAA first-team status as a junior in 1975. As a senior, Dave served as team captain and claimed the team’s most valuable player award and All-MIAA second-team honors. He continues to play soccer.
Dave and his wife, Tracy, have two daughters, Esther and Claire, and live in Ann Arbor.
Albert L. Deal
Al Deal served as commissioner of the Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association, America’s oldest collegiate conference, from 1971 to 1991. He guided the MIAA through a historic period in which the MIAA became one of the first collegiate conferences in America to have a combined governance structure for men’s and women’s sports. His efforts also increased the MIAA’s stature among NCAA Division III conferences. Even in retirement, he and his wife, Connie, frequently attend conference events at the member campuses.
Last spring, the MIAA established the Albert L. Deal Scholar-Athlete Award, which will be presented annually to the top graduating male scholar-athlete in the league.
A Kalamazoo College graduate, Al went on to earn his master’s in educational administration from the University of Michigan. In a distinguished career spanning 40 years in Michigan public education, he served four school districts as superintendent. He also was elected president of the Michigan High School Athletic Association and was active in the Michigan Association of School Administrators. In 1988 he was inducted into the Michigan Education Hall of Fame.
Al was voted into the Kalamazoo College Athletic Hall of Fame in 1995 and four years later his alma mater presented him the Distinguished Service Award.
The Deals reside in Spring Lake.
J. Robin Hartman
Robin Hartman served as the sports information director at Albion from 1987 to 2001. Robin held the position at a time when technology transformed the way information was gathered and distributed to fans and media alike.
Robin is remembered as a pioneer in small-college sports information with one of the first Web sites, now www.albion.edu/sports/, and for using the Internet as a source for streaming audio play-by-play.
Aside from the dedication he showed as Albion’s sports information director, Robin chaired the Football Gazette All-America committee for three years and served as a voter for two additional years. He assisted the University of Michigan, serving as the official scorer when the Wolverines hosted Big Ten softball championship tournaments in 1999 and 2002 and NCAA Division I softball regional tournaments in 1995, 1997, 1999, and 2002. He also served as the official scorer for the Kalamazoo Kodiaks of the Frontier League for two seasons and Michigan Battle Cats, now the Battle Creek Yankees, for three seasons.
Robin worked as the prep stats editor for The News-Sentinel in Fort Wayne, Ind., before passing away at the age of 52 on Aug. 19, 2006.
James A. Haskins, '78
Jim Haskins was an All-MIAA defensive lineman on Albion’s 1976 and 1977 league champion teams.
One of Albion’s football media guides described Jim as “a middle guard with excellent speed who is a dominating force on the inside causing opponents to always double team him.”
Albion was the only undefeated and untied team among the 331 schools in NCAA Divisions II and III in 1976, and the defense played a major role in that success. The Briton defense yielded the fewest total yards and points of any Division III team in the nation. Albion posted shutouts in victories over Defiance, Mount Union, Wabash, and Kalamazoo, while limiting Hope to just a field goal.
The 1977 defensive unit, dubbed “The Wrecking Crew,” helped Albion earn its first appearance in the NCAA Division III playoffs. Mount Union, Olivet, and Adrian failed to score against the Britons, while DePauw, Alma and Lakeland managed seven points or less. Jim amassed 65 tackles, 25 assisted tackles, and seven quarterback sacks.
Jim now works as an agent with State Farm Insurance in Jacksonville, Fla. He and his wife, Barbara, are the parents of an adult daughter, Cloretta.
Jennifer A. Kennedy, '93
Jennifer Kennedy transferred to Albion in 1991 and immediately made her presence felt on the basketball court, earning the MIAA’s most valuable player award in 1992, All-MIAA first-team honors in 1992 and 1993, and an NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship and honorable mention All-America recognition in 1993.
During the 1991-92 season, Jennifer led the league in field goal percentage by connecting on nearly 52 percent of her attempts. Listed as a 5-foot-6-inch guard, Jennifer averaged 14.6 points, 4.6 rebounds, 3.7 assists, and 2.4 steals per game. Some of her top games included a 26-point and seven-rebound performance against Adrian and a 24-point, eight-rebound, seven-assist effort against Defiance.
Jennifer missed the opening practices and the first six games of her senior season while finishing an internship with the U.S. Information Agency. Nonetheless, she increased her per game averages to 17.5 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 4.4 assists. She exploded for 29 points in a game against Kalamazoo, and 28 points versus Calvin. She finished the season with a selection as one of the top five women’s basketball players in the state of Michigan, according to the Detroit News.
Jennifer went on to complete an M.B.A. at the University of Detroit Mercy in 1999. She currently serves as the marketing and media coordinator for St. Mary Mercy Hospital in Livonia.
Patricia Reed Leeds, '86
Pat Reed Leeds achieved distinction in the pool as a two-time individual MIAA champion in the breaststroke, a member of two league champion relay teams, and as a three-time All-MIAA award winner.
Pat posted an MIAA record time of 2:33.83 to take first place in the 200-yard breaststroke at the 1983 MIAA Championships. Joined by Kerstin Haselden, Cathy Bousson, and Debbie Houser, Pat also earned an MIAA title in the 400-yard medley relay in 1983.
At the 1984 MIAA Championships, Pat repeated as the breaststroke champion in the 200, picked up a relay title in the 800-yard freestyle with Bousson, Ann Markey, and Sue Leiby, and finished second in the 100-yard breaststroke.
Pat, who qualified for the national championship meet in the breaststroke in 1983 and 1984, took over a leadership role in 1985 when she was named a team captain. She went on to place third in the 200-yard breaststroke at the 1985 and 1986 MIAA Championship meets. Upon graduation, Pat held the school record times in the 50, 100, and 200 breaststroke events.
Pat earned an M.B.A. from Marquette University. Currently living in Pewaukee, Wis., with her husband, Tom, and two children, Courtney and Justin, Pat is the senior manager, business requirements for Medco Health Solutions.
Stephen G. Meads, '82
Steve Meads was a member of the varsity football and track and field teams at Albion. He is best known for his performances in the high jump and for helping the Britons claim MIAA track and field titles each year during his career.
As a freshman in 1979, Steve increased the school record in the high jump to 6 feet, 8 inches and qualified for the NCAA Division III Track and Field Championships. Steve improved on that performance at the 1981 NCAA Championships, clearing the bar at 6 feet, 10 inches in a seventh-place finish. A co-captain for the Britons as a senior, Steve again competed at the NCAA Championships in 1982, finishing 12th with a jump of 6 feet, 8 inches.
Steve received his J.D. degree from the Thomas M. Cooley Law School in 1986. He served as the senior felony trial attorney in the Oakland County Prosecutor’s Office from 1987 to 1992 before moving on to a position as a partner in the Secrest Wardle law firm.
Steve is a member of the Birmingham Athletic Club and is also involved in coaching Little League baseball, playing squash and golf, and riding a snowboard.
Steve and his wife, Glenda, live in Bloomfield Hills and are the parents of a son, John, and a daughter, Claire.
Kurt I. Shader, '80
Kurt Shader helped Albion stay at or near the top of the MIAA standings in men’s golf during the late 1970s.
As a freshman in 1976, Kurt earned the titles of MIAA medalist and most valuable golfer as the Britons went on to win the league championship. During his sophomore season, he posted the fourth-lowest score in the MIAA Tournament, a 36-hole total of 158, to earn All-MIAA honors for the second consecutive year. As a team, the Britons finished first in the league in dual meets (5-1) and finished seven strokes behind Adrian at the tournament.
Kurt earned his third MIAA award in 1978 when he posted an 80-stroke average to earn a position on the all-league second team.
In addition to his time on the links, Kurt also gave baseball a chance in the spring of 1978 when he pitched 8 1/3 innings.
Kurt earned an M.B.A. from Oakland University in 1987. Now living in Tampa, Fla., with his wife, Karen, and children, Kristen and Kent, Kurt works as the community claims manager covering the north Florida region for Progressive Insurance.
Steven F. Sheckell, '92
Steve Sheckell was Albion’s sharpshooter from the perimeter from 1988 to 1992.
In a 107-71 victory over Spring Arbor during his junior year, Steve first established the school record for best three-point field goal percentage when he made seven of eight shots from behind the arc.
As a senior in 1992, Steve was named to the All-MIAA first team, boosted by four memorable performances in league games. In a game at Olivet Feb. 15, he scored 31 points, including 21 of 23 from the free throw line. Coming back with 22 points against Hope four days later, Steve then loaded up from three-point range against Calvin and Olivet. Against the Knights in the regular season finale, Steve tied his previous school mark for three-point field goal accuracy, as part of a 29-point performance. At home against Olivet in the first round of the league tournament, Steve scored 37 points in the second half, finishing with a school record 48 points. He made 10 of 13 three-point field goal attempts, 13 of 18 field goals overall, in addition to being 12 of 14 from the free throw line.
After a 20-point effort against Calvin in the MIAA Tournament semifinal game, Steve finished his senior season with 531 points, second only to John Nibert’s 558 points earned in the 1978-79 campaign. Steve’s 1,247 career point total ranks him fifth on Albion’s career scoring list.
A C.P.A., Steve is a partner in the firm of Ernst & Young. He and his wife, Kelly McKinney Sheckell, ’92, are the parents of two sons, Drew and Sam, and live in Farmington Hills.
John E. Walker, '54
John Walker excelled in both an individual and a team sport during his days at Albion.
John won Michigan Golden Gloves boxing titles in the light heavyweight division in 1950 and 1951 before earning All-MIAA awards for his effort as an offensive and defensive end during the 1952 and 1953 football seasons.
Albion posted a 12-3-1 record in its football games during the 1952 and 1953 seasons, winning the MIAA championship with a 7-1 record in 1952. Albion’s defense during that time was spectacular, shutting out the opposition six times and limiting the opponent to just a single touchdown in four other contests.
John went on to earn a master’s degree from Michigan State University in 1955 and an Ed.D. from Utah State University in 1970. He served as an associate professor in the College of Education at Arizona State University from 1970 to 1992. He currently holds the title of professor emeritus there.
John and his wife, Suzanne Carter Walker, ’54, have three adult children, Robert, Andrew, and Amy. They live in Phoenix, Ariz.
1994 Football
Team
Nobody predicted it. None of the experts thought the Albion College football team would be strong contenders for the NCAA Division III national title in 1994. In preseason forecasts, The Sporting News ranked Albion 10th in the nation, and the College did not even make Sports Illustrated’s top 10 list. For their part, the Briton coaching staff had aimed, not for the national championship, but for another MIAA title.
Maybe it was the element of surprise that made Albion’s 1994 Division III football championship that much sweeter.
The Britons still hold a place in MIAA history as the only league team to win a football national championship—an accomplishment, by the way, that followed Albion’s sixth consecutive conference football title under head coach Pete Schmidt.
While the Britons had picked up momentum all through their MIAA schedule, outscoring league opponents 220-45, the playoffs proved tough going. Each of the three playoff games went to the final minute before the winner was determined. Against Augustana, Albion survived a fourth quarter Viking comeback from a three-touchdown deficit to win 28-21. Albion’s defense forced 12 turnovers from Mount Union and St. John’s, but it took two extra-point kick blocks to preserve the win over Mount Union, 34-33, and a come-from-behind drive in the final four minutes for the Britons to escape Minnesota with a 19-16 victory.
Arriving as a distinct underdog at the NCAA Division III championship game, the Amos Alonzo Stagg Bowl in Salem, Va., Dec. 10, 1994, Albion faced Washington & Jefferson, a playoff participant in each of the past five years and the preseason favorite for the title.
Albion would not be denied. The Britons sailed to a 38-15 triumph that included 31 unanswered points in a 30-minute stretch. No last-minute heroics were needed this time. Albion blew the game open with a 17-point second quarter, and then locked up the win with two second-half touchdowns.
As a team, Albion saved its best overall game of the season for last. On defense, the Britons held Washington & Jefferson’s vaunted running game to 114 yards, and its total offense to 236 yards, nearly 200 below its season average. On offense, Albion scored in every quarter, something the Britons had not done in their previous 1994 playoff contests.
Individually, seniors Jeff Robinson and Jim Davis saved their best performances for the final game of their collegiate careers. Robinson rushed for 166 yards and three touchdowns to lead the offense. Davis was the defensive standout, registering 15 tackles, including three for loss and a quarterback sack.
Chip Heyboer, David Lefere, and Robinson achieved All-America and All-MIAA first-team status. The trio was joined on the All-MIAA first team by Chris Barnett, Scott Casteele, Davis, Kyle Klein, D.J. Rehberg, Jeff Shooks, and Casey Sivier. The list of Britons selected to the All-MIAA second team included Tom Cavanaugh, Jon Evans, Marc McDonald, Todd Morris, Mike Oursler, Tim Schafer, Denis Waclawski, and Mike Zacha. Davis was the most valuable defensive player in the MIAA, while Robinson and Morris shared the league’s most valuable offensive player award.
Other members of the team included Ralph Abbott, Chad Abbuhl, Frank Baiardi, Ben Bates, Jason Beglin, Eric Bernaiche, Scott Bigford, Eric Breitenbeck, Rob Britt, Brad Brown, Mike Cabana, Vince Callahan, Gabe Cooper, David Cox, Kevin Curtis, Rob Dancer, Bob Donaldson, Alec Egnatuk, Bill Ermiger, Brian Fought, Jason Fry, Jamie Glinski, Scott Goodwin, James Grimes, Tony Gross, Steve Guibord, Scott Harris, Scott Harrison, Eric Hayhurst, Jim Heaslip, Casey Heckathorn, Ray Henke, Matt Henne, P.J. Holser, Ron James, Mike Johnson, Neil Johnson, Mike Jones, Fred Kahle, Heath Kent, Brian Lee, Glen Lewis, John Lloyd, Matt Lynn, Brian Mack, Ryan Maki, Eric Maust, Derek Mazur, Mark McDonald, Marvin McNeese, Jr., Trent McPheeters, Steve Merchant, Rusty Mitcham, Shawn Mitchelson, Dave Morelli, Mike Mumper, Todd Murphy, Brian Murray, Jason Nagy, Jamie Palazeti, Todd Pautuk, Joe Pesci, Tom Phebus, Angelo Popofski, Tom Raven, Nate Reed, Darrell Robbins, Mike Robinson, Scott Robinson, Dave Rockwell, Kevin Rod, Pete Schmidt, Jr., Jeff Schrameck, Wade Schwendenmann, Matthew Sculley, Durand Shepherd, Mark Smith, Joshua Speller, Jared Spybrook, Jim Stealy, Jeremy Stepp, Brent Stine, Darrel Stine, Jim Swartz, Robert Taylor, Dan Teske, Paul Thompson, Robert Thompson, Tim Todd, Jeff Trenta, Brian VanNorman, Corey Wells, Jared Wood, Brian Wroblewski, Troy Wyman, and Paul Zimmerman.
The late Pete Schmidt was the head coach. The assistant coaches included Richard Dunham, Dave Egnatuk, Scott Merchant, Doug Nelson, Ron Parker, Albert Prince, and Greg Pscodna, and the trainers were Jason Maxa and Dan Obey.
In addition to their NCAA championship trophy, the 1994 Briton football team received national championship trophies from Sears and from the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Schmidt was named the Chevrolet Coach of the Year and received the NCAA Division III Coach of the Year Award from the American Football Coaches Association.