Two Dual-Sport Athletes, Two Individual Sport Athletes & Coach/Administrator to be added to SLIAC Hall of Fame Roster
Posted: Dec 05, 2012

Two Dual-Sport Athletes, Two Individual Sport Athletes & Coach/Administrator to be added to SLIAC Hall of Fame Roster

St. Louis, Mo - St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SLIAC) Commissioner, Will Wolper, has announced the Hall of Fame Class of 2013. Highlighting this year's class are two former dual-sport student-athletes, MacMurray College's Derek James and Webster University's Jeanne Zes Gilbert, two former individual sport student-athletes, Principia College's Steph Hood and Ben Crandell, as well as former Principia coach and administrator Lee Suarez.

Suarez served Principia for 36 years as volleyball coach, athletics director and faculty member. As Principia's head volleyball coach from 1971-99, she compiled more than 300 wins. During her tenure at the helm, Suarez was named the SLIAC Coach of the Year in 1990 and 1993, and she also served on a national ranking committee and had an article published in an American Volleyball Coaches' Association (AVCA) publication. In 1999, Suarez made the move from coach to administrator when she became the Director of Athletics, a role she served in until her retirement in 2008. She was the first female and ethnic minority to serve in the athletics director role at Principia, as well as being one of the first woman administrators in the Conference.

Suarez worked tirelessly in her administrative role, serving both Principia and the SLIAC. She served as President of the Conference from 2004-06 and also as Chair of the Administrative Council in 2005-06 and Past Chair in 2006-08. She was also instrumental in the development of many policies and procedures that form the current-day SLIAC manual. On campus she oversaw two huge construction projects; the construction of the Coach Crafton Athletic Center and Natatorium and the renovation of Hay Field House. She also developed Principia's Gold and Blue Hall of Fame. In addition to all her work within intercollegiate athletics, Suarez also help to start Principia's Sport Management program, in which she held the rank of professor, and she taught physical education classes and served as department chair for many year, as well as holding faculty leadership positions.

Crandell was an individual standout in men's tennis at Principia from 2000-2003. He earned SLIAC Player of the Year honors in 2001 and 2002, and he was First Team All-SLIAC at #1 Singles for three consecutive seasons (2000-02). Crandell also earned First Team All-SLIAC honors at #1 Doubles in 2000, 2002 and 2003, along with Honorable Mention honors at #1 Singles in 2003 and at #1 Doubles in 2001. In addition to his success at the conference level, Crandell went on to compete at the NCAA Division III Tournament in 2001, 2002 and 2003. He went from being ranked 22nd regionally in 2001, to 4th in 2002 and 7th in 2003. He also held national rankings of 36th, 18th and 23rd in 2001, 2002 and 2003 respectively. Crandell was a team captain for three years (2001-03) and received Principia's Willard and Corde Hanzlik Award as outstanding senior athlete.

Hood was a three-year letter winner in women's cross country for Principia. She holds multiple Principia College cross country course records and is the record holder for fastest time (17:13) on the SLIAC Cross Country Championship Course. Hood was named the SLIAC Runner of the Year in 2002 after capturing the individual title at the Conference Championships. She also earned First Team All-SLIAC and went on to be named the NCAA DIII Midwest Region Runner of the Year after winning the Midwest Regional Championships. Hood, who was described by Principia head coach Chuck Wilcoxen as "showing tremendous resolve, integrity and unselfishness", finished 2002 with a 30th place finish at the NCAA DIII National Championships and earned All-America honors.

Gilbert was a letter winner in both softball and women's basketball at Webster. While she was a significant contributor to the women's basketball squad at forward, averaging 7.5 points per game in her last two seasons, it was her performances at pitcher for the softball team in which she made her mark in Webster sports history and earned a spot in the Gorlok Hall of Fame. In three seasons, Gilbert led the softball team to three straight SLIAC titles, two SLIAC Tournament Championships and three NCAA DIII Tournament appearances. She was named SLIAC Player of the Year in 1998, along with earning First Team All-SLIAC and NFCA All-Midwest Region honors. Gilbert also earned First Team All-SLIAC in 2000 and Second Team honors in 1999. During her career, Gilbert was named SLIAC Pitcher of the Week a total of five times.

Aside from the accolades, Gilbert's numbers during her time as a Gorlok speak for themselves. Webster was 101-23 overall and 36-3 in the SLIAC from 1998-2000, and as a senior Gilbert went 16-2 overall with a 0.69 earned run average. Additionally, she ranks in the top three in every pitching statistical category at Webster, including earned run average (1.37 - 3rd), strikeouts (253 - 3rd), wins (48 - 2nd), shutouts (13 - 2nd) and win-loss percentage (.814 - 1st).

James was a two-sport standout in men's basketball and men's golf from 1999-2003 for the Highlanders. On the links he had a career average of 78 strokes and was Second Team All-SLIAC in 2002. As a senior he won four tournaments and had a 74.5 average. James also won the 2003 SLIAC Championship and was named SLIAC Player of the Year and First Team All-SLIAC. On the hardwood James was a three-time All-SLIAC honoree, earning First Team in 2001-02 and 2002-03 and Second Team in 2000-01. In addition, he was a member of the Highlanders' squad in 2000-01 that qualified for the NCAA Division III Tournament, the only team in program history to do so. James was also named team MVP in his senior year (2002-03). In the record books, James is MacMurray's all-time leader in three-point field goals made with 228. He also ranks in the career top 10 in steals (6th), assists (10th) and scoring (7th). He finished his career with 1,280 points and was inducted into the MacMurray Athletic Hall of Fame in 2009.

All five recipients will be formally inducted into the SLIAC Hall of Fame during the SLIAC Awards and Recognition Banquet, to be held in St. Louis on Tuesday, May 21, 2013. Specific information on location and time is forthcoming.

There are 34 members currently in the SLIAC Hall of Fame, consisting of 27 former student-athletes and seven administrators. After a four-year hiatus from 2003-06, the Hall of Fame was reinstated in 2007. In order to be eligible for consideration a student-athlete must have graduated from his/her institution and played at least two years in a SLIAC championship sport. Student-athletes are not eligible until at least five years after their last date of participation. To be eligible as a coach, administrator or meritorious service contributor, the individual must have served his or her institution or the conference for at least five years after 1991.