Wednesday, November 2, 2005

MORAVIAN TO INDUCT SIX INTO ATHLETIC HALL OF FAME FRIDAY
CAROL VOGLER NAMED HERBSTMAN AWARD WINNER

BETHLEHEM, PA --- James C. Dietz (Summit, NJ), Pamela Porter Grauer (Perkiomenville, PA), Roland Passaro (Miami, FL), Roger Soell (Salinas, CA), Tanya Thear (Bethlehem, PA) and Susan Zimmerman (West Lawn, PA) make up the class of 2005 that will be inducted into the Moravian College Athletic Hall of Fame on Friday, November 4th.

Also being honored at the 2005 Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony will be Carol J. Vogler (Edmonton, Alberta, Canada) with the Robert Martin Herbstman Award and the 1993 women’s cross country team.

Dietz, who graduated in 1971, played football and baseball at Moravian. Dietz was a three-year starter at quarterback for Moravian from 1966 to 1968 and held three records for the Greyhounds. He also played three seasons on the baseball field and was the Most Valuable Player of the Middle Atlantic Conference North Division in 1969. Dietz, who was a Division III baseball All-American as a catcher the same year, was drafted by the Philadelphia Phillies and spent three seasons in their minor league system. By being drafted and signing a contract, Dietz was unable to compete for Moravian when he returned for his senior year. Dietz is a school teacher and coach. He resides in Summit, New Jersey with his wife Louise (Gardiner), a 1971 Moravian graduate. They have two children; Melanie and Michael.

Grauer, who is from the class of 1994, was a four-year standout on the women’s basketball team at Moravian. On the basketball court, Grauer helped the Greyhounds to a 102-18 record and the NCAA Division III national championship game in 1991-92 while scoring 1,582 career points. Grauer, who was on the NCAA Division III Final Four All-Tournament Team in 1991-92, set seven school records while playing at Moravian, five of which free throws made in a game (18), free throws made in a season (154), free throws made in a career (427), free throws attempted in a season (186) and free throws attempted in a career (538) still stand. Grauer was named to the Middle Atlantic All-Conference teams three times, and she was also a three-time Eastern College Athletic Conference All-Star. As a junior, Grauer as named an Honorable Mention National Kodak All-American and was a Mid-Atlantic Regional All-American. Grauer was named to the FAST BREAK (American Women’s Sports Federation) All-American Team twice, the Freshman Team in 1990-91 and the Third Team in 1991-92. Grauer was the ECAC Rookie of the Year in 1990-91 and helped the Greyhounds to four postseason appearances. Grauer, who works as a clinical research associate, lives in Perkiomenville, Pennsylvania, with her husband, Gordan Grauer, a 1995 Moravian graduate.

Passaro, who graduated from Moravian in 1957, starred on the Greyhound baseball team for four years while attending Moravian. He was also a member of the men’s basketball team for three years. Passaro led the baseball squad to a 59-17 record during his career and tossed a no-hitter against the Pennsylvania Military Academy as a senior in 1957. He also set a school record by retiring 30 consecutive batters in a 10-inning, 2-1 win versus Upsala College the same year. After graduation, Passaro signed a professional baseball contract and spent four years in St. Louis Cardinals and Chicago White Sox organizations. Passaro, who is retired as the Vice-President of Employee Relations for Eastern Airlines, resides in Miami, Florida. His wife, the former Suzanne (Evans) ’55, has passed away. Passaro has three children; Ron, Michael (deceased) and James.

Soell, a member of the class of 1984, was a four-year letterwinner on the men’s soccer team for the Greyhounds. Soell scored 50 points in his career with 17 goals and 16 assists in his four seasons. He was a member of the All-Middle Atlantic Conference First Team in 1983 after being on the Second Team in 1982. Soell was honored as the MAC Southern Division Most Valuable Player as a senior in 1983, and he earned a spot on the All-Mid-Atlantic Regional All-American First Team while leading the Greyhounds to the MAC title in 1983 and the program’s only NCAA Division III Tournament berth in 1982. Soell resides in Salinas, California.

Thear, a 1995 Moravian graduate, was a four-year letterwinner on the field hockey and softball teams at Moravian. On the field hockey field, Thear set the former school records for points in a game (8), goals in a career (34) and points in a career (82). She was named to the Middle Atlantic Conference Commonwealth All-League Team as a junior and senior. On the softball diamond, Thear set ten school records, four of which, runs in a game (4), runs in s season (48), career stolen bases (51) and most consecutive stolen bases (51) still stand. Thear’s 51 consecutive stolen bases was also an NCAA Division III record. She was named to the MAC Commonwealth All-League Teams in softball three times and twice earned National Fastpitch Coaches Association East Regional All-American honors. She was the softball team Most Valuable Player in 1995, and Thear was honored as the Co-Greyhound Award winner as Moravian’s Outstanding Senior Female Athlete in 1995. Thear is a teacher and coach in the Bethlehem Area School District and resides in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania.

Zimmerman, who graduated from Moravian in 1995, was a four-year letterwinner on the field hockey and women’s basketball teams for the Greyhounds. On the field hockey field, Zimmerman scored 55 career points on 23 goals and nine assists. On the basketball court, Zimmerman scored 1,784 points and helped the Greyhounds to an 88-27 record and four postseason appearances during her career. Zimmerman helped lead the Greyhounds to the national championship game in 1991-92 as a freshman, and she earned a spot on the Middle Atlantic All-Conference Team three times. Zimmerman was named an Honorable Mention National Kodak All-American as a senior and was a Mid-Atlantic Regional All-American the same year. Zimmerman was honored three times on the Eastern College Athletic Conference All-Star Teams, and she was a two-time ECAC Scholar-Athlete. Zimmerman’s excellent work in the classroom also earned her spots on the MAC All-Academic Team twice and the GTE All-Academic Team once. Zimmerman was the women’s basketball team Most Valuable Player as a junior and a senior while being named the Lehigh Valley Player of the Year in 1993-94. Zimmerman was honored as the Co-Greyhound Award winner as Moravian’s Outstanding Senior Female Athlete in 1995. Zimmerman works as a teacher and assistant high school field hockey coach in the Wilson School District and resides in West Lawn, Pennsylvania.

Vogler, a member of the class of 1980, was a three-year letterwinner on the women’s badminton and women’s volleyball teams, and she earned one varsity letter on the women’s tennis and softball squads. Vogler, who has a Master of Divinity degree from Moravian Theological Seminary and a PhD from the University of Alberta-Edmonton, competed on the first women’s volleyball and softball teams at Moravian and was the captain of both teams. Vogler was named the most valuable player of the badminton team twice during her career and she was Moravian Outstanding Female Athlete in 1979. Vogler is a clergy member for the Caritas Health Group and serves on the Board of Trustees for the Moravian Theological Seminary. Vogler resides in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.

The 1993 women’s cross country team was the first of ten straight Middle Atlantic Conference championship teams for Moravian. The team under the direction of head coach Mark Will-Weber, also won the NCAA Division III Mideast Regional and placed third at the NCAA Division III National Championships at Grinnell (IA) College in 1993. The squad had an undefeated dual meet record of 6-0 as well and won a total of four meets during the season.