Gary Allore achieved All-MIAA status in football and all-league and All-America awards in track and field.
Said to be the last Albion football player to start on offense and defense in the same game, Gary led the team in punt returns, interceptions, and fumble recoveries en route to receiving all-league honors in 1984.
In track and field, he was a three-time All-MIAA award winner. Gary was a member of the Britons’ MIAA champion mile relay team in 1983 and 400- meter relay teams in 1983 and 1984. The 1983 400 relay team also achieved All-America recognition at the NCAA Division III Championships. He won an individual league title in 1985 in the long jump with a mark of 22 feet, 5 inches.
Gary served as one of the football captains in 1984 and as one of the captains for the track and field squad in 1984 and 1985.
After receiving his Albion degree, Gary went on to earn an M.B.A. from Grand Valley State University in 1999. He currently serves as the chief financial officer for the Mercy General Health Partners in Muskegon. Gary and his wife, Suzanne, reside in Muskegon with children Olivia, Erik, and Alex.
When football split end Bob Basselman graduated from Albion in 1975, he held the school records for most receptions in a game and season. He caught 11 passes against Adrian in a 1972 game. He shares the Albion College record for most receptions in a game. He also hauled in 11 passes in a 1974 contest against Alma and went on to finish with a then-school record 46 catches for the nine-game campaign. His 33 receptions (for 423 yards) in MIAA contests during the 1974 season stood as the league standard at the time.
Bob, who completed his career with 120 receptions for almost 1,650 yards, was honored as Albion’s most valuable player, in addition to being named to the All-MIAA teams in 1972 and 1974. He also earned a varsity letter in track and field in 1973.
Bob began his professional career as a bank branch manager and has worked his way up to his current position as vice president for public funds for Fifth Third Bank in St. Joseph. He has continued to stay active in football, serving as the receivers and defensive backs coach at St. Joseph High School. Bob also serves as a trustee for Royalton Township and as the chairman of the Royalton Township Fire Board.
Bob and his wife, Lynn, reside in St. Joseph.
Since graduation, Dan Boggan has sustained an active relationship with his alma mater as well as forging a distinguished professional career. He retired as senior vice president and chief operating officer of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) in 2003, and now is director of business development with Siebert Brandford Shank & Co. in Oakland, Calif. Before his tenure at the NCAA, Dan was the vice chancellor of business and administrative services for the University of California, Berkeley. He began his career in municipal government, serving in administrative positions in Berkeley, Calif., Essex County, N.J., San Diego County, Calif., Portland, Ore., Flint, Mich., and Jackson, Mich.
Dan notes that his most important accomplishment since graduating from Albion is the creation of the Citizenship through Sports Alliance in 1989. The organization, whose membership is comprised of the four major North American sports leagues, the United States Olympic Committee, the NCAA, the NAIA, the National Junior College Athletic Association, the National Federation of State High School Associations, and the National Association for Sports and Physical Education, works on improving sportsmanship throughout the sporting community.
A current member of the Albion College Board of Trustees, Dan chairs the Buildings and Grounds Committee. He has served the College as a past member of the Alumni Association Board of Directors and as a member of the leadership committee for the LIBERAL ARTS AT WORK capital campaign. He was recognized with an honorary doctorate in public service from Albion in 1995, and the Distinguished Alumni Award in 1991.
Dan and his wife, Jacqueline, are the parents of four adult children: DeVone, Daniel, Ahike, and Dhanthan.
John Dunlop has a special place in MIAA track and field history as one of just three men to earn the league’s most valuable performer award three times in his career. He claimed the MIAA’s top award in 1987, 1988, and 1989. John won MIAA titles in the 400-meter hurdles and long jump in 1987 and 1988, and was the runner-up in the 110-meter hurdles in 1986 and 1987, and in the javelin in 1988.
On the national scene, John was a six-time qualifier for the NCAA Division III Championships. He achieved All-America status when he placed fifth in the decathlon in the 1988 NCAA meet.
John held school records in the 110-meter hurdles, the 400-meter hurdles, and the decathlon upon his graduation. He also held the MIAA mark in the 400-meter hurdles.
In addition to his athletic feats in the spring, John was a member of the football team and the Alpha Tau Omega fraternity during his days on Albion’s campus.
John holds a master’s degree from Western Michigan University and continues to be close to athletics, as he has served as the athletic director and as a physical education teacher at Portage Central Middle School since 2003. John and his wife, Heather, are the parents of two children, Ethan and Abigail.
Debra Frey Fadool is proof that Albion students can balance a successful athletic career with high academic achievement.
Debra was a member of the 1981 MIAA champion women’s cross country team, and earned All-MIAA honors in cross country in 1984 and on the track in 1985. After breaking the school records in the 1,500 (4:51) and 3,000 (11:03) meters in 1983, she was the runner-up in the 1,500-meter run and third in the 800-meter dash at the 1985 MIAA Field Day.
After graduating summa cum laude from Albion, Debra went on to complete a master’s degree in biology and chemistry from the University of Rhode Island in 1987 and a Ph.D. in zoology from the University of Florida in 1993.
Debra has remained active in athletics, formerly coaching the cross country team at Lesley College and participating in triathlons in Massachusetts and Florida.
Now an assistant professor of neuroscience at Florida State University, she leads a team of FSU and Yale University researchers who are studying the protein Kv1.3, found in the brain region that controls information about smells. She was the inaugural recipient of the Women in Neuroscience Merck Young Investigator Award for her research.
Debra and her husband, Jim, ’85, reside in Tallahassee, Fla., with sons James and Andrew and daughter Samantha.
Dan Korson was an All-MIAA linebacker on Coach Pete Schmidt’s first two Albion teams.
With a team-best 118 tackles in 1984, Dan claimed the MIAA’s and the Britons’ most valuable player awards on defense. He earned his first all-league award in 1983, collecting 124 tackles and four interceptions. Dan racked up 278 tackles, six interceptions, and three fumble recoveries during his gridiron career.
Off the field, Dan was a member of the Alpha Tau Omega fraternity.
He has remained active in athletics, participating in golf, softball, and tennis. He also coaches middle school basketball squads.
A certified public accountant, Dan is currently a self-employed financial consultant for non-profit organizations. He has served as a member of the Lakeshore Lung Society’s board for 12 years and the Touchstone Correctional Facility’s board for eight years. He is a member of the Michigan Association of Certified Public Accountants and the Knights of Columbus.
Dan and his wife, Therese, reside in Muskegon. They are the parents of four daughters, Kelly, Abigail, Laura, and Charlotte.
A 7-time letterwinner in the sports of cross country and track and field, Catherine Marcos-Millet earned Albion’s most valuable cross country runner award all four years during her career. Her events in track and field ranged from running distances from 800 meters up to 3,000 meters. In addition to her quality running, Catherine was a leader. She captained the cross country and track and field teams.
Catherine has remained active in sports on a global scale since leaving Albion, participating in the Nagahama Half Marathon in Japan, the Hike to the Annapurna Base Camp in Nepal, and the St. James Way Pilgrimage in Spain.
The recipient of a master’s degree from Eastern Michigan University, she currently teaches English as a second language in Valencia, Spain. Prior to moving across the Atlantic, Catherine taught French and Spanish at Albion, Spring Arbor University, and Jackson Community College.
Catherine and her husband, Christophe, are the parents of a son, Theo.
Brian McPheely was a three-time All-MIAA first-team honoree in men’s soccer, receiving awards in 1974, 1976, and 1977.
Brian also claimed the team’s most valuable player award in 1977 after scoring 12 goals and dishing out five assists. During his career at Albion, he was the league-leading scorer, the team-leading scorer for two years, a team captain, and he also broke the league scoring record during his senior year. Brian served as head coach of the Briton men’s soccer program from 1980 to 1982.
Aside from his achievements on the soccer field, Brian served as president of the Albion College Ice Hockey Club and was an assistant head resident.
Following his coaching career at Albion, Brian continued to coach soccer. He led St. Giles Soccer Club teams to eight South Carolina Youth Association state championships, and the team advanced to represent the state of South Carolina at regional tournaments. He also received an award for South Carolina Soccer Coach of the Year.
In late 2004 Brian returned to the United States after spending four years in Australia with Visy Industries, a division of Pratt Enterprises. Brian is now the president of Pratt Industries, USA and resides in Duluth, Ga. He is married to Jan Slavens McPheely, ’77, and they have three children, Gregg, Andrew, and Megan.
Rick Otis was a defensive end who helped Albion to the 1976 MIAA football championship. The Britons posted a 9-0 record on the gridiron that year, as the defense didn’t yield a score until the fourth game of the season. Albion’s defense secured four shutouts, and three other opponents were limited to seven points or less.
Rick, who was described as a hard-hitting player, started every game during his four-year career at Albion. He averaged 9.6 tackles per game to earn all-league first-team honors in 1976. He was an honorable mention player in the MIAA in 1975.
A member of the Alpha Tau Omega fraternity, he served as the fraternity’s vice president in 1975-76 and as president of the Interfraternity Council in 1976-77.
Rick has now turned his athletic endeavors to golf, and he has been the winner of three member tournaments at courses in California since 1999.
Now president of RPM Material Handling Co. in San Diego, Rick also serves the city as a member of the International Affairs Board. He holds an M.B.A. from Georgia State University.
Rick and his wife, Helen, are the parents of Joanna, a junior at Albion.
Tim Williams, who holds a doctorate from the University of Northern Colorado, concluded his 27-year tenure as professor of physical education at Albion in 2002. He was more than a faculty member, however, as he coached the Britons to their only MIAA title in women’s cross country in 1981, and logged 18 years as coach of the Briton men’s cross country team, three seasons as the head coach of the women’s basketball program, four years as an assistant coach to Mike Turner in the men’s basketball program, and two years as an assistant coach in the women’s track and field program.
Under Tim’s tutelage, the Albion men qualified for the NCAA Cross Country Championships twice. The 1981 squad finished 14th in the nation, the best finish ever by the Britons on the cross country trail. Albion was represented by individual runners at the NCAA Championships four other years.
Between 1992 and 1997, his men’s cross country teams were ranked in the top 10 in the nation for academic achievement four times. The 1997 team led the nation in academics, according to the Cross Country Coaches Association, with a team grade point average of 3.63.
In women’s basketball, Tim coached Susan Lang to a pair of All-MIAA awards and Shannon Goeddeke was an all-league second-team selection in 1989.
Now an emeritus professor, Tim spends the winter months as a ski instructor at the Deer Valley Ski Resort in Park City, Utah. He also presents health seminars in Utah and Texas. In the fall Tim and wife Brigitte fish for salmon in the Manistee area.
They are the parents of adult children, Lynn and Mark.
The 1970 men’s golf team shared the MIAA title with Kalamazoo College. It was the second consecutive league crown for the Britons, who shared the 1969 title with Kalamazoo and Alma.
Bill Schueller, who gained induction into the Hall of Fame as an individual in 2003, was the league’s most valuable player. Keith Patterson also gained All-MIAA recognition. Schueller and Patterson served as team captains, and Dave Williams was selected as the squad’s most improved player.
Other members of the team included: Jerry Alsip, Dave Johnson, Tom Ross, Dan Taylor, and William Conley.
Roy Millis was the coach.
1977 Football
With a calling card of defense first, the 1977 football team became the first MIAA squad to compete in the NCAA Division III postseason tournament. During the regular season, the Britons led Division III in total defense (opponents averaged 129.9 yards per game) and scoring defense (allowing an average of 5.4 points per game), while ranking second in rushing defense and eighth in passing defense. Just as competitive, the Briton offense finished second in the nation in rushing and sixth in scoring.
Albion’s 10-game winning streak, begun in the previous two years, was snapped in a 19-17 loss to Wabash College in the 1977 season opener. The Britons then went on to reel off eight consecutive victories as the defense claimed three shutouts and limited three other foes to seven points or less.
The Britons traveled to Minnesota to meet the University of Minnesota-Morris in the first round of the NCAA playoffs. A defensive battle took place in a driving snowstorm, and the Britons came up on the short end of a 13-10 score despite racking up more total offensive yards and first downs.
Albion dominated MIAA postseason awards as Steve Spencer was named the league’s most valuable player. The Britons placed 11 players on the All-MIAA first team with Fred Boggan, Frank Carr, Steve Crane, Fred Cromie, Dexter Davis, Jim Haskins, Tyree Minner, Spencer, Bob Tieche, Ron Vanderlinden, and Dave Verdun included on the squad. The list of Britons on the All-MIAA second team included Mike Bivens, Tom Carr, Mark Klaver, and Kurt Wiese.
Other team members included: Matt Babich, Tom Barr, Chris Baker, Duane Berkompas, Rick Bewley, Steve Biondo, Alvin Bonds, Phil Brewster, Gary Briggs, Tim Compton, Jon Dahlstrom, George Darany, John DeLuyck, Tom DeSana, Mike Doctor, Dave Donovan, Don Durrett, Pete Fisher, Tom Flood, Tom Freeland, Greg Fuhr, Brian Galaviz, Dave Galaviz, Branko Gegich, Chuck Gothro, Greg Graessley, Andy Harder, James Haskamp, Dan Heenan, Matt Hoffmeister, Mike Huff, Tim Klapish, Tom Klus, Fred Koch, Chris Kroll, Ed Koehs, Parry LaGro, Fred Lamb, Dennis Lawson, Bill Linsdau, John Lokar, Mark Lokar, Brian Longe, Tim Luke, Dave Lymburner, Marty Maher, Joel Manby, John Massab, Paul McAvoy, Andy McComas, Dean Mighion, Dale Miller, Steve Mundwiler, John Nixon, Ralph Nixon, Mark Owen, Jim Palazzolo, Tony Perrino, Roy Peters, Curtis Pope, Marty Popp, Al Posa, Steve Posa, Matt Priest, Pete Radowick, Tim Riendl, Kevin Roberts, Scott Sample, Terry Sawyer, Keith Schauder, Randy Siebert, Mike Skinner, Eric Smith, Paul Stark, Kevin Snyder, Mike Swanson, Eric Tarpinian, Scott Thompson, Jeff Thorne, Doug VerMeulen, Jon Vigi, Darryl Waller, Bill Weaver, Tim Wenzel, Gene Wiggins, Dave Wood, and Jim Zurek.
Walt Swyers was the trainer for the Britons. Steve Fickert served as defensive coordinator for the team. Dave Egnatuk served as the defensive line coach, and Ken Foust served  as the offensive line coach for the team. Frank Joranko served as the team’s head coach.
