Pacific University Athletics Announces its 23rd Athletics Hall of Fame Class
Two standout student-athletes along with the undefeated 1952 football team, will comprise the 23rd induction class of the Pacific University Athletic Hall of Fame.
Baseball slugger and All-American Matt Lengwenus '03 and an exemplary softball player Kristen Croxford (Cornachione) '09 will join the 1952 football in induction into the Hall of Fame, which will take place on Friday, Oct. 6.
The ceremony, held in conjunction with Homecoming, includes an invitation-only dinner in the Stoller Center (5:30 p.m.), followed by the induction in McCready Hall at the Taylor-Meade Performing Arts Center on campus at 7:30 p.m. Additionally, the standouts and team will be honored at halftime of Saturday's 1 p.m. football contest against Pacific Lutheran.
"This is another great class of very deserving honorees," said Boxer Athletic Director Ken Schumann. "We are very proud to add these outstanding student-athletes and team to a very distinctive list. Plus, I would like to thank the Hall of Fame Committee for identifying such an excellent class of inductees "
Kristen Croxford (Cornachione) started every possible game of her Pacific career (156 total games) and secured All-NWC honors in all four years (2006-09). On three occasions, she was named first team and twice, she was named NFCA NCAA Division III All-West Region. In 2008, Croxford was named to the ESPN the Magazine/CoSIDA Academic All-District Team as a junior. As a senior, she was selected as the undergraduate student representative to the Pacific University Board of Trustees. She held the school single-season marks in runs scored, hits, doubles and triples at the conclusion of her playing career.
Matt Lengwenus earned First Team All-NWC honors and American Baseball Coaches Association All-West Region honors in all four years he competed (2001-2004). Lengwenus was a Third Team ABCA NCAA Division III All-American in 2002, where he hit at a .461 clip. He shared the Pacific single-season record for triples and home runs until 2016, he held the single-season marks for hits and runs. Lengwenus and his 2002 teammates finished the season with a school record 25 wins and finished third in a tight NWC race where the Boxers finished a game back of conference champion Linfield.
The 1952 football team becomes the third team selected for induction into the Hall of Fame. The Badgers posted a 7-0-1 record en route to a Northwest Conference title, where seven individuals were selected for all-conference honors. The team is the only one in program history to finish undefeated since NWC play began in 1926. To date, this team still holds five single-season marks in the Pacific record book. The coach of that team was Paul Stagg, who's father, Amos Alonzo Stagg, is considered one of the most influential figures in the early development of the game.