2012 MESSIAH ATHLETICS HALL OF HONOR BANQUET
6:15 p.m. Fri., Feb. 17, 2012 — West Shore Country Club
Camp Hill, PA
Grantham, PA — This week, the Falcon Athletic Network announced in the 2012 induction class for the Athletics Hall of Honor. As expected, it's an impressive list.
Three former Falcons will be inducted into the Hall of Honor this February—softball player and current Messiah assistant coach Jennifer (Wenger) Thuma '98, wrestler Mike Helm '00, and men's soccer player and former Messiah head coach Dave Brandt '85.
The induction will take place on Friday, February 17, 2012, with the ceremony to be held at the West Shore Country Club in Camp Hill, Pa.
“We're thrilled to have the opportunity to induct this outstanding class in the Hall of Honor,” said Messiah Athletics Director Jack Cole. “Jen, Mike, and Dave have each left a significant impact on Messiah athletics, and they each possess the high-character qualities that we desire for our student-athletes and coaches—both past and present.”
Tickets for the Hall of Honor induction ceremony may be obtained through an RSVP to Messiah College Assistant Athletics Director Steve King at sking@messiah.edu. Steve can also be reached by phone at 717-766-2511, ext. 7356.
The deadline for RSVP is Friday, February 3, 2012. Each ticket is $30.00 and may be paid by check or cash.
“The induction ceremony is sure to be one of the many highlights of the year,” added Cole. “We're looking forward to the celebration of these inductees, and the fellowship that will be present among the student-athletes, coaches, and fans that will be in attendance that evening.”
Please note: Falcon Athletic Network (F.A.N.) members that have enrolled at either the All-Region or All-American levels receive free admission for themselves and one guest to the Hall of Honor Induction Banquet (non-transferable).
The inductees will also be celebrated at a Reception Brunch on Saturday, February 18. A full scheduled of the induction weekend can be found here!
Jennifer Thuma '98
Jennifer Thuma was a two-time NCAA All-American for the Falcons softball team, earning the honor in 1995 and 1998. Also a four-time Middle Atlantic Conferences (MAC) All-Star, Thuma was a part of MAC Championship teams in 1996, 1997, and 1998. The 1998 team advanced to Messiah's first-ever College Softball World Series, where Thuma led the tournament in batting average (.636). Her outstanding play landed her on the all-tournament team in 1998.
Thuma is 1st all-time in Messiah softball history in single-season at-bats (160), single-season hits (72), and single-season on-base percentage (.594). She also holds career records for runs scored (137), hits (231), and stolen bases (92). Thuma is 2nd all-time in career on-base percentage (.486), at-bats (513), and batting average (.450).
For the past 13 years Thuma has served as an assistant coach to the Falcons' program, focusing specifically on the team's strength and conditioning. Thuma, a native of Annville, Pa., lives in Dillsburg with her husband, Michael, and son, Kaedon.
Mike Helm '00
A wrestler for the Falcons, Mike Helm became Messiah's first-ever national champion—individual or team, in any sport when he took first place in the 157 lb. weight class in the 2000 NCAA Championships. Mike was a three-time NCAA All-American, earning the distinction in 2000, 1999 (7th place) and 1998 (6th place). He currently ranks 4th all-time in career wins with an overall record of 112-26.
Helm, also MAC champion in 2000, was inducted into the National Wrestling Coaches Association (NWCA) Hall of Fame in March of 2006. A protégé of former Messiah wrestling coach Neil Turner, Helm currently works as a science teacher at West Carteret High School in Beaufor, NC. He and his wife, Heather, have two children—daughter, Faith, and son, Noah.
David Brandt '85
A former standout player for the Messiah men's soccer team, Dave Brandt is arguably one of the most accomplished coaches of any sport in NCAA history. Brandt took the reigns of the men's soccer team in 1996, beginning a 12-year journey that would include six NCAA Division III National Championships ('00, '02, '04, '05, '06, '08) eight appearances in the Final Four ('01 and '07 in addition to Championships) and eight Commonwealth Conference Championships ('97, '00, '01, '02, '03, '05, '07, '08). Over his 12 years leading the Falcons, Brandt collected an overall record of 247-25-14—a winning percentage of .888 that was first all-time in NCAA Division I, II, or III men's soccer.
Over his coaching career, Brandt coached four National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) National Players of the Year, 17 NSCAA All-Americans, 40 NSCAA All-Region athletes, 81 All-Conference athletes, and 12 Conference Players of the Year. Brandt was a six-time Commonwealth Conference Coach of the Year and four-time NSCAA National Coach of the Year ('00, '02, '04, '08.)
As a student-athlete in the mid-80's, Brandt played under the tutorage of former men's soccer coach Layton Shoemaker. Over his playing career with the Falcons, Brandt would become the all-time leader in assists, collecting 35– record that would stand until 2009. Now 2nd all-time in assists, Brandt is also 6th all-time in both goals scored (55) and career points (145). He was a four-time NSCAA All-Region player in his time on the soccer pitch for the Falcons. Also an All-Conference player in 1983 and 1984, Brandt was a member of the 1981 men's soccer team that won the National Christian College Athletic Association (NCCAA) National Championship.
After graduating from Messiah, Brandt served for three years as the junior varsity men's soccer coach for the Falcons. Brandt would then serve as Shoemaker's assistant coach for nine years before taking over the program in 1996.
Brandt arrived in the Central Pennsylvania area in 1977 when his father, H. David Brandt, began working as an academic dean at Messiah College. He attended nearby Mechanicsburg High School before enrolling with the Falcons.
Brandt currently works as the head men's soccer coach at the United State Naval Academy, a position he assumed upon his departure from Messiah College in 2008. He and his wife, Diane, have two children—daughter, Alexandra, and son, Danny. Alexandra is currently a junior member of the Messiah women's soccer program.
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