NORTON, Mass. – The Wheaton College (Mass.) Department of Athletics and Recreation is proud to announce the Yowell Hall of Fame Class of 2025, which will be inducted on Saturday, May 17 at 3:30 p.m. at the Haas Athletic Center.
The 2025 Yowell Hall of Fame Class will consist of five former student-athletes and two teams. The following former student-athletes were elected: Neva Metcalf '00, Michael Spavento '02, Niara Woods '02, Shaun Cavanaugh '03, and Ashante Little '14. In addition, the 1997 and 2001 Wheaton College Softball Teams will also be inducted.
"Wheaton Athletics is incredibly honored to induct such an accomplished collection of individuals and teams into the Yowell Athletic Hall of Fame, said Gavin Viano, Associate Vice President for Athletics & Strategic Programs. "The accomplishments of the 2025 Hall of Fame class are an inspirational reminder to our current student-athletes and coaches that Wheaton Lyons belong on the national stage and thrive at the highest levels of Division III Athletics."
Metcalf enjoyed a four-year career at Wheaton from 1996-99. The middle hitter is one of just seven players in NEWMAC history to be named First Team All-Conference four times and was named to the Volleyball 25 Year All-NEWMAC Team in 2022. The Fort Collins, Colorado native was also a four-time All-Region selection by the American Volleyball Coaches Association and was named to the New England Women's Volleyball Association First Team following both her junior and senior seasons. She is arguably the greatest volleyball player in school history, owning the school mark for kills with 2,084 and played in 540 sets for the second-most played in program history. Not only was she an exceptional hitter for the Lyons, but she was also a force from behind the service line with 338 aces to rank first all-time at Wheaton and ranks second on the career list with 1,884 digs and 568 total blocks to solidify her place as one of the best all-around players in the region during her tenure. The former Captain maintained a .264 hitting percentage for the fourth-highest mark in school annals.
Spavento is one of the best relief pitchers in school history. The right-hander put together one of the greatest seasons for a reliever in NCAA Division III history in 2002 and helped Wheaton advance to the NCAA Tournament Regional Final for the first time in program history. The Milton, Massachusetts native posted a 1.62 earned run average, which stands as the fourth-lowest mark in school history, while holding opposing hitters to a .213 (29-136) batting mark. He did not allow a home run to 161 batters he faced and registered a Division III record of 19 saves in a school-record 30 appearances. Spavento was named to the American Baseball Coaches Association First Team All-America Team to become just the second Lyon pitcher ever to earn All-America accolades and the first to land on the First Team. In addition, he earned New England Intercollegiate Baseball Association All-New England honors and was invited to pitch in the NEIBA All-Star Game. Spavento was named to the Eastern College Athletic Conference All-Star First Team and was a NEWMAC All-Conference honoree. His junior year saw him dominate hitters, holding batters to a paltry .198 (24-121) batting mark, while saving 11 games for the fifth-highest total in school history to go with a 2.61 ERA. Spavento emerged as one of Wheaton's top relievers as a sophomore when he posted a miniscule 1.56 earned run average over 17 ? innings and held batters to a .246 (16-65) batting mark. He still ranks second on the Lyons' career list for saves (35), third for appearances (79) and fifth for ERA (2.51). All told, Spavento posted a 7-3 win-loss mark over 93 ? innings, while fanning 80 batters and issuing 39 walks and holding opposing hitters to a .218 (76-349) batting average. He allowed just 11 extra-base hits, including only three home runs, while facing 408 batters.
Woods was an integral member of the Lyons' 4X400-meter relay team, helping Wheaton capture four National Championships in the event, including three straight from 2000-02 during the indoor campaign. The Philadelphia, Pennsylvania native was an eight-time All-America selection for the Lyons and is one of the greatest middle distance runners in school history. Woods earned All-America honors twice in the indoor 800 meters and three times each for both the indoor and outdoor 4X400 relay squads. She still holds the school outdoor record for the 800 meters at 2:13.38 and her mark of 2:14.13 is the second-fastest 800-meter indoor time at Wheaton. In addition, Woods owns the fourth-fastest mark in the indoor 1500 meters (4:58.74) and stands seventh all-time in the outdoor 400-meter hurdles with a clip of 1:05.2. Woods claimed back-to-back NEWMAC titles in the outdoor 800 meters in 2001 and 2002 and was named to the Outdoor Track & Field 25 Year All-NEWMAC Team in 2023.
Cavanaugh became the first player in NEWMAC history to earn Player of the Year honors in back-to-back seasons (2001 & 2002) and was a two-time First Team All-Conference selection. His prowess in the NEWMAC led to his nod to the Men's Soccer 25 Year All-NEWMAC Team in 2022. The midfielder was also the first Lyon to earn First Team NSCAA All-America honors following his junior campaign and was a Second Team All-America designee as a junior. Cavanaugh was tabbed First Team All-New England in each of his final two seasons for Wheaton. He was part of a four-year run that saw Wheaton post a 65-16-2 (.795) record, while making a pair of NCAA Tournament appearances, including a march to the NCAA Elite Eight in 2001. The Lyons earned either a NEWMAC regular-season or tournament title in his final three campaigns. The Newtown (Conn.) High School product was outstanding in the classroom as well, being honored as a Second Team CoSIDA Academic All-District honoree. He stands sixth on Wheaton's career scoring list with 92 points and is fifth in goals (35) and eighth in assists (22).
Little was one of the greatest track athletes in the rich history of the Lyons' program, winning the National Championship in the 400 meters to cap the 2013 outdoor season and the 2014 indoor campaign. She was recognized by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association as the National and New England Track Athlete of the Year following the 2014 indoor season and was tabbed the USTFCCCA Outdoor New England Track Athlete of the Year in addition to being named the NEWMAC Athlete of the Year in 2014. The Seabrook, New Hampshire native earned All-America status 16 times in six different events, including being a three-time selection for the 400 meters in both the indoor and outdoor season. She earned All-America honors a total of eight times as part of Wheaton's relay squads, including three times for the outdoor 4X400 unit and twice each for the 4X100 relay in both the indoor and outdoor seasons. Little established herself as one of the greatest hurdlers in school annals, regardless of distance, earning All-America status for the indoor 60-meter race as well as the outdoor 100 and 400-meter races. She earned eight NEWMAC outdoor crowns, including a pair of conference titles in the 100-meter hurdles, wins in both the 400 meters and 400-meter hurdles, in addition to helping the Lyons take two wins each in the 4X100 and 4X400 relays. Her name can be found etched throughout Wheaton's record book with a total of five school standards to her name. Little owns indoor school marks for the 200 meters (24.67), the 500 meters (1:14.33) and the 600 meters (1:32.09) to go with outdoor records for the 100-meter hurdles (13.89) and the 400-meter hurdles (58.51). Not to be outdone, she currently holds the second-fastest times for the Lyons in 400 meters (both indoor and outdoor), the outdoor 200 meters and the indoor 60-meter hurdles, 300 meters and 600 meters in addition to owning the fifth-fastest mark for both the outdoor 800 meters and indoor 55-meter hurdles.
The 1997 Wheaton College Softball team is arguably the greatest team in program history. The Lyons posted a 45-7 (.865) record, while advancing to the NCAA III National Semifinals. The team boasted seven regulars with a .333 or better batting average and a one-two punch from the pitching circle that had no equal in the nation. Four All-Americans wore the Blue and White for Wheaton that season, including senior third base Randi Carine, a First Team All-America selection and the ECAC New England and New 8 Player of the Year. The team was guided by the National Fastpitch Coaches Association New England and New 8 Coach of the Year Gina Loudenburg. Kim Sears burst onto the scene as the NEW 8 Rookie of the Year and a Third Team All-America honoree behind both her arm and her bat. Carine batted .450 (77-171) and hit nine home runs to go with a school-record and nation-leading 72 runs scored and a jaw-dropping 51 stolen bases in addition to driving in 48 runs and smacking a team-high 19 doubles as one of the most dangerous leadoff hitters in the nation. As much of a speed threat Carine was, Second Team All-America selection Jessica Johnson was the power behind the Lyons' roar, belting 16 round trippers, while driving in 65 runs and rapping out 78 hits to lead NCAA Division III in all three categories. The junior shortstop led Wheaton with a robust .488 (78-160) batting mark to go with an eye-popping .925 slugging percentage. The two players epitomized the power-speed dynamic of a Lyon offense that hit .365 to rank 17th in the nation, while leading the country with 38 homers and standing fourth with 131 stolen bases. Sophomore catcher Dina Terceira hit .423 (71-168) and was one of two players, along with Carine, to start all 52 games that season. The Third Team All-America selection drove in 45 runs and led the squad with 18 walks as part of a .478 on-base mark. Sears was the ultimate dual threat for Wheaton. The right-hander posted a 24-5 record from the pitching circle with 10 shutouts and struck out 83 batters in 169 innings, while hurling 23 complete games and owning a 2.20 earned run average. That should have been enough for anyone to justify being named the league's top rookie and Third Team All-America, except that she swung one of the most potent bats in the nation as well. Sears batted .423 (69-163), hit eight homers and knocked in 46 runs in 50 games for the Lyons. Sophomore hurler Lisa Byrnes was the other headache for opposing hitters, posting a miniscule 1.68 earned run average, while spinning a 20-2 record from the circle and was named Second Team All-Region. The rest of the Wheaton lineup wasn't too shabby either with junior first base Kristen Hedrick batting .340 (54-159) with 15 stolen bases and senior outfielder Ingrid Abboud boasting a .333 (49-147) batting mark to go 24 RBI. First year outfielder Kristen Conlon hit .338 (22-65) and junior second base Sue Larkin was solid with a .294 (30-102) mark. The team won 18 straight games during the season as a sign of its consistency and strung together 12 more wins in a row as part of the Lyons' run through the NEW 8 Tournament and into the Northeast Regional final when they were stopped by Ithaca. The Bombers were the first team to score against Wheaton in three games, but the Lyons came back to beat Ithaca in the double-elimination set to vault them into the College World Series. The Lyons defeated Central, but suffered a loss to Montclair State. Wheaton was undeterred, winning its next two games, before falling to Montclair State again to finish third in the nation. Members of the 1997 Wheaton Softball team include, Ingrid Abboud '97, Jen Bump '00, Lisa Byrnes '99, Randi Carine '97, Kristen Conlon '00, Diana Currie '97, Emily Frant '00, Kristen Hedrick '98, Jessica Johnson '98, Kate Kostanski '00, Sue Larkin '99, Kim Sears '00, Dina Terceira '99, Lindsay Van Tol '99, Head Coach Gina Loudenburg, Assistant Coaches Skip Wilbur and Bob Roscoe.
The 2001 Wheaton College Softball Team also finished third in the nation after advancing to the National Semifinals after turning in a 42-9 record. The Lyons' were composed of just two seniors and a pair of juniors in addition to two sophomores and eight first years. The team's hallmark was pitching and speed. Wheaton hurlers produced a 1.53 earned run average to rank 34th in the nation, while holding opponents to a paltry .188 batting average. The line-up was a nightmare for opposing catchers, racking up 190 stolen bases to lead all of NCAA Division III. The Lyons had no less than four players with 25 or more stolen bases on the year. Senior Captain Jill D'Arcy earned First Team All-America honors from the second base spot and was second on the team with 33 stolen bases. She struck out just eight times in 190 plate appearances, while scoring 34 runs, knocking in 24 runs and setting the table with a team-high 14 sacrifice hits. The sure-handed middle infielder committed just seven errors in 227 total chances during the season and was one of three players to start all 51 games for Wheaton. Sophomore outfielder Maren Schrader led the nation with a school-record 55 stolen bases and was caught just four times. The Oregon native hit .438 (84-192) with a team-high 84 hits from the top of the Lyon lineup. Second Team All-Region honoree Rachael Powers batted .389 with a team-leading .567 slugging percentage and knocked in 30 runs to rank second on the team in addition to scoring 41 times. The sophomore outfielder also swiped 25 bases for Wheaton. Junior first base Lucy Campbell was a Third-Team All-Region selection for the Lyons and led the team with 31 runs batted in, while hitting .350 (56-160 as one of six players to hit .300 or better for Wheaton. First year middle infielder Brianna Shawah was named to the All-NEWMAC team in addition to earning First Team All-ECAC accolades after hitting .378 (45-119) and knocking in 18 runs. First year starting pitcher Jackie Demling filled the void following Sears' graduation as one of the greatest power pitchers in school history. Her rookie campaign saw her fan 228 batters in 224 innings to rank 17th in the nation in strikeouts per seven innings pitched. Demling posted a 26-6 record for the third-most wins in Division III and posted a 1.62 ERA, while hurling 12 shutouts in 33 starts. Christie Hineline was the other rookie sensation in the circle for the Lyons. The first year was 16-3 and held opponents to a .189 batting mark to go with a dominant 1.35 earned run average for the eighth-lowest mark in program history. First year outfielder Carmella Ranieri enjoyed a tremendous rookie campaign, hitting .393 (55-140) with 18 RBI, 29 stolen bases and 29 runs scored, while Lori Hill batted .306 (34-111) in 39 games. Senior outfielder Katie Zuman settled in with a .282 (35-124) batting mark and was flawless in the field with 32 chances without a miscue. The Co-Captain was named to the All-Tournament Team at the Regionals and started 42 of 43 games during a season where she put the ball in play in nearly every plate appearance, going down on strikes just three times 130 plate appearances. Again, Loudenburg pushed the right buttons during the season, presiding over three win streaks of seven or more games, including a 15-gamer that established Wheaton as one of the best programs in the nation. The Lyons rolled through the NEWMAC Tournament with three shutouts en-route to the conference crown and an NCAA Tournament bid. From there, Wheaton advanced to the Regional final, where it fell for the first time in seven games to Bridgewater State. The Lyons rebounded to beat the Bears twice to punch their ticket to the College World Series. Wheaton dropped the first game to Saint Mary's, but reeled off three straight victories, including a win over Saint Mary's for a spot against Central in the semifinals. The Lyons were defeated and settled for a third-place national finish. Members of the 2001 Wheaton Softball team include, Katie Boyle '04, Lucy Campbell '02, Jill D'Arcy '01, Jackie Demling '04, Amanda Dow-Allen '04, Lori Hill '04, Christie Hineline '04, Gina Jacques '04, Kate Pinzino '02, Rachael Powers '03, Carmella Ranieri '04, Maren Schrader '03, Brianna Shawah '04, Katie Zuman '01, Head Coach Gina Loudenburg and Assistant Coaches Randi Carine, Steph DeLucia and Bob Roscoe.
