ELMIRA, N.Y. -- The Elmira College Department of Athletics has officially announced its inaugural Hall of Fame class, which will be inducted on Friday, November 15, as part of EC's Athletics Alumni Weekend.
Elmira's first-ever Hall of Fame class spans the decades and features four national championship teams, two former All-American student-athletes, and one administrator that helped shaped the bulk of EC's accomplishments throughout years.
2000 Cheerleading – NCA All-Women Division II National Champions
The 2000 iteration of the Elmira College cheerleading team set the benchmark for success in the early stages of the program's evolution from game-day cheer to competition cheer. This distinguished group of cheerleaders cemented themselves as the first team in Elmira's storied history, in any sport, to capture a national championship.
EC's title run began in the summer of 1999, when the Soaring Eagles secured a bid to National Cheerleaders Association (NCA) College Nationals with an outstanding performance at the ultra-competitive NCA Collegiate Camp in Boston, Massachusetts. This performance paved a path to Daytona Beach, Florida, where the Elmira women claimed first place in the NCA All-Women Division II field.
Click here to view the 2000 cheerleading roster.
2007 Cheerleading – NCA All-Women Division II National Champions
After claiming top honors in 2000, Elmira returned to national prominence seven years later by winning the NCA All-Women Division II national title in Daytona Beach, Florida. The Elmira women once again secured a bid to NCA College Nationals with a stellar performance at the NCA Collegiate Camp in Boston, Massachusetts.
From there, Elmira went on to capture first place at the NCA Northeast Regional Championship with a score of 9.4 out of a possible 11. On day one of NCA College Nationals, Elmira finished the prelims in second place with a score of 8.50, before hitting a near-perfect routine on the bandshell the following afternoon for a score of 8.73. That effort catapulted Elmira into first place out of nine-team field and its second NCA All-Women Division II national title.
Click here to view the 2007 cheerleading roster.
2001-02 Women's Ice Hockey – NCAA Division III National Champions, ECAC West Conference Champions
The first-ever women's ice hockey team, the 2001-02 iteration of the Soaring Eagles, made history by capturing the inaugural NCAA Division III women's ice hockey national championship. EC's title run marked the first time in any division of NCAA sports that a team won a national championship in its first year of existence.
Elmira amassed a 26-1-1 overall record with an 18-1-1 mark within ECAC West Conference play, as the Soaring Eagles captured the ECAC West regular-season and tournament titles. The Soaring Eagles ended the season on a 25-game unbeaten streak (24-0-1), which included four victories in postseason play. Elmira edged Plattsburgh State in double-overtime, 4-3, to capture the ECAC West tournament title and then claimed EC's first-ever NCAA title with a 2-1 triumph over Manhattanville, both of which took place on home ice at the Murray Athletic Center Ice Arena.
Elmira's performance during the 2001-02 title run can simply be described as dominant. EC outscored its opponent on average by 4.93 goals per game, a mark that ranks fourth all-time in NCAA Division III women's ice hockey history. Elmira ranked second in the country that season in scoring offense (6.36 gpg), eighth in scoring defense (1.43 gpg), seventh in penalty kill (92.1%), and 11th in power-play efficiency (18.7%).
In the Elmira College record books, the 2001-02 national championship team still holds multiple team records. The 2001-02 squad ranks first in EC history in wins (26), fewest losses (1), goals scored (178), goals per game (6.36), longest winning streak (19), and also shares the record for the longest unbeaten streak (33), most 30-point scorers (5), most 40-point scorers (3), and most 50-point scorers (2).
Click here to view the 2001-02 women's ice hockey roster.
2002-03 Women's Ice Hockey – NCAA Division III National Champions, ECAC West Conference Champions
The only thing sweeter than winning a national championship: winning it in back-to-back years. After taking the Division III women's ice hockey world by storm the previous year, the 2002-03 women's ice hockey team encored with a second consecutive ECAC West Conference tournament title and an NCAA Division III national championship. Elmira became the first program in NCAA history, across all divisions, to win back-to-back national titles in the first two years of existence.
Elmira logged a 23-4-2 overall record and a perfect 12-0-0 mark against ECAC West opponents, which once again helped the Soaring Eagles secure the conference regular-season and tournament titles. EC opened the 2002-03 season with seven consecutive wins, all of which came in the form of shutouts, representing seven of Elmira's 14 total shutouts throughout the season.
Elmira topped Buffalo State, 4-0, and Plattsburgh State, 4-2, in postseason play to secure the ECAC West tournament title. Then, in the national tournament, Elmira edged Wisconsin-River Falls, 2-1, before scoring four unanswered goals the following day in a rematch of the 2002 national title game against Manhattanville, a contest that saw Elmira skate away with a 5-1 win on home ice.
Statistically, the Soaring Eagles were one of the most well-rounded teams in the country. Elmira finished the season third in the country in scoring offense (5.86 gpg), second in scoring defense (1.07 gpg), second in scoring margin (4.79 gpg), seventh in penalty kill (91.6%), and eighth in power-play efficiency (22.3%). Additionally, the 2002-03 team featured the most 20-point scorers (10) in Elmira's history and shares the program record for the longest unbeaten streak (33).
Click here to view the 2002-03 women's ice hockey roster.
Laura Hurd '05 – Women's Ice Hockey
When speaking of greatness in the world of Division III women's ice hockey, only one player comes to mind, and that is the late, great Laura Hurd '05.
Hurd helped lead Soaring Eagles through the rigors of the first four seasons of women's collegiate ice hockey at Elmira College. Hurd led the Elmira women in goals and points in each of her four seasons, the only student-athlete in the program's illustrious history to do so, and was the driving force behind four consecutive ECAC West titles and two NCAA Division III national championships.
Her efforts throughout the years did not go unnoticed. She was a four-time CCM/AHCA First-Team All-American, the only skater in Elmira's history to receive first-team honors four consecutive times. In 2005, Hurd was voted as the NCAA Division III National Player of the Year, the first player in Elmira history to receive the country's top individual honor. On the conference level, Hurd was a two-time ECAC West Player of the Year, a four-time first-team All-Conference honoree, and a member of the All-Rookie team.
Statistically, Hurd was second-to-none during her time and remains as one of the best skaters in Division III history. She finished her four-year career with an astounding 237 points on 120 goals and 117 assists. She owns multiple NCAA Division III records such as single-season points (77), single-season points per game (2.75), single-season goals (40), career points (237), career points per game (2.15), career goals (120), career assists (117), and career assists per game (1.06). Additionally, she led the country in points per game in both her rookie and senior seasons in 2001-02 and 2004-05, respectively.
In Elmira history, Hurd remains as the program's sole leader in single-season points, single-season goals, single-season game-winning goals, career points, career goals, career assists, career game-winning goals, career short-handed goals, and shares the single-season title – with herself – for hat tricks.
Sadly, the world was forced to say goodbye to Hurd much too soon, as she tragically passed away at the age of 24. In honor of her greatness, the American Hockey Coaches Association (AHCA) renamed Division III's top individual accolade in her memory as the Laura Hurd Division III Player of the Year.
Joe Spinelli '92 – Men's Ice Hockey
Arguably the greatest player to suit up in an Elmira College men's ice hockey jersey, Joe Spinelli '92, is the only three-time All-American in the program's 47-year history.
Spinelli collected All-American honors in his final three seasons donning the Purple and Gold in 1990, 1991, and 1992. Other accolades during his playing career include ECAC West Conference First-Team All-Star honors in 1991 and 1992, as well as a second-team nod in 1990.
Over his four-year career, Spinelli helped the Soaring Eagles earn an impressive 91-24-1 record, which included back-to-back ECAC West tournament titles in 1990 and 1991, as well as a trio of NCAA Tournament appearances from 1990-92. His efforts in 1991 led the Purple and Gold to a third-place finish in the national tournament.
Simply put, Spinelli was a force to be reckoned with during his tenure. He amassed 256 career points on 104 goals and 152 assists. His career point and assist totals rank first in program history, while his goals rank second. He is one of only four EC skaters to produce 200-plus points, one of three to log 100-plus goals, and is the only one with finish with 150-plus assists.
Spinelli owns a share of the College's single-game record for most assists (6), a feat he accomplished on December 13, 1991, against Brockport. He also owns a share of the second-highest single-game point total (7), a mark he hit on two occasions during the 1990-91 and 1991-92 seasons. Additionally, he led the Soaring Eagles in points and assists in back-to-back seasons during the 1990-91 and 1991-92 campaigns, and led the Elmira men in goals during as a junior.
On the national stage, Spinelli finished his junior season as the country's second-leading point-getter (88) and capped of his career by leading the country in assists (51) as a senior.
From an all-time record book perspective, Spinelli ranks among the best in NCAA Division III history. He is second all-time in short-handed goals (22), tied for fourth in assists (152), 10th in assists per game (1.36), 11th in points (256), and 12th in points per game (2.29).
Pat Thompson '75 – Administration, Cheerleading
Since 1975, Elmira College Athletics has been synonymous with Pat Thompson '75. Thompson can be credited with shaping the College's athletics department, as she served in an administrative leadership role in various capacities.
Thompson's career began when she took over as the College's Director of Camps and Clinics after graduating in 1975. She was soon promoted to Director of Sports Information, then to Assistant Director of Athletics, and finally to Athletic Director in 1984, before being elevated to Vice President of Athletics in 2000. She also coached EC's cheerleading team for 23 seasons, winning a national championship in 2000 and developing the program to the prominence that it still experiences today.
Under her leadership, Thompson guided Elmira athletics through significant growth and a multitude of achievements. During her tenure, the College added 10 new varsity sports, including baseball, field hockey, men's and women's cross country, men's and women's lacrosse, men's volleyball, women's golf, women's ice hockey, and women's soccer.
Thompson was instrumental in securing Elmira's affiliation with the Empire 8 Athletic Conference. In 2012, she served a two-year term as the Empire 8's First Vice President, after fulfilling the role of Second Vice President. She also aligned Elmira with the United Volleyball Conference (UVC) in 2011, and most recently, she was a driving force behind the formation of the United College Hockey Conference (UCHC). Thompson was elected the first Vice President of the UCHC and served as chair of the Athletic Directors' Committee.
In addition to multiple accolades by teams and student-athletes at the conference level, highlighted by academic success in the classroom, Thompson brought the Soaring Eagles to national prominence with a combined five national titles in cheerleading (2000, 2007) and women's ice hockey (2002, 2003, 2013).
During her tenure, Thompson spearheaded several facility upgrades on the Elmira campus and neighboring Murray Athletic Center in Horseheads, New York. In 1996 she was a key member in the renovation of Emerson Hall, which houses athletic staff member offices, as well as the College's weight room, cardio room, four-lane pool, locker rooms, and Speidel Gymnasium, the home of EC basketball and volleyball. Thompson also oversaw the construction and upgrades to home and visiting ice hockey locker rooms at the Murray Athletic Center. Most recently, she backed the efforts to install a digital video scoreboard on Campus Field.
Thompson was a pioneer in the world of college athletics as one of the first women to sit on the top NCAA governing body, the NCAA Council, as women's athletics transitioned to NCAA governance. Additionally, she has served on a variety of NCAA committees, such as Women's Interests, Promotions, Governmental Affairs and Public Relations, and the Division III Steering Committee. She was also active with the Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC), holding leadership roles on the Executive Council, Katherine Ley Award Committee, Robbins Scholar-Athlete Committee, and ECAC West Ice Hockey Committee, and she formerly presided over the Eastern College Hockey Association.
The ECAC recognized Thompson as its Female Administrator of the Year in 1999 as a result of her outstanding service to the conference. Through the introduction of the graduate assistant program at EC, Thompson helped numerous coaches and administrators jump-start their careers in collegiate athletics, while her fundraising initiatives have helped support and expand local community service programs and camps for area youth.
Thompson's efforts have been recognized by the Elmira College community with a multitude of honors. The EC Student Association named her the College's Administrator of the Year in 1992, and three years later, was the recipient of the Douglas Anderson Award for Administrative Excellence. She was bestowed with the Paul Brand Athletics Staff Award on two occasions in 1983 and 1996. Thompson was honored with the title of Dean in 1994 and was later inducted into the Omicron Delta Kappa National Leadership Honor Society.
