Former Athletic Director Gene Hart Dies at 78
D. Eugene “Gene” Hart, former director of athletics and professor of mathematics at Rockhurst University, died July 16, at his home in Kansas City, Mo.
Hart, 78, served as director of athletics at Rockhurst University from 1963 until his retirement in 1985. He was selected to Rockhurst’s Athletic Hall of Fame in 1985. He was the school’s first men’s soccer coach in 1964, guiding the Hawks to a 38-15-4 record and a pair of second-place finishes in the NAIA national tournament from 1964-67.
A 1950 graduate of Rockhurst University, Hart played quarterback on the football team and was a four-year letterman. He was selected for the “Who’s Who in American Colleges and Universities” in 1949. He served in the Navy during World War II.
Hart was on many committees with the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) and was named to the NAIA Hall of Fame in 1986. Hart served as National President of the Athletic Directors Association in 1976-77; Chairman of the NAIA District 16 and Treasurer dating back to the mid-1960s.
Prior to his Rockhurst tenure, Hart was assistant athletic director at St. Louis University in St. Louis. He also coached football, was athletic director and taught mathematics at St. Louis University High School in St. Louis. He began his career coaching football, basketball and track along with teaching at St. Peter’s High School (now Helias H.S.) in Jefferson City, Mo., and taught and coached at Wea High School in Bucyrus, Kan.
Hart’s survivors include his wife of 55 years, Helen Rebel Hart of the home; two daughters: Mary and husband Larry Klein of Leawood, Kan., and her twin sister, Micky Clark of Kansas City, Mo., three sons: Kevin Hart and wife LeAnna of Overland Park, Kan., Denis Hart and wife Leslie of Kansas City, Mo., and John Hart and wife Susan of Seattle, Wash.; two brothers, Capt. J. V. Hart, USN, Alexandria, Va., and wife Jane, Bill Hart and wife JoAnne, Bartlesville, Okla.; and two sisters, Anna Leah Agriel and husband, Dr. H. M. Agriel of Jefferson City, Mo., and Mary Margaret Hart, Overland Park, Kan.; 21 nieces and nephews, 15 grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.
The Rockhurst faculty and staff are keeping the Hart family in their thoughts and prayers. In lieu of flowers, the family asks for donations to charity made out to Commerce Bank in Hart’s name.
Rockhurst Wins Heartland Men’s GPA Award
With a combined overall grade point average (GPA) of 3.32, Rockhurst captured the Heartland Conference Overall Men’s GPA Award for the 2004-05 academic year. Four of the Hawks’ five men’s programs had the highest GPAs in the conference.
Drury narrowly edged Rockhurst for the Heartland Conference’s Overall GPA Award. Rockhurst finished with a combined overall GPA of 3.34 for its athletics program, while Drury ended up at 3.36.
The Heartland Conference also recognizes the teams with the highest GPA in each sport. For 2004-05, Rockhurst finished with the first or second highest GPA in 10 sports:
Baseball, 1st (3.14); Men’s Basketball, 1st (3.34); Women’s Basketball, 2nd (3.33); Men’s Golf, 1st (3.32); Women’s Golf, 2nd (3.56); Men’s Soccer, 1st (3.41); Women’s Soccer, 1st (3.41); Softball, 2nd (3.19); Men’s Tennis, 2nd (3.37); and Women’s Tennis, 1st (3.36)
Baseball: Hawks Announce Recruiting Class
Rockhurst baseball coach Gary Burns announced the Hawks’ incoming recruiting class for the 2006 season. The class includes eight high school players from Missouri, Kansas, Nebraska and Michigan, in addition to a transfer from Kansas State University.
Shortstop Steve Braun from St. Louis (Mehlville HS) hit .408 with 37 runs, 25 RBI and three home runs.
Catcher/first baseman Cory Coquillard from Niles, Mich. (Niles HS) hit .393, with six home runs and 27 RBI.
Outfielder Justin Fujarski from St. Louis (Oakville HS) was 18 for 18 in stolen bases and only stuck out three times in 94 plate appearances.
Third baseman Chad Hatcher from Columbia, Mo. (Columbia Hickman HS) hit .372 for his Class 4A state championship team.
Third baseman/first baseman Ryan Johnson from St. Louis (Saint Louis University HS) led his team with 31 hits and a .408 batting average.
Shortstop Tyler Knust from Omaha, Neb. (Omaha Westside HS) hit .386 and helped his team reach the state finals.
Pitcher/outfielder Ryan Morgan from St. Louis (Saint Louis University HS) was 6-2 on the mound, while hitting .400.
First baseman Mike Walczuk from Leawood, Kan. (Rockhurst HS) hit .476 as a junior and was named All-Metro and All-State.
Outfielder Zach Troilo, a red-shirt at Kansas State in 2005, will have three years of eligibility. The former all-stater at Wichita Collegiate (Kan.) High School played one season for the Wildcats.
“We filled a lot of needs with players who are capable of playing here for four years,” Burns said. “We are looking for several of them to start right away.”
Tennis: Hawks, Lady Hawks Earn Academic Honors
The Rockhurst men's and women's teams received All-Academic honors from the Intercollegiate Tennis Association. The Hawks had an overall 3.56 GPA, while the Lady Hawks finished with an overall 3.40 GPA.
Individually, the following players from RU earned All-Academic recognition for having GPAs of 3.5 or higher: Katie Anderson, Carmen Briscoe, Emily Jennings, Heather Renier, Adam Ricceri, Nick Dodson, Gareth Dowdell, Garrett Fischer and Zach Miller. Dowdell also finished 23rd in the final ITA singles rankings, barely missing All-American honors.
Women's Basketball: Lady Hawks Sign Five Players
The Rockhurst women’s basketball team has signed five players for the 2005-06 basketball season, Coach Rebecca Morrisey announced.
Julie Cook, a 5-8 guard/forward, was a first-team All-Metro and All-City and second-team All-Class 5A performer at Kapaun Mt. Carmel High School in Wichita, Kan. She led her team in points (15.1) and rebounds (8.3) per game, helping Kapaun to a 16-6 record.
Amy Hake, a 5-8 guard, was selected third-team All-Metro and first-team All-West Suburban Conference at Lindbergh High School in St. Louis. She averaged 20.5 points, 5.7 rebounds, 5.3 steals and 2.2 assists per game.
Gloria Crawford, a 5-7 guard, helped lead Doherty High School in Colorado Springs, Colo., to a 17-8 record and a berth in the Class 5A state tournament in her senior year. She averaged 6.2 points and 3.8 rebounds per game.
Cassie Philippi, a 5-11 forward, transfers to Rockhurst from Penn Valley (Mo.) Community College where she averaged 7.9 points and 7.7 rebounds as a freshman. She was named honorable mention All-Region 16 and received Penn Valley’s prestigious A. Fred Pohlman Award for her overall skills and leadership. She is a graduate of Platte County High School.
Alisha Cade, a 6-0 guard-forward, was a prep star at Schlagle (Kan.) High School who sat out last season after playing three seasons at Wichita State. She averaged 4.3 points and 3.3 rebounds in 84 games for the Shockers. She will be a graduate student at Rockhurst.
Softball: Seven Prep Standouts Sign With RU
Rockhurst softball coach Galen Struve announced the Lady Hawks' incoming recruiting class for the 2006 season. The class includes seven high school players from Missouri, Kansas, Nebraska and Illinois.
Katie Flott was a three-year starter at catcher for Omaha Gross Catholic High School, which finished third in the 2005 Class A Nebraska State Softball Championships.
Jill Krawczyk was a three-time All-Area and two-time All-District outfielder at Blue Springs (Mo.) High School.
Becca Marsh. who starred at Blue Springs High School as a pitcher and outfielder, had a career ERA under 1.0.
Nicole Randolph, a three-time All-District player at Springfield Glendale High School, won the Missouri Gold Glove Award three times.
Heather Robertson, a right-handed pitcher with an 0.28 ERA in 2005, was an outstanding four-sport athlete at Marion High School in Creal Springs, Ill.
Kelly Slattery, a three-time All-State player at Eklhorn (Neb.) High School, is a third baseman, shortstop and outfielder who batted over .350.
Kelli Vanderwell, starting shortstop for the 2004 Class 6A state championship team at Olathe North (Kan.) High School, was named All-State and All-Metro.
