Legends of the Game: Hopkins Unveils Inaugural Hall of Fame

    After calling for nominations from the Hopkins community, the department received over 150 submissions. The Hall of Fame Selection Committee, composed of impactful members of the Hopkins community in a variety of ways, including alumni, athletic department members, current/former coaches, and members of the development team, weighed both athletic and lasting impact in their selections. According to DeMaio, the committee hoped “to reflect our rich history and recognize individuals and teams whose impact continues to be felt.” 

    The inaugural Hall of Fame class honors individual Hopkins athletes with remarkable achievements and, as Rocco noted, whose “impacts continue to be felt.” Erin Earley ’17 was a swimmer for Hopkins who set nine school records, including the 100 Freestyle and 500 Freestyle. She went on to represent the U.S. National Junior Team and participated in three events at the 2016 U.S. Olympic Trials. Nolan Paige ’12 played tennis at Hopkins, graduating with a high-school record of 47-1 in singles and 29-0 in doubles. He was named New Haven Register All-Area Boys Tennis MVP four times and helped his team win the New England Prep School Class B championships three times (2010-2012). Ken Paul ’68 played 13 varsity sports seasons during his high school career and was a four-time team captain in basketball, baseball, and soccer. He then captained the United States Naval Academy soccer team. Billy Walik ’66 played ice hockey, baseball, and football at Hopkins Grammar School, going on to play football for Villanova University where he set a school record with 27 touchdowns and was named team MVP in 1969. He later played for the Philadelphia Eagles, Winnipeg Blue Bombers, and teams in the World Football League. Walter Camp, who graduated in 1876, was the Hopkins Grammar School football captain, and his later significance on the rules of American football gave him the moniker “The Father of American Football.” The Walter Camp Athletic Center on campus was named in his honor. 

    Additionally, the inaugural Hall of Fame celebrates coaches and teams who contributed significantly to Hopkins. The 1982-1983 Girls Basketball Team, coached by Hopkins Athletic Director Jim Bucar, became the only Hopkins basketball team to win the New England Prep School Championship. With Parr Field named after him in his honor, Tom Parr, the football coach with the most wins in Hopkins football history, led the team to 206 victories, seven league championships, four New England Championships, and four undefeated seasons. Laura “Jerri” Trulock started at Day Prospect Hill as the Athletic Director. After the merger in 1972, she became the Girls Athletics Director, college counselor, and coach for Field Hockey, Girls’ Basketball, and Girls Lacrosse. Today, the Jerri Trulock DPH Award for Sportsmanship is given annually to a female Hopkins athlete who shows outstanding sportsmanship.  
 

    With the introduction of the Hopkins Hall of Fame, current Hopkins students foresee it having many beneficial impacts on the community. Track athlete Tommy DelMonico ’27 said, “I think it’ll motivate current athletes more because they will want to make the Hall of Fame.” Cross country runner and softball player Maddie Blank ’28 expressed similar positive views on the Hall of Fame’s potential: “the Hopkins athletics hall of fame shows us what we can achieve at Hopkins and inspires us to reach for that.” When speaking about her own time in Hopkins Athletics, Maeve Phipps ’27 stated, “I hope to model my captaincy off of [the 1982-1983 Girls Basketball Team] to push myself and the rest of the team to be great!” Varsity Squash Player Arjun Vashist ’27 put it simply: “[The Hopkins Hall of Fame] is a great idea with tremendous potential.” Jack Randazzo ’27 spoke to the positive impacts it has on himself, saying, “Seeing alumni succeed reminds me that what I'm doing now could lead somewhere, even if it doesn't feel like it yet. It also gives alumni a reason to stay connected and students a reason to care about the people who came before them.” Sam Lawler ’27 added to this idea, “It gives people/students the opportunity to learn from people who once walked the same halls as us.”

    With the inaugural class having been honored at a ceremony on October 23. DeMaio looks “forward to honoring more of them in the years ahead.”