WELCOME BACK HOMECOMING

Charles Little ’87 (left) and Terry Tackett ’87

Charles Little ’87 and Terry Tackett ’87 bantered about the Marietta College they knew in the 1980s as they sorted through the racks of sweatshirts and T-shirts in the Bookstore trying to find new Marietta gear.

Leaving Gilman Hall, the two men headed to Don Drumm Stadium to watch the Pioneers take on John Carroll in football.

“We used to have to dodge cars here. Remember that, Terry? The cars would roll through here and honk at us,” says Little, who had not been on campus since he graduated and since the Fifth Street thoroughfare transitioned into The Christy Mall. “It feels really good to be back, and I’m happy to be able to see some of my old friends.”

Homecoming 2021 promised to be a weekend filled with fun, and for the hundreds of alumni who returned, it did not disappoint.

“We were thrilled to welcome back to campus nearly 1,000 members of The Long Blue Line,” says Dr. Erika Smith, Director of Alumni Relations and Engagement. “The weekend was full of beautiful moments of reconnection and community, with some Pioneers returning to campus for the first time in more than 25 years.”

Though it had been 25 years since Little was on campus, he kept up with a few of his classmates over the years, including Tackett, a former Pioneers basketball player who had plenty of praise for his friend.

“Charles played football here. His freshman year, his team had the longest losing streak in the country,” Tackett says. “They were featured in Sports Illustrated for not having won a game in so long. But by the time he was a senior, Charles was the captain, and they had a winning season. He went from the bottom and helped take them to the top.”

It could have been yesterday that Tom Taggart ’71 and Steven Brandt ’71 were broadcasting from the basement in Andrews Hall. Sitting on the Valley Gem sternwheel during a river cruise, the two friends recalled their first venture with live TV in great detail, though it was the first time the two had seen each other in decades.

“We had three cameras — news, weather and sports — and it was all live,” Brandt says. “Tommy’s working the camera, and they’re set up on these camera stands we just got. I’m on the desk with Bernie Russi, who was my co-anchor sometimes. I look over, and Tommy’s trying to move the camera, and he’s just skiing on this 400-pound camera stand.”

The two men reminisced about other funny stories from the set of the College’s first cable TV channel, WCMO-TV, and Professor Russi.

“He told us, ‘Don’t bite off more than you can chew,’ but we always had our mouths full,” Brandt says.

Liz Munch Mard ’71, who co-chaired the Reunion Committee for the Class of 1971, praised her fellow committee members, as well as the 1970 Reunion Committee, for helping guide her group through the planning process. Both classes celebrated their Golden Reunion this year because the Class of 1970’s special reunion had to be postponed last year due to the pandemic.

“Our committee worked very hard to reach out to graduates and those who attended but didn’t graduate to come back for our Golden Reunion,” she says. “Each committee member reached out to 25 to 35 people — and some of them communicated personally — and encouraged them to come back to MC, meet their classmates, have some fun and, if they can, participate in giving back to the College.”

Kathleen Reddy-Smith ’71 was one of the committee members and enjoyed catching up with classmates.

“It’s wonderful to see the paths we’ve all taken from Marietta. As the years go on, I see this place as more and more precious,” says Reddy-Smith, a retired diplomat for the U.S. Foreign Service. “I was so grateful that Marietta gave me the tools to serve my country. My liberal arts degree made me more analytic.”

(Top left) Liz Munch Mard ’71 and her husband, Richard Haney, catch up with Mel Neidig Hayes Todd ’70 during the Golden Reunion Dinner. (Top right) Steven Brandt ’71 reminisces about his time at Marietta during a river cruise. (Bottom) Charlie Dawes ’71 and Kathleen Reddy-Smith ’71 share a laugh during the river cruise.

Todd Diedrick ’81 and some of his fellow 1981 graduates took a campus tour during the weekend. Stopping for a moment to listen as the student tour guide talked about the McCoy and Harrison residence halls, Diedrick talked about how much he learned from his Accounting Professor, Dr. Wen-Yu “Frank” Cheng, and how he looked forward to returning to Marietta during his class’s five-year reunions.

“These are my lifelong friends, starting from freshman year in Douglas Putnam and my three years in Parsons to this day,” Diedrick says just before catching up with Chris Dunphy ’81 and Lorna Kingsbury Tofuri ’81.

During the All-Alumni Welcome, held on The Christy Mall, Melissa Adams ’92; her brother, Brian Adams ’94; and his wife, Allison Gallenstein Adams ’96, had a mini-family reunion between Andrews Hall and Irvine Hall.

“I was the first one here,” says Melissa, who majored in Education. “He followed me to college.”

“And I met her here,” says Brian, pointing to Allison. “We were both RAs, and we met at freshman orientation. I was also an Education major, and my wife was the really smart Sports Med major.”

In the midst of the All-Alumni Welcome, President Bill Ruud announced that the College was in the public phase of a historic $100 million comprehensive capital campaign that will fund scholarships, endow professorships, improve the student experience and add a student center in the heart of campus.

Marietta’s Homecoming featured dozens of events for alumni to attend, including the MCAA Awards Ceremony, the Golden Reunion Dinner, Greek reunions, campus tours, academic department open houses, alumni rowing and baseball competitions, a lively concert in The Gathering Place, and, of course, the Homecoming football game and tailgate, as well as the men’s soccer tailgate and game.

“The record-breaking attendance, dozens of events and the launch of our This is the Time campaign created an atmosphere of excitement and celebration, and we hope to continue building on this momentum through regional events over the coming months,” says Dr. Erika Smith, Director of Alumni Relations and Engagement.

Hundreds of Pioneers reconnect at the All-Alumni Welcome.

From left to right Lorna Kingsbury Tofuri ’81, Todd Diedrick ’81 and Chris Dunphy ’81 take a guided tour of campus.

PAT LORENO WILLIS (CHAIR)

RICH ARNOLD

RICK ANNETT

JACQUIE INGRAM KELLEY

JOHN LANGEL

BECKY COLIN LEIBMAN

STEVE LEVY

BILL O’GRADY

LYNNE CASCARDO SLAVEN

BOB STONE

CHUCK TAYLOR

CINDY BUCK WILSON

BARB WOODHULL

LIZ MUNCH HANEY (CO-CHAIR) PATTI KRAL ZECCHI (CO-CHAIR)

DINAH DAVIS

CHARLIE DAWES

PAUL KEEFER

SHERRY GOULD KEEFER

JAY LEIENDECKER

CATHY BURKEY MAIMON

CREEL CUTLER MCCORMACK

KATHLEEN REDDY-SMITH

JAY SHOWALTER

CYNDI COOK TAYLOR

ELLEN GOLDEN YOUNG

Homecoming’s “Meet Me at The Pit” event showcased memorabilia from the late 1960s and early 1970s — drawing interest from visitors such as Dan ’71 and Bonnie Caplin (above left); John Hendricks ’66 (page 17, top), and Nancy Fernald Freed ’70, Mel Neidig Hayes Todd ’70 and Cheryl Jakabetz Toronyi ’70 (page 17; bottom from right).

Dan Caplin ’70 and his wife, Bonnie, spent Friday evening catching up with two of his former roommates, Chris Poskin ’70 and Lonnie Stock ’70, both Lambda Chi Alpha fraternity brothers, at Austyn’s Restaurant — which used to be Judd’s Bowling Alley when they were students. They attended the “Meet Me at The Pit” event Saturday morning.

“We rented a house on Front Street — and it was old back then,” Caplin recalls. “We had two space heaters, so it was really cold in the winter. I can remember sitting around our living room, and we had blankets around us. We were talking, and I remember saying, ‘Guys, do you realize we can see our breath? We shouldn’t be able to see our breath right now.’ So many good memories come out of this place.”

Nearby, Mel Neidig Hayes Todd ’70 stood in front of a long table that was filled with photos, Navy Blue & White newsletters, yearbooks and other Marietta memorabilia from her years as an undergraduate. As she flipped through a photo album, friends Nancy Fernald Freed ’70, who transferred to another college but was invited back for her Golden Reunion, and Cheryl Jakubetz Toronyi ’70 joined her at the table.

“Look, there’s Creel [McCormack ’71],” Todd says. “This is so fun. I’m so glad they did this for us.”

Upper Gilman — what used to be known as The Pit — had memorabilia and large cutouts of professors and administrators from the late 1960s and early 1970s. A slideshow of photos from that era also played on screens in The Pit.

“We were supposed to have our 50th last year, but we were able to persevere, and many of us came back,” Toronyi says. “It was worth it.”

Before the tailgate, alumni and friends gathered on The Christy Mall for the MCAA Awards Ceremony, which honored inductees from 2020 and 2021.

Whitley Trusler ’17 and her fiancée, Maggie Watt ’15, took a break from Watt’s medical residency in Columbus to attend Homecoming and watch their friend, Taylor Myers ’15, receive the Outstanding Young Alumnus Award during the MCAA Awards Ceremony Saturday morning.

“It’s nice to just be here this time and experience Homecoming,” Trusler says. “And it’s nice to see friends.”

The awards ceremony was hosted by MCAA Chair Susan “Jay” Hauck-Bell ’85, with President Ruud presenting winners their awards after their prerecorded acceptance speeches were broadcast on a large screen. After being recognized as the 2020 Hall of Honor inductee, T. Grant Callery ’68 took the podium to add a few more thank-yous and to present a piece of his personal memorabilia to the College.

“I wanted to be a dentist, so I majored in Biology,” Callery says. “The make-or-break class was Comparative Vertebrate Anatomy with Dr. [Paul] Seyler.”

Part of that class required a 100-hour project, which translated into Callery producing a hand-drawn diagrammatic composite schema of the circulatory system of a Squalus acanthias, better known as a dogfish shark.

“It took me a whole semester to do it,” Callery says, shortly before presenting the framed project to President Ruud. Rather than following his initial plans to become a dentist, Callery earned a law degree and worked in the financial services industry. He also served on the College’s Board of Trustees from 2003 to 2018 and co-chaired the search committee that resulted in the hiring of President Ruud.

KATELYN DELANEY (BATAVIA, OHIO) ASHLEY GODENSCHWAGER (NELSONVILLE, OHIO) KAITLYN LISTON (LITTLE HOCKING, OHIO) SHELBY MILLHEIM (BETHLEHEM, PENNSYLVANIA) NATALIE PAYTON (ST. MARYS, WEST VIRGINIA) KATEN PETTY (NEW MATAMORAS, OHIO) EMMA PURINGTON (COLUMBUS, OHIO) LAURYN WARD (MINERAL WELLS, WEST VIRGINIA) FELIPE CRUZ (MARIETTA, OHIO) ANDREW NOVAK (SEWICKLEY, PENNSYLVANIA) DALE RANDULIC (QUAKER CITY, OHIO) TYLER WALKER (CAMBRIDGE, OHIO) BRAEDEN WALLACE (ELKTON, VIRGINIA)

Justin Suttmiller, husband of Lauren Brubaker ’03 (far right) and their daughters, Josie, 5 and Kendall, 2, walk The Christy Mall with Erin Hix ’00 during the All-Alumni Welcome.

President Bill Ruud and his wife, Judy, stand with newly crowned Homecoming King Tyler Walker ’22 and Queen Natalie Payton ’22 and 2020 Homecoming King Robert Nelson ’21 and Queen Kelsey Hall ’21.

The Homecoming Tailgate and football game is where current students, parents, alumni, and current and retired employees had the opportunity to come together and show their Marietta pride.

Honorary Captains Don ’81 and Leslie Straub Ritter ’84 took part in the coin toss preceding the game against John Carroll. Katie Butcher ’25 enjoyed her first football game and Homecoming as a Pioneer sitting in the stands with friends Katie Justice ’24 and Mackenzie Grigsby ’24, while Chasten Coleman ’23, who was standing along the fencing, was happy to be able to attend more Homecoming events this year.

“This is the first actual Homecoming that I’m not working,” Coleman says. “Last year was virtual, and in my freshman year, I was in the New Plays in One Day Festival for Theatre. I was an Alumni Ambassador, so it’s been nice to be able to meet the alumni in person that I was connecting with over the year.”

Also in the stands was the family of freshman wide receiver Logan Ranft ’25. His father, Brad, says the extended family tailgates before every home game.

“My aunt brings her camper, and we start the tailgate at 10:00 a.m.,” Brad says. “The experience that Logan has had here so far has been outstanding. The Foster Parent Program has been very good, and with the family coming for games, I think he’s had a lot of support.”

At halftime, Kelsey Hall ’21 and Robert Nelson ’21 prepared to bestow their reigning Homecoming Queen and King titles to the 2021 winners, Natalie Payton ’22 and Tyler Walker ’22.

“I’m happy that I get to be here this year to see Kelsey walk out,” says her mother, Kathleen Hall. “Last year, because of COVID, only her dad [Marietta College Police Officer Chris Hall] got to escort her, and I had to watch from outside the gate. I’m so happy I got to be with her here in person.”

(Clockwise from bottom) Athletics Director Larry Hiser and John Foster talk during the Homecoming Tailgate. Parent Tom Giovengo pre-gamed with his own tailgate before watching his sons, Vic ’22 and Gage ’22, play against John Carroll. The Pioneers provided an exciting game against John Carroll. Brad Ranft, who was in the stands with many other family members, cheered on his son, Logan ’25, during the game.

Spread across campus and the city of Marietta were alumni events celebrating current and past Greek fraternities and sororities.

As has become tradition, Lambda Chi Alpha fraternity met at the Harmar Tavern for the Art Fordham Pig Roast on Thursday, while the Delta Tau Delta brothers met at the Lafayette Hotel bar.

Chi Omega started Friday morning off with a breakfast that also invited current sisters. The Alpha Tau Omega, Delta Tau Delta, Alpha Sigma Phi and Delta Upsilon fraternities met for evening events on Friday, and the Lambda Chis held a chartering banquet celebrating the return of the chapter’s charter.

Saturday featured open houses and mixers for Sigma Kappa and Alpha Xi Delta alumnae, and that evening, the Tau Kappa Epsilon fraternity and the Alpha Xis had their own special reunions off campus.

On campus, sisters from the Sigma Sigma Sigma sorority gathered in front of their former house, which is now the Office of Admission, for a Meeting on the Porch reunion.

“This is the fourth year we’ve done this at Homecoming,” says Jay Hauck-Bell ’85. “We had an interesting niche on campus. … Our members were passionate about our mission, which was service to children, and we were passionate about giving back.”

The Tri-Sigs also raised money during their mini-reunion to support the maintenance of the porch.

“Our members were strong, independent-minded women, and we loved that about our chapter,” says Mary Studders Korn ’82. “We’ve maintained friendships for our entire lives, and we’ve maintained our sisterhood even though our sorority is no longer here.”

(Clockwise from left) Chris Poskin ’70 and Lonnie Stock ’70 enjoy time with fellow Lambda Chi Alpha brothers during the annual Art Fordham Pig Roast at the Harmar Tavern.

Tom Apple ’68 and Bob Ritchie keep watch over the grill.

(Page 21, clockwise from left) Joseph Lukens ’66 has fun during the Alpha Tau Omega house tour. Bill Gilman ’78 and fellow Tau Kappa Epsilon brothers enjoy a special reunion. Tri-Sig sister Carolee Watkins Noonan ’82 and Chi Omega sister April Schaad ’84 gather in front of the former Sigma Sigma Sigma sorority house, which is now the Office of Admission. Jay Hauck-Bell ’85, Mary Studders Korn ’82, Jo Ellen Diehl Yeary ’76, Tricia McGuinness Foster ’81, Lori Sargent O’Connell ’84 and Renée Bailey Gallagher ’84 show their Tri-Sig pride before the MCAA Awards Ceremony.

CLASS OF 1970 RAISED $258,749.41 — 34.38% PARTICIPATION CLASS OF 1971 RAISED $136,796.71 — 28.68% PARTICIPATION

(Top left) Bob Stone ’79 joins his fellow Long Blue Liners at the All-Alumni Welcome.

(Top right) Kathy Ross Hoffman ’71, Marsha Gildersleeve Brown ’70, Pat Loreno Willis ’70 and Lynn Cascardo Slaven ’70 enjoy each other’s company during the Golden Reunion Dinner.

(Bottom left) Jacqueline Nicholas ’23 holds up her Homecoming T-shirt.

(Bottom center) Natalie Payton ’22 plays a round of cornhole — one of many student activities leading up to Homecoming.

(Bottom right) Munchies on The Mall draws students, faculty, staff and administrators to meet Homecoming candidates and get in the Navy Blue & White spirit.

Homecoming is a time to rehash memories with the people who helped make them. For the alumni from the classes of 1970 and 1971, there is more than 50 years’ worth of stories to share and memories to relive.

Standing around a small bistro table during the Golden Reunion Dinner celebrating with the 1970 and 1971 alumni, Marsha Gildersleeve Brown ’70 caught up with friends Kathy Ross Hoffman ’71, Sonny Kelly Davis ’70 and Lynn Cascardo Slavin ’70 — all of whom were members of the Alpha Xi Delta sorority.

“This is the first time I’ve been back since graduating,” Brown says. “I think it’s lovely what the College has done. The campus is beautiful, and I love that the newer buildings still have that same charm. Coming back to campus, you can sense that there is a real sense of community here whether you’re a visitor or an alum.”

Pat Loreno Willis ’70, Chair of the 1970 Reunion Committee, and Liz Munch Mard ’71, Chair of the 1971 Reunion Committee, worked with the College’s Alumni Engagement Office to coordinate the evening’s events.

“Next fall, Marietta College will be celebrating 100 years since the anniversary of the first Homecoming in 1922 — and the tentative dates are October 13-16,” says Director of Alumni Relations Erika Smith. “Given the special anniversary, we believe it will be another unforgettable celebration.”

During the cocktail hour, alumni chatted in the Dyson Baudo Recreation Center before sitting down to an elegant dinner. At the entrance of the venue, a panel of yearbook photos with names of classmates who have passed away was displayed.

“This was a very thoughtful way to do this,” says John McCullough ’69, as he noted his wife, Mary Jo Gabardine McCullough ’71, and friend, Kathleen Ruddy Henrichs ’71, were among the alumni who have passed on.

Back at their table, the Alpha Xi sisters Brown, Hoffman, Davis and Slaven reflected on their lifelong connection.

“We have stayed in contact all these years, and our small group travels all over the place for our own reunions,” Davis says. “It feels special after all these years. These are my best friends — still.”

BREAKING ASweat

PHOTOS BY NATE KNOBEL

With sand kicking up from under his feet and the sweat covering his tattooed torso becoming more pronounced, Luis Garcia ’16 doesn’t let up a bit.

Even as the intensity of the workout revs up on this warm, sunny South Florida day, there is no need for Garcia to raise his voice as he provides one-onone training for a client. Garcia’s positive personality and the impeccable reputation he has developed as a strength and conditioning coach and the owner of Garcia Effect are why his clients listen intently during workouts.

Garcia, a former All-Ohio Athletic Conference basketball player for the Pioneers, typically conducts six to eight individual training sessions daily — sometimes on the beach as well as in the weight room. His client list has expanded in recent years to include NBA players like Kendrick Nunn (Los Angeles Lakers), Desmond Bane (Memphis Grizzlies), James Bouknight (Charlotte Hornets), Jonathan Kuminga (Golden State Warriors), Isaiah Todd (Washington Wizards) and Cam Johnson (Phoenix Suns), as well as rapper Gucci Mane.

“This is really a dream come true,” says Garcia, who is a certified athletic trainer and a certified strength and conditioning specialist. “Getting the opportunity to train some big-time athletes and rappers has really helped. When an NBA player tells another NBA player what we are doing and how it has helped him, then I get calls from his agent.”

Attracting the celebrity clients took some creative thinking on Garcia’s part and a specially placed connection.

“It was 2018, and I was trying to get into the Miami Pro-Am to play hoops, and one of the guys I was training was a videographer for the league, and he got me a call with Ronnie Taylor, who is an NBA skills trainer and also has a team in the Miami Pro-Am,” Garcia says.

The conversation went well, and Garcia agreed to train his athletes for free so he could play some more basketball and meet the Division I basketball players who had a shot at the NBA.

“I loved playing on the team, and we won the championship, but the connections were the biggest thing that came out of it,” Garcia says. “I got to meet a lot of agents as well, and now I have some of them recommending me to their clients. Now I have professional athletes reaching out to me personally saying they want to fly to Miami to train with me. It’s crazy.”

The big-time clients are great publicity, but Garcia has trained thousands of people who are not celebrities and are simply looking to improve their health and fitness.

“Every week is completely different. I love that part of my job,” he says. “If I need to take a day off, I can do it; and I’ve built a great relationship with my clients that if we have to make up a session on another day, everyone is great. For example, I may get a call to fly to Panama and run a special training with hundreds of kids.”

That did happen, and it was an eye-opening experience for Garcia.

“When I first got there, most of the kids were quiet and didn’t say much,” he says. “But I’m Cuban, and I can speak Spanish. I have learned there are not a lot of Hispanic trainers doing what I do. So I started speaking Spanish, and you could just see them get excited to see a guy who speaks their language, and it just changed the entire day for the better.”

Garcia Effect is highly successful now, but it took some time to get off the ground. After graduating from Marietta College with a Bachelor of Science in Athletic Training, Garcia returned to his parents’ home in Miami. Struggling to find clients, his mother, Barbara Galindo, had some simple advice.

“She said I needed to get out of the house and find a job and make some money,” Garcia says.

Luis Garcia ’16 has transitioned from being an elite college athlete to helping others achieve elite fitness.

Putting his degree to good use, he contacted some Miami-area hospitals and landed some work as an athletic trainer. He also used this experience to do some networking and met Fui Martinez, who is a skills trainer in Miami.

“He got to see how I trained, and he thought I would fit well training his kids,” Garcia says. “In mid-2017, he brought me in as a full-time trainer, and I’ve been doing this type of work since. I am extremely appreciative of everything Coach Fui and Ronnie Taylor did to help me grow my business. I respect and appreciate both of them so much.”

Garcia’s coach at Marietta, Jon VanderWal, says his former standout player was a beast in the weight room in his playing days, and his success now is not a surprise.

“Luis is one of the hardest-working and most passionate players I have ever coached,” VanderWal says. “He is an inspiring person with an infectious personality, and I think he has truly found his calling. As a coach, it’s extremely rewarding to see former players follow and accomplish their dreams. I don’t think anyone is surprised to see Luis doing great things in Miami, and I couldn’t be prouder of him.”

Garcia excelled on the basketball court at Marietta, as the Pioneers went 92-23 from 2013 to 16. He amassed 1,052 points, 216 rebounds and 74 steals in 105 games. He also made 161 of the 429 three-pointers he attempted in four seasons. Garcia was also part of three OAC championships and three trips to the NCAA Tournament, including a run to the Elite 8 in 2014-15.

His on-court experience positively resonates with the professional and college basketball players that Garcia trains.

“No doubt it makes a difference,” Garcia says. “I can talk about the game with them, but I also understand the game, and what we can do in our training sessions are things that I can assure them will help make them better on the court. They also see a guy who played basketball who is big and muscular, so they know I do the workouts, and they respect what I’m saying.”

Recently, Garcia has experienced a serious uptick in demand for virtual training.

“This was actually happening before the pandemic, but it has grown even more,” he says. “I run training programs for kids all over the world, and it’s amazing. A lot of the growth has been through social media. I’m the face of the business, and I have to market myself, but it has completely changed my whole business.”

And he cherishes the fact that so many of the lessons he learned in the classroom and from basketball at Marietta are key components of his success today.

“It’s important to me that I’m able to help or impact the people I train in any way I can,” Garcia says. “There have been times [that I’m] working with a large group of children, and the workout is getting hard. They are tired and hot, but I remember how Coach VanderWal always spoke to the team about mental toughness — when things get tough, we have to find a way to push past our limits. I use that same approach with my clients, especially the kids.”

As much as Garcia loves the exposure he gets from training celebrity clients, in the end he loves the impact he makes working with children.

“I believe I’m making a difference with the younger kids. They see I am healthy. I talk to them about eating right,” he says. “It’s also about their confidence. I’ve had parents reach out to me and thank me for how I have helped their kids with their confidence. How they are speaking up in class and making friends. It’s the most rewarding part of what I do now.”

QUITEA CREW

Jeff Hugel ’77 christens the Chris & Jody Richard ’78 shell during a special ceremony at the boathouse during Homecoming weekend.

Clearly sleep deprived, Brent Haney ’76 arrived at the LindamoodVan Voorhis Boathouse a solid hour before the sun appeared in the misty Marietta sky.

It was Homecoming weekend, so a late Friday night was to be expected — but Haney had a long day ahead, as Marietta College rowing was celebrating 150 years of crew. Originally scheduled for the annual Dad Vail Regatta in Philadelphia last May, the gala was moved to October on campus.

Haney emceed the dedication ceremony for 15 of the 20 shells that he and his wife, Christine, funded in the summer of 2020. That was followed by the traditional alumni row on the Muskingum River. In the evening, more than 100 current and former rowers — along with family members — returned to the boathouse for the anniversary party.

No one went home disappointed.

“It exceeded everyone’s hopes and expectations,” Haney says. “I know everybody was ready to go to the Dad Vail in the spring, but because of the pandemic, we had to adjust. Thanks to communication, social media and emails, we got the word out, and this turnout is the best that I have ever seen. People wanted to come back because it was a milestone.”

It was a landmark moment that included Marietta’s 19th President, Dr. Bill Ruud.

“My schedule during Homecoming is always busy. I want to get to as many events and speak with as many people as I can,” Ruud says. “However, I made it a point to carve out a little extra time to hang out with my crew friends. I loved hearing how excited they are about the future of Marietta College rowing. They are passionate about the College and crew, and their support was on full display all Homecoming weekend.”

Haney and the other members of the 150th Crew Campaign Committee worked with the College’s Advancement Office to raise money for the men’s and women’s programs. Through consistent communication, which included a monthly newsletter that looked back at Marietta crew milestones, the committee was able to raise $885,927 from 286 donors. Now Marietta’s rowing program boasts an endowment of around $4.7 million.

“I have deep gratitude for the passionate alumni who were willing to partner with our team to advance the program,” says Dr. Josh Jacobs, Vice President for Advancement. “They are a group of dedicated Pioneers who worked tirelessly to support our student-athletes.”

Wearing his 1967 Henley Royal Regatta sports coat, Tom Feaster ’69, says he enjoyed hearing other alumni speak about the resurgence of rowing at Marietta.

“The program really reached its peak during my era [in the 1960s],” he says. “There have been some ups and downs, but the momentum died off for a while. This 150th celebration has gotten people back who have not only heard the message but have also read the message. … When you get a whole group of people together like this and you are able to sit next to them and start asking questions — and we’re having conversations that we would have never had — it’s a good thing.”

Many former rowers credit Jeff Hugel ’77 with providing the spark alumni needed to reengage with the men’s and women’s programs. About two years ago, Hugel committed to giving $253,000 annually in order to establish the Marietta Rowing Coaching Fund and the Marietta Rowing Operations Fund. Also, upon his passing, his estate will provide a gift of at least $3 million to support the two funds.

Hugel has a different perspective.

“I’ve done what I’ve done because I feel like I owed it. I think if I didn’t do it, I wouldn’t be much of a person,” Hugel says. “What made this celebration so much fun for me and for others was getting to see everyone come together to honor the long history of rowing at Marietta College. What an amazing evening.”

Director of Athletics Larry Hiser says the celebration far surpassed his expectations, mostly because of the hard work of the 150th Campaign Committee. He specifically credited Haney with being a strong leader.

“Brent is passionate and industrious. He has worked with the coaches, the College and me for the last 13 years creating a vision for what culminated in the celebration we executed at Homecoming,” Hiser says. “All of our major rowing initiatives have Brent’s fingerprints on them. As a result, the energy is high and positive throughout both the programs.”

Much like Haney, Marietta’s men’s coach Greg Myhr was also operating on fumes during the celebration. On Friday, October 22nd, Myhr competed in the Men’s Grand Master Singles at the Head of the Charles Regatta in Boston. He caught a flight to Columbus and drove to Marietta to attend Saturday’s alumni row and the celebration in the evening. He returned to Boston on Sunday to coach his rowers.

“For many students and alumni, crew isn’t something you discard the day you graduate,” says Myhr, who is in his third season at MC. “Everyone who has ever rowed at Marietta has a tremendous respect for each other because they understand the hard work and dedication it takes to be successful. Without our amazing alumni we, wouldn’t have the connection between present and past teams. This celebration made that bond even stronger.”

Women’s coach Abby Lord ’13 rowed on two Dad Vail champion Varsity 8 shells and believes the celebration was an eye-opening experience for her current team.

“They have heard me talk about the amazing rowing history of Marietta College,” says Lord, who is in her fourth season. “Being in the same room with rowers from the ’60s, ’70s, ’80s and so on, and also speaking with former women rowers from the ’80s and ’90s, I was able to help them understand what they are representing and the legacy they are expected to uphold.”

Even though the party had to end, it was clear the energy from the evening would continue. Now, Brent Haney can get some rest.

TOM PERRY

PHOTOS BY NATE KNOBEL

(Clockwise from top) Tom Feaster ’69 speaks with Frank Glaser ’71 during the 150th anniversary celebration of Marietta Crew at the Lindamood-Van Voorhis Boathouse in October. Women’s coach Abby Lord ’13 shares an update of the program. Former rowers, family and friends enjoy some food and beverages in the Dad Vail Room. Brent Haney ’76, who spearheaded the celebration, talks about the Metcalfs — Jim ’79, Barbara Lantelme ’79 and Brittany ’13.