Slovenski ’84, Bates seniors honored by A-L Sports Hall of Fame
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Kathryn Moore ’07 |
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Zak Ray ’07 |
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Rob Stockwell ’07 |
AUBURN, Maine — Sunday evening at Lost Valley the Auburn-Lewiston Sports Hall of Fame welcomed several new inductees, including Bates alum Paul Slovenski ’84 and his brother Peter, while Bates seniors Kathryn Moore, Zak Ray and Rob Stockwell were all presented with citations at the event as well.
Peter and Paul Slovenski are sons of the late Walter Slovenski, Bates’ men’s track and field coach from 1952 to 1995. Walt Slovenski was also the cross country coach at Bates, and gave his name to the indoor track facility inside Merrill Gymnasium.
Paul Slovenski ’84 was a star soccer player and an All-American pole vaulter at Bates. His pole vault of 15 feet stood as the Bates indoor record for 19 years. Slovenski was a three-time New England Division III Champion, and placed fourth in the 1985 NCAA Division III Championships. After graduating from Bates with 12 varsity letters he decided to carry his love of sports into his career and worked as a track and field coach at Tufts, Bowdoin, Bates, and head coach MIT. His older brother Peter also excelled at track and field while he attended Dartmouth, and he has been the head track and field coach at Bowdoin College for 20 years. Walt Slovenski himself was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1987.
Also at the induction ceremony there were three Individual Chamber of Commerce Presidents Awards given to Bates senior athletes Moore (Pelham, N.H.), Ray (Bangor, Maine) and Stockwell (Temple, N.H.), who are each team captains and highly successful athletes at Bates.
Moore is Bates’ first woman to earn All-America honors in cross country, indoor track and field and outdoor track and field, having done so in the 3,000-meter steeplechase at the 2006 NCAA outdoor championships, the 2006 cross country championships and in the distance medley relay at the 20007 indoor nationals.
Both Ray and Stockwell have been All-NESCAC selections in men’s basketball for three straight years, including First Team honors in 2007. Ray finished his basketball career as Bates’ all-time leader in steals and assists, as well as the team’s 15th all-time scorer. Stockwell is Bates’ fourth all-time scorer and also amassed an immense 868 career rebounds in the garnet uniform. Both men are also members of the NABC All-Northeast Second Team. Ray also was awarded Defensive Player of the Year and Stockwell was named first team All-Northeast from D3hoops.
Also being inducted to the Auburn-Lewiston Sports Hall of Fame are Mark Coutts, William Higgins, and Richard Gilbert(posthumously). Others receiving special recognition are Lewiston High School tennis coaches Ron Chicoine and Anita Murphy and track and field coach Ray Putnam. College athletes Brent Dube, Kristen Gaylord and Amy Sarrazin, as well as high school athletes Troy Barnies, Matt Cyr, Brittany French, Emily Lewandowski, James Morin, Toby Poirier, Kurt Thibeault and Jared Turcotte were also awarded the Presidents Award.