Northwestern University Athletics
Northwestern Announces 2005-06 Hall of Fame Induction Class
1/9/2006 12:00:00 AM | General
UPDATE: Photos of the inductees and their families now are available in the induction photo gallery.
Jan. 9, 2006
EVANSTON, Ill. -- Northwestern will induct four athletes and one honorary member into its Athletic Hall of Fame Friday, Feb. 3, 2006. The Hall of Fame's 22nd class also will be honored at halftime of the Northwestern-Michigan State men's basketball game on Saturday, Feb. 4. The induction ceremony and dinner take place at 6 p.m. at the Allen Center on Northwestern's Evanston campus.
The Athletic Hall of Fame was inaugurated in 1984 to honor former athletes, coaches and administrators who have helped establish a proud tradition in intercollegiate competition at Northwestern. Individuals are eligible for Hall of Fame recognition beginning five years after their final competition at NU.
This year's five inductees increase Northwestern's Hall of Fame membership to 122.
Following are brief summaries of the inductees' careers.
• D'Wayne Bates, Football (1995-98) -- Helping bring the Purple to Pasadena in 1995, Bates had a breakout freshman year racking up a team-leading 49 catches for 889 yards, including a season-best 145 yards vs. USC in the Rose Bowl. Proving this to be no fluke, he backed those stats up in 1996 by setting NU records for receiving yards (1,196) and touchdown catches (12).
In 1997, Bates was expected to lead the offense in defending Northwestern's back-to-back Big Ten titles. However, a fractured fibula sidelined him for all but one game of his junior season. Bates returned for his final season in 1998 in a big way, having career highs in catches (83) and receiving yards (1,245). In addition, he was named first-team All-Big Ten for the second time.
In just three seasons, Bates set Northwestern's career marks for total receptions (210), touchdown catches (26) and receiving yards (3,370). At the time of his induction, he ranked sixth on the Big Ten Conference's career list for receiving yards and fifth for total receptions.
Bates played professionally with the Chicago Bears and the Minnesota Vikings, with his best season coming in 2002 with the Vikings (50 catches for 689 yards and 4 TD's).
• Evan Eschmeyer, Men's Basketball (1995-99) -- Eschmeyer is the only player in Northwestern men's basketball history to be named a three-time first-team All-Big Ten selection and the last player to receive All-America honors. Eschmeyer is the Wildcats' second-leading all-time scorer with 1,805 career points. He was named the team's MVP for the same three years he earned All-Big Ten accolades (1997, '98 and '99). Eschmeyer, who was slowed by a foot injury early in his career, led the 'Cats in scoring, field goal percentage, rebounding and blocks all three of those years.
While he finished second in all-time scoring, he ranks first on NU's career charts for field goal percentage (.595) and rebounds (995). The 6-foot-11 center is second in career blocks with 132, one behind NU leader Kevin Rankin. On the school's single-season charts, he posted NU bests for points (585 in 1997-98), field goal percentage (.613 in 1996-97) and free throws (208 in 1998-99). Eschmeyer led the Wildcats to an NIT postseason appearance his senior season (1998-99), the year in which he earned All-America recognition.
Following his collegiate career, Eschmeyer was drafted by the New Jersey Nets and had a four-year NBA career, which ended Oct. 23, 2004 when he announced his retirement after a long bout with knee problems. His best year came in 1999-2000, when he averaged 3.4 points and 4.9 rebounds per game for the Nets. He also played with the Golden State Warriors before retiring as a Dallas Maverick.
• Marjorie Gantman, Women's Tennis (1994-97) -- A three-time All-Big Ten selection, Gantman holds NU's all-time record for fewest sets lost in a season (six in 1993-94). During her career, she tied a then-Northwestern record with 29 wins her freshman season (1993-94), only to break that mark with a 30-win campaign in 1995-96. Northwestern's first women's tennis player to reach 100 career victories, Gantman finished her career with a 103-56 record, including a 35-11 mark in Big Ten competition.
Also an accomplished doubles player, Gantman notched a 22-7 record in Big Ten doubles competition during her career. She received Academic All-Big Ten honors in 1995, 1996 and 1997.
• Madelyn Meneghetti, Volleyball (1981-84) -- A second-team All-America selection in 1984, Meneghetti is one of only two players in Northwestern history to garner national recognition. She played a key role in leading the Wildcats to Big Ten championships in 1983 and '84.
Meneghetti concluded her career with 1,490 kills, which ranked fourth on Northwestern's all-time list at the time of her induction. She still holds single-season school mark for kills (596), and is second in kills per game (4.45) and fourth in hitting percentage (.285). She was one of six players named to the Big Ten's All-Decade second team, joining teammate and NU Hall-of-Famer Patty Walsh on that squad. Meneghetti also participated in the 1982 and 1983 Olympic Festivals.
Following the conclusion of her collegiate career, Meneghetti was invited to the U.S. Volleyball team trials. There, she was one of the nine players selected from 64 hopefuls, joining three returning players who made the 1985 U.S. National Team. After that she played in West Germany and Italy, before returning to Chicago where she was the top draft pick of the Chicago Breeze of Major League Volleyball.
• Jacquelyn "Jackie" J. Fie, Honorary Inductee (Class of 1959) -- A 1979 inductee into the USA Gymnastics Hall of Fame, Fie has dedicated 50-plus years of her life to the sport of gymnastics. While as a student at Northwestern, she earned a berth on the 1956 U.S. Olympic team and participated in one Olympic competition at the Melbourne Games.
Following her graduation from Northwestern in 1959, she has remained heavily involved in the sport through present day. Fie is the only American to rise to the Presidency of an FIG (Federation of International Gymnastics) Technical Committee and the first woman to have an administrative position with the National Governing Board for Gymnastics in the United States. A. Bruce Frederick, noted gymnastic historian, says Fie has made several admirable contributions to the sport, but perhaps her most important contribution is taking a leading stance on increasing the degree of honesty applied to performer's scores.
She has served as the Technical Director for Women's Artistic Gymnastics at the past three Olympic Games (1996, 2000 and 2004) and has been a Brevet Judge official for 41 FIG Official competitions, more than any women's artistic gymnastics judge in history.
Fie was identified by Frederick as an American Gymnastic Centurion -- individuals who have made the greatest impact on gymnastics in the United States.
For reservations to the 2005-06 Northwestern Athletic Hall of Fame induction ceremony, please call Jean Yale at 847-491-3694 by Jan. 27.
