Saint Ignatius College Prep Athletic Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony

Saint Ignatius College Prep Athletic Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony Friday, March 21 st, 2014 5:00pm: Reception 6:30pm: Induction Ceremony Coaches: Mr. Thomas McKenna Mr. John Tracy (Dec d) Individual Athletes: Mr. Charles J. Casselo, Jr. 60- Men s Varsity Football Mr. Thomas R. Finnin (Dec d) 46 Men s Varsity Football Mrs. Megan Basil Song 94 Women s Varsity Basketball Teams: 1948-1951 Men s Cross Country Teams 1998 Boys Varsity Soccer Team

Mr. Thomas McKenna was born and raised in Chicago s South Shore neighborhood. He graduated from St. Philip Neri grammar school, Mendel Catholic High School, and the University of Notre Dame. Tom began his teaching career at St. Felicitas Grammar School where he taught junior high language arts and coached volleyball, softball and basketball. While at St. Felicitas from 1968-1976, his 8th grade basketball teams from 1968 1976 had a 384 win / 51 loss record. These teams won three CYO city championships in1970, 1972 and 1975; finished in CYO city second place in 1971, 1973, 1974, and won 42 tournament championships. Tom s high school teaching and coaching career started at Leo High School in 1976- where he coached the freshman basketball team and assisted with the varsity. After a three-year business career, he returned to teaching and coaching at Saint Ignatius College Prep in 1980. After coaching the boy's sophomore basketball team for four years, Tom became the girls varsity coach in 1986. During Tom s 23-year coaching tenure from 1986-2009, the Ignatius girls varsity basketball team won 407 games including 3 Girls Catholic Athletic Conference championships in 1990, 1991, and 2001. In Illinois High School Association Tournament competition, the team won 15 IHSA Regional Championships, 2 IHSA Sectional Championships and played in 2 IHSA Supersectional games. The team had 12 seasons with 20+ wins and placed first in 10 tournaments. The team was ranked in the top 20 in the area and the state during 15 seasons. Basketball alumna from the period include 7 all-state players, and 7 all-area players as well as over 30 players who advanced to play in college. Fifteen of these alumni played in Division I schools, 7 of those in the Ivy League. Sixteen additional players played at Division II or III schools. One alumnae played professionally in Europe and Asia. Tom was inducted into the Girls Catholic Athletic Conference Hall of Fame in 2003. He was inducted into the Illinois Basketball Coaches Association Hall of Fame in 2010. He has been awarded 3 Illinois Basketball Coaches Association District Coach of the Year. Tom has been married to Mary Pat Wrenn for 38 years. Their family includes two sons, Jude 01 and Liam 04, daughterin-law Katie Karpinski '04 and grandson, Shane Michael McKenna, who joined the family on 3/12/14. Mr. John Tracy (Dec d) was a four-year varsity basketball player at Brother Rice High School. John competed in every varsity game for four years and was the leading scorer for three of his four years. The Brother Rice Crusader team captured the DePaul University holiday tournament title in 1962. John earned All-Chicago Catholic League status in his junior and senior years. During his senior year, John was named to that All-State team and is ranked as the third leading scorer in Brother Rice basketball history. John was inducted into the inaugural class of the Brother Rice Hall of Fame in 2011. John continued to play basketball at the university of Notre Dame on scholarship. John lettered as a sophomore at Notre Dame. After two years on the varsity basketball squad, John moved to the position of assistant coach on Coach Johnny Dee s staff, working with Gene Sullivan and the freshman squad. John moved on to coaching basketball in the high school ranks as head coach of Marquette High School in Michigan City Indiana for three different stints. He amassed 289 wins and earned Area Coach of the Year on 4 separate occasions. His teams won four conference titles and four tournament titles. John returned home to Chicago where he served as the varsity basketball coach at Saint Ignatius College Prep from 1992 2002. Under his direction in 2000, the Wolfpack basketball won its first Catholic League title in 42 years and were Sectional Champs in the Illinois High School Association tournament. In that same year, John was named Chicago Catholic League Coach of the Year and Illinois Basketball Coaches Association Regional Coach of the Year. John was inducted into the Chicago Catholic League Hall of Fame in 2012. Although John did not attend Saint Ignatius, he is a part of its rich legacy. John s father, John Tracy Sr, was a coach at Saint Ignatius for many years and is a member of the Saint Ignatius Hall of Fame. John enjoyed the support of his family and friends. John passed away on March 16 th, 2013. He is survived by his children John Tracy III (Cheri), Kristine Tracy Lewis (Matthew); stepdaughter Lauren Laramore; mother of his children Mary Laramore; and brothers James Tracy and Timothy Tracy. He is also remembered fondly by his many friends.

Mr. Charles J. Casselo, Jr. 60 was raised 5 minutes from Saint Ignatius on Taylor Street in Little Italy. He attended Holy Guardian Angel grammar school. As an 8 th grader, he was offered a full scholarship for basketball and football from Gordon Tech High School. His parents would not allow it. Chuck participated in sports activities all four years at Saint Ignatius. As a senior, he was co-captain of the football team. He played a major role for Saint Ignatius by leading his team to the Catholic League Playoffs. As a 140lb running back, Chuck scored more touchdowns than games he played in. He was one of the top scorers, not only in the Catholic League, but in the City in 1959. Had Chuck not scored a single touchdown, Saint Ignatius would not have gone to the Catholic League Playoffs. After graduation he accepted a scholarship for football to St. Joseph s in Rensselaer, Indiana. Following school Chuck worked briefly and then was drafted into the United States Army and served 1 tour in Vietnam. After two years of active duty and having an honorable discharge, his employment career included construction, selling insurance for Prudential; he was a financial consultant with Merrill Lynch, Integrated Resources and Mutual Service Corporation. His last 10 years of employment were spent with the CTA s Engineering and Structures Department. On July 7, 2005, while track maintenance was being performed, a female flagger fell and hit her head on the third rail and remained in contact with the third rail. Chuck grabbed a wooden flag stick and helped remove her from the third rail, whereby saving her life. Because of his action, the American Red Cross of Greater Chicago awarded Chuck the Adult Good Samaritan Hero Award for performing an act of heroism involving an unusual, significant or unexpected incident requiring a courageous or selfless reaction in a crisis. As a retiree, Chuck spends his time traveling and just being lazy. Mr. Thomas R. Finnin (Dec d) 46 grew up on the West Side of Chicago and won a football scholarship to the University of Detriot and later was named to the Titans Hall of Fame. He was drafted by the New York Giants, but he never played for that team. Instead, he was drafted into the Army, where he served in the military police in Korea. While overseas, Thomas was traded to the Baltimore Colts. As a starting defensive left tackle from 1951-1956, he was part of the Colts defensive line known as the Ferocious Five. He completed his NFL career with the Green Bay Packers in 1957. In 1955, Thomas married Florence Williams and began working as a Chicago police officer during the off-season. "When he played football, they were only making about $10,000 a year," said his daughter Florence. His father told him, You need to find a job with an income and a pension so that your family has security. Mr. Finnin was promoted to sergeant in 1961 and served at various police stations on the West and Northwest Sides, retiring as a sergeant of detectives of violent crimes. At 6-foot-3 and more than 300 pounds, "He struck fear into the heart of many a criminal," said his daughter. Thomas, who sported a head of thick, white hair since age 30, "stood out in a crowd." He was a founding member of the Fraternal Order of Police's Chicago lodge. He was a quiet man who "never ever bragged about his accomplishments," according to his daughter. "Some people never even knew he played football." Thomas passed away on June 22 nd, 2003. He is survived by his wife Florence Williams and his daughter Florence, as well as two other daughters, Julie Paso and Joan Finnin; a son, Thomas E.; a sister, Joan Harcharick; three grandsons; and two granddaughters. Mrs. Megan Basil Song 94 is the fourth of five Basil children, all of whom grew up in Chicago s Norwood Park and attended Saint Ignatius. After four years of Ignatius basketball, including 2.5 years playing Varsity for the talented and motivating Tom McKenna, Megan headed east to Harvard College. At Harvard, she earned four Varsity letters and was the starting point guard and co-captain of the 1997-98 team that became the only 16 th seed in the history of the NCAA tournament, either men s or women s, to upset a one seed (Stanford). Megan worked as an Admissions Officer at Harvard College, earned an EdM from the Harvard Graduate School of Education, and married one of her best friends and the captain of the Harvard ski team, Soyoun Song. They live with their four children in Cambridge, MA, just blocks from where they met nearly 20 years ago.

1948-1951 Men s Cross Country Team(s) In the final analysis the most striking fact about the 1948-51 St. Ignatius cross country teams is that they rocketed from inception to serial champions in the space of five short years. Beginning in 1947 as a new sport at St. Ignatius, the young men who joined the cross country team under the direction of Coach Edmund Eddy Butler transformed themselves through hard work, dedication to the sport, and trust in their teammates into champions. In the fine tradition already established by the track teams coached by Ralph Mailliard the will to succeed was already there. Nothing in the 1940s and 1950s St. Ignatius High School sports scene was upscale or plush. All the teams (and there were only boy s teams) made do with Spartan facilities and minimal equipment. The cross country team dressed at St. Ignatius and traveled daily on the rather dilapidated school bus to Chicago s Douglas Park to find open space and grass on which to run. There were also occasional forays to Lake Shore Drive where the Loyola University cross country team trained. Major highlights for the teams were the years they traveled to Culver, Indiana for a meet against the Eagles of Culver Military Academy. There the team members saw first class facilities and a true championship cross country course and ran and won. Yet, in the best tradition of what doesn t kill you makes you stronger, the conditions under which the teams practiced and competed served to help them bond. Running with very good, but never national class runners, the St. Ignatius Wolves won their meets on team strength. Under the no nonsense coaching of Eddy Butler, from 1948 to 1951, they took the Chicago Catholic League Cross Country Championship four years in a row. To add to their laurels, the teams had 20 consecutive wins, captured the Midwest A.A.U. title twice, the City title three times and added another trophy to the case by winning the inaugural DePaul Invitational Meet. Over this period some team members competed in cross country during their entire four years at St. Ignatius. Others came into the squads as sophomores, juniors or even seniors but quickly committed themselves. However they came, they came to run hard and win. The end result a championship tradition that carries through to the present day. Moreover, the young men who experienced those early victories (and losses), and those who followed them, gained something much more valuable than athletic applause. They experienced the thrill of success, learned the benefits of persistence and positive attitude and felt pride in their accomplishments that they carried with them throughout the rest of their lives. Runners from one or more of the 1948-1951 Cross Country Team(s) Mr. William J. Anzalone (Dec'd) '50 Mr. Leonard S. Belmonte '52 Mr. Robert G. Bobowski '52 Mr. Constantine A. Cataldo '51 Mr. Thomas E. Coyne '51 Mr. George J. Cullen '53 Mr. Frank J. Doerr, Jr. '51 Mr. J. P. Doyle '51 Mr. William E. Durack '50 Mr. John L. Ewers (Dec'd) '51 Mr. John M. Falasz, Jr. '49 Mr. Daniel P. Finley '51 Thomas E. Guerin '51 Deacon Thomas L. Hayden '51 Mr. Thomas J. Healey '48 Mr. Joseph A. Kazek '51 Mr. Joseph N. Leo '51 Mr. Robert S. Majeske '49 Col. Raymond G. Mayer, U.S.A.(Ret.) '51 Mr. James E. McLaughlin '48 Mr. Jacob P. Meerman '48 Mr. Donald G. Melaven (Dec'd) '50 Dr. Maurice J. Moore (Dec'd) '49 Mr. Alex J. Morelli, Jr. '51 Dr. Edward A. Morin '52 Mr. Donald F. Mulligan (Dec'd) '49 Dr. Robert V. Nolan '48 Mr. Joseph M. Noonan '51 Dr. James A. Nowlan '51 Mr. David E. O'Connell '51 Mr. Paul C. O'Shea Rev. Francis J. Royer '49 Mr. Joseph L. Ruane '51 Mr. Harold T. Scully '50 Mr. Brian P. Shanahan (Dec'd) '49 Mr. William A. Shea (Dec'd) '51 Mr. James W. Sheehan '52 Mr. Robert J. Sherry '50 Mr. Albert J. Starshak '51 Col. Jon C. Vanden Bosch '51 Mr. William E. VonDriska (Dec'd) '51 Mr. Thomas J. Welsh, III '48 Rev. Edward J. Whelan '52

1998 Boys Varsity Soccer Team The Saint Ignatius Boys Soccer Program has grown tremendously since its formation in 1970. In 1998, one hundred twenty-eight years into the school s history and 29 years into the boys soccer program, there was one team with title dreams- The 1998 Boys Varsity Soccer Team. Led by head coach Mr. James Luzzi 65 and assistant coach Mr. John Chandler, the team gave the student body its kicks with an exciting ride through the playoffs, culminating in a trip to Edwardsville to play in the IHSA Class A State Tournament. Coach Luzzi and assistant Coach Chandler took their first team down state to play Normal University High at Southern Illinois University. The joyous ride ended with a hard-fought 1-0 loss to U-High. The Wolfpack fought U-High to a stalemate after one half and the first 18 minutes of the second half, until a U-High striker put one in the net. The defeat could not put a damper on the wonderful season as the soccer team finished with a 16-8-1 record, including a 7-1 Chicago Catholic League North record that gained them a share of the championship. 1998 Boys Varsity Soccer Team IHSA Sweet Sixteen IHSA Elite Eight IHSA Regional Champions IHSA Sectional Champions Chicago Catholic League Champions Mr. Lewis A. Babinski '00 Mr. David F. Barrett '00 Mr. Steven M. Bylina, III '99 Mr. Joseph R. Cadayona '99 Mr. Benjamin W. C. Carney '00 Mr. Ian C. Coelho '99 Mr. Sean Blake Collins '00 Mr. David C. Driscoll '00 Mr. David J. Drogos '99 Mr. Benny Garcia '99 Mr. William J. Gatziolis '00 Mr. Sean T. Geoghegan '99 Mr. Brian T. Jacobs '00 Mr. Christopher E. Klich '00 Mr. Alfred A. Koritsaris '99 Mr. David R. LeBreton '99 Mr. Matthew R. Litke '99 Mr. Andrew V. Luczak-Glubisz '00 Mr. Michael W. Narea '99 Mr. Francis J. O'Hara '00 Mr. Tyler C. Sadek '99 Mr. Mark A. Sandoval '00 Mr. Nicholas P. Stacey '99 Mr. Jim W. Wall '99 Mr. Brendan R. Watson '00 Mr. John H. Wray '99