On Saturday, April 20, NDB held its first Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony to honor the first class of alumnae athletes. The inaugural lunch was planned to coincide with the Centennial year of NDB after having been in the process of establishment for numerous years.
The Hall of Fame was set to take place the day after Aquacades, NDB’s biggest spirit event of the year, in the hopes that this would act as a homecoming for alumnae and allow for more festivities to take place.
On the day of the event, attendees were invited to the Moore Pavilion for lunch, which was provided by the Epicurean Group. The ceremony then commenced with speeches about each inductee, given by both current Athletic Director Christina Okubo and former Athletic Director Jason Levine.
Levine began planning the institution of the event and felt it would be fitting to return for its completion.
This year, there were six inductees – Four of whom were former players, one who had been an influential athletic director and one successful team.
The first alumna to be called to the stage was Loren Gualco-Coleman, a member of the Class of 1997. Gualco-Coleman had been a trisport athlete, competing in volleyball, basketball and track and field. She was voted the most valuable player on the basketball team for all four years, was nominated for all-league honors each year, and continues to hold NDB records. In track and field, she qualified for the state championships in high jumping and set a record in the event, which stood until 2023.
Chioma Igwe ‘04 is the only NDB student to be inducted into the Peninsula Sports Hall of Fame. She played four years of varsity soccer and was awarded West Catholic Athletic League (WCAL) Player of the Year in 2004 before continuing on to a career in her sport, playing professionally and for the United States.
The next to be inducted was Bill Harke, who was NDB’s athletic director from 1993 until his departure in 1997. Harke was the main person to establish NDB’s Athletics Department and laid the groundwork for how the program is currently run.
Katie Smoot from the NDB Class of 2017 was inducted due to her outstanding volleyball career. She was the varsity team’s most valuable player during all of her four years and was the Bay Area Player of the Year as a senior, along with being ranked number 63 in the country. After her time at NDB, Smoot continued playing, first at the University of Arizona and then at UC Berkeley.
The final player to be inducted was Sheila Langrock ‘77. Langrock was a softball player and one of the first female athletes to receive a scholarship to Cal Poly after the passing of Title IX. In 1977, she was named to the league all-star team and was NDB’s athlete of the year.
The final inductee was the 2004 varsity soccer team. They had been the WCAL and Central Coast Section (CCS) champions. Eight of these players had been named all-league players, and 11 of them went on to play in college.
“I had an amazing experience at Notre Dame, and I could not be more honored to receive this type of award,” said Igwe, who was inducted both personally and as a member of the 2004 soccer team. “It’s kind of a culmination of many good times. Many good memories here at the school, on and off the field. So, to hear that Notre Dame felt the same way is a blessing.”
The start of the biannual Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony has provided a celebration of the sports that NDB offers. The recognition of former athletes allows the school to appreciate the impact it has had on such students and recognize the importance of its athletic program, both in the past and continuing into the future.
