EMMITSBURG, Md.  (January 30, 2023) – During Winter Homecoming, Mount St. Mary's athletics inducted six former student-athletes, coaches, and contributors to the program as members of the Hall of Fame.
 
Jackie Israel Abercrombie, T.C. DiBartolo, Megan Molloy, Dave Reeder, and Kelli Stevens Heister received their honors in a ceremony this past Saturday. Michael Merritt was honored posthumously.
 
Jackie Israel Abercrombie, C'93, Track & Field

Primarily running in the dashes during her time in Emmitsburg, Jackie Israel ensured a spot in the record books up to the present day. For outdoor events, Israel held the school record in the 400 meter race for 29 years before Chayls Caruth edged her top time by four-hundredths of a second. On the outdoor circuit she also holds a tie for sixth place in the 100 meter and several spots in relay races. As for the indoor circuit, Israel also excelled in the 400 meter, continuing to hold down the second best time in program history. That goes along with top 10 times for the 55 and 500 meter events.

Her efforts were not lost on the Northeast Conference, as she was a recipient Israel 10 All-NEC Honors throughout her career. Determined by finishes in championships, she earned a pair of first place finishes and eight runner-up marks. The wins came in the outdoor season – a 200 meter win in 1992 and a 400 meter win in 1993.

T.C. DiBartolo, C'11, Men's Lacrosse

A four-year starter for the Mount in goal, DiBartolo minded the net for some Mount teams that reached historic heights. He earned spots on all-conference teams every year, taking First Team honors as a freshman, junior and senior. In his ultimate season, he guided the Mountaineers to the Northeast Conference title, garnering Tournament MVP honors along the way.

When DiBartolo's career finished, he was the program's all-time leader in career saves with 726 and wins with 28, records that hold to this day. His totals regarding goals against average and save percentage are also in the top 10 for goalies all-time.

Turning the team's fortunes around, his presence transformed a two-win team his freshman year into a 12-win finalist and a junior and a conference champion as a team. More recognitions came in the form of an Honorable Mention All-American honor and an appearance in the USILA North-South game.
After graduating, he joined Coach Gravante's staff as an assistant coach for a few seasons.

Michael E. Merritt, C'79, Track & Field

Merritt was a 1979 graduate of the Mount, running for legendary coach Jim Deegan. But his Hall of Fame credentials are largely based on his professional career as a coach in his own right.

Named the head women's track coach in 1988, he coached that team for 12 years up to 2000. Five years into his tenure, he took on the role of coaching the men as well. Domination comes to mind when it came to championships for his teams, as an impressive 35 percent of them went on the win the conference title. Cross country featured the most victories with eight, followed closely by outdoor track with seven and indoor track with five. In 16 instances, Merritt was named Northeast Conference Coach of the Year.

Along with the outstanding teams came outstanding student-athletes, many of whom became All-Americans and All-NEC performers. One of those, Cliff Wong, went on to compete for his home nation of Guyana in the 1996 Atlanta Olympics.

Megan E. Molloy, C'00, Women's Soccer/Women's Lacrosse

A two-sport student-athlete, Molloy focused on soccer in the fall semester and lacrosse in the spring semester.

Arriving from Herndon, Virginia, she was recruited by Coach Wayne Sanchez to play soccer for the Mount and joined Coach Jenny Miller's lacrosse team – at the time an upstart program for the college. Molloy served as a mainstay starter for soccer, competing 70 times with 62 starts. The games played mark served as a school record for a few years. Teams she competed on played in the NEC Tournament five times – three for lacrosse and twice for soccer.

Her tenacity inspired many accolades, including serving as captain for both teams. She was MVP of the soccer team in 1999 and placed on the NEC's Academic Team in 2000. As Molloy wrapped up her career, she was the 2000 recipient of the John M. Kolon Award as the Most Outstanding Female Athlete and Scholar.

After graduation, Molloy volunteered as a youth coach and was recognized as a Top 40 Under 40 for acumen in the American business community.

Keli Stevens Heister, C'04, Women's Soccer

Competing for four seasons on the women's soccer team, Stevens burst onto the scene as a freshman with three goals and three assists. That proved to be just the beginning, as she ended her career third in points scored and tied for fourth in goals. As things stand today, Stevens remains seventh in the former category and eighth in the latter. Stevens also ranks in prominence for assists, standing in a four-way tie for 11^th place with seven during her career.

The Northeast Conference took notice of her achievements as a junior and a senior, receiving First Team All-NEC honors in 2002 and 2003. That makes Stevens one of four players to have played for the Mount and taken more than one First Team honor. Her senior year was by far her most accomplished, logging a total of 19 points. That includes eight goals, still third-most in program history, with game winners against Delaware State and Wagner, and a pair of multi-goal efforts.

David C. Reeder

Reeder has served as a valuable employee for Mount St. Mary's for 31 years, all the while serving as a promoter, booster, and contributor for athletics. It began in 1990 when Dave was hired as the Director of Sports Information, a position he held for five years. Along the way, he assisted in the program's transition to a Division I institution, promoting the team as a "new" member of the Northeast Conference. He showcased the accolades of the three-time champion women's basketball team and their appearances in the NCAA Tournament.

Moving to financial aid in 1995, Reeder served that department for more than 20 years, both as an assistant and a director. He continued to be involved in athletics, notably in the appointment of more than 15 coaches and administrators to that department over the years. Current Associate AD for Athletic Communications Mark Vandergrift, Head Men's Soccer Coach Bryan Cunningham and Head Water Polo Coach Alyssa Diacono were hired based by committee recommendations that Reeder sat on. Another item of note were participations on athletic department reviews, recommending the addition of women's swimming and an expansion of the track roster. The expansion resulted in a tripling of that roster size over a 15-year period. 

Retiring in 2021 from full-time service, Reeder continues to have an impact, including his service as the public address announcer for women's basketball games.