LEXINGTON, Va. – Washington and Lee University has announced the 37th class to be inducted into the Athletics Hall of Fame in a ceremony this fall.
Six inductees were selected to be honored during the fall ceremony: Mike Wenke '79 (Men's Basketball), Hilary Martin '98 '04L (Volleyball), former men's lacrosse head coach Jim Stagnitta, Tim McGlaston '08 (Men's Swimming), Sarah Tilbor '08 (Women's Lacrosse), and Zander Tallman '14 (Men's Track and Field).
The 37th class will be inducted on October 11, 2024. More details about the ceremony and events will follow.
W&L Athletic Hall of Fame Class of 2024
Mike Wenke '79
Mike Wenke is a four-time letterwinner for the men's basketball team and was named a senior captain for the '78-79 season. As a first-year, Wenke earned a starting role as the point guard who led the team to the Virginia College Athletic Association conference championship and the program's first two Old Dominion Athletic Conference championship teams in 1977 and 1978. In his four years, he guided the Generals to a total of 81 wins (.743) and compiled a W&L record of 683 career assists and 206 steals. Forty-four years later, these records remain with Wenke: the single-game assists record (17 vs York on 11/26/77), the top three spots for assists in a season (259 - '77-78, 196 - '76-77, and 135- '78-79) and assists per game.
Hilary Martin '98 '04L
A four-year letterwinner from the 1994-97 volleyball seasons, Hilary Martin was a four-time All-ODAC selection and served as team captain for her junior and senior seasons. After her sophomore campaign, Martin was named ODAC Player of the Year and helped the Generals to the program's first league championship title. Martin went on to be a three-time VaSID All-State selection and led the Generals to 96 wins overall and 35 conference victories in her four seasons and another ODAC crown as a senior. The 1997 championship run kick-started W&L's volleyball dominance of 11 championships in 12 years. In the record books, Hilary still sits in first in single-game hitting percentage with 0.867 ('95), fourth in single-game blocks with 10 ('96), sixth in career serve percentage with 0.950, seventh in career hitting percentage with 0.295, ninth in single-game kills with 24 ('95), and tenth in career blocks with 262.
Jim Stagnitta
The men's lacrosse head coach for 12 seasons from 1990-2001, Jim Stagnitta left as the program's all-time wins leader with a 136-42 overall record. Coach Stagnitta guided the Generals to six ODAC titles and six NCAA Tournament appearances, including each of his final four seasons, when the team went a combined 56-8 overall. The 2000 team went 16-2 overall and advanced to the semifinals of the NCAA Tournament, while the 2001 team went 14-1 overall and was the top-ranked program in the country for much of the season. The Generals were ranked in the Division III Top 25 for all 12 seasons when he was at the helm, and won at least nine games every year. Stagnitta coached his players to 40 All-America citations and four were named ODAC Player of the Year. The four-time ODAC Coach of the Year went on to coach at Rutgers and professionally with the Denver Outlaws and Charlotte Hounds of Major League Lacrosse and the Whipsnakes of the Premier Lacrosse League.
Tim McGlaston '08
A four-year letterwinner for the men's swimming team, Tim McGlaston helped the team to a 32-5 overall record during his four seasons from 2004 through 2008 and was a four-time All-Bluegrass Mountain selection. McGlaston helped the Generals finish 14th at the NCAA Championships as a sophomore and eighth as a junior and senior, and he earned a total of nine All-America citations over his career, including six First Team All-America finishes. He received First Team All-America honors four times at the 2008 NCAA Championships: individually in the 50 free and as a member of the record-setting 200 medley (1:33.36), 200 free relay (1:21.55) and 400 free relay (3:02.53) teams. McGlaston was the 2008 recipient of the William McHenry Scholar-Athlete Award and a recipient of an NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship.
Sarah Tilbor '08
A women's lacrosse goalie standout, Sarah Tilbor earned four letters and started every game across her four seasons. In her 78 games in the crease, Tilbor helped lead W&L to a 63-15 overall record, four ODAC titles and never lost a game to an ODAC opponent in her career. During her career the Generals recorded four NCAA Tournament berths and Tilbor established a program-record 6.44 career goals-against average and a .564 career save percentage. She finished her career ranked third all-time at W&L in saves (513) and fifth in career save percentage. Tilbor earned First Team All-ODAC laurels as a sophomore and senior, and was a Second Team All-ODAC performer as a first-year and junior. The three-time VaSID All-State selection was named First Team All-Region as a senior and was a second team pick as a sophomore and junior. Nationally, Tilbor received First Team All-America recognition as a senior from the IWLCA, InsideLacrosse.com and womenslacrosse.com, in addition to being named the National Goalkeeper of the Year from all three publications. Tilbor was the first W&L women's lacrosse recipient of the C. Markland Kelley National Goalkeeper of the Year award.
Zander Tallman '14
A four-year letterwinner as a member of the men's track & field team, Zander Tallman served as a team captain for his junior season. Tallman graduated holding five individual school records and was a member of three record-setting relay teams for eight total program records. Over his four years, he was a 15-time ODAC Champion, earning 21 All-ODAC citations: 15 First Team, five Second Team and one Third Team. Tallman was voted ODAC Athlete of the Meet on two occasions and was named the ODAC Indoor Rookie Athlete of the Meet as a first-year. On the national stage, the General was a five-time NCAA Championship qualifier. Tallman competed in the 400 meters at the 2012 NCAA Indoor Track & Field Championships (49.82) and the 200 meters (22.26), as well as the 400 meters (48.90) at the 2012 NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships. In 2013, Tallman qualified for the 400 meters at the NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships but did not participate. The next season he qualified for the 400 meters at the 2014 NCAA Indoor Track & Field Championships, finishing third to earn a First Team All-America nod, W&L's first men's track & field All-American since 1969. During the outdoor season, Tallman qualified in the 400 meters and 4x100 at NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships. The senior went on to win the National Championship in the 400 meters with a school-record time of 47.19 to earn First Team All-America honors, and helped the 4x100 meter relay team finish ninth at nationals with a school-record time of 41.24. Tallman collected a pair of USTFCCCA South/Southeast Regional Athlete of the Year accolades. At the department's award banquet, Tallman was named the 2011 W&L Outstanding First-Year Athlete Award recipient and the 2014 Pres Brown Senior Male Athlete Award winner.
Nestled in the mountains of Virginia, Washington and Lee University is a proud member of NCAA Division III and the Old Dominion Athletic Conference. Founded in 1749, W&L is the ninth-oldest college in the United States and a top-ranked liberal arts university. With over 500 student-athletes in 24 varsity sports, the Generals have celebrated over 265 conference championships. Learn more about the Blue and White by visiting www.generalssports.com or on social media at @WLUGenerals.
