Kenyon College President Decatur Addresses Packed House

Michael Bonomo ’02
Swimming

In the first two years of his Kenyon career, Michael Bonomo transformed himself from a breaststroker to distance specialist. Within that short time, he went on to capture the title in the 1,650-yard freestyle at the 2000 NCAA Championship.

The amazing transition did not end there. Bonomo forged ahead to claim the 1,650-yard freestyle titles, in record time, at the next two NCAA Championships (2001 and 2002) and became the first swimmer in Kenyon history to win the grueling event for three straight seasons.

Overall, Bonomo was a ten-time NCAA All-American. He was the team’s 1999 Carl A. Weiant Memorial Plaque winner and the 2000 Coach’s Award winner. He was voted team captain his senior year and was the recipient of the team’s 2002 Stephen E. Bennett Memorial Award.

Bob Liegner ’78
Lacrosse

Bob Liegner was a four-year letterwinner, a team Most Valuable Player and a three-time All-Midwest honoree as the goalkeeper for the Lords lacrosse team.

Throughout his final three seasons of play, Liegner produced save percentages that ranked among the top-ten goaltenders in the NCAA. In the 1977 season, he ranked No. 2 in the nation.

Liegner finished with a .715 career save percentage, which still stands as a Kenyon record. He also amassed 553 career saves for an average of 16.76 saves per games. Both those numbers ranked second-best at Kenyon at the time of his graduation and his saves-per-game average still ranks 12th in NCAA history.

All those saves added up to a sparkling 7.54 career goals against average, which remains the third-best mark among all Kenyon keepers.
 

Carrie Nealon ’92
Swimming

Carrie Nealon emerged as the Ladies’ first elite distance swimmer. As a freshman, she captured conference titles in the 200- and 500-yard freestyle events, as well as the 800-yard freestyle relay, and claimed third place in the 1,650-yard freestyle. Her times in the 500 and 800 relay were both conference records.

When it came time for the national meet, Nealon stepped up to win the Ladies’ first-ever NCAA title in the 1,650-yard freestyle. She also helped win an NCAA title in the 800-yard freestyle relay and nailed down runner-up finishes in the 200- and 500-yard freestyle races.

A year later, Nealon, a 14-time All-American, doubled-up on the distance titles, defending her NCAA crowns in both the 1,650-yard freestyle and the 800-yard freestyle relay. She also tacked on a third-place showing in the 500-yard freestyle.

Karen Schell ’99
Basketball

During Karen Schell’s four-year run, the Ladies basketball team compiled a combined 71-34 record, including an amazing 26-2 mark during a 1996-97 season in which Kenyon claimed its first North Coast Athletic Conference regular-season and tournament championships, as well as its first-ever berth into the NCAA Division III Tournament.

Her career numbers included 1,443 points and 925 career rebounds, a total that still stands as the program all-time record. Additionally, Schell still holds the Kenyon career records for field goal percentage (.535), free throws made (403) and blocked shots (131).

During her senior season, Schell averaged a double-double (15. 2 points and 10.0 rebounds) and was voted the 1999 NCAC Player of the Year. In 2004, the conference named her one of just 10 players to make the NCAC 20th Anniversary All-Decade Team.
 

Scott Sherman ’94
Tennis, Cross Country

Scott Sherman played in three NCAA Singles Championships. He lost in the first round of the 1991 bracket, but bounced back with All-America performances that carried him into third-round play at both the 1993 and 1994 championships. He was a seven-time all-conference player and also competed in the 1993 NCAA Doubles Championship, posting a 1-1 mark.
              
Sherman compiled a 73-26 career singles record, which, at the time, was the best win total in program history. He was a two-time team MVP and at the end of his senior year he was named an Academic All-America, an NCAC Scholar-Athlete and the winner of Kenyon’s Falkenstine Award.

Sherman, who also ran cross country for two seasons, collected another team MVP in that sport, as well as another all-conference award during the program’s 1990 season.

Kati Varda ’99
Swimming, Track & Field

Katie Varda earned ten career North Coast Athletic Conference event titles and eight NCAA titles in the sports of swimming and track and field.

In the pool, Varda, a 19-time All-American, was a relay specialist who was a part of three straight NCAA title-winning swims in both the 200-yard medley and the 200-yard freestyle events. She also claimed NCAA titles in the 400-yard freestyle relay during both her junior and senior seasons.

With Kenyon’s track and field team, Varda set program records in the high jump (5′ 6 1/4″) and the heptathlon (4,364 points). Both of those records still stand today.

As a junior, she won the conference title in the heptathlon and was selected team Most Valuable Player. The following year, as a senior, she won the NCAC title in the high jump.