AD Inducted to National Hall of Fame
May 7, 2014
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
Winter gets hectic so quickly that we’re forced to save some intriguing items that come our way for a sunnier day – and that day is today.
Following are news, notes and a few key links collected over the last few months, including the national Hall of Fame induction of a longtime Michigan athletic director, local recognition for another and statewide acclaim for a group of students putting their video production equipment to good use benefiting all.
Ann Arbor AD Honored Nationally
Former Ann Arbor Huron athletic director Jane Bennett was among five inducted into the National Interscholastic Athletic Administrators Association Hall of Fame in December.
Bennett served 26 years as a teacher, coach, athletic director and assistant principal in Michigan before spending the last decade as a principal at two schools in Montana. She served as athletic director at Huron for 15 years through 2002-03. The NIAAA reported that during her final decade in that position, participation in athletics doubled.
Bennett, who received her bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the University of Michigan, began her career at Huron in 1977 as varsity softball coach and became a math teacher and the co-director of athletics a year later. She coached the softball team 14 seasons before moving into the full-time athletic director position. Bennett was co-founder of the Michigan High School Softball Coaches Association and served as MHSSCA president from 1982-87.
Among other achievements at Huron, Bennett was a leader in a successful campaign to gain voter approval of a $60 million bond package, which included $20 million to improve and expand athletic facilities. She also developed curriculum for an annual varsity captains/head coaches leadership training program and composed handbooks/guidebooks for coaches, athletes and parents.
Bennett also was a valuable contributor to the Michigan Interscholastic Athletic Administrators Association and the NIAAA. She was president of the MIAAA in 1993-94 and a state conference speaker on several occasions. Bennett also served in various NIAAA leadership positions including on the committee that developed the Leadership Training Institute in 1996.
Bennett was named MIAAA Athletic Director of the Year in 1998 and received its State Award of Merit in 1997. She received the MHSAA’s Women in Sports Leadership Award in 1995 and was inducted into the MHSSCA Hall of Fame in 1995. Prior to her selection to the NIAAA Hall of Fame, Bennett was honored with the NIAAA Distinguished Service Award in 1998 and the NIAAA Thomas E. Frederick Award of Excellence in 2000. In 2005, she was inducted into the National Council of Secondary School Athletic Directors Hall of Fame, having served as its president in 2003 and been selected as its Athletic Director of the Year in 1998.
PSL's Ward: 'Pillar' of Detroit Athletics
Alvin Ward, the executive director of athletics for the Detroit Public School League and a member of the MHSAA Representative Council, received a 2014 Pillar in the Community Award in April from the Coast II Coast All-Stars, a Detroit-based pro basketball team that plays in the American Basketball Association.
Ward has served as a teacher, assistant principal and principal as well for Detroit Public Schools, and directs programs with a combined 500 coaches and 4,500 athletes.
Linked up
- This winter, the MHSAA Representative Council adopted a number of football practice rules changes aimed at improving player acclimatization at the start of fall and reducing head trauma and injuries. The Adrian Daily Telegram’s Doug Donnelly got responses from a number of coaches from that area of the state; click to find out why they feel these changes are important.
- Port Huron Times Herald writer Paul Costanzo let people know about our Student Advisory Council through the experience of Marlette’s Connor Thomas, one of our juniors and a great contributor this school year.
Power of Awareness
The Kimberly Anne Gillary Foundation works to educate Michigan schools on sudden cardiac arrest and train personnel in CPR and the use of an AED (automated external defibrillator). The video below teaches us again about the importance of awareness.
Saginaw Heritage was awarded $5,000 in April as the winner of the Gillary Foundation’s High School AED Contest. Students were asked to create a 3-minute video emphasizing the importance of Michigan high schools being adequately prepared to respond to a sudden cardiac arrest or related event on school property.
Randy and Sue Gillary created the foundation after their 15-year-old daughter Kimberly – an athlete at Troy Athens – died after suffering sudden cardiac arrest in 2000. The contest judges were Kimberly’s sisters Emily Kucinich, Jennifer Gregroy and Katie Gillary.
As of April 1, the Gillary Foundation had raised $1.2 million and donated 650 AEDs to schools – with three lives having been saved with donated AEDs. For more, click www.kimberlysgift.org.
Unionville-Sebewaing, Mendon Earn Highly-Anticipated Title Game Rematch
By
Keith Dunlap
Special for MHSAA.com
June 13, 2025
EAST LANSING — Rain delays usually produce moans and groans for many, but a storm break during Friday’s first MHSAA Division 4 Semifinal seemed to be beneficial for Unionville-Sebewaing.
Before the skies opened up, Saginaw Michigan Lutheran Seminary seemed to have all the momentum, holding a one-run lead with runners on second and third base and one out in the bottom of the second inning.
When play resumed one hour and 15 minutes later, it was all USA.
The Patriots’ dominated from there, rolling to a 4-1 win and continuing their bid for a record sixth-straight Finals title.
“I told the girls that we outdanced them,” quipped USA head coach Marc Reinhardt, referring to the dancing both teams were doing in their dugouts to pass the time during the delay. “It came at a good time. The momentum was all on their side.”
After play resumed, USA pitcher Olivia Green first got her team out of the jam in the bottom of the second with two strikeouts, stranding the bases loaded for a second consecutive inning.
In the top of the third, USA (21-15) implemented a small ball strategy to perfection. A bunt single by freshman Morgan Armbruster and a sacrifice bunt put Armbruster at third base with one out, and then junior Kate Beagle laid down another bunt that scored Armbruster after she beat the throw home.
Green then delivered an RBI double to score Beagle and make it 2-1 USA.
“When we got (batting), we were in a perfect spot to start doing what we ended up doing,” Reinhardt said. “The girls executed like we worked on all year long. I get kids who come in as freshmen and say, ‘I don’t bunt, Coach.’ I say, ‘You will.’ Sometimes it’s necessary.”
The Patriots added a run in the fifth inning on an RBI triple by junior Macy Prime and another in the sixth on an RBI double by sophomore Nataley Harder.
It was more than enough support for Green, who finished with 15 strikeouts and tossed a three-hitter. She didn’t allow a hit after the rain delay.
“I would say it was more of a strategic reset,” Green said of the delay. “I was talking to our coaches about what we should do with the top of their lineup because they had good hitters coming up. It was just knowing how to set up for them and what to throw to them.”
Alley Coffey stuck out 10 batters for Michigan Lutheran Seminary (32-11), which was seeking its first appearance in a championship game.
“We still had an opportunity with the bases loaded,” MLS head coach Seth LaBair said about the scenario when play resumed after the delay. “We needed to come up with a hit, and that probably would have given us more momentum too. The rain delay, maybe it did change things a bit. But that happens. USA had to come back and go through that too.”
Mendon 4, Hillman 2
To win its first Finals championship in school history, Mendon will have to go through the state’s gold standard in USA. But it’s a challenge the Hornets will relish.
“These girls are dying for another opportunity,” Mendon head coach Steve Butler said. “It’s all we’ve thought about for the last year, and they’ve got it.”
Mendon lost to USA in the championship game two years ago and in the Semifinals last year, and will get a crack at the Patriots again after grinding out a win over a Hillman team that also played in the Semifinals last year.
Mendon (35-2) committed two errors in the top of the first inning, which led to a pair of Hillman runs. Autumn Lis had an RBI single during that first inning rally for Hillman (33-8).
In the third inning, it was Mendon’s turn to capitalize on mistakes. Hillman (33-8) committed a pair of errors, one a throwing error that allowed two runs to score and made it 3-2 Mendon. The Hornets got on the board earlier in the inning on an RBI triple by junior Jadyn Samson.
Mendon rounded out the scoring in the fifth inning on an RBI groundout by Taya Bingaman.
All game, Mendon rode the pitching of junior Rowan Allen, who struck out 12, walked one and allowed just five hits.
“I was feeling pretty good today, and I knew I could attack the batters and go after them because I have a great defense behind me,” Allen said.
Hillman pitcher Gretchen Weiland allowed just six hits, striking out eight and walking two in six innings of work.
Hillman head coach Jason Weiland said his team was in a familiar position of jumping ahead quickly, given it lost the coin flip before every game of the postseason and thus was the road team for the entirety of its playoff run.
Ultimately, Mendon’s experience and resolve prevailed.
“We just fell short,” Weiland said. “I’m happy with this team’s success after graduating four seniors last year. They really instilled that they wanted to go (back) to the Final Four. We were hoping to take one step beyond, but back-to-back Final Four trips for us is the first time in history. I’m really proud of the girls.”
PHOTOS (Top) Unionville-Sebewaing’s Olivia Green blasts a drive during her team’s Division 4 Semifinal win over Michigan Lutheran Seminary. (Middle) Mendon’s Rowan Allen makes her move toward the plate.