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.
Preview: Contenders Lining Up to Slow Down UP Boys Reigning Champions
By
Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor
May 28, 2026
This decade has seen only six schools win an MHSAA Upper Peninsula Finals team championship in boys track & field – out of 15 opportunities – and all three meets this weekend feature returning winners seeking to stretch current title streaks already measuring multiple seasons.
But there are several more contenders in position to play stopper as they seek to begin their own championship eras.
All three divisions will be hosted by Kingsford High School, with preliminaries leading off the day at 9 a.m. local (Central) time. Tickets cost $11 and are available digitally only via GoFan.
MHSAA.tv will live-stream the meets beginning at 9 a.m. (CDT)/10 a.m. (EDT), viewable with subscription. Check out the Boys Track & Field page for meet information and lists of all qualifiers.
Those described as "seeded" below have received those seeds based on Regional performances or early qualification during the regular season. (Although not noted for most, several individuals below also will run on contending relays.)
Following is a glance at team contenders and individuals to watch in all three divisions:
Division 1
Team forecast: A sixth-straight championship Saturday would tie Marquette with the Gladstone teams from 2004-09 for the second-longest championship streak in Upper Peninsula history. But the Sentinels’ depth will have to shine through as last year’s Finals runner-up Sault Ste. Marie edged Marquette by a point at their Regional, and Kingsford and Houghton have several potential scorers as well.
Lucas Ballard, Marquette junior: The reigning champion in the 800 is seeded first in that race (2:02.82), second in the 1,600 (4:42.00) and third in the 3,200 (10:08.60).
Gabe Litzner, Sault Ste. Marie senior: He’ll graduate among the top distance runners in Upper Peninsula history. He’s won the 3,200 the last two seasons – setting the meet record at 9:31.20 a year ago – and is seeded first in that race (10:00.18) and the 1,600 (4:41.31).
Jacob Norman, Marquette senior: He’s seeded first in the 110 hurdles (15:82) after winning that race last spring.
Michael Solena, Houghton junior: He finished second in the discus a year ago but could have a much bigger day this time seeded first in that throw (144-2) and shot put (50-3¾) as well.
Gaige Sorenson, Kingsford junior: He finished second in the long jump last spring and also has multiple scoring opportunities, seeded first in long jump (20-8), running the 100 and also on two top-three seeded relays.
Division 2
Team forecast: Pickford has won three straight Division 2 championships and held of Munising by 31 points in 2024 and 50 a year ago to build the streak. Pickford has entries all over this meet again and three top-seeded relays. Rudyard is another team to watch with several potential scorers.
John Anderson, Pickford senior: The high jump champion the last two seasons is seeded first in that event (6-4) and the long jump (19-5) and second in the 110 (15.95) and 300 (45.32) hurdles.
Gunner Bennin, Pickford senior: He’s won the 400 the last two seasons and also the 200 as a sophomore, and could finish his high school career by doubling that count seeded first in the 100 (11.60), 200 (23.25) and 400 (52.61).
Talon Hughes, Ironwood senior: After winning the 100 and 200 a year ago, he’s seeded second in the 100 (11.63), third in the 200 (24.09) and also third in the 110 hurdles (16.83).
Steven Kirschner, Rudyard senior: He’s looking to move up a spot or more after finishing second in the 3,200 and third in both the 800 and 1,600 last season, and is seeded first in the 800 (2:08.51) and 3,200 (11:01.68) and third in the 1,600 (5:04.77).
Gionni McDonough, Bark River Harris junior: He won the 110 hurdles last year and is seeded to repeat (15.59) and win the 300 as well (44.64) while also competing in the 100 dash and long jump.
Division 3
Team forecast: Newberry also has built a winning streak with two straight championships, and a third is possible especially thanks to strong relays. But Rapid River dominated its Regional and should be in the hunt, and Stephenson and Lake Linden-Hubbell have qualifiers all over the lineup as well. LL-H is the returning team runner-up.
Lukas Axford, Lake Linden-Hubbell junior: After winning the 300 hurdles last season, Axford is seeded third in the 400 (56.11) and also set to run the 800.
Connor Kemppainen, L’Anse junior: The reigning 110 hurdles champion is seeded first in that race (16.87) and third in the 300 hurdles (44.07).
Brady Leblanc, Brimley junior: He’s seeded first in the 300 hurdles (43.20) and second in the 110 (16.93) after finishing fourth in the latter last season.
Ethan Snyder, Cedarville/DeTour junior: After finishing second in the 800 and 1,600 and third in the 3,200 last season, he’s seeded first in all three races in 2:06.67, 4:45.36 and 10:41.43, respectively.
Will Spranger, Eben Junction Superior Central senior: Last season’s Finals highlight was a third place in the 400, but he returns as the top seed in the 100 (11.61) and 200 (23.62) and also slated to run the 300 hurdles.
PHOTOS (Top) Negaunee's Cole Prusi (6), Kingsford's Sid Olson (5), Marquette's Jacob Norman (4), and Negaunee's Cole Pekrul (3) race the 110 hurdles May 8 at the Lions Invitational in Negaunee. (Middle) Ishpeming's Kemper Gearhart (1) leads the beginning of the 1,600 with Stephenson's Canon Kuntze (2) getting into position to follow during the UPD3 Regional on May 18 at Ishpeming. (Photos by Cara Kamps.)