Temple University Athletics
Six Standout Performers, 1938 NIT Championship Team To Be Inducted Into Temple Athletics Hall Of Fame
10.1.07 | Baseball
Oct. 1, 2007
PHILADELPHIA - Six former standout student-athletes and the 1938 NIT Champion Men's Basketball team will be inducted into the Temple University Athletics Hall of Fame Saturday, October 6 in festivities surrounding the Owls' homecoming football game against Northern Illinois at Lincoln Financial Field. The homecoming game, which kicks off at 1:00 p.m., is presented by Verizon.
The 2007 Temple Athletics Hall of Fame Class, which includes Muna Bitar (fencing), Don Bitterlich (football), Jay Hallman (baseball), Debbie Kelly (women's lacrosse), Dominick Minicucci (men's gymnastics) and Michael Moore (men's crew), will be officially inducted at a 11 a.m. ceremony in the Red Zone Lounge at Lincoln Financial Field with the new inductees welcomed into the Hall of Fame at a halftime ceremony.
"This is clearly a strong Hall of Fame class that represents the best of Temple Athletics," Director of Athletics Bill Bradshaw said. "It encompasses seven different sports with student-athletes and a team that reached the pinnacle of accomplishment in their respective endeavors."
Bitar, the only three-time All-America at the foil in the illustrious Temple fencing history, led the Owls to their only NCAA Foil Championship as a senior in 1992. The West Milford, N.J. native (West Milford HS) compiled a 14-2 record in the Cherry and White's NCAA Tournament title run, and concluded her final season with a 44-10 mark. A 1989 and 1991 All-America selection as well, Bitar completed her four years at Temple with a 163-31 record.
The nation's top place kicker in 1975, Bitterlich set six NCAA records while rewriting the Temple record book. The Warminster, Pa. native (William Tennent HS) set national season marks for field goals made (21), points scored (95), field goals per game (1.9 pg.) and career marks for consecutive PATs (87), points scored (220) and points per game (7.1 pg.). He still owns the Temple record for longest field goal made (56) and his 53-yarder and 52-yarder ranks second and third on the school's all-time list. His 95 points scored in that memorable senior season still stands as the Owls' all-time record for points in a season. He played in the Japan and Hula Bowls and was selected by the Seattle Seahawks in the 1976 NFL Draft.
One of the all-time great pitchers in Temple baseball history, Jay Hallman still owns the school records for highest career winning percentage in a season (10-0, 1.000) and in a career (24-2, .923). A native of Royersford, Pa. (Spring-Ford HS), Hallman began his career as a closer, recording a then- school record six saves in 1976. As a sophomore, he was a perfect 10-0, helping the Owls compile a 34-9 record and advance to the 1977 College World Series. His 24 wins ranks fourth on the Temple all-time career list while his eight saves stand third.
Kelly, one of the top goalkeepers in Temple women's lacrosse history, was instrumental in leading the Owls to the 1982 AIAW National Championship. The Maple Glen, Pa. native (Upper Dublin HS) set school-records for goals against average (3.68 gaa.), saves (273) and save percentage (.796) in a season in earning team MVP honors in 1982, her senior season. A three-time All-America, Kelly compiled 710 saves (.704 save pct.) and a 4.89 goals against average during her brilliant 61-game career. She was also selected as a member of the 1981 United States Women's Lacrosse team.
An outstanding all-around gymnast, Minicucci won the NCAA Championship on parallel bars as a senior in 1992. The Staten Island, N.Y. native (Susan E. Wagner HS) also earned All-America honors on the all-around that season. A transfer from St. John's, Minicucci holds Temple records in the pommel horse and parallel bars and was the EIGL Champion in all-around, pommel horse, parallel bars and horizontal bar in his final season. A member of both the 1988 and 1992 Olympic teams, Minicucci also represented the United States and medaled at the 1991 World University Games and 1991 Pan American Games.
Moore, a four-year member of Temple's crew team, earned four gold medals with the program's elite Varsity 8 shell at the prestigious Dad Vail Regatta. The Philadelphia native (Father Judge HS) is one of the Owls' top coxswains, competing with the Cherry and White at the 1989 and 1990 Henley Regatta. He also was the program's first Olympian, and coxed the United States to a fourth-place finish at the 1992 Barcelona Games. Moore also competed at the 1991 World Rowing Championships in Vienna, Austria. A 1993 Temple graduate, he also helped lead the Owls' Varsity 8 to four gold medals at the Murphy Cup, Kerr Cup and Knecht Cup.
Lastly, the 1938 NIT Championship Men's Basketball Team becomes the first team to be enshrined in the Temple University Athletics Hall of Fame. That Owl team claimed the first-ever National Championship in college basketball history, posting a 20-2 regular-season record to earn a spot in the Inaugural National Invitation Tournament. The Owls, uncder the direction of head coach James Usilton, Sr. and assistant coach Harry Litwack, defeated Bradley, 53-40, Oklahoma A&M, 56-44, and Colorado, 60-36, to win the title. Temple Hall of Famer Don Shields was named the tournament MVP. He was part of "The Five Ironmen," that included Mike Bloom, Howard Black, Ed Boyle and Don Henderson.
