Temple University Athletics
Temple Athletics 2023 Hall of Fame Class Announced
7.13.23 | Football, General, Men's Basketball, Men's Golf, Women's Fencing, Women's Lacrosse
PHILADELPHIA –Temple University will welcome eight new members, including five All-Americans, into its Athletics Hall of Fame on Friday, October 6, announced Vice President and Director of Athletics Arthur Johnson.
The Class of 2023 is comprised of All-American golfer Walter Brown, two-time MAC Baseball Player of the Year Earle Chew, NBA first round draft pick Mardy Collins, men's fencing All-America Geoffrey Ham, women's lacrosse All-American and National Champion Barb Hick Questa, men's gymnastics three-time All-American Michael Moran, All-American women's fencer Dr. Kamali Thompson, and longtime football administrator Nadia Batson-Harvin.
"The men and women selected for induction into the Temple Athletics Hall of Fame truly represent our great history," said Johnson. "The 2023 Class encompasses seven sports, five All-Americans, a College World Series star, a woman who has touched many lives in her nearly 40 years of service to the University, and a man who was a true American hero. This is truly a deserving group of individuals."
One of the top players in Temple golf history, Walter Brown had a stellar four-year career and was the first Owl to compete in four NCAA Tournaments. A two-time GCAA All-America selection, he won the individual Middle Atlantic Conference (MAC) Championship as a freshman in 1973, earning a berth in the NCAA Championship. The following year, he shot a course record 63 to lead the Owls to the Yale Invitational Championship. His play also led the Owls to their first team appearance in the NCAA Championship. As a junior in 1975, he helped Temple to four team titles, winning two individual championships. He capped his brilliant career by leading Temple to the #1 ranking in the East and six outright team titles. For his career, Temple won a still-standing record of 12 team titles over four seasons and posted an incredible 46-2 dual match play record.
One of the best baseball players in Temple history, Earle Chew was one of the Owls' top players in the best era for the sport at the University. A three-time Middle Atlantic Conference (MAC) all-league selection, Chew was named the conference's Most Valuable Player in 1972 when he led the Owls to a third-place finish at the College World Series. One of the program's top offensive players, the Temple outfielder led the team in home runs in 1972 and 1973 and RBI In 1972. Team captain in 1973, he ended his career fourth all-time in program history in steals with 55. Selected in the third round of the 1973 Major League Baseball draft by the Chicago Cubs, Chew played four seasons in the organization's minor league system.
One of eight Temple men's basketball players selected in the first round of the NBA Draft (2006 Draft, 29th pick, NY Knicks), Mardy Collins was the last in a long line of great players coached by the late Hall of Famer John Chaney. The 6-6 point guard had an incredible four-year career for the Owls, scoring 1,919 points, which ranks fifth in school history, while ranking second in program history in steals (290) and field goals (718). The team's leader in points, assists, and steals his junior and senior seasons, Collins was a two-time First Team NABC and Atlantic 10 selection, and three-time all-Philadelphia Big 5 honoree. He also earned A-10 all-Defensive Team accolades twice, ranking in the Top 10 in the nation in steals per game his junior (2,8 pg, 9th) and senior (2.8, 10th) seasons.
A true American hero, Geoffrey Ham was one of the top men's fencers in Temple history. A four-year letterwinner on the fencing team, Ham capped his athletic career with a third-place finish at the NCAA Championship in epee to earn All-America honors. He also was a four-year member of the ROTC rifle team at Temple. As a student-athlete, he led the Owls to the 1965 Middle Atlantic Conference Championship as a senior after helping the team to a runner-up finish the year before. In his ROTC program, he would befriend a freshman, Wesley Craig, who would later become a Major General for the United States Army. Unfortunately, Ham would never live to see that day, as he would serve in the Vietnam War where, as a 1st Lieutenant, he was killed in action on June 28, 1967, in the battle of DakTo.
A member of one the greatest teams in Temple history, Barb Hick Questa was a key defender on the Owls' 1988 undefeated NCAA Championship Women's Lacrosse team. A Second Team IWLCA All-America and First Team all-Defensive team selection, Questa spearheaded a Temple defense that posted a staggering 5.7 goals against average in compiling an 18-0 record. Over her stellar career, the Owls had a 67-5 won-loss record and were an amazing 35-1 in her final two seasons, with the lone loss coming to Penn State, 7-6, in the 1987 NCAA title game. Also a four-year member of the Temple field hockey team, she was selected to the United States Women's Lacrosse team in 1988 and 1989. She is still in college athletics, serving over 30 years as the senior women's administrator at St. Bonaventure University.
One of the top men's gymnasts in the storied history of the Temple program, Michael Moran (1997-2000) was a three-time All-America selection and six-time conference champion during his storied career. Following an injury-plagued freshman year, he won conference titles in vault, rings, horizontal bar, and all-around, leading the Owls to the conference championship. He would finish the team by earning All-America honors in the vault, horizontal bars, and all-around. In his final two seasons, he won the conference championship on the rings and qualified for the NCAA Championships but was unable to compete due to injury. Moran also qualified for the U.S. National Team in 1998 and competed at the Pan American Games in 1999.
A two-time recipient of Temple's Female Student-Athlete of the Year, women's fencer Dr. Kamali Thompson is the epitome of a student-athlete. A four-time NCAA Championship qualifier, Thompson earned three top-15 finishes and placed sixth in sabre her senior season to earn Second Team All-America honors in 2012. A four-time NIWFA Individual Sabre Title holder, Thompson also finished in the Top 10 at the NCAA Regionals all four years of her career. The 2012 NCAA Woman of the Year nominee, she held the Temple sabre record for individual career wins (175) from 2012 to 2020. Currently a medical doctor at Temple Hospital, the 2012 PhillySIDA Women's Academic All-Area Performer of the Year won gold at the US Fencing North American Cup and placed 16th at the Junior World Cup in Germany during the 2010-11 season. She also was an alternate for the 2020 USA Olympic team and served as the Women's Sabre Representative for the USOPC Medical Advisory Committee.
One of the longest-tenured administrators in Temple Athletics history, Nadia Batson-Harvin has been working with Temple Athletics since 1985 and currently serves as the Executive Assistant to the Head Football Coach. Batson-Harvin, who was a member of the Temple Bowling team as an undergraduate in the 1981-82, has touched many lives during her long tenure with Temple Football and has been a bridge for alums throughout coaching changes over the last five decades. During her amazing career, she has been the assistant to six different head football coaches and has held varied roles within earlier football staffs.
This year's class will be celebrated at the 2023 Temple Athletics Hall of Fame Gala, taking place on the evening of Friday, October 6 at the Liacouras Center on Temple's campus. Following the induction, the class will be honored at halftime of the Temple vs. Texas San Antonio football game on Saturday, October 7 at Lincoln Financial Field.
The Class of 2023 is comprised of All-American golfer Walter Brown, two-time MAC Baseball Player of the Year Earle Chew, NBA first round draft pick Mardy Collins, men's fencing All-America Geoffrey Ham, women's lacrosse All-American and National Champion Barb Hick Questa, men's gymnastics three-time All-American Michael Moran, All-American women's fencer Dr. Kamali Thompson, and longtime football administrator Nadia Batson-Harvin.
"The men and women selected for induction into the Temple Athletics Hall of Fame truly represent our great history," said Johnson. "The 2023 Class encompasses seven sports, five All-Americans, a College World Series star, a woman who has touched many lives in her nearly 40 years of service to the University, and a man who was a true American hero. This is truly a deserving group of individuals."
One of the top players in Temple golf history, Walter Brown had a stellar four-year career and was the first Owl to compete in four NCAA Tournaments. A two-time GCAA All-America selection, he won the individual Middle Atlantic Conference (MAC) Championship as a freshman in 1973, earning a berth in the NCAA Championship. The following year, he shot a course record 63 to lead the Owls to the Yale Invitational Championship. His play also led the Owls to their first team appearance in the NCAA Championship. As a junior in 1975, he helped Temple to four team titles, winning two individual championships. He capped his brilliant career by leading Temple to the #1 ranking in the East and six outright team titles. For his career, Temple won a still-standing record of 12 team titles over four seasons and posted an incredible 46-2 dual match play record.
One of the best baseball players in Temple history, Earle Chew was one of the Owls' top players in the best era for the sport at the University. A three-time Middle Atlantic Conference (MAC) all-league selection, Chew was named the conference's Most Valuable Player in 1972 when he led the Owls to a third-place finish at the College World Series. One of the program's top offensive players, the Temple outfielder led the team in home runs in 1972 and 1973 and RBI In 1972. Team captain in 1973, he ended his career fourth all-time in program history in steals with 55. Selected in the third round of the 1973 Major League Baseball draft by the Chicago Cubs, Chew played four seasons in the organization's minor league system.
One of eight Temple men's basketball players selected in the first round of the NBA Draft (2006 Draft, 29th pick, NY Knicks), Mardy Collins was the last in a long line of great players coached by the late Hall of Famer John Chaney. The 6-6 point guard had an incredible four-year career for the Owls, scoring 1,919 points, which ranks fifth in school history, while ranking second in program history in steals (290) and field goals (718). The team's leader in points, assists, and steals his junior and senior seasons, Collins was a two-time First Team NABC and Atlantic 10 selection, and three-time all-Philadelphia Big 5 honoree. He also earned A-10 all-Defensive Team accolades twice, ranking in the Top 10 in the nation in steals per game his junior (2,8 pg, 9th) and senior (2.8, 10th) seasons.
A true American hero, Geoffrey Ham was one of the top men's fencers in Temple history. A four-year letterwinner on the fencing team, Ham capped his athletic career with a third-place finish at the NCAA Championship in epee to earn All-America honors. He also was a four-year member of the ROTC rifle team at Temple. As a student-athlete, he led the Owls to the 1965 Middle Atlantic Conference Championship as a senior after helping the team to a runner-up finish the year before. In his ROTC program, he would befriend a freshman, Wesley Craig, who would later become a Major General for the United States Army. Unfortunately, Ham would never live to see that day, as he would serve in the Vietnam War where, as a 1st Lieutenant, he was killed in action on June 28, 1967, in the battle of DakTo.
A member of one the greatest teams in Temple history, Barb Hick Questa was a key defender on the Owls' 1988 undefeated NCAA Championship Women's Lacrosse team. A Second Team IWLCA All-America and First Team all-Defensive team selection, Questa spearheaded a Temple defense that posted a staggering 5.7 goals against average in compiling an 18-0 record. Over her stellar career, the Owls had a 67-5 won-loss record and were an amazing 35-1 in her final two seasons, with the lone loss coming to Penn State, 7-6, in the 1987 NCAA title game. Also a four-year member of the Temple field hockey team, she was selected to the United States Women's Lacrosse team in 1988 and 1989. She is still in college athletics, serving over 30 years as the senior women's administrator at St. Bonaventure University.
One of the top men's gymnasts in the storied history of the Temple program, Michael Moran (1997-2000) was a three-time All-America selection and six-time conference champion during his storied career. Following an injury-plagued freshman year, he won conference titles in vault, rings, horizontal bar, and all-around, leading the Owls to the conference championship. He would finish the team by earning All-America honors in the vault, horizontal bars, and all-around. In his final two seasons, he won the conference championship on the rings and qualified for the NCAA Championships but was unable to compete due to injury. Moran also qualified for the U.S. National Team in 1998 and competed at the Pan American Games in 1999.
A two-time recipient of Temple's Female Student-Athlete of the Year, women's fencer Dr. Kamali Thompson is the epitome of a student-athlete. A four-time NCAA Championship qualifier, Thompson earned three top-15 finishes and placed sixth in sabre her senior season to earn Second Team All-America honors in 2012. A four-time NIWFA Individual Sabre Title holder, Thompson also finished in the Top 10 at the NCAA Regionals all four years of her career. The 2012 NCAA Woman of the Year nominee, she held the Temple sabre record for individual career wins (175) from 2012 to 2020. Currently a medical doctor at Temple Hospital, the 2012 PhillySIDA Women's Academic All-Area Performer of the Year won gold at the US Fencing North American Cup and placed 16th at the Junior World Cup in Germany during the 2010-11 season. She also was an alternate for the 2020 USA Olympic team and served as the Women's Sabre Representative for the USOPC Medical Advisory Committee.
One of the longest-tenured administrators in Temple Athletics history, Nadia Batson-Harvin has been working with Temple Athletics since 1985 and currently serves as the Executive Assistant to the Head Football Coach. Batson-Harvin, who was a member of the Temple Bowling team as an undergraduate in the 1981-82, has touched many lives during her long tenure with Temple Football and has been a bridge for alums throughout coaching changes over the last five decades. During her amazing career, she has been the assistant to six different head football coaches and has held varied roles within earlier football staffs.
This year's class will be celebrated at the 2023 Temple Athletics Hall of Fame Gala, taking place on the evening of Friday, October 6 at the Liacouras Center on Temple's campus. Following the induction, the class will be honored at halftime of the Temple vs. Texas San Antonio football game on Saturday, October 7 at Lincoln Financial Field.
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