Hall of Fame

Bonded by Success

INDUCTEES: (left to right, back row) Paul Muntner, Robert Wales, Robert Kulpinski, James McComb, John Antonelli, and Gregory Perry; (seated) Amber Lee Scott, Ella Bruton (accepting for Robert Bruton), Barbara Gray (for Charles Gray), Diane Marshall Ennist, and Carlos Chapman

When Diane Marshall Ennist ’78 helped found Rochester’s women’s soccer club three decades ago, she could hardly have imagined that it would eventually develop into one of the premier women’s programs in Division III. There’s also a good chance that Ennist couldn’t have foreseen that Amber Lee Scott ’95 would be one of the beneficiaries of her groundbreaking work.

But Ennist and Scott are linked by two distinct aspects: both are titans in the history of Rochester women’s soccer, and now they are both members of the Department of Athletics and Recreation’s Hall of Fame.

As part of Meliora Weekend in October, 12 former athletes and contributors were inducted into the hall. The group included Ennist and Scott, the trailblazer and the disciple.

“I told Diane after the ceremony, ‘I forgot to thank you. Without you there wouldn’t have been a women’s soccer program,’” says Scott.

When Ennist arrived on campus in the mid-1970s, there wasn’t much of a women’s soccer program. While she also played basketball, tennis, field hockey, and club lacrosse, she focused much of her efforts on nurturing the women’s soccer club she created. She shouldered most of the club’s administrative duties—scheduling games, attracting publicity, hiring coaches, raising money, and buying equipment.

Today Ennist admits that at first she found it difficult to approach the administration with her ideas. “I had no diplomatic skills whatsoever,” she says.

But then athletic director Dave Ocorr ’51 and other University officials were receptive to her efforts and gave her support to get the club off the ground.

“I didn’t present things like I should have,” she says, “but it was amazing to me how gracious they were about it. Because of that, changes were made really fast. The progress was just incredible.”

In addition to starting the soccer club, she organized the Women’s Athletic Caucus at Rochester. In 1978, she was presented with the Merle Spurrier Award as the senior woman who contributed the most to women’s athletics.

Roughly a dozen years after Ennist graduated with a degree in psychology and political science, Scott arrived on campus as a freshman. She immediately made an impact on the soccer program, which by then had been a varsity sport for several years. By the time Scott graduated in 1995 with an English degree, she had earned All–UAA and All–New York State honors three times, All–Northeast Region accolades twice and Second Team All-American recognition her senior season. She also captained the squad during her senior season and won the Lysle “Spike” Garnish Award in fall 1994.

Despite all her individual achievements, Scott savored the team experience most of all.

“I really enjoyed it,” she says. “Everyone worked really hard, and we all just clicked really well, but we also had a lot of fun. We laughed a lot.”

Ennist says the athletic experience shaped her as well.

“A lot of my growth, emotionally and personally, was because of the athletic program,” she says.

One final link—and perhaps the most important—between Ennist and Scott is head women’s soccer coach Terry Gurnett ’77, who has guided the program since its inception.

Under Gurnett’s leadership, the Rochester women have won two national titles and become mainstays in the national top 25. Scott says the hiring of Gurnett stands as the greatest legacy of Ennist’s efforts.

“We know that everything is about timing,” she says. “If Diane had not started the program when she did, Terry Gurnett might have moved on, and we might have had a very different soccer program.”

Ennist says she has kept in touch with Gurnett over the years, and she continues to be amazed by what he and his players have built.

“A couple years after I graduated I went back to campus and saw a game,” she says with a laugh. “I said, ‘Wow, I wouldn’t even make this team.’

“It was always cool that [Gurnett] stayed on,” she adds. “I always thought how neat that was.”

Now, Gurnett, Ennist, and Scott are bonded by Rochester’s soccer success. “It’s like a family,” Ennist says. “It’s one of the best things about the University. To see what it’s become and to see how far it’s progressed; it’s fascinating. It’s wonderful to see how many opportunities women have now.”

The other members of the Hall of Fame Class of 2006 include:

John Antonelli ’80 ’83S (MBA), a four-year football letterman who earned the Louis A. Alexander Award in 1980 as the senior male athlete who contributed the most to sports, academic achievement, and student life.

Robert Bruton ’50 (posthumous), who lettered in both baseball and basketball before a career in semiprofessional baseball.

Carlos Chapman ’44, a member of the successful football and basketball teams of the early 1940s who also served in the Army Air Corps during World War II.

Charles Gray ’48 (posthumous), who lettered in basketball and football from 1946 to 1948 and was recruited by the NFL’s New York Giants after serving in the Navy during World War II (he declined the Giants’ offer).

Robert Kulpinski ’71, ’73 (Mas) ’83 (Mas), a three-year starter on the football team who established the school record for career receptions. He also played baseball.

Matthew Lawless, Class of 1909 (posthumous), an energetic and passionate supporter of Rochester sports who recruited numerous athletes to the University and served as an inspiration to student-athletes.

James McComb ’59, a member of the powerhouse 1958 football team that went 8–0, outscored its opponents 257–19, and was ranked 15th in the country.

Paul Muntner ’91, Rochester’s first squash All-American who posted an 11–2 record as a senior and earned a Garnish Scholar Award in fall 1990.

Gregory Perry ’87, a four-year All-American in golf who at the time posted Rochester’s highest individual finish at the NCAA Division III championships and set NCAA records for lowest round and strokes under par.

Robert Wales ’84, a four-year starting guard on the football team who earned All-America honors three times and multiple ECAC Player of the Week accolades.

—Ryan Whirty

Ryan Whirty writes about sports for Rochester Review.