hall of fame adds 4 individuals, 1 team

The Muhlenberg College Athletic Hall of Fame recently inducted four individuals – Elizabeth Billie ’99, Jill (Roth) Williams ’99, Peter Shimkin ’96 and Allison (Verduin) Walker ’00 – and the 1947 football team.

Elizabeth Billie made her mark as a star catcher for the Muhlenberg softball team. She earned All-East

Inductees Jill (Roth) Williams, Elizabeth Billie, Allison (Verduin) Walker and Peter Shimkin (left to right) flank members of the 1947 football team: George Schmauch, Joe Staudinger, Joe Menegus, Mike Bogdziewicz (standing left to right), Nick Yannuzzi, Larry Hayden and Ed Vozella (seated left to right).

Region and All-Centennial Conference honors all four years, making the All-CC first team three times. In 1999, she was named the CC player of the year after hitting .423 with 33 RBI. Billie graduated as the program’s all-time leader in hits (172), doubles (36), extra-base hits (50), total bases (240) and RBI (82) and currently ranks sixth in team history with .376 career batting average.

Jill (Roth) Williams was a four-year letterwinner and two-year captain as a guard in basketball. She is sixth on all-time scoring list with 1,017 career points and finished her career in the all-time top 10 in points, rebounds (489), assists (191), steals (158), three-pointers (86) and free throws (227). She earned All-Centennial Conference honors twice, making the first team in 1999. Roth helped the Mules to CC championships in 1997 and 1998, setting a championship game record with 27 points against Johns Hopkins in ’98.

Peter Shimkin was one of the most successful wrestlers in school history, compiling a career record of 80-9 (46-1 in dual meets). He holds the school record for winning percentage overall (.899) and in duals (.979), winning the Centennial Conference championship at 118 pounds in 1994, 1995 and 1996. Shimkin earned a bid to the NCAA Championships by winning the East Regional Qualifier in 1994

Allison (Verduin) Walker left a legacy on the volleyball court, setting school records (since broken) for kills (1,336) and kills per set (3.53) in a career, kills per set (4.60) in a season and digs in a season (471). She still holds the records for kills in a season (635), in a five-set match (33) and in a three-set match (22). The second player in team history to record 1,000 kills and 1,000 digs, Verduin was named to the All-Centennial Conference first team in 1999, when she ranked 11th in Division III in kills, and second team in 1998.

The 1947 football team achieved gridiron greatness by compiling a record of 9-1, the lone loss coming to Temple by a single point. Muhlenberg outscored its opponents, 368-49, and recorded five shutouts. In the process, the team set numerous offensive and defensive records that still stand, 61 years later. The Mules were invited to play in the Tangerine Bowl (later known as the Florida Citrus Bowl and now the Captial One Bowl), but the bid was declined by Muhlenberg Athletic Committee. Eight members of this stellar team have been inducted into the Muhlenberg Athletic Hall of Fame.