Photo left to right: Sarah Powers Barnhard (Western Michigan); Marcy Weston (Central Michigan); son of the late Mike Jones (Eastern Michigan), Kyle Jones; MAC Commissioner Dr. Jon Steinbrecher; (not pictured Patricia Bucher (Miami).
MID-AMERICAN CONFERENCE WELCOMES 2016 HALL OF FAME CLASS
Four iconic names in MAC history—Patricia Bucher, Mike Jones, Sarah Powers Barnhard and Marcy Weston—will be inducted into the MAC Hall of Fame on June 1, 2016.
Cleveland, Ohio – The Mid-American Conference welcomes the 2016 MAC Hall of Fame Induction Class as four new members will be inducted in the MAC Hall of Fame on Wednesday, June 1 during the MAC Honor’s Dinner at the Cleveland Renaissance Hotel.
The four inductees are Patricia ‘Tish’ Bucher (Miami, women’s swimming and diving), Mike Jones (Eastern Michigan, men’s swimming and diving), Sarah Powers Barnhard (Western Michigan, volleyball) and Marcy Weston (Central Michigan, administration).
“It is only appropriate for our Conference to honor and celebrate the accomplishments of our former students, coaches and administrators, specifically these four individuals, and their achievements during their time competing in the Mid-American Conference,” said Dr. Jon Steinbrecher, MAC Commissioner. “We are honored to welcome them to the Mid-American Conference Hall of Fame.”
“The Mid-American Conference Hall of Fame is a testament to the achievements of those that have competed and served in this great Conference,” added Steinbrecher.
The MAC Hall of Fame was approved by the MAC Council of Presidents in 1987. The charter class was inducted in 1988 and subsequent classes were added in 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992 and 1994. After six induction classes, the MAC Hall of Fame maintained 52 members until it was reinstated in May of 2012. This year’s class brings the number of MAC Hall of Fame inductees to 81 individuals from 11 classes.
MID-AMERICAN CONFERENCE
Founded in 1946, the Mid-American Conference is an NCAA Division I, 12-member conference that sponsors 23 championships and is one of 10 members of the Football Bowl Subdivison (FBS). With total enrollment of nearly 300,000 students, the league represents institutions of higher learning in five (5) states - Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, New York, and Ohio.
Current MAC schools that hold full membership and the year they joined are -- East Division: University of Akron (1992), Bowling Green State University (1952), University at Buffalo (1998), Kent State University (1951), Miami University (1947), Ohio University (1946). West Division: Ball State University (1973), Central Michigan University (1971), Eastern Michigan University (1971), Northern Illinois University (1975-86, rejoined in 1997), University of Toledo (1950), Western Michigan University (1947). The conference office is based in Cleveland, Ohio.
Bios on the 2016 MAC Hall of Fame Class:
Patricia ‘Tish’ Bucher- Miami (women’s swimming and diving):
Video: Patricia 'Tish' Bucher tribute
Video: Patricia 'Tish' Bucher induction speech (by Miami Director of Athletics, David Sayler)
Patricia ‘Tish’ Bucher is regarded as one of the greatest female athletes to ever compete for Miami University. Bucher is the only MAC female swimmer to ever win the MAC Most Outstanding Swimmer for four consecutive years from 1981-84.
Bucher holds the all-time MAC record for most individual titles in one championship meet with five during the 1982 MAC Championship.
Throughout her career she secured 17 individual MAC Championships and including relays for a total of 21 MAC Championships. Bucher collected 24 titles between the MAC and the Ohio Association of Intercollegiate Sports for Women (OAISW) Championships. She was also a three-time qualifier for either the NCAA or Association for Intercollegiate Athletics for Women (AIAW) Championships.
A native of Potomac, Md., Bucher was recognized as the Miami Athlete of the Decade during the 1992 Mid-American Conference Women’s 10th Anniversary Awards. Bucher was also recognized as the Miami Athlete of the Year in 1984.
Bucher competed at Miami University from 1981-84 and graduated in 1984.
Mike Jones- Eastern Michigan (men’s swimming and diving):
Video: Mike Jones tribute
Video: Mike Jones induction speech (by son, Kyle Jones)
Mike Jones was Eastern Michigan’s men’s swimming and diving head coach for 21 years (1967-88). After leading Eastern Michigan men's swimming team to four NAIA National Championships followed by one NCAA-College Division National Championship, Jones led the transition of the program from the independent ranks to the Mid-American Conference in 1971 after the school was admitted to the league.
Once joining the MAC, Jones directed his team to a second-place finish, two thirds and a fourth in the first four years as a MAC member before going on an unprecedented winning streak over the next 12 years before retiring after the 1987-88 season.
Eastern Michigan men swimmers won their first MAC Championship under Jones in 1977-78, and after a fifth-place finish in 1978-79, the team would go on to record nine consecutive league titles. Jones was named MAC Coach of the Year nine times and Co-Coach of the Year once. His Eastern Michigan teams won 48 dual meets in a row during his tenure. Overall, Eastern Michigan posted a 177-50 dual-meet record (.779%) and 103-12 record (.896%) in league duals.
Jones received many awards in his coaching career, including having Feb. 27, 1971, proclaimed Mike Jones Day by the state of Michigan Legislature. He received the Master Coach Award from the College Swimming Coaches Association of America (CSCAA) for his achievements in coaching and was named to the Eastern Michigan Athletic Hall of Fame in 1985. In 1989 the Olds/IM Pool on Eastern Michigan’s campus was officially re-named the Michael H. Jones Natatorium in his honor.
Jones completed his undergraduate degree at Eastern Michigan in 1955 and earned two master's degrees, in 1963 and 1967 at Eastern Michigan. He passed away suddenly, Nov. 4, 2009, and is survived by his wife Judy, sons Kyle and Jay and four grandchildren.
Sarah Powers Barnhard- Western Michigan (volleyball):
Video: Sarah Powers Barnhard tribute
Video: Sarah Powers Barnhard interview
Video: Sarah Powers Barnhard induction speech
Sarah Powers (Barnhard) was was the catalyst on dominating Western Michigan volleyball teams that reached success unmatched in Mid-American Conference volleyball history. Powers was a part of four MAC Championships, appeared in four NCAA Championships, which included four NCAA Tournament wins, achieved an overall record of 110-22, including a perfect 72-0 MAC record for four years (1983-86), and individual honors including All-American, MAC Player of the Year and four-time All-MAC selection.
Powers was a standout player during the 1980’s when Western Michigan dominated volleyball in the MAC, Midwest and was a national powerhouse. She was part of the program’s 72-0 record in MAC games and a 99-game Western Michigan conference winning streak that currently ranks No. 3 all-time in NCAA history.
A native Glen Ellyn, Ill., Powers is Western Michigan’s only three-time All-American in volleyball, as Powers earned Volleyball Monthly honors in 1984 and 1986, as well as American Volleyball Coaches’ Association (AVCA) nod in 1985. Powers was named the 1985 MAC Player of the Year and was a four-time All-MAC selection (First Team: 1984 & 1985; Second Team: 1983 & 1986). Powers was inducted into the Western Michigan Athletic Hall of Fame in 1997 as a first-year eligible ballot selection.
As a freshman in 1983, Western Michigan (32-1 overall, 18-0 MAC) were MAC Champions and went to the NCAA Tournament Elite 8 after wins over Nebraska and Purdue before falling to UCLA. In 1984, the Broncos (26-8 overall, 18-0 MAC) were MAC Champions and went to the NCAA Tournament with a win over Illinois State before a loss to Nebraska. As a junior in 1985, Western Michigan (25-6 overall, 18-0 MAC) were MAC Champions and lost to Illinois in the NCAA Tournament. As a senior in 1986, Powers and the Broncos (27-7 overall, 18-0 MAC) were MAC Champions and defeated Colorado State in the NCAA Tournament before falling to Illinois.
During her career Powers set the school record for kills (1,387), digs (964) and points (1,725.5) and her total of 173 career service aces still stands as a Western Michigan record. In 1994, she was one of seven Broncos named to the All-Decade team (1984-93). Powers’ recognition went beyond collegiate volleyball as in 1989, she was named to the U.S. National Junior Volleyball Team.
Marcy Weston- Central Michigan (administration):
Video: Marcy Weston tribute
Video: Marcy Weston interview
Video: Marcy Weston induction speech
Marcy Weston spent 42 years as a major influence on intercollegiate athletics, both at Central Michigan as a coach in field hockey, women’s basketball, volleyball and her leadership in athletics administration, and on a national level recognized as a top basketball official and pioneer in advancing women’s roles in collegiate athletic administration.
Weston’s career began at Central Michigan as head coach for field hockey (1972-73), women’s basketball (1974-76) and volleyball (1974-88) teams. She moved into administration in 1989, serving as Senior Associate Athletics Director from 1989-2011 and as Executive Associate Athletic Director from 2011-2015.
As a coach, Weston amassed a 419-143-15 record in 15 years at the helm of the volleyball program, winning four Michigan Association for Intercollegiate Athletics for Women (AIAW) titles while coaching three Mid-American Conference Players of the Year, 20 All-MAC student-athletes, and seven academic All-MAC honorees. Her volleyball teams hold the program’s single-season records for most wins (54 in 1981), best winning percentage (.864, 38-6 in 1982) and longest winning streak (13 matches in 1981).
Weston has been recognized as one of the top basketball officials, refereeing from 1964-84 and officiating two National Championship Games including the first ever NCAA women’s title game in 1982. She also served as the first NCAA Women’s Basketball Secretary-Rules Editor (1985-1997) and the first National Coordinator of Women’s Basketball Officiating (1996-2005), where she evaluated and assigned officials to the NCAA Division I Tournament from 1985-2006.
Weston was the first woman ever to receive professional/collegiate officiating’s highest honor, the National Association of Sports Officials (NASO) Gold Whistle Award in 2008. She was also the first to receive both the Gold Whistle Award and the Mel Narol NASO Medallion, which is given for lifelong contributions to the betterment of the sports officiating profession. Weston was recognized by the NCAA in 1991 as one of nine major contributors to the first decade (1981-91) of NCAA women’s basketball. She was inducted into the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame in 2000 and the Central Michigan Athletics Hall of Fame, which is named in her honor, in 2004.
A native Wayne-Westland, Mich., Weston received the 2013 Naismith Women’s College Officials of the Year award and the 1994 Women’s Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) Jostens-Berenson Service Award. She was named to Referee Magazine’s list of “Twenty Who Made a Difference in Refereeing” and was honored with the 2012 Distinguished Woman in Higher Education Leadership Award from the Michigan American Council on Education Network for Women Leaders in Higher Education.
Weston received special recognition awards from the University of Dayton National Alumni Association (2000), the Michigan High School Athletic Association (2000), and the Central Michigan University Leadership Institute (2001). She was named the 1994 National Collegiate Women Administrators Region V Administrator of the Year and the NCAA Regional Gymnastics Administrator of the Year in 2003 and 2004. She served on a number of committees including the President’s Commission on the Status of Women, the NCAA Women’s Basketball Issues Committee, and the USA Basketball Officiating Committee.
