Behrend Lions Athletic Hall of Fame
2004 Inductees
ANNE BONNER
Anne Bonner (1990-94) and teammate Wendy (Ebinger) Sunderman formed an
awesome 1-2 punch that led the women's basketball program to the most
successful three-year run in the history of the sport. Bonner led the
team to the school's first ECAC championship and first NCAA Tournament
appearance and win. With Bonner in the paint the squad set a school
record for wins with an impressive 23-4 record.
Bonner's play was dominant at times. She had career highs of 29 points and 17 boards, and averaged 10.1 ppg and 6.2 rpg during her four seasons, while shooting almost 80% from the free-throw line, 52.5% from the field, and averaging over one block and steal per game. She was named the 1991-92 ECAC Tournament MVP, and after pouring in 431 points during her senior season was named to the ECAC Southern All-Star team. Bonner completed her career ranked in fifteen categories and ranked #1 in field-goal percentage at 52.5%, #2 in points in a season with 431, #4 in rebounds with 444, #6 in career scoring with 947 points, #2 in field-goals made with 11 in a single-game, and #4 in field-goals made in a season with 392.
Bonner, a graduate of Avonworth High School in Pittsburgh, PA, was Behrend's Female Scholar Athlete of the Year in 1994 and an Academic All-American. She earned Dean's List honors in seven of eight semesters and graduated with a degree in communications. Bonner works for the government in Fredericksburg, Virginia.
WENDY (EBINGER) SUNDERMAN
Wendy (Ebinger) Sunderman (1990-94) and teammate Anne Bonner led the
women's basketball program to 70 wins in four years, an ECAC
championship, another ECAC appearance, and the NCAA Tournament. As
seniors, they earned a regional semi-finalist bracket position after
trouncing Denison in Erie Hall, but lost to the eventual National Champions, giving
Capital its closest game of the entire tournament.
Sunderman was a point guard that made the team go. She could score, play defense, and distribute the ball, but excelled at providing maximum effort, and playing with a sense of urgency. As the leader of the ECAC championship team that finished fifth in scoring defense in 1991-92, she motivated the defense. Sunderman completed her career ranked in fifteen categories and ranked first in all-time steals with 290. In her 103 games played, she connected on 41% of her field-goal attempts, and 70% of her free-throws. She finished her career ranked #1 in assists with 386, #1 steals with 290, #2 and #3 in assists in a season, #1 in field-goals made in a game with 12, #1 in assists in a game with 12, and #1 in steals in a season with 104, and #9 in career scoring with 812 points. She averaged 7.8 points per game, 3.7 rebounds per game, 3.7 assists per game, and 2.8 steals a game.
Sunderman, a graduate of New London High School in New London, Ohio, was named Behrend's Female Athlete of the Year in 1994. She earned Dean's List honors in seven of eight semesters and graduated with a degree in English. She teaches in Findlay, Ohio.
ERIC GOOD
Eric Good (1990-94) remains one of the most successful men's tennis
players in the history of the program. Good, a very gifted player,
still sits atop the Behrend Lions all-time statistical leaders. He led
the men's program to a school-record 14 wins in 1993 and 13 wins a
year later.
Good posted a career 47-30 mark in singles play and completed his career ranked #1 all-time. His 40-16 record in doubles play is still the most doubles victories. In the 1993 season he posted an 18-5 mark which is the most single-season wins in school history. Good's 14-7 record in 1994 and 13-7 mark in 1992 are fifth and sixth best in a single-season. His single-season totals of 13 and 12 doubles wins rank in the top one and two spots on the all-time charts.
Good, a graduate of Punxsutawney High School in Punxsutawney, PA, twice was named Behrend's Male Scholar Athlete of the Year in 1993 & 1994, and a GTE Academic All-American, and tabbed the Male Athlete of the Year in 1992-93. Good earned Dean's List honors in six of eight semesters and graduated with a degree in mathematics.
DON PLYLER
Don Plyler (1990-94) and teammate Byron Thorne were two of the best to
ever run the court in Erie Hall. Plyler directed
the team from the guard position and was an outstanding long-distance
shooter.
Plyler ranked #1 in three-pointers made with 196, #2 in three-pointers made in a season with 89 in his senior year, #2 in steals with 56 behind teammate Byron Thorne, #1 in three-pointers made in a game with 9, #6 in assists with 245, #7 with 1,079 career points, and #14 in made field-goals with 372. In addition, Plyler was named to the Hamot Classic all-tournament team for three years. He also won the three-point shoot-out at Westminster College that featured NCAA college players battling NAIA all-stars.
Plyler, a graduate of Maplewood
High School, was named the Behrend Lions Male Athlete of the Year in
1991-92 and graduated with a degree in communications in 1994. He teaches and coaches in Berwick, PA.
BYRON THORNE
Byron Thorne (1990-94) was one of the most athletic players to ever
sport a Behrend Lions uniform. Thorne's athleticism allowed him to
make game deciding plays on both ends of the floor in his 102 career games. As a senior he was
named to the Division III News All-America team, a first in Behrend
basketball history.
Thorne and Plyler guided the squad to the program's most wins in eleven seasons and garnered the team's second ECAC Tournament appearance. The dynamic duo worked together to form arguably the most formidable backcourt in the history of the program. In their last home game in historic Erie Hall they produced a combined effort for 44 points, 18 rebounds, 9 assists, and 8 steals in a 104-84 win over La Roche.
Thorne completed his outstanding four-year career ranked #2 in all-time scoring with 1,386 points, #1 in steals with 171, #3 in assists with 321, #4 in field-goals made with 543. Thorne was named the Male Athlete of the Year in his senior campaign of 1993-94, and totaled a career-high of 37 points in a game that season. He netted over 20 points in 17 of the 24 games he played that year and was twice named the ECAC Player of the Week and made the honor roll an additional six times. He also scored 568 as a senior--third most all-time and was among the national leaders in points per game. Also, Thorne was named to the Hamot Classic all-tournament team for three seasons--claiming one MVP award.
Thorne, a Vincentian High
School graduate, earned a degree in MIS, and he continues to coach at
the college level.