Serving Lucas, Ottawa, Sandusky and Wood Counties
Cardinal Stritch inducted three individuals and one team into its Athletic Hall of Fame during a ceremony on Dec. 6 during halftime of the varsity boys basketball game.
Those inducted include 2007 graduate Michelle (Henning) Hamilton, 1983 graduate James Kimble, 1980 graduate Thomas McAlear, and the 1988 girls volleyball team.
Family, friends, coaches, and faculty members gathered to support the nominees, with some traveling from as far as Florida.
Michelle (Henning) Hamilton was recognized for her remarkable athletic achievements.
James Kimble was moved by a surprise letter from U.S. Marshal Peter J. Elliot, who praised his honor and dedication as a Sergeant, SRT Member, and hostage negotiator with the Wood County Sheriff’s office.
Thomas McAlear credited his years at Cardinal Stritch for shaping his commitment to service.
The 1988 girls volleyball team and their coach, Dana (Johnson) Hooper, shared many stories of that season — curfew stories, the excellent parental support, and a lot of the team antics that season.
The team was made up of Jodi Jaros, Sue Surgo, Jackie McCloskey, Jenny Cherry, Jenny McCloskey, Amy Uher, Tricia Kontak, Heidi Ware, Julie Thomas, and Diane Cherry. They stuck to their motto “We will rock you!” and compiled an overall record of 21-2.
Included in their successful season was a 15-11, 15-6 victory over Central Catholic in the Toledo City League championship on Oct. 13. As a team, the Cardinals earned a berth in the regional tournament for the first time in school history, where they gave No. 1 Fairview Park a battle before falling 15-8, 8-15, 15-5.
Johnson was named the City League’s Coach of the Year. Cherry was named First Team All-District in Class AA, while Surgo was named Second Team All-District.
“These young women were tough, determined, and played for each other,” Hooper said. “They set the bar high for what it means to wear a Stritch uniform.”
During his years at Cardinal Stritch, Thomas McAlear was inspired by his 208 classmates. During high school, he demonstrated his commitment to the community by serving as class president his senior year. He was a member of the French Club for two years, the National Honor Society for two years, and he was recognized as a Who’s Who Among American High School Students in his junior year.
McAlear was a four-year member of the varsity baseball and football teams, the latter of which he served his senior year as team captain. He was also a two-year varsity member of the wrestling program.
After graduating from Cardinal Stritch, McAlear earned his bachelor’s degree in chemistry from Miami University in 1984, where he was a member of Phi Beta Kappa and graduated Summa Cum Laude. He continued his education and earned his Doctor of Medicine degree in 1988 from the Medical College of Ohio. There, he received the Dean’s Award, the Glidden L. Brooks Award, the George G. Ludwig Prize in Medicine, the American College of Physicians Award, and was a member of the Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Society.
While attending Cardinal Stritch, James Kimble recalls fondly the love he felt from the Cardinal family. He credits coaches and mentors Tom Greer, Doug Neundorf, and Tom “T.D.” Talbott, as well as Mike Vanrassen, Paul Luther, Terry Reeves, and Father John Sites for his progress and development during his high school years.
As a member of the football team, Kimble was named First Team All-City League, First Team All-District, and First Team All-Ohio in Class AA. He was one of the state’s best defensive tackles, credited with 91 tackles as a senior.
In her sophomore year as a pitcher on the softball team, Michelle (Henning) Hamilton was the team’s ace with an 11-1 record, a 1.72 ERA, and 105 strikeouts in 89 innings of work. She started on varsity as a freshman and ultimately earned four varsity letters while leading the Cardinals to a fifth consecutive TAAC title as a senior.
In that senior year, Hamilton went 15-4 with a 0.65 ERA and 164 strikeouts over 119 innings, while adding a .473 batting average with three home runs and 27 RBIs. She was a four-time All-Toledo Area Athletic Conference selection, including first team recognition her final three seasons. She was named the TAAC Player of the Year as a senior, while also leading the Cardinals to its first 20-win season and a district semifinal appearance in 2005.
After graduating from Stritch, Hamilton played one season of softball for Madonna University in 2008, before earning her Bachelor of Science in education from Bowling Green State University in 2012.
Cardinal Stritch Catholic High School & Academy held its first Hall of Fame Induction ceremony in 1994. A total of 17 ceremonies have been held, typically taking place every other winter. There are currently 93 inductees, including seventy-four individuals, one honorary inductee, eight couples, nine teams, and one family. The Hall of Fame honors individuals and teams that have made a lasting impact on the school and community throughout its rich history.
