Providence College Athletics

Providence College To Induct Nine Into Athletic Hall of Fame

Providence College To Induct Nine Into Athletic Hall of Fame

Ceremonies to take place during College's Alumni Weekend, February 22.

Jan. 8, 2003

PROVIDENCE, R.I. -- It was announced today that the Providence College Athletic Department will induct the late Dick Bagge (women's volleyball coach), Rob Gaudreau (men's hockey), Geraldine Hendricken (cross country/track), Tracy Lis (women's basketball), Andrea Mangum (women's basketball), Eric Murdock (men's basketball), Geoff Smith (cross country/track), Linda Wage (field hockey, basketball, softball), and Jimmy Walker (men's basketball) into its Athletic Hall of Fame. The induction ceremonies will take place on Saturday, February 22 at 3:30 p.m. at the Westin Hotel in Providence, R.I. The inductees also will be honored at halftime of the men's basketball game versus Villanova that begins at 7:00 p.m. that evening at the Dunkin' Donuts Center in Providence. Tickets for the induction ceremonies are $40 per person and can be obtained by calling the Providence College Alumni Office at (401) 865-2407.

Bagge served as the head coach of the Friar volleyball team from 1977-93. During his tenure, the Friars compiled a 537-220-3 mark for a winning percentage of .708. Bagge, who started the PC volleyball program in 1977, only had two losing seasons in his 17 years as the head coach of the Friars. Five of his teams earned 40 or more wins and 10 of his squads registered 30 or more wins in a season. Bagge, who guided three of these teams to BIG EAST titles (1983, 1985 and 1987), was named BIG EAST Coach of the Year four times (1983, 1985, 1986 and 1992), New England Coach of the Year in 1981 and Northeast Region NCAA Division I Coach of the Year in 1986. His 1983 and 1985 squads advanced to the NCAA Tournament. A native of Rhode Island, Bagge was one of the first from the state to receive a volleyball scholarship in the early 1950's and three years later earned All-America honors at Florida State.

Gaudreau '92 enters the Hall of Fame as the greatest goal scorer in the history of Friar hockey as he registered 20 or more goals in each of his four seasons at Providence. He is the only player ever to score 100 or more goals in his career at Providence. Gaudreau ranks third all-time in scoring (211 points), fourth in assists (108) and first in goals scored (103) at Providence. His senior season, he was a Hobey Baker Finalist and a Second Team All-American. A two-time All-New England selection, Gaudreau was awarded the 1992 Walter Brown Trophy given to the top American hockey player in New England. In 1989, he was named the HOCKEY EAST Rookie of the Year and he went on to earn two All-HOCKEY EAST honors in his career. In four seasons at Providence, he helped the Friars win 87 games and make two appearances in the NCAA Tournament. A native of Cranston, Rhode Island, Gaudreau played 245 games in the NHL with the San Jose Sharks and the Ottawa Senators.

Hendricken '92 is one of the top female runners to ever compete at Providence College. She earned seven All-America honors and three BIG EAST titles (1,000 meters and 3,000 meters) as a Friar. Hendricken, a native of Carlow, Ireland, captured the 1992 NCAA Indoor 3,000 meter title and became the first female athlete at Providence to win an NCAA title. In 1991, she was a member of the Providence College 4 x 1,500 meter relay team that established a world record at the Penn Relays. Hendricken is the only Providence male or female cross country/track athlete to qualify for the NCAA Championship each of the 12 times she was eligible during her four years with the Friars.

Lis '92 is recognized as one of the greatest women's basketball players at Providence. She is the all-time scoring leader for the Friars (2,534 points, 19.9 ppg) and ranks third all-time in the BIG EAST (1,296 points). During her career (1988-92), Lis set 14 records at the College, including being the only player to surpass 2,000 points. In 1990, she led the Friars to their first ever Sweet 16 appearance in the NCAA Tournament and their highest ranking in the Associated Press Poll (15th). The Friars reached the NCAA Tournament each of the four years she was at Providence and posted a 96-31 mark (.756) during that time. Lis was a two-time Kodak Honorable Mention All-American, a three-time All-BIG EAST selection, the 1989 BIG EAST Rookie of the Year and also received the BIG EAST Special Achievement Award for her contributions to the Conference. In 1992, she was named ECAC Player of the Year.

Mangum '90 will be remembered as one of the top scorers and rebounders to play for the Friar women's basketball team. A two-time Kodak District I All-America selection (1989 and 1990), she ranks second all-time at Providence in rebounding (1,063 rebounds, 8.6 rpg) and third all-time in scoring (1,679 points, 13.7 ppg). Mangum earned two All-BIG EAST honors. In 1990, she helped the Friars capture their first BIG EAST title and she was named MVP of the BIG EAST Tournament. Mangum, who led the Friars in rebounding each of her four years, helped the team post an 85-40 mark and qualify for three NCAA Tournaments from 1986-90.

Murdock '91 was one of the top guards in the history of a program known for great backcourts. At Providence, he ranks second all-time in scoring (2,021 points, 17.3 ppg), second in three-point shooting (169 three point goals), second in free throws (478 free throws made), second in steals (376 steals) and sixth in assists (487 assists). When he graduated in 1991, he was the reigning NCAA career steals leader with 376 steals. He currently ranks second in that category behind PC's John Linehan (385 steals). His senior year, Murdock averaged 25.6 points per game and was a First Team All-America selection, a First Team All-BIG EAST honoree, the BIG EAST Scoring Champion, Eastern Player of the Year and the nation's Most Courageous Player Award winner. Murdock was the 21st selection in the 1991 NBA Draft. He played nine seasons in the NBA and scored more than 5,000 points.

Smith '84 is one of the most well known runners in the tradition-rich history of Providence College cross country and track. A native of Liverpool, England, he won his first Boston Marathon (1984) and finished second in the New York City Marathon (1983) while a student-athlete at Providence. He graduated in 1984 and captured his second Boston Marathon in 1985. Smith earned All-America accolades in indoor track in 1982. In 1981, Smith established the Providence indoor 5,000 meter record with a time of 13:22.1 at the Millrose Games, which was just 1.5 seconds off the world record at the time. The two-time BIG EAST Champion (1981 outdoor track 5,000 meters and 1983 outdoor track 10,000 meters) competed in two Olympic Games. In 1980, he ran the 10,000 meters and he also competed in the 1984 Olympic Games (marathon).

Wage '81 has been described as one of the best athletes to attend Providence College. She also was a pioneer in women's athletics on the Smith Hill campus. A three-sport athlete, she excelled in field hockey, basketball and softball for the Friars. However, field hockey was the sport in which she really left her mark at Providence College. In field hockey, Wage ranks as the Friars' all-time career scoring leader (213 points) and the all-time career goals leader (95). Wage also ranks eighth all-time in assists with 23. She holds the PC single-season goal mark with 33 tallies in 1978 and the single-season points record with 43 points in 1978. Wage's freshman season was just the second year of existence for the Friar field hockey program. In her four seasons, she helped put the Friars on the map as the squad posted a 40-17-2 record.

Walker is the greatest men's basketball player ever to play at Providence College. Despite playing in an era when freshmen were not eligible to compete, Walker still ranks as the Friars' all-time leading scorer, having compiled 2,045 points in three seasons before the addition of the three-point field goal. He also ranks first all-time in free throws made at Providence (481) and second all-time in field goals made (781). For his career, he averaged 25.3 points per game. In 1966-67, Walker scored 851 points in 28 games (30.4 ppg) and became the only Friar to average 30 or more points in a season. During his three seasons of eligibility at Providence, Walker helped the Friars post a 67-14 mark (.827) and advance to two NCAA Tournament appearances and one NIT berth. In 1967, he was selected first in the NBA Draft. Walker still holds the unique distinction of being the only player from a New England college taken first in the NBA Draft. He spent nine seasons in professional basketball where he averaged 16.7 points per game.

The Providence College Athletic Hall of Fame was started in 1970 with a class of 10 inductees. The nine newcomers that will be inducted on February 22 will join 101 past honorees.

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