Wheaton, Ill. - Wheaton College will induct seven people into the Hall of Honor during the October 6th Homecoming weekend festivities. There will be a reception for the seven inductees following the football game on October 6 (approximately between 4-5 PM) in the lobby of King Arena at the Sports and Recreation Complex on the Wheaton campus.
The seven individual inductees are:
Beth (McKinney) Baker (women's basketball coach);
Eric Baldwin (men's swimming);
Stephanie Clark (women's basketball);
Paul Elsen (wrestling and men's track & field);
Bill Harris (men's basketball coach);
Nicole Merchant (women's basketball); and
Matt Nadelhoffer (men's basketball).
Additionally, the members of the
1997 NCAA Division III Men's Soccer Championship Team earned a team Hall of Honor induction on September 1.
Beth (McKinney) Baker '77
Wheaton, Ill.
Women's Basketball Coach
Beth (McKinney) Baker served as Wheaton's head women's basketball coach for 25 years, until her retirement at the conclusion of the 2010-11 school year. During her tenure, Wheaton compiled a record of 434-188, with a 70% winning percentage. She is Wheaton's all-time leader in victories as a basketball coach and is second all-time in CCIW women's basketball history with 248 career league wins.
Under Baker's direction, Wheaton won six CCIW Women's Basketball Championships, the second most of any program in the conference. Her teams made the NCAA Division III Tournament seven times, including a “Sweet Sixteen” appearance in 2005-06.
Wheaton placed in the top four in all but two years of CCIW competition since 1986. During Baker's tenure, the program produced four All-Americans, four CCIW Players of the Year, and 65 All-Conference player selections.
“It has not been coaching basketball that has been the love of my life at Wheaton. It has been getting to be part of the student-athletes' lives that has been the joy of my career,” Beth noted at the time of her retirement. She added, “It has been awesome that God has been able to use me to help point students to a real relationship with Jesus Christ. Basketball has provided the context by which I have had an opportunity to have an impact on their lives.”
Eric Baldwin '97 BA and '99 MA
Indonesia
Sport: Men's Swimming
BA Degree: Christian Education, History and Bible
MA Degree: Intercultural Studies
Eric Baldwin made his impact as a member of the Wheaton men's swim team as both an undergrad and graduate student. His impact is all the more remarkable considering he did not begin swimming competitively until his sophomore year at Wheaton, when his roommate talked him into joining the team.
During one of his graduate years in 1998, Baldwin earned honorable mention All-America status in the 100-yard backstroke and the 200-yard backstroke. That same year, he was also named the Co-Most Valuable Swimmer at the CCIW conference championships while winning the 200-yard IM (in a varsity record time of 1:55.07), the 400-yard IM (4:09.74) and the 200-yard backstroke (1:53.95). Those three times are still ranked in Wheaton's all-time top five in each event.
“I think it would be easy to cite the varsity record that I set my last year of swimming at Wheaton, or my trip to the Division III national swimming championships,” Baldwin said of his college memories. “However, the memory that is most meaningful to me is the steps our team took in my final two years of swimming to reach out and get to know members of the other teams in our conference – specifically the team members from North Central College. Our team hosted events, visited other campuses several times, and we were able to show and share the Gospel with several of our friends from other teams.”
Baldwin moved to Indonesia in 2003 with friends from Wheaton and started Island Connections International, a tourism company. In 2007, Baldwin and several others started a second company, BME Services. Eric and his wife Sarah (Livingston) Baldwin have four children – Karsten (age 11), Aubrey (age 8), Simeon (age 4), and Demaris (age 1).
Stephanie Clark '97
Nashville, Tennessee
Sport: Women's Basketball
Degree: K-12 Art Education
Stephanie Clark was a four-time First Team All-Conference performer for the Wheaton women's basketball squad, earning All-American accolades in 1993-94.
Clark played with Nicole Merchant, a fellow Hall of Honor inductee, from 1993 to 1997. During that time, Wheaton compiled a record of 75-27 (.735 winning percentage). Clark ended up third in school history in points scored (1,730), second in field goals (695) and third in steals (291). Her career averages were 17.0 points, 6.0 rebounds and 2.8 steals per game over the course of 102 contests.
Stephanie said her favorite college memories revolve around her teammates rather than basketball itself. “Whether it was pumping each other up for difficult preseason runs, cheering a teammate at the free throw line, surviving rigorous Christmas practices together, or laughing hysterically during a team party at Coach Baker's house – the support of my teammates created lasting and meaningful memories,” Clark said. “I was privileged to play with and be coached by people of character whose lives exemplified what is really important in life. I appreciate Coach Baker's wisdom and influence on my life as a coach and as a person who loves our Savior… I am humbled and grateful for these memories.”
Stephanie earned a Master's of Fine Arts Degree from the New York Academy of Art in 2004, and she has been an art teacher and painter for over 10 years.
Paul Elsen '97
Kennett Square, Pennsylvania
Sports: Wrestling, Men's Track & Field
Degrees: Math and Economics
Paul Elsen won two National Championships and earned six total All-American selections in his time as a wrestler and track athlete at Wheaton College.
Elsen was a three-time All-American in wrestling with a career record of 109-19. He won the NCAA Division III National Championship at 177 pounds in 1996 and 1997. He was also named CCIW Outstanding Wrestler in 1995 and 1997. On the track, Elsen was a three-time All-American in the decathlon from 1995-97, including CCIW champion in 1995 and 1997.
One of Paul's favorite athletic memories was winning the 1996 National Championship while being coached by his grandfather, longtime head wrestling coach Pete Willson. Elsen saw how the coaches in both sports were intentional with their development of the athletes spiritually.
“I had several different coaches and on each team, we started practices with devotions, prayer, and sometimes scripture memorization,” Elsen said. “Through my coaches, I learned that God cares about the smallest details of our lives, but is more concerned about our spiritual growth and sanctification than our comfort or happiness. I can still hear Don 'Bubba' Church saying 'God is good, Paul! What is He teaching you today?'”
Elsen is currently employed as a Hedging Advisor for Chatham Financial Corporation, where he educates and advises real estate companies on hedging interest rate and foreign currency risks. Paul is married to Christine (Barnes) Elsen and the couple has four kids – Jacob (age 11), Sam (age 9), Sally (age 6), and Robbie (age 4).
Bill Harris
Hernando, Florida
Men's Basketball Head Coach
Bill Harris spent 18 seasons as the head men's basketball coach at Wheaton, posting a record of 320-148. Harris coached Wheaton from 1991 until his retirement in 2009.
During his time with the Wheaton program, Harris owned the highest winning percentage in Wheaton men's basketball history at 68 percent. He had seven seasons with at least 20 wins and coached six different players to 10 All-American honors. He was named National Division III Coach of the Year by Basketball Times in 1995-96 and also won the Illinois Basketball Coaches Association's NCAA Division III "Coach of the Year" award twice in his career.
Harris' program won three CCIW Championships in his tenure. The Crusaders recorded a 25-2 overall mark in 1995-96. In 2007-08, Wheaton went 22-8 and reached the Elite Eight of the NCAA Division III Tournament. In his final season at Wheaton, Harris' team posted a 26-4 record and advanced to the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Division III Tournament, finishing the year ranked second in the country by D3Hoops.com.
Current Wheaton basketball coach
Mike Schauer ('93) played on Harris' first two Wheaton teams and later served under him as an assistant coach. “It is difficult to articulate the impact Coach Harris has had on my life,” says Schauer. He remarks, “The professional impact of Coach Harris on me is obvious. However, the influence he has had on my walk with Jesus, my marriage, and my parenting is more subtle but exponentially more important to me.”
Following his departure from Wheaton, Bill served as the head coach of the Indian National Basketball team that represented India at the 2010 Asian Games in Guangzhou, China.
Harris and his wife, Esther, now reside in Florida. All three of their daughters are graduates of Wheaton: Rebekah is a 1999 Wheaton grad; Joanna is a 2001 Wheaton grad; and Sarah is a 2003 Wheaton graduate.
Nicole Merchant '97
Englewood, Colorado
Sport: Women's Basketball
Degree: Sociology
Nicole Merchant was a two-time All-American and graduated in 1997 as the second-leading scorer in Wheaton women's basketball history. She was named All-American in her junior and senior seasons to go along with four All-Conference selections. Merchant set the program's single-season records in scoring (538 points in 1995-96) and free throws (141 of 189 in 1996-97). She is still Wheaton's all-time leader in free throws (476 of 699), ranks second in career scoring (1,771 points) and third in career rebounds (765). Over 102 games played, Nicole averaged 17.4 points per game and 7.5 rebounds per game.
During her four-year playing career, Merchant helped lead the team to 75-27 record (.735 winning percentage) alongside fellow Hall of Honor inductee Stephanie Clark. Nicole's time at Wheaton was also a time of profound spiritual growth for her.
“My time spent with Coach Beth Baker was perhaps my most meaningful memories of my days as a player,” Merchant said. “In [Beth], I witnessed a walking picture of the gospel. In her, I saw both on and off the court in all circumstances what it meant to know and follow hard after Jesus. She pointed me to Him who is the way, the truth and the life. My life testifies that her labor as a college basketball coach was not in vain. I'm immeasurably grateful God gave me the opportunity to come to Wheaton and play under Coach Baker. It was my honor and privilege.”
Nicole is a professional nanny whose volunteer work includes involvement in the music ministry and prison fellowship at Cornerstone Chapel in Denver, Colorado.
Matt Nadelhoffer '98
Forsyth, Illinois
Sport: Men's Basketball
Degree: Kinesiology
Matt Nadelhoffer was an All-American point guard who led the Wheaton men's basketball team to its first CCIW title in 40 years. In his first season on the team in 1995-96, Nadelhoffer facilitated the offense for a Wheaton squad that reached the NCAA Tournament and won a conference title en route to a 25-2 record. Despite playing only two years on the team from 1995-97, Matt was twice named All-Conference and ranked second in school history with 413 career assists. He owns Wheaton's top two single-season assists records (221 and 192) and also distributed an NCAA-record 20 assists in an NCAA Tournament game against Grinnell College.
During his time at Wheaton, Nadelhoffer cited his head coach Bill Harris as a role model. “Coach Harris preached being men of honor, discipline and integrity on a daily basis,” Nadelhoffer said. “He lived it as well, which was important to see and hear. It has been a great reminder in my adult life as a husband, father and basketball coach.”
Matt continues his involvement in college basketball as a head coach for the last 13 years. He is currently entering his second year as head men's basketball coach at Millikin University after spending the previous nine years at Eastern University in Pennsylvania. Matt is married to fellow Wheaton graduate Rebecca (Dykstra) Nadelhoffer. They have three children – Matthew (age 6), Natalie (age 4), and Libby (age 2).
1997 Men's Soccer Division III Championship Team
The 1997 Wheaton men's soccer team not only won the NCAA Division III Championship, but the squad did so in commanding fashion with a 24-0-1 record. The Crusaders defeated Mary Washington College 2-1 in the Division III Semifinal in late November of 1997. The Crusaders secured the program's second National Championship with a 3-0 win in shutout fashion against The College of New Jersey, as All-American Eric Brown scored all three goals in the National Championship match.
Head coach Joe Bean's team out-scored opponents 109-14 in its 25 matches that season. Wheaton's 25 contests without a loss in that season was a key part of the program setting a NCAA record for consecutive matches without a loss over 66 consecutive matches from 1996-98.
Eric Brown scored 23 goals and Rob Mouw led the team with 24 goals and 12 assists, as they each earned First Team All-American recognition from the National Soccer Coaches Association of American (NSCAA). Chris Allen and Scott Brown joined the duo as All-Region selections. Scott Brown scored 10 goals with 13 assists, in earning recognition as the CCIW Co-Player of the Year.
