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2025 Titan Sports Hall of Fame
Emily Tallis

Westminster honors 2025 Titan Sports Hall of Fame class

10/3/2025 10:01:00 PM

NEW WILMINGTON, Pa.--The Westminster College Department of Athletics and the Titan Sports Hall of Fame Selection Committee inducted its seven-member 2025 class during the Titan Sports Hall of Fame Dinner and Celebratory Ceremony Friday night in the McKelvey Campus Center's Witherspoon Rooms. 

Members of the Class of 2025 include former Titan standouts: Traci (Hassell) Westrem '08, Chris Hawthorne '09, Tim Wiand '12, Haley (Gabor) Welsh '14, Nick Fiorentino '14, Marissa (Kalsey) Thomas '16 and longtime athletic trainer Shaun Toomey, who was honored with the prestigious Meritorious Service award, which recognizes individuals for their outstanding and enduring service to the College and the Department of Athletics.  

The members of the Class of 2025 will be permanently recognized within the Titan Sports Hall of Fame installation in the Grover Washabaugh Lobby and Darwin Huey Heritage Center, located in Memorial Field House. This year's class will also be introduced at halftime of Saturday's football game against Bethany. 

Traci (Hassell) Westrem, Class of 2008
A three-time All-Presidents' Athletic Conference (PAC) selection and two-time team captain, Hassell was the setter on back-to-back PAC title-winning teams in 2007 and 2008, helping lead the Titans to the league's first-ever NCAA Division III Championship automatic qualifying bid as a junior.

Hassell, a Hubbard, Ohio native and graduate of Hubbard High School, began her career at Saint Francis University in 2004, where she was named the Northeast Conference (NEC) Rookie of the Week three times. Her 1,008 assists that season rank No. 3 among Red Flashes' single-season leaders.

After spending a year at Youngstown State University Hassell joined Tammy Swearingen's program in 2006, where she went on to finish No. 3 on the College's all-time assists list, with 3,098. She was an Honorable Mention All-PAC choice in 2006 before earning a spot on the First Team All-PAC in 2007 and 2008. Hassell's 53 assists in a straight-set win over Grove City College in 2007 remain the most ever by a PAC setter in a three-set match.

Westminster earned the championship tournament's top seed with its 23-10 regular season record and 10-2 mark in the PAC in 2006 but was shocked in a three-set semifinal upset by Thomas More College. The Titans secured an invitation to the Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) Division III South Championship Tournament, hosted by New Jersey City University (NJCU) in Jersey City, N.J., and finished as a semifinalist.

In 2007 Hassell finished with a 47-assist, 21-dig double-double in Westminster's 3-1 semifinal win over Washington & Jefferson College before totaling 32 assists in a title match sweep of defending conference champion Thomas More. It was Westminster's first PAC title since its earliest in 2002. Hassell was recognized as the team's Most Valuable Player (MVP) after the season. In 2008, the program's second-straight PAC title run as the No. 1 seed, Hassell posted 23 assists in a 3-1 title match victory over Thomas More.

Hassell graduated with a bachelor's degree in business administration in 2008. She resides in Hubbard with her husband Jason and daughters Charley and Emerson.

Chris Hawthorne, Class of 2009
A three-time All-American, Hawthorne's seven combined Presidents' Athletic Conference (PAC) titles in the 100 breaststroke (2006-08) and the 200 breaststroke (2006-09) are the second-most in program history.

Named to the PAC's 60th anniversary team in 2014, Hawthorne, a four-time First Team All-PAC honoree, is one of four swimmers all-time to win the same event--the 200 breaststroke--for four-straight years at the PAC Championships. Westminster captured PAC team titles in 2006 and 2007 and posted runner-up finishes in 2008 and 2009.

Hawthorne, a national qualifier in 2008, finished eighth in the 400 medley relay, 11th in the 200 medley relay and 12th in the 200 breaststroke inside the University of Houston's   Campus Recreation and Wellness Center Natatorium, helping the Titans secure a 20th-place national finish. The 400 medley relay, made up of Pat Smith, Hawthorne, Conor Simpson and Ryan Trunk, was the College's first relay to qualify for the Division III Championships.

A team captain as a senior, Hawthorne ranks third in school history in the 100 breaststroke (57.23) and the 200 breaststroke (2:05.15) and is fourth all-time in the 200 IM (1:56.46). He remains one of just six men to score individually at the Division III Championships.

Hawthorne, a four-time PAC Academic Honor Roll recipient, Hawthorne was named a College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) Academic All-District, was named a College Swimming Coaches Association of America (CSCAA) Scholar All-American after his junior and senior seasons. Hawthorne was one of four swimmers to receive the Gene Nicholson Swimmer and Diver/Scholar Award in both 2008 and 2009.

A native of New Wilmington and graduate of Wilmington High School, he earned a bachelor's degree in public relations in 2009. Hawthorne and his spouse Emily reside in Pittsburgh.

Tim Wiand, Class of 2012
Wiand capped an outstanding three-year run with Westminster in 2012 by helping the baseball program secure its second Presidents' Athletic Conference (PAC) title and first-ever trip to the NCAA Division III Championship while becoming the school's first player to earn the league's Most Valuable Player (MVP) award.

A two-time All-Mideast Region selection and First Team All-PAC choice, Wiand received First Team honors from both the American Baseball Coaches Association (ABCA) and D3baseball.com after a terrific 2012 season where the first baseman boasted a .431 batting average, which ranked 22nd among Division III hitters. He finished the year with 62 hits, including 14 doubles, a triple and four home runs. Defensively, Wiand posted an impressive .995 fielding percentage and a conference-best 362 putouts.

Wiand was wonderful during the second-seeded Titans' run to the 2012 conference championship. In a 5-3 come-from-behind win over No. 4 Saint Vincent College, he went 3-for-3 with a solo home run, two doubles, two RBIs and two runs scored. Wiand had three hits in the 6-0 title game shutout of top-seeded Washington & Jefferson College.

Wiand remains the program's single season leader in doubles (19, 2011) and RBIs (46, 2012). Westminster's 28 victories in 2012 also remain a program record.

A Pottstown native and graduate of Owen J. Roberts High School, Wiand graduated in 2012 with a bachelor's degree in accounting. He resides in Elverson with his wife Jessica and son Calvin.

Haley (Gabor) Welsh, Class of 2014
After being selected as a Presidents' Athletic Conference (PAC) Co-Track Athlete of the Year in 2014, Welsh went on to become Westminster's first-ever competitor to qualify for the NCAA Division III Championships in the 400 meters.

Welsh earned a spot at the Division III Championships after registering a school-record time of 56.35 seconds at North Central College's Gregory Final Qualifier. She finished 17th at the Division III Championships, which were held at Ohio Wesleyan University.

At the 2014 outdoor championships, which were held at Westminster, Welsh ran to a first-place finish in the 200 meters (25.25), was second in the 100 meters (12.50) and the 400 (57.48) and anchored the first-place 4x400-meter relay (4:00.51). The 4x400 relay time continues to stand as a program record.

Welsh snagged conference titles in the 200 (26.44) and anchored the winning 4x400 relay (4:09.36) at the PAC Indoor Championships in 2014. Westminster won the league's indoor team title with 156 points. The 4x400 relay (4:02.74) also won the PAC outdoor title in 2013 with Welsh as the anchor.

As a sophomore in 2012, Welsh was selected as Westminster's first-ever most outstanding performer at the conference championships, which were held at Geneva. She posted first-place finishes in the 200 (26.11) and the 400 (57.96) and finished as the runner-up in the pole vault (3.10m, 10-02). Welsh also anchored Westminster's first-place 4x400 relay (4:09.11). Westminster won the PAC team title with 188.50 points.

Welsh finished her career as a four-time PAC individual champion, claimed three-straight conference outdoor titles as a member of the 4x400 and ran to a league indoor title as a part of the 4x400.

A Vandergrift native and graduate of Ford City High School, Welsh was named to the PAC's 60th anniversary team in 2015. She graduated with a bachelor's degree in chemistry in 2014. She was honored as Westminster's Marjorie A. Walker Award winner, which is given annually to honor and acknowledge individuals who best exemplify the qualities of fairness, sportsmanship, leadership, determination and competitiveness.

Welsh resides in New Kensington with her husband Trevor and son TJ.

Nick Fiorentino, Class of 2016
A five-time Presidents' Athletic Conference (PAC) Most Outstanding Performer and eight-time conference champion, Fiorentino earned back-to-back PAC Most Outstanding Performer awards at the outdoor championships in 2015 and 2016, respectively, becoming just the 11th male in league history to score two outdoor track and field outstanding performer awards.

At the 2015 PAC Outdoor Championships, hosted by Grove City College, he won conference titles in all three throwing disciplines: the shot put (15.27m, 50-01.25), the discus (42.36m, 139-00) and the javelin (57.80m, 189-07). At the 2016 outdoor championships, hosted by Bethany College, Fiorentino claimed his second-straight title in the shot put (14.52m, 47-07.75) and discus (44.62m, 146-05).

Fiorentino won the weight throw (12.70m, 41-08) at the 2014 indoor championships, hosted by Youngstown State University at the Watson and Tressel Training Site (WATTS) before capturing the conference title in the weight throw (14.35m, 47-01) for the second time at the 2016 indoor championships. He also won the shot put (14.01m, 45-11.75) to earn a share of the league's most outstanding field athlete award.
Westminster won the league's indoor and outdoor titles in 2016.

Fiorentino was also a standout with Westminster's football program, earning three-straight All-PAC citations, including a second team nod as a senior in 2015. He went on to represent the program at the Division III Senior Classic, presented by the National Scouting Showcase, in Myrtle Beach, S.C.

A native of Franklin and graduate of Franklin High School, Fiorentino earned a bachelor's degree in business administration in 2016. He resides in Beaver Falls with his spouse Bethany Foust.  

Marissa (Kalsey) Thomas, Class of 2016
An eight-time Division III All-America, Thomas captured the national title at the 2017 outdoor championships after clearing 4.22 meters (13-10.00), which remains a Division III Championships meet record.

After receiving a medical hardship waiver for a season-ending knee injury in 2016, Thomas cleared 4.15 meters (13-07.25) to win the 2017 Division III title before attempting the Championships record. Just the second Division III pole vaulter to earn four-straight All-America citations at the indoor and outdoor championships, she was the second female to represent the Presidents' Athletic Conference (PAC) as a national track and field champion.

She was the runner-up at the outdoor championships in 2015 (4.05m, 13-03.50) after finishing third in 2014 (3.85m, 13-03.50), fifth in 2013 (3.75m, 12-03.50) and third in 2012 (3.94m, 12-11.50).

Thomas registered back-to-back runner-up finishes at the indoor championships in 2014 and 2015, respectively. She cleared 4.01 meters (13-01.50) in 2015 and, after earning U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) Mideast Region Women's Field Athlete of the Year honors, cleared 3.95 meters (12-11.50) in 2014. Thomas was third at the indoor championships in 2016, clearing 3.90 meters (12-09.50) on her third and final attempt at the height, and third in 2013 (3.95m, 12-11.50).

In 2024 Thomas qualified for the U.S. Olympic Track & Field Team Trials at the University of Oregon's historic Hayward Field. She was one 11 entries to participate in the Katie Moon Pole Vault Classic, presented by Nike, on June 8 at Olmsted Falls High School. Thomas hit the Olympic Trials qualifying standard by clearing 4.48 meters (14-08.25). She registered a personal best during the qualifying round in Eugene on June 28, clearing 4.50 meters (14-09) on her third attempt at the height and securing one of the 13 spots in the final. On June 30 she delivered on her second attempt at 4.43 meters (14-06.25) in the final.

Thomas, a Waynesburg native and graduate of Waynesburg Central High School, earned a bachelor's degree in early childhood and special education in 2016. She completed a master's degree in school counselor education in May and resides in Washington, Pa. with her husband Dylan, also a 2016 Westminster graduate.

Shaun Toomey
Toomey recently retired as the head athletic trainer after a 38-year run with the College. A renowned figure in Titan athletics, he served generations of student-athletes while helping shape one of the nation's most respected sports medicine departments.

A native of Madison, Ind., Toomey arrived at Westminster in 1987 after serving as an assistant athletic trainer at Central Michigan University for a year.

Toomey played an essential role in the expansion of athletic training facilities on campus, which continue to provide premier care for Titan student-athletes. He was integral in Westminster becoming one of the nation's earliest schools to incorporate Immediate Post-Concussion Assessment and Cognitive Test (ImPACT®) as a part of its concussion protocol. Toomey also established the College's training room as a site where Westminster's staff could provide educational experiences for hundreds of students through robust, collaborative practicum and immersion programs with schools like Indiana University of Pennsylvania, Ohio University, Slippery Rock University, the University of Southern Connecticut, Temple University and Youngstown State University.

Toomey's service to Westminster's student-athletes spanned nearly four decades, demonstrating his tireless devotion to the thousands of student-athletes he served. He consistently set the bar high when supporting the growth of his colleagues and commitment to the profession. He was recognized as an Honorary Titan at the 20th Annual WESPYS (Westminster Exceptional Sports Performances of the Year) on April 28 in recognition of his years of service to the College. Alongside longtime assistant trainer Misty Motter, Toomey recently spoke on Sacroiliac Dysfunction at the College Athletic Trainers Society (CATS) Symposium at The Orleans Hotel & Casino in May. The pair also spoke on the topic twice at the Sports Medicine Concept Conference, hosted by Indiana University of Pennsylvania.

Toomey received a bachelor's degree from Miami University (Ohio) before getting a master's degree in sports medicine from Indiana State University. He's a longtime member of the National Athletic Trainers' Association (NATA) and the Pennsylvania Athletic Trainer's Society (PATS).

Toomey and his wife Jennifer, a 1989 Westminster graduate, have two sons: Connor and Cormick. They reside in New Castle.
 
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