MARYVILLE – Maryville College Athletics announced Friday its eight-member Wall of Fame Class of 2023. The group represents eight Maryville College teams from seven different sports, and is made up of former star student-athletes from the 1990s, 2000s and 2010s.
This year's honorees are Katie Beckham, softball, 2006-09; Janell Menard Brady, women's basketball, 2009-13; Trey Bridwell, men's golf, 2009-11; Pam Russell Buecker, women's soccer, 1990-94; Kate Poeppelman Childs, volleyball, 2002-06; Matt Ennen, men's basketball, 1998-2002; Lorenzo Howard, football, 1992-96; and Eric Weatherbee, men's cross country, 2002-04.
"We look forward to welcoming this strong class of individuals back to campus," Maryville Director of Athletics Sara Quatrocky said. "Honoring our elite former student-athletes on an annual basis connects what we are doing now to all the great things that have happened on this campus and in this athletics department over the years. We couldn't be prouder of our Wall of Fame Class of 2023."
Katie Beckham
Softball
2006-09
Katie Beckham was a J.D. Davis Award recipient in 2009 after four years of All-Conference achievement. She helped the Scots reach the NCAA tournament in 2006 and 2007, and then win a Great South Athletic Conference regular season title in 2009.
Beckham was an exercise science major who went on to graduate from UAB's surgical physician assistant program in 2012. She has practiced as an orthopedic physician assistant since 2013 and has been employed by Andrews Sports Medicine since 2014. She is a past president and has held other board member roles for the Alabama Society of Physician Assistants. Beckham also received her Theological Education by Extension, Education for Ministry (a four-year part-time program) through the University of The South.
Janell Menard Brady
Women's Basketball
2009-13
Janell Menard Brady was a 2013 J.D. Davis Award winner and Division III All-American. She was a three-time All-Conference pick who helped the Scots to three NCAA tournament appearances. She led the team to four straight regular season championships and backed that up with a pair of conference tournament titles.
Menard Brady was accepted into East Tennessee State University's postgraduate DPT program and graduated in 2017 as a Doctor of Physical Therapy.
Trey Bridwell
Men's Golf
2009-11
Trey Bridwell was the 2011 Conference Golfer of the Year on his way to Division III All-America honors and a national ranking of No. 3. He finished that season as the top-ranked golfer in par-3 and par scoring, and he went on to a three-year career in professional golf.
Bridwell during his pro golfing days became a nautical captain in the maritime industry. He later was director of maritime operations for Savannah Riverboat Cruises from 2017-19 before returning home to Tennessee in 2019. He and his wife now operate a Tennessee riverboat company.
Pam Russell Buecker
Women's Soccer
1990-94
Pam Russell Buecker in 1991 played on the very first Maryville Scots team coached by the legendary
Pepe Fernandez, a Wall of Fame member himself. That team went 12-2-1, and the Scots over her four years posted a combined record of 49 wins, 19 losses and 4 ties. Pam served as team captain during her senior season.
Russell Buecker earned a master's degree in health promotion and behavior from the University of Georgia. She had a 15-year career as vice president for Vizient Southern States, a healthcare consulting company. She served as president of a volunteer organization, the Georgia Association of Healthcare Executives, and served as adjunct faculty for Kennesaw State University teaching health and wellness. She changed careers during Covid and currently runs her own business as a glass artist.
In addition, Pam and her husband, Jason, get to watch their youngest son, Reeves, perform for the Maryville College men's soccer team.
Kate Poeppelman Childs
Volleyball
2002-06
Kate Poeppelman Childs played for Maryville teams that won four conference championships and appeared in three NCAA tournaments. She was a two-time team captain and two-time Conference MVP after earning the league's Freshman of the Year award. Kate reached 1,000 kills as a junior, and she later passed those skills along as an assistant coach for the Scots for four years.
Poeppelman Childs was a visual art major who, during her coaching days at Maryville College, earned another degree and become licensed as a physical therapist assistant.
Matt Ennen
Men's Basketball
1998-2002
Matt Ennen is the No. 7 all-time scorer, No. 5 rebounder and No. 2 in blocked shots in Maryville College history. He helped the Scots to four consecutive NCAA tournament bids and four straight seasons of at least 22 victories. Matt was a four-year starter who was the 2002 Conference Player of the Year and All-Region selection.
Ennen was a mathematics major who now is an executive finance professional with more than 21 years of diversified experience, focused primarily in healthcare and consumer products. He resides in Orange County, California, and serves as corporate vice president of financial planning and analysis for a large for-profit healthcare system. Before moving to California, Ennen held several executive level positions in Nashville and Tampa, most recently as the chief financial officer of the HCA Healthcare/Parallon Tampa Shared Service Center.
Lorenzo Howard
Football
1992-96
Lorenzo Howard was a consensus All-American selection in 1995 after a season that saw the defensive back record seven interceptions. Four of those interceptions came in a memorable 6-3 upset win over previously undefeated Emory & Henry in the final game of the 1995 season. Lorenzo on his memorable afternoon posted 13 tackles and a fumble recovery to go along with his 72 interception return yards.
Howard played under head coach Phil Wilks and was an organizational management major.
Eric Weatherbee
Men's Cross Country
2002-04
Eric Weatherbee was a two-time Great South Athletic Conference cross country champion and GSAC Runner of the Year in 2002 and 2003. He was the league's Freshman of the Year in 2002 and was named to the All-GSAC First Team in back-to-back seasons.
Weatherbee was an economics major who went on to earn his MBA from Bryan College and his Master of Theology from Midwestern Seminary. He is the executive director of the Knoxville Track Club and has finished 16 marathons and ultra-marathons. Weatherbee has run every day since July 11, 2011 – more than 4,650 days in a row.
Homecoming Recognition; Formal Induction April 7
The class is being recognized Saturday during halftime of the Homecoming football game against LaGrange, and then formal inductions take place April 7 at the Clayton Center for the Arts.
