The Williston Northampton School Athletic Hall of Fame welcomed seven new members Friday.
Coaches Alan Shaler and Amos Alonzo Stagg; athletes David Felsen, Stephen White, Abigail Ouimet Katsuka and Collen Hession Thom; and the 1981 varsity football team were inducted during a ceremony at the school.
Hession Thom is a Northampton native and 2002 Williston graduate. Ouimet is from Hatfield and graduated in 1999, while Felsen is originally from Easthampton and graduated in 1962.
Known then as Abby Ouimet, she earned 16 varsity letters in basketball, soccer, field hockey and lacrosse. Scored 1,404 points for basketball team. Earned the Valedictory Award and the Dorothy Bement Award at graduation. Attended Amherst College and played four years of field hockey and lacrosse. Played one season of basketball. In field hockey, she was a two-time regional All-American. In field hockey, she was a two-time regional All-American. In lacrosse, she is the program’s all-time leading point scorer, career assists leader, a three-time All-NESCAC selection, and three-time All-American. Helped lead the team to the 2003 NCAA Division III national championship. She lives in Ohio with her family.
Known then as Colleen Hession, she led the 1998 girls basketball team to a program-record 20 wins. She is the school’s all-time scoring leader with 2,096 points over six seasons and was third-best in school history with 15.3 points per game. She holds nine of the top 21 marks for most points in a single game, and three of the top six marks for most points in a season. A three-time team MVP and three-time All-New England pick. She was the field hockey goalie for four years and selected captain for two of those years. Her athletic success continued at Williams where, as a member of the women’s basketball team, she set a school record with 233 career 3-pointers. She finished her career with fifth all-time with 1,341 points. She was named to the All-NESCAC and All-New England teams.
A soccer, basketball and baseball player, Felsen was a co-winner of the Denman Award, recognizing the best all-around athlete, his senior year. Attended Haverford and the University of Pennsylvania. He played goalie, served as co-captain and eventually coached the Haverford soccer team. He taught, served as an administrator and coached varsity basketball for the Germantown Friends School for 16 years, where he brought home five championships and founded Basketball & Reading Clinics. Live in north Philadelphia.
White had success in football and lacrosse, but shined in wrestling. He was the captain of the varsity wrestling team his junior and senior year. As a 115-pound junior, he finished 13-0, winning a state and New England championship along the way. Moved up to 130 pounds as a senior and finished 13-0, earning All-American status, and state and New England titles.
Best known as an athlete and pioneering college coach in multiple sports, Stagg, who died at 102 in 1965, began his coaching career at Williston. He was the first paid coach of football (1890-1891), and also coached the 1891 baseball team. His record as a college football coach is 314-199-35. His University of Chicago teams were recognized as national champions in 1905 and 1913. Stagg played football at Yale and was selected to the first College Football All-America Team in 1889. He was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame as both a player and a coach in the charter class of 1951. Stagg was elected to the Basketball Hall of Fame in its first group of inductees in 1959. The NCAA Division III championship game is named the Amos Alonzo Stagg Bowl.
Shaler was part of the fabric of Williston athletics for more than 37 years. He founded the cross country program in 1963 and coached the sport through 1999. He started coaching track in 1960 and served as either the head coach or assistant coach through 2000, with the exception of 1964-1968. Earned four varsity letters in cross country and track at Hamilton. Shaler is a parent of three Williston alumni and a mentor to countless cross country and track athletes. He was the inspiration for Williston’s Shaler Invitational cross country race and a tireless advocate for the new course at Williston. In recognition of his commitment to Williston, Shaler was the recipient of the Eminent Service Award in 1999.
Led by head coach Rick Francis, and assistant coaches Steve Purington, Jay Readinger and Robert Shaw, the undefeated 1981 Wildcats outscored opponents 217-61.