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The College of Mount St. Joseph began an Athletic Hall of Fame during the fall of 2010. Housed in the Jean Patrice Harrington, SC, Student Center, the Athletic Hall of Fame recognizes the achievements of those who helped build the Mount’s strong athletic tradition.

2011 Hall of Fame

The College of Mount St. Joseph will host the Athletic Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony and Dinner on Friday, October 21, 2011. The inductees for the class of 2011 are Mary Biermann ’71, Jane Scheper Meier ’73 and Julie Biermann ’80. Reception begins at 5:30 p.m., with dinner at 6:30 p.m. followed by the program.

Mary Biermann ’71

An outstanding volleyball player, Mary Biermann was a part of the Mount team that won its first-ever state volleyball tournament in 1970. She graduated with a degree in physical education and began a teaching and coaching career at the high school and collegiate level, eventually returning to the Mount as head volleyball coach 1980-88, where she compiled a record of 212-146. Mary was appointed by Northern Kentucky University to serve as head volleyball coach in 1989 and stayed until she retired in 2000. Her stellar career included the team’s appearance at the NCAA Division II Final Four in 1999, and receiving such titles as GLVC Coach of the Year and Great Lakes Regional Coach of the Year. She played in eight slow-pitch softball National Tournaments, and was selected to the All-World Team in 1980. Mary is a member of NKU’s Athletics Hall of Fame and the Great Lakes Valley Conference Hall of Fame.

Julie Biermann ’80

Julie Biermann was a model student-athlete in college: a stellar two-sport athlete who was also an outstanding student. She was a standout volleyball player at the Mount and made the OAISW All Tournament Team in 1978-79 and 1979-80. She earned the MVP title in basketball four straight years, and still holds the record as the all-time leading scorer for the women’s basketball program with 1,450 points. She was named to the Ohio Small College State Tournament All Tournament Team in 1978-79 and 1979-80, and was All State Division II. Julie was named an Outstanding Scholar Athlete with a 3.98 GPA during the 1979-80 season, and Academic All-America Small College Division. She served as the women’s head volleyball coach, assistant basketball coach and assistant athletic director at the University of Dayton from 1986 to 1994, where she was honored as a conference Coach of the Year three times.

Jane Scheper Meier ’73

Jane Scheper Meier was a standout athlete in volleyball, basketball, swimming, and tennis. She helped lead the Mount to its first two Ohio Intercollegiate Volleyball titles qualifying for the first ever DGWS (AIAW) national championship and its first Ohio Intercollegiate Basketball title. After graduating with a degree in physical education, Jane began her career teaching and coaching at Notre Dame Academy before moving to coach at the college level. At Northern Kentucky University she coached volleyball, softball and women’s basketball leading each sport to national tournament appearances and rankings and in 1988 she was appointed the athletics director. Under Jane’s leadership NKU won 20 NCAA regional championships, made 13 trips to the Final Four, made five championship game appearances, and won two national championships. She oversaw the construction of The Bank of Kentucky Center before retiring in 2009. She was honored with the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Division II Athletics Directors Association.

2010 Hall of Fame

Alumni, friends and family gathered on the evening of October 15 to take part in the first induction ceremony and dinner. Honored that evening were AHOF charter members Kay Corcoran, Jean Dowell and Pat Shibinski.

Kay Corcoran

The first volleyball coach at the Mount, Kay compiled a stellar 217-42 record over nine seasons of play (1969-1977). The team won back-to-back state championships in 1969 and 1970, going 15-0 each season. As members of the Association for Intercollegiate Athletics for Women (AIAW), the “Mounties” were first in the state and second in the Midwest during the 1975 season, and were first in the state and first in the Midwest in both 1976 and 1977. Kay led the team to a seventh place finish in the AIAW Small College National Tournament and third place finish in the 1977 National Tournament. Kay also served the College as the athletic director from 1970 until 1977. Today Kay lives in Jacksonville, Fla., where she spends her time volunteering throughout the community, playing golf and cheering on the Tennessee Titans.

Jean Dowell

As a stellar athlete at Western Carolina University, T. Jean Dowell understood what it took to be a good coach, how to motivate players to succeed and to groom champions along the way. Jean was a longtime member of the Mount’s athletic staff; coach of the women’s basketball team (1970-1994) and as the College’s athletic director (1978-1992). Under Jean’s tutelage, the Lions made six straight NAIA District 22 appearances (1988-1993) and in 1992 won their first NAIA District 22 Championship advancing to the Final Four of the NAIA Division II National Tournament in Monmouth, Oregon. She has received the Greater Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky Women’s Sports Foundation Coach of the Year inaugural award, was named the1991 NAIA District 22 Female Administrator of the Year, and inducted into the Communiplex Women’s Sports Hall of Fame. Jean also received the Distinguished Alumni Award from the University of Georgia School of Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance. Today Jean lives in Delhi where she is active in local politics and volunteers at a soup kitchen and food pantry, and with the poor and disenfranchised of the area.

Patricia Shibinski

For 42 years Pat Shibinski coached and taught at the Mount. She assumed various roles in the Mount’s evolving athletic program in the 1950s and 1960s. She coached field hockey, basketball and volleyball, and she served as chair of physical education. A much-loved teacher and coach, Pat had a major influence on many of the current female and male coaches in Greater Cincinnati. Pat coached the College’s one varsity sport in the 1950s — field hockey — and managed the intramural program. Many consider Pat a trailblazer as she was one of the few women in athletics who worked full time while raising a family. Pat received the Faculty Appreciation Award from the Mount in 1992, and was honored with the Lifetime Service Award from the Greater Cincinnati-Northern Kentucky Women’s Sports Association in 2006. She was also inducted into the University of Cincinnati Hall of Fame and the Buddy LaRosa High School Sports Hall of Fame. She is a graduate of the University of Cincinnati. Pat still resides in Sayler Park where she remains active in a number of ways, including spending time with her children, grandchild and friends.

Nominations for the new Athletic Hall of Fame are open to Mount alumni who graduated from the College at least 10 years prior to nomination as well as individuals – such as coaches, administration or faculty – who have made valuable contributions to the College’s athletic program. The Class of 2011 are open.