The Western Mustangs Backcourt Club, the men’s basketball alumni group, will be honouring a new class of extraordinary athletes at their awards banquet on April 4.
A new tradition started by Mustangs head coach Brad Campbell has enabled the Backcourt Club to adopt their own alumni into an exclusive hall of fame, Mustangs Backcourt Club Hall of Honour.
The awards dinner will be held at the Greek Canadian Club in London on Saturday, April 4 beginning at 4 p.m.
Ten alumni will be inducted in this year’s ceremony, each inductee demonstrating the depth in talent that has developed in Western’s men’s basketball program over the last few decades.
Four-time CIAU All-Canadian and 1991 CIS Championship MVP John Stiefelmeyer headlines the group which includes Andrew Kwiatkowski, Bob Phibbs and coach John P. Metras This year’s list of inductees also includes seven former Olympians.
Tickets for the semi-formal event are $80 for adults, $60 for youth and students or $600 for a table of eight and are available by contacting Campbell at bcampbe5@uwo.ca.
Here are the 2009 inductees:
PLAYERS
John Stiefelmeyer (1991)
– four-time All-Canadian
– four-time OUA West all-star
– three-time OUA champion
– CIAU Player of the Year, 1990
– CIAU Finals MVP, 1991
– OUA West Rookie of the Year, 1987
– CIAU champion, 1991
Andrew Kwiatkowski (2002)
– two-time All-Canadian
– two-time OUA West all-star
– CIAU Player of the Year, 2002
– OUA West scoring leader, 2002
– former member of the Canadian national team (1999-2003)
– member of Canadian university national team (1999-2001)
– also played at Goodwill Games (Brisbane, Australia, 2001) and Panamerican Games (2003)
Glenn Pettinger (1952)
– member of the 1952 Canadian Olympic basketball team
– won O-QAA championship and Canadian senior championship in 1951-52 under John P. Metras
Bill Pataky (1952)
– member of the 1952 Canadian Olympic basketball team
– won O-QAA championship and Canadian senior championship in 1951-52 under John P. Metras
– major force behind Western’s success in the early 50s, scoring an average of 18.3 points per game 1952 national university championship series over Alberta (Western swept the Golden Bears 3-0)
Harry Wade (1951)
– two-time OUA all-star
– three-time OUA champion
– member of the 1952 Canadian Olympic basketball team
– played against Western in 1952 national senior championshpi game with the Tillsonburg Livingstons
– inducted into W Club Wall of Fame in 1985
George Wearring (1950)
– three-time OUA all-star
– four-time OUA champion
– OUA scoring leading in 1950
– member of the 1952 Canadian Olympic basketball team
Paul Thomas (1950)
– three-time OUA All Star
– four-time OUA Champion
– coach of the 1952 Canadian Olympic basketball team
– member of the Canadian Basketball Hall of Fame
Chuck Dalton (1950)
– member of the 1952 Canadian Olympic basketball team
Bob Phibbs (1949)
– three-time OUA all-star
– winner of the Dr. Claude Brown Memorial Trophy (1948-49), awarded to the Western male student who made the greatest contribution to athletics within the university
– member of the 1952 Canadian Olympic basketball team
– named to Canadian Basketball Hall of Fame in 2008
– five-time CIAU all-star at Western
– five-time collegiate national champion
– led the Mustangs in scoring during the 1947-48 season with 316 points
– known as “gunner” for his ability to shoot the ball from anywhere on the floor
– also an athlete with Western’s football and track programs
COACH
John P. Metras – 1945-1964
– won a record of 14 national championships in 19 seasons
– co-recipient of the first Award of Merit awarded by the Assosication of Canadian Basketball Coaches (1970)
– lost just six games over 11 seasons between 1946-1958
– promoter for Western basketball staging games at the London Arena to increase exposure