The Class of 2000: ATHLETES

RUTH YOCOM CARKIN (1935-1939)

Ruth (Yocom) Carkin ’39 played a variety of sports all four years, including participating in six sports her sophomore and junior years. She was a conference all-star four years in basketball and won the conference doubles championship in tennis as a junior. She was named Willamette’s Outstanding Female Athlete after her junior and senior years. During and after college, she played shortstop and second base for three seasons (1938-40) for Salem’s Pade-Barrick women’s softball team. While the team won three state championships, Ruth earned all-state honors.

JESSE "BUD" GILMORE (1938-1942)

Jesse “Bud” Gilmore ’42 won four consecutive Northwest Conference singles championships in tennis. He lost only one conference match during his career, a loss he avenged while winning the conference championship in his freshman year. While a junior, he beat the #1 players for both Oregon and Oregon State. He later lost a close exhibition match to then #6 nationally ranked Wayne Sabin. After college, he narrowly lost to national champion Pancho Gonzales for the California State title. Gilmore earned his Ph.D. from C-Berkeley, and was a professor of history at Portland State University for 28 years.

DOUG LOGUE (1948-1952)

Doug Logue ’52 was a key player on the basketball team that won four straight Northwest Conference titles from 1949-52. He played every position in his four seasons and was named to the NWC’s all –star teams his last three years. He was also named to the Little All-Northwest team after his senior year. Logue concluded his college career tied with teammate Ted Loder for Willamette’s single game scoring record of 32 points. In 1952, Logue and Loder played on a Portland AAU team (Panel hake) that competed in the national tournament in Denver.

TED MERTZ (1947-1951)

Ted Mertz ’51 lettered all four years in track and field, and was one of that’s sport’s great all-around athletes.Upon graduation, he held five school records, including high jump (6’-0”), long jump (22’-3”), 100-yard dash(10.0), 120- yard high hurdles (15.4), and 220- yard low hurdles (24.3). Mertz led Willamette to its first Northwest Conference title in track and field in 1951, and once scored 16 of the Bearcats 24 points in the North Pacific Invitational, helping Willamette to tie for third place.

The Class of 2000: TEAM

1952 BASKETBALL TEAM

The 1952 basketball team went 22-5 overall and won its fourth straight Northwest Conference championship with a 14-1 march under fifth-year head coach John Lewis. The Bearcats’ season ended in an NAIB district playoff loss to the University of Portland. All five Willamette starters were selected to the All-Northwest Conference team. Ted Loder, Doug Logue and Lou Scrivens were named to the first team, and Hugh Bellinger and Dick Mase were named to the second team. Both Loder and Logue scored a school record of 32 points in a game during the year and the Bearcats tallied 103 points in a win over Lewis and Clark. During the four-year NWC championship run for the seniors-which included Loder, Logue, Scrivens, Bellinger, Larry Smith, Dick Brouwer, Cliff Girod and Claude Nordhill- the Bearcats went a combined 66-38 (.635).

The Class of 2000: COACH

JIM BRIK (1974-1991)

Jim Brik took over Willamette’s swimming program in 1974 and coached for 17 seasons through 1991. He was named NAIA Men’s Swimming Coach of the Year in 1981 after the Bearcats finished sixth in the national meet. His 1983 women’s team placed fourth at the NAIA national championships. Of his 17 men’s teams, six won Northwest Conference titles and nine placed in the top 10 at nationals. Thirty-four of his swimmers won All-America honors 80 times. His best swimmer, Steve Koga, won more individual national titles (five) than any other Willamette athlete.

The Class of 2000: MERITORIOUS SERVICE

BOB and JEAN DONOVAN

Bob ’47 and Jean ’45 (Sanesi) Donovan have been active and generous supporters of Willamette athletics. Almost every weekend they can be seen at one or more Bearcat events. In addition to their strong financial support, Bob has been a longtime official for cross-country and track and field meets. He has served on the Executive Committee of Cardinal Round Table, the Bearcats’ athletic fundraising organization. After they were married in 1996, the Donovan’s were awarded the Lestle J. Sparks Medallion, given to graduates who exhibit great loyalty and service to the University.

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