B.H.S. Athletic Hall of Fame – Class of 2023
By Michael Connor
The Bellingham Athletic Booster Club “B.A.B.C.”, in conjunction with the Bellingham Athletic Department has introduced you to eight of the eleven inductees into the Class of 2023 over the past three editions of the Bellingham Bulletin; Ken Hamwey, Michael Trudeau, and the 1996 D2 State Champion Field Hockey Team were featured in June, Dave Gibbs & Rick Smith were showcased in July and last month we introduced Justin Bernard, Bob McManus, and Justin Park. This month’s edition showcases field hockey.
Beth (Thornton) Cutler, BHS Class of ’87 was a three-season athlete (field hockey, basketball, & softball/tennis). Oddly, while Beth’s first love was basketball, she was a part of a H.S. State Championship Field Hockey team, found future success at UMASS Amherst where she reached the Final 4, and today is the field hockey coach at Whitinsville Christian Academy. She credits her success and love of sports to two other Hall of Fame inductees who coached her; Ron Bonollo (FH Coach) and Glen Gariepy (Basketball Coach) who “taught us how to win.”
Carrie (Leoncavallo) Wernig, BHS Class of ’96, would go on to play field hockey at Providence College where she would be named Big East Rookie of the Year, play on a team ranked 6th in the nation, and earn Big East All-Star honors her Senior Year. But, before all that she was a three-sport athlete for the Blackhawks (Field Hockey, Basketball, & Softball), finding success in each. Carrie’s story is similar to so many hall-of-famers before her … she had coaches she admired and became a coach in her own right and today runs highly successful teams and field hockey camps for the next generation.
Coach Joanne Paquette coached a handful of hall-of-fame players and earns her induction for her involvement as an engaged parent and Field Hockey Coach from 1990 – 1998, winning a State Championship in 1996. Joanne likely would have coached for much longer if not for her untimely passing. Then Athletic Director, Dennis Baker said “she coached for all the right reasons … she was totally in it for the kids. Paquette was at the forefront in raising funds to keep the programs going”. In sharing the news of Joanne’s induction with her family, they shared that Joanne said while sick “nobody’s going to remember me” … WE DO!
There you have it … over the past 4 editions we’ve showcased two coaches, two contributors, six student-athletes, and a State Championship Team. The induction ceremony will take place on Friday, November 17, 2023, at the Coachmen’s Lodge. Tickets are $50 and are now available to purchase. They can be obtained by reaching out to Aley Thibault ([email protected]) or Michael Connor ([email protected]. The venue is limited to 200 attendees and each of our three prior events sold out.
