Campus News
October 29th, 2019
GC honors five in 2019 Hall of Fame class
Anderson, Butler, Crosby, DeLeeuw and Frantz Shaffer inducted
Five highly decorated Lakers were added to the Garrett College Athletic Hall of Fame during Saturday night's induction dinner at the Community Aquatic and Recreation Complex gymnasium.
Former baseball players Mike Crosby and Mike DeLeeuw combined with LaSha Anderson (women's basketball), Amanda Frantz Shaffer (women's volleyball), and Antonio Butler (men's basketball) to comprise the Class of 2019.
Pictured (from left to right) are members of the 2019 Athletics Hall of Fame class: Mike Crosby (men's baseball), LaSha Anderson (women's basketball), Amanda Frantz-Shaffer (women's volleyball), Pam Butler, mother of Antonio Butler (men's basketball), accepting the award on his behalf; Eric Hallenbeck, GC's head baseball coach accepting the award for Mike DeLeeuw (men's basketball); Dennis Gibson, GC athletics director and head men's basketball coach.
GC Director of Athletics Dennis Gibson – who was part of the inaugural Class of 2015 for his long and successful career as Laker men's basketball head coach – said the inductees' attributes went beyond their athletic talents.
"They understood what it meant to be part of Laker Nation," said Gibson. "I'm very proud of what they've accomplished."
Dr. Richard Midcap, Garrett College's president, lauded the inductees for their accomplishments not only while students but since leaving GC.
"I'm proud of everything each of you accomplished here as student athletes, but I'm even prouder having learned of your individual accomplishments since leaving GC," Midcap told the inductees. "These one-time Lakers are now an engineer, an accountant, a traffic homicide investigator, a high school baseball coach and a high school basketball coach.
"Each of you told me that Garrett College played a key role in helping shape your lives, and that's the real value of both college and the intercollegiate athletic experience," added Midcap.
Frantz Shaffer – a Northern Garrett High alum – was an honorable mention on all-Region XX and all-Maryland JuCo women's volleyball squads while playing for the Lakers during the 2003 and 2004 seasons. She went on to play volleyball at Frostburg State University.
"I stayed here and it was the best decision I could have made," said Frantz Shaffer, who is an office manager/accountant for GMS Mine Repair, an 1800-employee company that specializes in underground coal contracting. "This college still holds a special place in my heart."
Anderson, a second-team all-American, led the Lakers to consecutive state women's basketball tournament championships as well as a 2004 region title and national tournament berth.
"This was the best place for me," said Anderson, a federal government engineer who credited a GC faculty member with leading her toward an IT-related career. "Not only was I part of two great teams, but I had great teachers who were always there, and never more than a phone call away."
Crosby played catcher and was one of the Lakers' top run producers while attending GC from 1992 to 1994. Currently head baseball coach at Man (W.Va.) High School, Crosby briefly played in the Pirates' minor-league organization.
"Everything about Garrett College set me up to succeed," said Crosby, who joins both of his Garrett College coaches – Lawrence Nesselrodt and Ed Wildesen, both of whom attended Saturday's induction dinner – in the Hall of Fame.
Butler was first-team all-Region XX and played in the Maryland JuCo All-Star Game as a sophomore while playing for the Lakers from 2011 to 2013. He went on to star at Slippery Rock University and played professionally in Luxembourg.
"It is indeed an honor for him to be recognized and an honor for his family," said Butler's mother, Pamela, who spoke on her son's behalf. Antonio Butler, who works for a security company and also coaches high school basketball, was unable to attend due to a work commitment.
DeLeeuw – a Florida State Trooper who serves as a traffic homicide investigator – was also unable to attend due to a work commitment. GC head baseball coach Eric Hallenbeck spoke for DeLeeuw, who made all-state, all-region and all-district squads while playing for Hallenbeck's Lakers in 2007.
"Mike had a great career here," said Hallenbeck, noting DeLeeuw's .446 batting average that led the entire NJCAA Division I Eastern District in 2007. "He's well-deserving to be in the Hall of Fame."
Note: The Hall of Fame has inducted 22 student athletes, five coaches/athletics directors, and one team – the 1994 men's basketball team that won the college's first state and region championships and went on to play in the national tournament.
