University of Richmond Athletics
Five Inducted Into Athletic Hall Of Fame On Saturday
Feb. 20, 2004
UNIVERSITY OF RICHMOND, Va. - The University of Richmond department of athletics will induct five new members to its Hall of Fame at a 4 p.m. ceremony this Saturday, February 21 in the Jepson Alumni Center. This year's five-person class includes: John Barelli (football), Kevin Eastman (basketball, college coach), Peg Hogan (synchronized swimming coach), Mary Jane Miller (field hockey coach, department chairperson) and Bob Thalman (football).
The class will also be recognized at halftime of Saturday night's 7 p.m. men's basketball game between the Spiders and La Salle.
John Barelli
An overwhelming defensive tackle at Richmond who swallowed the opposition, grew into an even more domineering figure as an elite security officer for some of the world's most precious art.
John Barelli, a three-year starter on the Spider defensive line (1968-70), earned All-Southern Conference honors as a junior and senior and was an honorable mention All-American in 1970.
While his playing career was certainly impressive, what Barelli accomplished upon graduation from Richmond (sociology, 1971), John Jay College of Criminal Justice (M.A. in 1977) and Fordham (Ph.D. in criminology, 1986) is equally extraordinary.
After two years as a Richmond police officer (1972-74), Barelli moved to the New York Botanical Gardens were he served as the security director from 1974-78. He later joined the Metropolitan Museum of Art where he served as security manager from 1987-2001 before being promoted to Chief Security Officer, a position he currently holds. An avid sports fan, Barelli works with Major League Baseball and the National Baseball Hall of Fame as a special security consultant.
Kevin Eastman
Considered a premier basketball mind, Kevin Eastman has devoted his life to the game on the local, national and international level. Eastman recently transitioned from the coaching scene to scouting future stars from the United States and overseas.
Richmond's 21st all-time leading scorer with 1,162 career points, Eastman was a three year starter and served as captain during his final two seasons (1976-77). He earned All-Southern Conference honors after averaging 14 points as a junior.
An award was created for Eastman upon completion of his career. The Kevin Eastman Award, given three more times since 1977, is earned periodically by a Spider basketball player that possesses outstanding leadership qualities and spirited basketball play.
Following his playing career, Eastman moved into the college coaching ranks where he served as an assistant coach for his alma mater, VCU and Colorado State. He then served as head coach at Belmont Abbey, where he won three straight NAIA championships, UNC Wilmington, resurrecting the program, and Washington State where he took the Cougars to two NIT appearances.
Eastman earned his bachelor's in sociology and his master's in athletic administration from Richmond.
Peg Hogan
Long-time University of Richmond synchronized swimming coach Peg Hogan is one of the most decorated individuals to grace the sport. Inducted into the International Swimming Hall of Fame on May 11, 2002, Hogan has earned 55 U.S. Synchronized Swimming Masters national championships and the gold at the 1985 Masters World Championships and 1987 Pan American Masters Championship.
Hogan started coaching at Richmond in 1976 and guided the Spiders to varsity status in 1981. She led her team to a second-place finish at Nationals in 1988, Richmond's highest finish in program history. During her 23-year tenure at Richmond, Hogan coached nine all-americans.
The only Masters athlete ever to coach three teams in the same season, Hogan led the Octopi of Richmond and Ramapo Aqua Masters Synchro team in addition to the Richmond varsity squad. Hogan also founded the National Institute of Creative Aquatics, which emphasizes swimming-to-a-theme and creativity rather than accuracy in skills and strength as in more competitive synchronized swimming. Her swimmers went on to win many aquatic art awards.
Dedicated to every facet of the sport, Hogan spent much of her time as an official. She served as the National Judges Committee Chairperson, Masters National Chairperson, Education Committee Member and Collegiate National Chairperson. She received the Lillian MacKellar Distinguished Service Award in 1998.
Mary Jane Miller
For many years the women's athletic program at the University of Richmond has offered numerous opportunities for females to participate and compete at an elite level. Richmond's dedication to women's sports has not been a recent development, but rather a combined effort of many diligent leaders like Mary Jane Miller.
A devoted teacher, Miller wore many hats and facilitated the development of several student-athletes. Not only was Miller a great coach but she led in the classroom as well.
Miller was a physical education instructor from 1949-53 before becoming an associate professor of physical education from 1954-70. She served on the Westhampton Athletic Association Board as well as being the physical education chairperson in 1971.
On the playing field, Miller led her field hockey teams to an 89-77-2 record from 1949-71. She was an honorary seal winner in 1954 and earned All-Tidewater Team as the coach in 1955. She was also Richmond's lacrosse coach from 1961-71.
Miller was also inducted into the Hall of Fame of her alma mater, William & Mary.
Bob Thalman
A standout on the gridiron for Richmond in the 1940s and the most decorated coach in VMI football history, Bob Thalman left his mark on two of Virginia's most storied football programs.
Thalman served as VMI football coach from 1971-84, the longest tenure of any Keydet coach. He led VMI to three straight wins over Virginia from 1976-78 and earned two Southern Conference Championships (1974, 1977).
In 1981, Thalman led the Keydets to a 6-3-1 record, including road victories against Army and Virginia Tech. That squad is the last VMI team to finish the season with a winning record.
Thalman earned Coach of the Year honors from The American Football Coach's Association, the Southern Conference and civic and sports clubs in Virginia.
Following his coaching career, Thalman stayed involved, working on the Richmond Athletic Hall of Fame committee. For VMI, Thalman encouraged the formation of an Athletic Hall of Fame and formed the Big Brother Program.