Aquinas College

As Aquinas College celebrates its 50th year of varsity cross country competition, it is only fitting that the 1971 cross country team is honored with induction in the Aquinas College Athletic Hall of Fame. The 1971 team made history by winning the College's first ever NAIA State Cross Country Championship. This accomplishment allowed the squad to make the College's first ever appearance in the NAIA National Championship held in Missouri where the squad finished 23rd in the nation. The team was coached by John Flaminio who arrived at the Grand Rapids campus in 1969 and immediately began establishing a highly competitive program. Flaminio, who was a member of two NCAA National Championship squads at Western Michigan, brought his expertise to the "Tommies" and raised the program to national prominence. The 1971 squad went undefeated in five dual matches and also won six of the seven championships in invitational meet. The lone defeat was when the squad finished 17th out of 43 teams at the prestigious Notre Dame National Catholic College Invitational. Aquinas went on to win the NAIA State Cross Country Championship before finishing 23rd at the national meet. The squad was captained by senior Wayne Stefanich. Other team members were John Carr, John Cassani, Daryl Delabbio, Jerry Gumbleton, Steve Hatton, Phil Hinck, Randy Laga, Pete Lentini, Brian Mckenzie, Ryan Sexton and Tom Sherburn. Hinck garnered NAIA All American honors for his effort. The 1972 squad went on to duplicate the efforts of the 1971 squad before Coach Flaminio left to take the head coaching position at the University of Toledo. The books were then closed on the "Flaminio era" but a level of excellence had been established which is still present today at Aquinas College.