The Aquinas athletic department announced on Wednesday (Feb. 16) the newest group of Saints selected to be enshrined into the Coach Terry Bocian AQ Athletic Hall of Fame. Scheduled for induction on Friday, September 16th, the 2022 class includes six Aquinas athletes, one team, and a lifetime achievement recipient.
 
The 2022 AQ Athletic Hall of Fame class includes the following athletes: Jackie (Braspenninx) Ehnis (women's basketball, 2003-07), Aaron Hendrick (men's tennis, 2011-14), Natalie Kent (women's track & field, 2003-07), Amy Panse (women's soccer, 1999-2000), Jeo Pantoja (men's soccer, 2007-10), and Nikki Tuttle (women's basketball, 1993-96). Historian/statistician Mike Dean (1984-current) and the 1980 men's soccer team were also chosen for enshrinement with the newest class.
 
There are currently 64 individuals and eight teams in the AQ Athletic Hall of Fame prior to the 2022 group. Last year's group of inductees was the first full athletic class inducted since 2016 and the first time the ceremony was celebrated as the Coach Terry Bocian AQ Athletic Hall of Fame, named after the longtime AQ athletic director and coach. 
 
"This is an outstanding class of past Aquinas greats and we are very excited to honor them and celebrate their successes," mentioned Nick Davidson, Vice President for Intercollegiate Athletics. "A hall of fame ceremony is meant to recognize past champions and connect alumni and we feel this is a wonderful group to do just that. We're thrilled to induct such a tremendous class this fall during Homecoming weekend."
 
Originally scheduled to be inducted in 2021 but unable to attend the ceremony, Braspenninx ranks third in AQ women's basketball history in both scoring (1,966) and rebounding (836). The 2006 WHAC Player of the Year, she is the Saints' all-time leader in blocked shots (269) and holds three of the top-four totals for blocks in a season. 
 
Hendrick was a four-time NAIA All-American tennis player for the Saints, including earning First Team All-America honors in 2012 and 2013. The WHAC Player of the Year in 2011 and 2012, Hendrick helped the Saints win six total WHAC Championships, including four straight regular season titles. Named the ITA National Rookie of the Year, he is the only four-time ITA All-American in both singles and doubles in Aquinas history.
 
A nine-time All-American in track & field, Kent received five All-America honors at NAIA Indoor Nationals (in five different events) and collected four such accolades at NAIA Outdoor Championships during her career. She still holds two school records and ranks in the top-five in AQ history in seven events. Kent was the 2007 NAIA Outdoor Nationals runner-up in both the 100 and 400 meter hurdles.
 
Panse was named an NAIA All-American in each of her two seasons at Aquinas and was an outstanding offensive performer for the women's soccer team. She still ranks first in school history in 15 career and single season categories, including holding AQ records with 2.70 points and 1.11 goals per game throughout her career. Her 25 goals and 62 points in 1999 are still the best single season figures in program history.
 
Another tremendous soccer player, Pantoja was the two-time WHAC Offensive Player of the Year for the Aquinas men. He helped lead the Saints to three WHAC regular season championships and the 2007 WHAC Tournament title. Pantoja holds seven AQ records, including being the all-time leader in career points (138), goals (61), and game-winning goals (25). 
 
Tuttle was another two-time WHAC Player of the Year, earning that distinction in 1994 and 1995 for the women's basketball team. She led Aquinas to four consecutive WHAC regular season championships and is the fourth all-time leading scorer (1,729) in AQ history. Tuttle still holds school records of single season field goal percentage (.586) and single game scoring (40 vs. Albion).
 
Dean is a longtime statistician, historian, official scorekeeper, and public address announcer for a wide variety of AQ sports during a career that spans nearly 40 years. He was the statistician for the 1984-85 men's basketball team that was inducted into the AQ Athletic Hall of Fame in 2015. Dean also served as the official scorer for the West Michigan Whitecaps for 25 years and has spent 37 years as the scorer and statistician for the National Baseball Congress.
 
The 1980 men's soccer team was the first AQ soccer team to win the NAIA State championship. It was a very talented team, including two players (Mauro Caporuscio and Mike Hagan) that have already been inducted into the AQ Athletic Hall of Fame. The 1980 squad was coached by Doug Mello, who became Aquinas head coach at just 20 years old and has coached more college soccer games than any other coach in history. 
 
The 2022 AQ Athletic Hall of Fame class will be inducted in the Sturrus Sports and Fitness Center on the evening of September 16th as a featured event of the 2022 Homecoming weekend. Tickets and possible sponsorship opportunities will be made available in the coming months.