E-Club Hall of Fame Class of 2025: Five Stories of Grit, Growth, and Gratitude

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YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) -- By any measure, the Eastern Michigan University E-Club Hall of Fame Class of 2025 reflects the depth and spirit of Eagle athletics. Five inductees—Patrice Beasley, John Bowler, Nikki Knapp, Ben Reese, and longtime athletic trainer Bill Tuscany—stood before a packed audience Friday, Oct. 10, to share stories of resilience, mentorship, and unexpected paths that led them to lasting success.

Inside the George Gervin GameAbove Center atrium, family, teammates, and fans rose for a standing ovation as each name was read. The energy was warm, proud, and a little emotional. Each inductee's story revealed something essential about Eastern Michigan: the belief that hard work, humility, and perseverance still define what it means to wear green.

Tom Helmer, the Voice of EMU Athletics, emceed the ceremony with humor and heart. E-Club President Andrew Wellock and EMU Vice President/Director of Athletics Scott Wetherbee opened with remarks honoring the inductees' contributions. EMU President James Smith shared a video message as well, celebrating the honorees.

Then came the heart of the evening: the stories.

Patrice Beasley: "Don't make it close."
When Patrice Beasley took the podium, she set the tone with a grin and an easy greeting. "What up, y'all? And also, good evening." The room laughed, and she quickly shifted to gratitude. "Thank you to everybody for being here. To whoever put that on and created that, thank you."

Beasley's athletic story began not on the track, but on the basketball court. "If you know me, you know ball is life," she said. "I was expecting to play basketball in college." But her path changed, and she found herself in EMU's track program, where she would eventually win 13 Mid-American Conference titles.

Her defining moment came early. During her freshman season, a race ended too close to call. "They had nothing for us, because it was so close," she said. "Eventually, they announced I was fifth. I was livid." She recalled confronting her coach, who gave her advice that would become a lifelong mantra: "Next time, don't make it close."

From then on, Beasley didn't. "Thirteen times, I didn't make it close," she said with a smile. "Thirteen championships later, here I am."

Her message to the next generation was clear. "Winning isn't only crossing the finish line first," she said. "It's being a leader, being humble, and giving everything you have to your team."

The moment turned emotional when Beasley shared a video message she received from track legend Jackie Joyner-Kersee. "Congratulations, Patrice. You did this," Joyner-Kersee said.

John Bowler: "Beyond my wildest dreams."
When John Bowler stepped up, he began with self-deprecating humor. "First off, I realized how I should have done my hair a lot better back then," he said, glancing toward his highlight reel on the big screen. He added, "We couldn't have led off with anyone better than Patrice. The energy in this room is incredible."

For Bowler, who starred in men's basketball from 2002 to 2006, the night was more than a personal honor. "This is beyond my wildest dreams," he said. "My teammates used to joke I'd never get in. But to be here, in this company, it's something I'll never forget."

Bowler became one of the most productive players in EMU history, ranking among the top scorers and rebounders in the program. But his speech wasn't about statistics. It was about gratitude. "A kid from Chicago who came here with a dream—thank you to everyone who believed in me," he said. He credited former coaches, teammates, and staff for "seeing something in me before I saw it myself."

The laughter returned when he admitted, "I'm actually wearing the same suit I wore in Zane's wedding, so thanks for the color choice, Zane." But he quickly turned serious again. "What I want to teach my kids, and any young athlete, is this: don't let anyone tell you that you can't do it. Be better than me. Be more than me."

Nikki Knapp: "Every rep, every lap, every time you choose to keep going, it matters."
When Nikki Knapp walked to the podium, she followed two powerhouse speeches with quiet confidence. "Those are two tough acts to follow," she said, holding her notes with a smile. "So I'll stick to my script."

Knapp, a standout in women's basketball, spoke with humility and deep gratitude. "When I first set foot on campus, I never imagined that one day I'd be standing here," she said. "I am deeply humbled by this honor."

Her words were steady and heartfelt. "This recognition belongs to my teammates as much as it does to me," she said. "They pushed me, challenged me, and made every practice worth it."

Knapp's speech turned personal as she thanked her parents for their support. "To my mom and dad—for all the rides, the late nights, and the pep talks. For cheering even louder when I got called for a foul I definitely didn't commit." The audience laughed, then applauded as she nodded toward her sisters. "You were there for all of it, and I love you for that."

To younger athletes, Knapp offered simple advice: "Every rep, every lap, every time you choose to keep going when it's hard—it matters, and it adds up." She closed with pride and gratitude. "Eastern Michigan will always be a part of me. Go Green."

Ben Reese: "This is a gift."
Ben Reese began his remarks with humor and honesty. "My speech is going to be terrible compared to everyone else's," he said. The crowd laughed, but he quickly grew reflective. "Being inducted into the Hall of Fame is something I never expected. It's a gift."

Reese, who competed in cross country and track, shared stories that revealed both the humor and humanity of his journey. He described traveling to Kenya before enrolling at EMU, carrying two books: The Godfather and The Michigan Murders. "That book was about a serial killer in Ypsilanti," he said with a wry smile. "It was pulled from shelves, but it didn't stop us."

When he arrived on campus, a letter from legendary coach Bob Parks was waiting for him. "A handwritten letter," Reese said. "When you get one of those, it means someone cares." That moment, he said, showed him the character of EMU's coaches and the personal relationships that defined his college experience.

He asked his former teammates to stand. "That's what's truly special tonight," he said. "The people you run with, train with, and grow with—they make this journey real." He paused, looking across the room. "This is such a gift."

Bill Tuscany: "I never realized that starting here as a student meant I would always be a student."
The final inductee, Bill Tuscany, spent more than three decades as Eastern's Associate Head Athletic Trainer. His calm voice carried the weight of time and experience. "As you can see, it hasn't changed me a bit," he joked.

Tuscany came to EMU in 1971 as a student trainer. His first assignment set the tone for his career. "My training test-subject told me, 'Tape my feet. And if you cut me, I'll break both your arms,'" Tuscany said with a grin. "I taped them perfectly."

He met his wife at Holy Trinity Chapel on campus. "Two years later, she became my wife. We've been married 52 years," he said to applause. He also credited mentors who guided his career, including Gary Strickland and Dr. Waldomar Roeser. "Dr. Roeser was the smartest person I ever met," he said. "I never sat in a room with him and didn't learn something."

Tuscany reflected on decades of athletes, Olympians, and teams who passed through Bowen Field House. "I came here thinking I'd earn a master's degree and start a career," he said. "I never realized that starting here as a student meant I would always be a student—learning from every athlete, every colleague, every season."

He looked out at the room filled with athletes and families. "For all of it, I'm grateful," he said simply.

As the evening drew to a close, Helmer called each inductee back to the stage. "From this point forward," he said, "when I say your name, it will always be followed by 'Hall of Famer.'"

Beasley. Bowler. Knapp. Reese. Tuscany.

The audience stood again, applauding not only their achievements, but their stories—the detours, doubts, and moments of belief that brought them to that stage. The ceremony ended as it began: with warmth, humility, and pride.

The Class of 2025 left that legacy in full view—etched in the Hall of Fame, and alive in every story they shared that night.

The biographies for the Eastern Michigan University Athletics Hall of Fame 2025 inductees follow on the next two pages.

PATRICE BEASLEY
Women's Track & Field: Graduated in 2007... Four-year letter winner as a member of the EMU women's indoor and outdoor track and field teams from 2003-06 ... Earned eight individual Mid-American Conference Championship titles and five as a member of a relay team ... At the MAC Indoor Championships, won the indoor 60m dash and 200m dash twice (2004, 2006) ... Won the outdoor 200m dash three consecutive years (2004, 2005, 2006) along with three straight outdoor 4x100m relay victories (2003, 2005, 2006) ... Won the outdoor 100m dash and the 4x400m relay (2006) ... Holds five MAC Championship titles as a member of the 4x400m and 4x100m relay teams ... Selected outdoor First Team All-MAC in 2005 ... Named MAC Athlete of the Week several times throughout her EMU career ... Named Most Valuable Performer at the MAC Outdoor Championship in 2006 ... NCAA Regional Qualifier in the 100m dash ... Remains in the top 10 all-time EMU records for the indoor 60m, 200m, and 4x400m relay team and outdoor for the 100m, 4x100m relay team, 4x200m relay team, and 4x400m relays team.

JOHN BOWLER
Men's Basketball: Graduated in 2007 ... Four-year letter winner for the men's basketball team from 2002-06 ... Named All-MAC West Division in 2006 and received MAC Honorable Mention recognition in 2004-05 ... Earned First Team All-MAC honors in 2005-06 ... One of just three players in school history to score more than 1,400 points and grab more than 800 rebounds in a career ... One of only two MAC players to average a double-double in their final season (2005-06) ... One of just 11 players in school history to average double digits in both points and rebounds in a single season ... Was the first EMU player since 1987-88 to average at least 20 points with 10-plus rebounds in a season ... Led the team in 2005-06 team averaging 20.1 points per game, 10.8 rebounds, 17 double-doubles, and made 443 free throws, ranking third in single-season history ... Finished EMU career with 1,427 points, 801 rebounds, and 32 double-doubles ... Played professionally for six seasons in Germany's top professional league from 2006-2012.

NIKKI KNAPP
Women's Basketball: Graduated in 2008 ... Four-year starter on the EMU women's basketball team from 2002-06 ... Lead EMU to a four-year overall record of 80-30, conference record of 47-17, two WNIT post-season appearances and one NCAA Tournament appearance ... Named All-MAC Second Team twice in the 2003-04 and 2005-06 seasons, third team in the 2004-05 season, and was named to the MAC's All-Freshman team in 2002-03 ... Member of the 2003-04 MAC Championship Team and named to the MAC All-Tournament team ... Earned MAC Player of the Week twice in Dec. 2005 and Dec. 2004 ... Carried a career 12.6 scoring average and 6.7 rebound average per game and a career .504 field goal percentage ... Finished EMU career with 1,511 points, 411 free-throws, 543 field goals, 120 games played, 104 game starts, 3,281 minutes played, 16 double-doubles, and an EMU all-time record of 802 rebounds.

BEN REESE
Men's Cross Country/Track & Field: Graduated in 2003 ... Four-year letter winner for the EMU men's track and field and cross country teams from 1996-00 ... In cross country, he won the Mid-American Conference individual championship in 1997 and was runner-up in 1998 ... Was named all-regional twice, All-MAC twice, and was the Michigan Invitational champion in 1998 in cross county ... On the track side he was a six-time NCAA All-American ... He finished third in the mile run at the 2000 NCAA meet, ran the second sub-4:00 mile run in EMU history (3:59.83), was a three-time MAC outdoor 3,000m steeplechase champion, won two 1500m titles, three 3,000m crowns, and two 5,000m titles ... Named the MAC Most Valuable Performer in 1997 and 1999 and was the Most Valuable Performer at the Central Collegiate Conference Championships twice (1996 and 1997) ... Earned three additional MAC titles as a member of the Distance Medley Relay team (1996, 1999, 2000) ... Remains in EMU's top-10 all-time records in the mile, 1,500m run, and the 4x800m relay and Distance Medley Relay.

BILL TUSCANY
Sports Medicine: Graduated from EMU in 1973 with a bachelor's degree and again in 1973 with a master's degree ... Served as the Associate Head Athletic Trainer and retired in 2018 after 32 years of service to EMU ... Predominantly oversaw EMU's Olympic sports out of Bowen Field House throughout his tenure ... At the time of his retirement, he had worked with 105 of EMU's 143 MAC Championship Teams ... Member of the EMU Athletic Training Alumni Chapter ... Served as a lecturer and preceptor in EMU's accredited athletic training curriculum ... Certified member of the National Athletic Trainer's Association (NATA) and received recognition for years served ... Member of both the Michigan Athletic Trainers Society and the Great Lakes Athletic Trainers Association and is a licensed Athletic Trainer by the State of Michigan ... Served as a Board of Certification Examiner from 1978 until 2009 at which time the exam was computerized ... Before returning to EMU in 1986, he was the head athletic trainer at Lewis University in Romoeville, Ill. from 1976-86 ... In addition to his athletic training duties, he served as the Director of the Emergency Medical Service and as an associate professor in physical education from 1981-86 ... Inducted in to Lewis University Athletic Hall of Fame in 1993.

Eastern Michigan Athletics

E-Club Hall of Fame Class of 2025: Five Stories of Grit, Growth, and Gratitude

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