Biographies 2014 HOF

Athletic Hall of Fame - Class of 2014

1999 Volleyball Team

The Columbia College women’s volleyball team claimed the college’s first national championship in 1998, but they weren’t done yet. Just as they had the year before, they took the 1999 season by storm, going on to capture the NAIA National Championship yet again. The Cougars completed the back-to-back national championships with an undefeated 40-0 record. In the championship match, they defeated Fresno Pacific University, a perennial power of the NAIA, in four games (8-15, 16-14, 15-12 and 15-7). With an overall game record of 120-1, they overwhelmed their opponents throughout the season, losing only the first game of the national championship match.

The talented team was composed of four seniors, three sophomores and three freshmen. The members were Jenni Ford, Quanna Speake (Hafer), Mariuska Hamilton (Buckner), Dominique Savage, Endrinha Sosa, Tricia Weisenborn (Crist-Schmitt), Juliana Godoi (Evens), Deng Yang, Wang Jiang Ping and Allison Flieg (Hemmer).

Leading the way were Coaches Wayne and Susan Kreklow, who were named Conference, Region and National Tournament Coaches of the Year. The team’s tremendous season garnered several individual awards, including five AMC Academic All-Conference members; four AMC All-Conference and All-Region V members; two NAIA-All-Americans and NAIA All-Tournament selections; National Tournament MVP; and National Player of the Year.

Dr. Ruthenberg

Donald B. Ruthenberg ably served the college as president from 1984 to 1995, moving Columbia College Athletics into a realm far beyond its stature at the time. Ruthenberg was an avid fan of all sports, attending most home contests and remaining a friend to our student athletes.

During Ruthenberg’s tenure at Columbia College, he added several, including men’s soccer (reinstated), softball and golf. In addition, he oversaw the construction of Southwell Gym, the Cougar Softball Field and R. Marvin Owens Soccer Field. Ruthenberg also saw to the purchase of the Southy building for use by Athletics, approved the hiring of full-time coaches in all sports and provided the resources to move the department into national levels of competition.

It is interesting to note that the Columbia College mascot was changed from centaur to cougar, and an Athletic Review Committee was formed in 1985 to help improve sports at the college. To oversee Athletics, Ruthenberg hired Bob Burchard in 1988, who had spent the previous seven years at Missouri Western State College.

As 15^th president, Ruthenberg made sure the college was seen as a leader in NAIA athletics by hosting a national softball tournament for three years. In 1990, the college had its first appearance in a national tournament for men’s basketball. In addition, the volleyball team toured Taiwan, Japan and Puerto Rico in the late 1980s.

2001 Volleyball Team

The 2001 Columbia College women’s volleyball team was the third in Cougar Athletics history to win an NAIA National Championship. The team finished the season with a perfect 38-0 record while avenging their second place finish at the national contest the previous year. In the national championship match, they defeated National American University 30-25, 30-17 and 30-14.

The unbeatable team was composed of five juniors, six sophomores and two freshmen. Team members were Crystal Abel (Ellifrits), Sugglys Chinchilla, Olga Correa-Henao, Jamie Diestelkamp (Nelson), Annie Farris, Tracie Ford (Thompson), Nino Gonzalez, Ashley Hale, Kenny Moreno-Pino, Yesmina Moreno-Pino, Katie Skibiski, Endrinha Sosa and Tricia Weisenborn (Crist-Schmitt).

At the helm was Coach Melinda Wrye-Washington, who was named Conference, Region and National Coach of the Year. The team’s outstanding performance also earned them numerous conference, regional and national awards that year, culminating in seven AMC Academic All-Conference members; four AMC All-Conference, Region V and NAIA All-Americans; three NAIA All-Tournament selections; and the National Tournament MVP.

JP Irrera

J.P. Irrera, a native of Buenos Aires, Argentina, has always had a ball at his feet. At the age of just eight months, his family recognized his soccer skills when he stood up to kick a balloon. From that moment forward, soccer always was a part of his life. After a few years on local teams, J.P. developed his soccer skills while playing for more prestigious youth teams such as the Boca Juniors and Vélez Sarsfield. In 2000 he accepted Coach Klein’s invitation to play at Columbia College. Following his freshman campaign in 2001, his mother became ill, and he left the program to be with his family. He returned to Columbia College the next fall and continued his stellar playing career. J.P. graduated from Columbia College in May 2006 with a degree in international business.

During his outstanding Columbia College career, Irrera was named American Midwest Conference and Region V First Team for each of the four seasons he played. Irrera received the honor of American Midwest Conference Player of the Year in 2003 and Region V Player of the Year in 2004, where he helped his team qualify for the NAIA National Tournament for the first time in the college’s history. He was a two-time NAIA Honorable Mention, as well as a two-time NAIA Second Team All-American.

Following his collegiate career, Irrera played midfield for the Puerto Rico Islanders, a professional team based in Puerto Rico. While there, he played 14 games, scoring four goals and six assists. He decided to step away from the game he loved after the birth of his daughter, Giuliana, in 2006. Later that year, he returned to Columbia, Missouri, and began working at Boone County National Bank. With his wife, Luciana, and daughter, J.P. returned to Buenos Aires in 2007, where they have resided since. Today he works as a purchasing manager for Coto Cicsa.

J.P. will be accepting his Hall of Fame induction honor remotely from Argentina.

Katie (McMahon) Smith

Katie (McMahon) Smith graduated one semester early from Knox County High School in Edina, Missouri, to join the Columbia College softball team in January 2005. She graduated in 2008 with a Bachelor of Arts in marketing and international business. In 2010 she completed her Master in Business Administration.
During her career at Columbia College, the Cougar softball team made national tournament appearances in three of her four seasons, finishing in a seventh-place tie in 2005, and a ninth-place tie in both 2007 and 2008.

Katie was named All-Conference and Academic All-Conference for the 2006, 2007 and 2008 seasons. She was named First Team All-Region and selected for the Honorable Mention All-American Team in 2007 and 2008. In those two seasons she also was Conference Pitcher of the Year and Region Pitcher of the Year. In 2008 she also was the Collegiate Sportswoman of the Year for the Women’s Intersport Network of Columbia, Missouri. In 2007 she was voted MVP by her team and was team captain in 2008.
After graduating in 2008, Katie became the graduate assistant softball coach for the Cougars’ 2009 and 2010 seasons, and was the pitching coach in 2011. She currently resides in Columbia, Missouri, and has worked for Veterans United Home Loans for the past three years. In her spare time, Katie enjoys providing pitching lessons to young athletes in the area.

She married Mike Smith in July 2013, and they are expecting their first son this November.