M-A Athletics Department Celebrates its 12th Athletic Hall of Fame Banquet

M-A celebrated its 12th bi-annual Athletic Hall of Fame Induction Banquet on Saturday evening, inducting eight former M-A athletes and one basketball team. They were recognized for their strength in sports both in and out of high school, leadership qualities, and dedication to M-A.

Inductees include Javier Ayala-Hil ‘04 for soccer; Oliver Bucka ‘14 for football, baseball, and lacrosse; Becca Dorst ‘10 for water polo and swimming; Emily Dorst ‘11 for water polo and swimming; Kathryn Hargis Ellsworth ‘01 for badminton; Dan Trautman ‘05 for basketball; Coach Art Weil; water polo coach Chris Rubin; and the 1984 girls basketball team.

Over 100 people attended the ceremony including former coaches, friends, and family. Upon a $40 entry, attendees were given a dinner choice of steak, chicken, or vegetarian pasta. Afterward, Athletic Director Paul Snow gave a brief statement from the athletic department, explaining the new changes to the athletic program. Chosen speakers—whether a coach, friend, or family member—then presented medals to the inductees, who followed with a heartfelt speech about their journey to the Hall of Fame. 

“This was never expected, so I’m excited about the moment and knowing that we worked extremely hard when we were a team. It’s a great honor,” Tinka Blackmond, an inductee of the 1984 girls basketball team, said.

This sentiment was commonly felt among many other inductees. “I feel like it hasn’t really sunk in yet. This is a beautiful evening, seeing everyone and all the accomplishments that they’ve had. It’s fun to be able to join their ranks,” Emily Dorst said.

“I feel honored to have this opportunity to come here tonight. It’s a little bit unexpected, but I think in general I made a pretty big impact in the community, whether it was playing at the high school level, playing at the college level, and being able to achieve on-field success and also at the coaching side as well. Having this opportunity to come back and just see how much the school’s been able to progress too is just overall very exciting,” Ayala-Hil said.

For many of these inductees, athletics was a big part of their high school experience. “The only thing that I really remember about high school is basketball,” Blackmond said. 

“The best moment I remember from high school was when we won the championship under Coach Wimberly,” Adele Stratton (formerly Fullmer), an inductee of the 1984 girls basketball team, said.

“We did come from a very diverse background, and the thing we had in common was our love for basketball. It was truly, truly special,” Michelle Yoshida, another inductee of the 1984 girls basketball team, said.

Many of the inductees continued to play their sports beyond high school. “I attended Connecticut College, and while there, I started the badminton club and worked to secure funds so that we could get equipment coordinated with the athletic director to get court time and go to tournaments,” Ellsworth said.

“I didn’t play in college, but I played for the United States Air Force Europe. I was in the Air Force and got stationed on their team, and all we did was travel all over the world and play,” Blackmond said.

The Hall of Fame banquet also acted as a high school reunion for many of the inductees. “I don’t spend too much time in the Peninsula, since I’m now in the East Bay. So for me to come back and see friends and family I haven’t seen in 15 to 20 years is a really big honor,” Ayala-Hil said.

Friends and family commented on the athleticism of their inducted loved ones. “When I met her family, her athleticism and her skills in basketball were a highlight,” Wendy Stratton, Adele Stratton’s wife, said. 

“I feel very excited for them. And I’m just elated that they get the recognition,” Christie Clark, cousin to Emily and Becca Dorst, said. “They were really great players in high school and college and beyond, so it’s really fun being all together and seeing them get public acknowledgment of all the hard work and sacrifice that they made when they were younger.”

Many of the inductees credited their success to other figures in their lives. “We were a good team, but we had a great coach,” Blackmond said. “She was not only a coach, but a mother figure to us, and a counselor, a confidant. So all the credit goes to Ms. Wimberly for coaching all of us correctly.”

“I’d like to thank my dad, who had the water polo background and threw us in the pool at a young age, my mom, who was the 5:00 a.m. driver to all the morning practices, God for athletic ability, our family for supporting us, and all of our teammates,” Emily Dorst said.

“I would like to give a shout-out to my mother for all the time, effort, and sacrifices she made to make sure that I had an opportunity to just do a little bit better for the family. Also to the Pechler family, who took me in as their own. I’m from East Palo Alto, but they’re a family that lived in Menlo Park, and they taught me how to value education and understand the importance of achieving the goals that I wanted,” Ayala-Hil said.

Athletic Director Steven Kryger shared some insight into how athletes are selected for the Hall of Fame, explaining how the committee meets bi-annually to look at different sports for star players and leaders. “We try to find people both female and male, from different eras and different sports. We want to make sure that we’re getting all of them involved, so it’s all about finding the right mix of a class,” Kryger said.

“The thing that stands out for me is how much M-A meant to them,” Kryger said. “You hear that over and over again about how relationships with the other teammates, with the teachers, with the coaches—so much of who they have become was formed through M-A athletics. That’s really what we’re hoping for in all of our students and athletes.”

The next M-A Hall of Fame Induction Banquet will happen in October 2026.