Hall of Fame 2019
Cynthia Reopelle (Betts) (Basketball and Volleyball: 1979-1983)
A multi-sport star at PLU, Reopelle remains one of the most prolific Lutes in women’s basketball program history.
Reopelle played in 119 basketball games over her four-year career and left campus as the school record-holder in career scoring, rebounding, field goals made, field goals attempted, and field goal percentage. Reopelle additionally holds the distinction of being the first Lute to score 400-points in a season and the first to eclipse 1,000 in a career.
Reopelle made an immediate impact in her first season, helping the Lutes finish second in the WCIC standings and advancing to the AIAW Division III Tournament. PLU’s season would come to a close after falling 61-50 to the Fighting Irish of Notre Dame.
She was the leading scorer for the 1980-81 squad that wrapped up WCIC play a perfect 10-0. The Lutes would go on to finish fourth at AIAW Regionals while Reopelle was named an Honorable Mention NCWSA All-Star. Her senior campaign included scoring a school record 407 points, earning First Team WCIC All-Star accolades while also earning Honorable Mention WCIC All-Star honors on the volleyball court.
Reopelle helped the basketball program win 62 games in her career. She still ranks eighth all-time in scoring with 1,150 career points while her 683 career rebounds stood as a school record for over a decade and currently stands fifth in program history.
Todd Davis (Football: 1979-1983)
Davis was an All-American center for the Lutes, helping PLU win its first national title in 1980. The Lutes were a staggering 36-7 during his time on the gridiron, earning Honorable Mention All-American honors as a junior in 1982 and First Team All-American accolades as a senior in 1983. His tenure saw the Lutes win two conference titles while making three appearances in the NAIA playoffs.
Davis was a backup to his brother Scott as a redshirt freshman in 1980 before stepping into the starting center role during the NAIA Division II playoffs after Scott was injured. Davis was more than up to the task, helping the Lutes defeat Wilmington College 38-10 for the program’s first ever National Title.
Davis would be the starting center the rest of his career, helping the Lutes win the Northwest Conference title in 1981 and 1983. He was First Team All-District, Second Team All-NWC, and Second-Team All-Northwest, and Honorable Mention All-American as a junior in 1982, helping the Lutes average 359.4 yards of total offense per game. His senior campaign included earning First Team NAIA All-American, Little All-Northwest, All-NWC, All-District, while landing Honorable Mention AP Little All-American honors, helping the team average 221.5 rushing yards a game and 389.8 yards of total offense.
Jeff Elston (Football: 1982-1985)
Elston terrorized opposing quarterbacks in his four years on the gridiron for the Lutes, earning All-American honors and helping PLU win two conference titles.
Elston had three sacks and two fumble recoveries in his freshman season in 1982 before helping the Lutes win the NWC title the following season with three sacks in just eight games. The defensive end racked up 25 solo tackles, nine sacks, and one interception as a junior, securing Honorable Mention NAIA All-American honors along with First Team All-District, All-NWC, and Second Team Little All-Northwest accolades.
Elston saved his best season for last, collecting 41 solo tackles, and 12 sacks for negative 110 yards in 1985, helping the Lutes win the Columbia Football League title and advance to the finals of the NAIA Division II playoffs. He ended the season as First Team NAIA All-American, Little All-Northwest, All-Columbia Football League, and was the Co-Defensive MVP.
His 27 career sacks still ranks sixth in program history while his 12 sacks in 1985 stands as sixth most in a single season.
Brian Gardner (Soccer: 1986-1989)
One of the most prolific scorers in program history, Gardner’s exploits on the soccer pitch have stood the test of time.
Gardner made an immediate impact with the team, scoring 10 goals as a freshman as the Lutes won the conference title for the fifth consecutive season. Gardner was named First Team All-NCIC, All-NW Collegiate Soccer Conference, and Second Team All-District 1 the following season, scoring eight goals and leading the Lutes to another undefeated season in conference play.
Gardner had a breakout season in 1988, finishing with 19 goals which was the most by a college player at any level in the Pacific Northwest. The season ended with First Team All-NCIC, All-District, All-NAIA West Coast, and Honorable Mention NAIA All-American honors for Gardner. He closed his career with 12 goals and six assists in 1989, earning First Team accolades from the NW Collegiate Soccer Conference, NCIC, and NAIA District 1 in addition to First Team NAIA All-American honors.
His 49 career goals and 112 points stood as school records for almost three decades with both finally getting eclipsed during the 2017 season.
Barbara Roen (Hefte) (Swimming: 1981-1985)
Roan made the most of her four years on campus, finishing her career as a 17-time All-American, 15-time Conference Champion and a five-time National Champion for the Lutes.
As a first-year, Roen won conference titles in the 200-yard freestyle and as a member of the 400-yard and 800-yard freestyle relays, helping the Lutes win the team title. Roen would additionally finish fifth in the 200 freestyle and swam on five relays at the 1982 AIAW Division III Championships, guiding PLU to a ninth place finish as a team.
1982 proved to be just the tip of the iceberg for Roen, winning two conference titles in 1983. She closed the season by winning three relay national titles and earning seven All-American honors at the NAIA Championships. No team scored more points in the swimming events than the Lutes who finished runner-up to UW-Eau Claire who scored 80 points in diving events.
Roen and the Lutes proved their success wasn’t a fluke, winning five NWC titles and then All-American honors at the 1984 NAIA Championships, helping PLU finish third at the national meet. Roen’s final season included winning national titles in NAIA meet record times in both the 100-yard backstroke and the 800-yard freestyle relay, powering the Lutes to a ninth place finish.
Carolyn Geertsma (Wester) (Track & Field: 1985-1986)
Geertsma transferred to PLU from Dordt College and wasted little time making a name for herself on campus, finishing her two-year stint in Tacoma as a two-time All-American and a national champion in the javelin.
Geertsma etched her name into the Lute record books immediately, throwing the javelin 138’ 10” at the 1985 season-opening Linfield Icebreaker, a throw that ranked second all-time in school history. Geertsma’s best toss wouldn’t be No. 2 for long, finishing the season as runner-up at both the Northwest Conference and District meets while finishing fifth at the NAIA Championships to secure All-American honors. Her efforts helped the Lutes win the NWC team title while finishing 16th in the team standings at the NAIA Championships.
Geertsma was even better in her final season with the Lutes, winning the conference and district titles in the javelin. She finished her career with a national title in the javelin, helping the Lutes to a third place finish at the NAIA Championships. Geertsma’s school record throw of 168’ 2” has been untouched since and will remain so with the javelin changing specifications and separate records being kept in the event since 1999.
