THUNDER BAY – Jeff Richards is arguably the best player in Lakehead Thunderwolves hockey history.
It was only a matter of time before he was elected to Lakehead University Athletic’s wall of fame.
The same could be said of both Tasia McKenna, a standout, all-star guard during her five years with LU’s women’s basketball team, and Scott Morrison, who guided the men’s basketball program to four straight Final 8 appearances, taking the team to the gold-medal game in 2013 before going on to become an assistant coach with the Boston Celtics.
All three, along with Morrison’s 2009 to 2013 teams, will have their names added to the wall of fame on Oct. 22.
LU athletics director Tom Warden said it’s important to remember the school’s rich sporting history and athletes and coaches that have created so many of the special moments that fans so dearly recall.
“By shining a spotlight onto the history of Lakehead University Athletics, we recognize all the ways student athletes and other members of the Thunderwolves family have all contributed so much to the community,” Warden said in a release issued by the school.
“We look forward to welcoming students, alumni, and friends back to campus to join us in honouring the 2022 Wall of Fame inductees.”
Richards, Kenora native, is Lakehead’s all-time point-getter, putting up 185 points in just 106 regular season games, including a team-best 92 goals – despite missing 24 games to injury over his final three seasons.
His team’s made the OUA playoffs three times, one an OUA championship and made it to nationals twice. Richards, now 40, was also named OUA MVP in his sophomore season.
McKenna, who hailed from Timberlea, N.S., played more than 150 games for LU, averating 14.5 points and 4.5 assists per game. She was an all-rookie and a three-time OUA all-star.
Morrison, who goes on the wall as a builder, took over the program in 2003, enduring a few tough seasons before finding the right formula in 2009-10, coaching the likes of Yoosrie Sahlia, defensive player of the year Greg Carter, standout guard J.J. Jones, current Lakehead men’s coach Ryan Thomson and local favourite Jamie Searle to nationals in four straight seasons.
The 2013 LU team made it all the way to the final before losing to juggernaut Carleton in the championship match.
“The Thunderwolves Wall of Fame is a tribute to excellence,” Warden said.
“We honour our inductees for what they accomplished for Lakehead University Athletics, and so I’d like to congratulate and thank every person on this year’s list. All of the outstanding Thunderwolves accomplishments that occur each year are in part made possible by the foundations laid by our Wall of Fame.”
