Elke Aun, '97, was an outstanding track and field performer for the Lancers for four years, and was the first Worcester State College athlete to receive an NCAA $5,000 postgraduate scholarship.

Elke is the Lancers first and only national champion in track, and is considered by many to be the best female athlete to ever participate in sports for WSC.

Elke earned numerous track and field honors. Her achievements include the 1996 NCAA Division III National Championship

in the heptathlon; four-time All-American; All-ECAC 13 times; All-New England 18 times; ECAC Champion in four events; and New England Champion in two events.

She holds the following Lancer indoor track and field records: In hurdle events, the 50-yard, 55-meter, l00-meter, and 400-meters; in running events, the 200-meter, 300-meter, 400-meter, 500-meter, 600-meter, 800-meter, and l000-meters. Indoor field records she set were in the long jump, pentathlon, and triple jump. She also was a member of the record setting 4x200-meter, 4x400-meter and mile relay units.

Elke also established the following Lancer outdoor track and field records: 400-meters, l00-meter hurdles, triple jump, heptathlon, sprint medley, 800- meters, long jump, high jump, and 4x200-meter relay.

In addition to receiving the NCAA postgraduate scholarship, Elke's other academic honors include GTE National Academic-Athletic All American; MASCAC Howard Smith Scholar Athlete; Dean's List for eight semesters as a double major in French and Spanish.

She served as team captain in both indoor and outdoor track. Elke also ran cross country for three years, and played volleyball for three years. She served as team captain in those two Lancer sports as well, and earned all-conference awards in both. She received the Outstanding Senior Female Athlete award in 1997 during the WSC Spring Banquet,

Elke Aun earned the respect of the coaching staff, faculty and her peers from the day she stepped onto the Worcester State College campus. She is now employed as a regional sales manager for a publishing company.

 Frank J. Bowen '94

Frank Bowen, '94, was an outstanding football player for the Lancers for four years, and also played significant roles for three years on both the baseball and basketball teams. His leadership abilities were recognized since he served as a football team captain in his senior year and a baseball team captain in both his junior and senior years.

In football, he previously held the school record for receptions in a game, when he caught 10 passes for 165 yards during a 1992 contest.

Frank is the Lancers 6th all-time leading receiver for a career, with 69 catches for 1,218 yards and nine touchdowns. In addition, he is the 8th all-time leading scorer with 121 career points.

Frank ranks among the top Lancer field goal kickers. He is the 3rd leading kick scorer with 67 points, and is tied for the school record with 11 field goals in a career. He also is the co-record holder with the longest field goal in a game at 46 yards.

His athletic honors and achievements include: named as a receiver to the 1993 New England Football Conference second team; football team offensive MVP in 1992; first team All Worcester Area receiver in 1992; MASCAC baseball honorable mention in 1994; and a member of the 1993-94 Lancer basketball team that won the MASCAC Tournament Championship and a berth in the NCAA tournament.

In his senior year, Frank hit for a .360 average, with 5 home runs as a member of the Lancer baseball team.

Frank was known as a "solid" member of all three Lancer teams during his career.

He teaches physical education in a K-8 school in the Somerville Public School system. He also currently serves as an assistant football coach at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Previously, he served as an assistant baseball coach at MIT, and assistant varsity baseball coach at Brookline High School.

John E. Bowler '98

John Bowler, '98, was a most outstanding basketball player for the Lancers, holding three college records. In addition, his leadership qualities were evident since he was a team captain in three of his four years on the squad.

John's WSC records are: most three pointers in a season, 73, in 1996-97; most assists in a season, 164, in 1996-97; and most assists in a career with 465. Also, he is listed as the Lancers 8th all-time leading scorer, finishing his career with 1,483 points.

Other achievements and honors include: senior season-named to the Massachusetts State Athletic Conference (MASCAC) first team all star team; team most valuable player; and MASCAC, WABCA, and ECAC weekly honor rolls. As a junior, he was named to the MASCAC second team all-star team; reached the 1,000 career point plateau against Salem State; named to the all-tournament team, received the playmaker award and established a tournament record with seven three-pointers during the Wisconsin Eau-Claire Tournament; named a MASCAC Player of the Week; and named to the Rochester Tip-Off All-Tournament team. As a sophomore, he was named to the MASCAC second team all-star team; named to the Anna Maria All Tournament team; named to the Western Conn. All Tournament team; listed a Player of the Week and to the weekly honor roll by the WACBA and listed as a MASCAC Co-Player of the Week. During his freshman season, he was named a WACBA Rookie of the Week.

John received the Outstanding Senior Male Athlete Award during the 1998 WSC Spring Banquet.

Since graduating from WSC in 1998 with a Bachelor's Degree in Psychology, John has worked at the Arlington Boys & Girls Club as Physical Education Director. During that tenure, John has conducted numerous youth athletic pro- grams. The club's executive director reports that John is an extremely responsible professional, and an excellent role model in today's society.

 Melissa A. Crowley '96

Melissa Crowley, '96, was a most outstanding soccer player for the Lancers, holding several career and season records. Her leadership qualities were evident as she served as team captain in her junior and senior years. Melissa was a four-year starter on the soccer team, playing center forward and midfielder.

She was named to the Massachusetts State College Athletic Conference (MASCAC) first team all-stars in 1993 and 1995. Melissa's athleticism also was recognized by WSC, which named her as the Freshman Female Athlete of the Year in 1993 and the Outstanding Senior Female Athlete of the Year in 1996.

School records held by Melissa are All-Time Leading Scorer with 100 points and Most Career Goals with 41. School records she shares are Most Points-Season, 35; Most Assists in a Season, 8; and Most Goals-Game, 4. She is in second place all-time in the Most Goals-Season category, with 15.

In addition, Melissa twice registered five points in a game, coming against Endicott in 1993 and against UMass-Boston in 1995.

During her WSC tenure, Melissa served as supervisor of the student center recreation room, was a scorekeeper for intramural sports, and kept statistics for football, men's and women's basketball.

Since graduating from Worcester State College in 1996 with a Bachelor's .Degree in Education, with a major in Elementary Education and a minor in Communications, Melissa has taught second grade in the Lowell Public School System.

 Paul M. Joseph '70

Paul Joseph, '70, is being honored for his outstanding contribution and dedication to Worcester State College athletics for more than 30 years. Many consider him to be a Lancer SuperFan, especially for the football program.

Even though he retired from his WSC administrator's post in the spring of 2002, Paul continues his support for football, being a frequent spectator at games during the fall 2002 and 2003 seasons.

Paul's contributions include several athletic areas at WSC. However, his focus in recent years on the football program is quite understandable when it's revealed that he was a founding member of the Lancers club football team in 1969. He was a co-captain of that first club team, and by the time the program evolved into full collegiate varsity program in 1985, he was a WSC administrator.

Paul's 30-plus years at WSC includes: Manager of Recreation Facilities (1971-76); Director of Student Activities (1976-78); Director of Student Center/Student Activities (1978-84); Assistant Dean, Associate Dean, Dean of Students (1985-2002); and Sports Information Director (1971-77).

In addition, Paul compiled the college's first record books for all varsity sports; was instrumental in building the softball diamond at Rockwood Field to bring the 1996 U.S. Olympic Softball Team to Worcester and the WSC campus; and was on the 2000 Organizing Committee to bring the U.S. Olympic Softball Team back to Worcester/WSC.

Also, he was instrumental in the design and construction of the Astroturf complex known as John Coughlin Memorial Field; negotiated to bring MIAA high school championships (6 soccer, 2 field hockey) to WSC in 1997-98, and three Central Mass. Football Super Bowls.

Concurrent with his employment at Worcester State, Paul was involved in many community activities. Currently, he coaches youth basketball at St. Joseph's School in Webster; is a youth softball coach for a 12 & under girls team in Dudley; serves on the Town of Dudley Personnel Board and its Police Evaluation Committee (vice chairman); is a member of the St. Joseph School Auction Committee; and St. Joseph Basilica Festival Committee.