Fri., Oct. 16, 2009

   FORT WAYNE, Ind. -- Three athletes who helped raise the University of Saint Francis athletic programs to a new level were inducted into the USF Athletic Hall of Fame on Friday night at the annual Alumni Awards and Athletic Hall of Fame Awards dinner on Homecoming weekend 2009.

   Jeremy Dutcher (football), Ben Meyer (basketball) and Krista (Bailey) Lee soccer were introduced by Athletic Director Mark Pope as the 16th USF AHOF Class during a dinner in their honor at the North Campus Gymnasium and Events Center. With the three new inductees, the USF AHOF expands to 51 individuals and three teams.

  Jeremy Dutcher, who becomes the first individual member of the USF football program to be selected for induction, excelled for three years at wide receiver and was a two-time NAIA All-American (2nd team, 1999; 1st team, 2000). He was selected Mid-States Football Association 2000 Mideast League Player of the Year, and set and continues to hold MSFA career records for receiving yards (4,286), pass receptions (222) and TD receptions (57). He also set the league record for reception yards in a single season (1,547 in 2000). He was named NAIA Player of the Week twice in 1999, was a 3-time All-MSFA MEL first-team selection and was a key player in the Cougars first two MSFA MEL championship seasons and the first two of 10 consecutive NAIA FCS berths.

The 6-foot-4, 185-pound graduate of Ottawa Hills High School in Grand Rapids, Mich., played professionally for the Grand Rapids Rampage and the Fort Wayne Freedom indoor football teams, was twice named Freedom offensive player of the year, and received a tryout from the New York Jets.

  Ben Meyer, a New Haven High School graduate, was a hard-nosed guard for the Cougars helping USF to its first-ever NAIA Championship Tournament berth as a junior in 1999-00 and USF’s best ever record at 31-6. He concluded his career in 2000-2001 earning NAIA All-American (2nd team) and as USF leader in four different career categories – 3-pointers made (258), 3-pointers attempted (640), assists (460), steals (258). He played in 130 games (No. 3 on the career list after the 2001 season and finished sixth on the USF career scoring list with 1,494 points. He also set USF single-season records for 3-pointers made, attempted and at the time finished with the top three single-season steals numbers. A 6-foot-2, 190-pound guard, Meyer was four-time All-Mid-Central College Conference selection (first team 1999-00, 2000-01; second team 1998-99; honorable mention 1997-98) leading the league in 3-point shooting percentage at .478 in 1999-00 and finishing second in 2000-01 at .407.

  Krista (Bailey) Lee was a forward for the Cougars who excelled despite Crohn’s disease and is considered the best all-around player by Coach Ken Nuber. She was a four-time All-American (honorable mention twice, 2nd team twice), was NAIA Region VIII Player of the Year, four-time All-Mid-Central College Conference 1st Team selection and four-time first-team All-Region selection. A Concordia Lutheran High School grad, Lee finished her career playing at USF No. 2 in points (132), No. 2 in goals scored (39) and No. 2 in assists (54).