Lehigh University Athletics
Lehigh Inducts Four Into Roger S. Penske/Lehigh Athletics Hall of Fame
5/12/2023 9:45:00 PM | Athletics, Women's Soccer, Women's Tennis, Volleyball, Men's Wrestling, Support
BETHLEHEM, Pa. – Lehigh Athletics formally inducted four standouts into the Roger S. Penske/Lehigh Athletics Hall of Fame as the Lehigh Athletics Partnership hosted the 22nd Hall of Fame Banquet and Induction Ceremony on Friday, May 12 at Wood Dining Room in Iacocca Hall. Inducted in what will officially be recognized as the Class of 2022 are NCAA Champion wrestler Troy Letters '06, women's soccer standout Gina Lewandowski '07 along with Karen Adams and the late Greg Strobel, who both enjoyed exceptional careers as coaches and administrators.
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The Lehigh Athletics Department reviewed and revised its Hall of Fame process in 2019 and inducted a class in September of that year. The May 12 induction marks the first of three that will be inducted over the next 12 months as Lehigh returns to hosting Hall of Fame election and induction ceremonies which were paused during the COVID-19 pandemic.
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Lehigh elected three others to the Hall of Fame as part of the 2022 class earlier this spring. Cross country and track and field standout Wayne Rogers '75, men's soccer great Andrew Mittendorf '99 and coach and administrator Judy Turner Baxter will have their formal induction ceremonies deferred to another induction date when they are able to attend.
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Click on the inductee's name below to view the full biography.
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KAREN ADAMS
Adams spent 36 years as a coach and administrator at Lehigh. She served as Lehigh's women's tennis coach from 1980 through 1989, leading Lehigh to four straight ECC fall championships and also coached the volleyball team from 1980 through 1984 as well as the end of the 2006 season. In 1985 Adams, joined Lehigh's senior administration, serving as Senior Woman Administrator and a Senior Associate Director of Athletics. In her administrative role, Adams was responsible for the athletic department's financial operations and had staff and sport program oversight. Prior to her retirement at the end of the 2015-16 academic year, Lehigh's Graduating Female Athlete Award was renamed in her honor.
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TROY LETTERS '06
Letters was a three-time All-American and EIWA Champion for the Mountain Hawks. In 2004, Letters won Lehigh's 26th individual national championship in wrestling at 165 pounds with a 5-2 decision over Oklahoma State's Tyrone Lewis. Letters won individual EIWA championships in 2003, 2004 and 2005. As a deferred first-year in 2003, Letters was the national runner-up at 165. He was recognized as the EIWA Freshman of the Year. Letters earned his third career All-America honor with a third place finish at 165 in 2005. He amassed a 115-9 career record with the 115 victories ranking fifth in program history. Letters was also 65-2 in dual meet competition with an incredible 48 bonus point victories in duals.
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GINA LEWANDOWSKI '07
Lewandowski was at the forefront of Lehigh women's soccer's emergence in the mid-2000s. A four-time first-team All-Patriot League honoree, Lewandowski was the Patriot League Rookie of the Year in 2003 and garnered back-to-back Offensive Player of the Year recognition in 2004 and 2005. Lewandowski tied a school record with 15 goals in 2004 as Lehigh reached the Patriot League championship game for the first time in program history. She netted six game-winning goals in Lehigh's 12-8 season. As a junior, Lewandowski earned NSCAA All-Region honors while leading the Mountain Hawks to a Patriot League regular season title. After graduation, Lewandowski embarked on a 15-year professional career, first in Germany for 1. FFC Frankfurt and then FC Bayern Munich before returning to the United States to conclude her career with NY/NJ Gotham FC of the NWSL. She currently serves as the Associate Head Coach for Lehigh Women's Soccer.
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GREG STROBEL
Strobel spent 13 seasons as Lehigh's head wrestling coach and oversaw the revival of the Mountain Hawks' program in the late 1990s and early 2000s. Strobel posted a 189-83-1 dual record as head coach, winning six total EIWA titles. Under his watch, Strobel's wrestlers captured 28 individual EIWA championships and 30 All-America honors. He coached two NCAA champions: Rob Rohn in 2002 and Troy Letters in 2004. After retiring from coaching in 2008, Strobel transitioned into an administrative leadership position as Assistant Athletic Director in which he served multiple roles. He led Lehigh Athletics' camps and clinics efforts until his retirement following the 2018-19 academic year. Strobel passed away in October 2020 at the age of 68.
ÂGallery: (5-12-2023) Lehigh Athletics Hall of Fame Induction
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The Roger S. Penske/Lehigh Athletics Hall of Fame induction is sponsored by the Lehigh Athletics Partnership.
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The Lehigh Athletics Department reviewed and revised its Hall of Fame process in 2019 and inducted a class in September of that year. The May 12 induction marks the first of three that will be inducted over the next 12 months as Lehigh returns to hosting Hall of Fame election and induction ceremonies which were paused during the COVID-19 pandemic.
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Lehigh elected three others to the Hall of Fame as part of the 2022 class earlier this spring. Cross country and track and field standout Wayne Rogers '75, men's soccer great Andrew Mittendorf '99 and coach and administrator Judy Turner Baxter will have their formal induction ceremonies deferred to another induction date when they are able to attend.
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Click on the inductee's name below to view the full biography.
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KAREN ADAMS
Adams spent 36 years as a coach and administrator at Lehigh. She served as Lehigh's women's tennis coach from 1980 through 1989, leading Lehigh to four straight ECC fall championships and also coached the volleyball team from 1980 through 1984 as well as the end of the 2006 season. In 1985 Adams, joined Lehigh's senior administration, serving as Senior Woman Administrator and a Senior Associate Director of Athletics. In her administrative role, Adams was responsible for the athletic department's financial operations and had staff and sport program oversight. Prior to her retirement at the end of the 2015-16 academic year, Lehigh's Graduating Female Athlete Award was renamed in her honor.
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TROY LETTERS '06
Letters was a three-time All-American and EIWA Champion for the Mountain Hawks. In 2004, Letters won Lehigh's 26th individual national championship in wrestling at 165 pounds with a 5-2 decision over Oklahoma State's Tyrone Lewis. Letters won individual EIWA championships in 2003, 2004 and 2005. As a deferred first-year in 2003, Letters was the national runner-up at 165. He was recognized as the EIWA Freshman of the Year. Letters earned his third career All-America honor with a third place finish at 165 in 2005. He amassed a 115-9 career record with the 115 victories ranking fifth in program history. Letters was also 65-2 in dual meet competition with an incredible 48 bonus point victories in duals.
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GINA LEWANDOWSKI '07
Lewandowski was at the forefront of Lehigh women's soccer's emergence in the mid-2000s. A four-time first-team All-Patriot League honoree, Lewandowski was the Patriot League Rookie of the Year in 2003 and garnered back-to-back Offensive Player of the Year recognition in 2004 and 2005. Lewandowski tied a school record with 15 goals in 2004 as Lehigh reached the Patriot League championship game for the first time in program history. She netted six game-winning goals in Lehigh's 12-8 season. As a junior, Lewandowski earned NSCAA All-Region honors while leading the Mountain Hawks to a Patriot League regular season title. After graduation, Lewandowski embarked on a 15-year professional career, first in Germany for 1. FFC Frankfurt and then FC Bayern Munich before returning to the United States to conclude her career with NY/NJ Gotham FC of the NWSL. She currently serves as the Associate Head Coach for Lehigh Women's Soccer.
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GREG STROBEL
Strobel spent 13 seasons as Lehigh's head wrestling coach and oversaw the revival of the Mountain Hawks' program in the late 1990s and early 2000s. Strobel posted a 189-83-1 dual record as head coach, winning six total EIWA titles. Under his watch, Strobel's wrestlers captured 28 individual EIWA championships and 30 All-America honors. He coached two NCAA champions: Rob Rohn in 2002 and Troy Letters in 2004. After retiring from coaching in 2008, Strobel transitioned into an administrative leadership position as Assistant Athletic Director in which he served multiple roles. He led Lehigh Athletics' camps and clinics efforts until his retirement following the 2018-19 academic year. Strobel passed away in October 2020 at the age of 68.
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The Roger S. Penske/Lehigh Athletics Hall of Fame induction is sponsored by the Lehigh Athletics Partnership.
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Undergraduate Commencement
Sunday, May 18
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Commencement - Undergraduate Degrees
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Commencement - Graduate Degrees
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