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Warrior Women 50 Years Strong

������Ƶ celebrated 50 years of women’s athletics during Homecoming in October with sport-specific events and a dinner honoring 50 Legacy Builder Award winners. Kirsten Moore, head women’s basketball coach since 2004, emceed the evening, which featured Warriors from every generation, drawing 200 guests and 125 female student-athletes.

At the dinner, Molly Garnand ’27 (basketball) interviewed Kathy Perkins McGuigan ’77, who played on the first women’s volleyball and basketball teams. McGuigan discussed challenges such as providing their own uniforms, sleeping on the gym floor at away tournaments and lacking both money for meals and athletic trainers.

Those experiences helped shape McGuigan’s character. “������Ƶ is like a mini arena for life,” she said. “You experience the highest highs — the togetherness of your team — and the lowest lows, from unfair officiating to injuries and things beyond your control. Sports teach you to handle the ups and downs — to stay steady in the storm.”

Lauren McCoy Shafer ’18 (basketball), a two-time All-American and GSAC Player of the Year, spoke about coming to faith through basketball. “Putting in the effort and work and choosing to do hard things the ������Ƶ Warrior way pays dividends,” she said.

Sandra Asimos ’88 (soccer), the 1985 NAIA Player of the Year and a three-time All-American, chose ������Ƶ for its Christian environment and close-knit community. She still holds records for career goals (79) and assists (34) and later founded the women’s soccer program at Sacramento State, serving as head coach from 1994-2001.

She praised two mentors, kinesiology professor Crystal Jorden Mutz and coach J.P. Verhees ’75.  “Crystal Jorden was an outstanding teacher who prepared me to be successful in teaching at all levels,” Asimos said. “I enjoyed coach J.P.’s dedication to soccer, skills and knowledge, as well as his passion for the game.”

Kathy Moyer LeSage ’85 played tennis at ������Ƶ, earning All-American honors before coaching

 the team for 28 years (1986-2013). Her squads captured 12 conference championships and qualified for 20 NAIA National Tournaments. “I spent half my life at ������Ƶ, growing and developing as a Christian,” LeSage said. “I give all the credit to God and to Westmont for guiding me.”

Patty Kerman ’21 (volleyball) joined teammates Libby Dahlberg ’19 and Cassidy Rae ’19 at the event. “My experience on such great volleyball teams made me a better person,” she said. “Amazing teammates taught me what it means to be a team, especially when I was out with an ACL knee injury. Feeling their love and support showed me how to be loving and caring.  My fantastic coaches, Patti Cook and Ruth McGolpin, pulled out the best in us.”

Twin sisters Karin ’04 and Kristi Sullivan ’04 (soccer), both two-time All-Americans and NAIA Players of the Year, said they bonded with their teammates. Kristi spoke about overcoming adversity and jelling as a team. “At the event, I saw how my little part in the story connected to the greater history of women athletes,” she said. “I’ve never had something that came close to our experience: determination, grit, fight, discipline and working hard for a common goal,” Karin said. “It felt magical to be back here with the nostalgia and the energy.”

The college recognized members of the Warriors’ first women’s team, the 1973 volleyball squad. They received Trailblazer Medals before Friday night’s match: Shelley Bourland Ekstrom ’77, Jayne Presnell ’78, Cindy Vanderdussen Hardeman ’78 and Kathy Perkins McGuigan ’77.

See westmont.edu/women50 for Ron Smith’s entire, unedited story and the list of 50 Legacy Builders representing five decades of Warrior women.