Amidst the excitement of Fall Weekend, three alumni watched as their plaques were unveiled in the Hall of Fame Room in the foyer of the Charles B. Luce Fieldhouse on October 24. The honorees include: Kim Holliday McElderry ’97 (field hockey), Susan Mabrey Gaud ’68 (tennis, field hockey, basketball, lacrosse), and Sarah Pitt-Del Cristo ’86 (swimming).
After the induction ceremony, the three women were treated to an invitation-only dinner with Eva Kovach, the Connecticut College women’s rowing coach/senior women’s administrator and associate athletic director, as the featured speaker.
Kim Holliday McElderry ’97
In her three seasons at Connecticut College, she proved to be one of the best field hockey players in the College’s history. McElderry became a Camel as a sophomore in 1994, after transferring from Division I University of North Carolina, where she played on scholarship.
She brought her Division I skill to Connecticut College, leading the Camels to a 30-17-1 record during her three years with the program. Starting all 48 career games at forward, McElderry broke school records with 41 career goals and a total of 87 points.
After earning NESCAC Player of the Week honors several times, she was named to the United States Field Hockey Association (USFHA) Regional All-America Team in both 1994 and 1995.
After her senior season, McElderry was awarded Most Valuable Player by her teammates and coaches. In addition, she was selected to play in the North-South Senior All-Star Game and was named to the USFHA All-America Second Team. In the spring of 1997, she earned national exposure when Sports Illustrated magazine featured her in the “Faces in the Crowd” section.
McElderry graduated Connecticut College with a Bachelor of Arts degree in psychology-based human relations and a minor in child development. She now lives in Stamford, CT, with her two children and husband, a member of Fairfield University’s Athletic Hall of Fame.
Susan Mabrey Gaud ’68
As a four-sport athlete at Connecticut College, Gaud truly set herself apart from her classmates. Tennis was her primary sport as a Camel, and she attained the honor of New England Women’s Tennis Champion in both 1966 and 1968. During her tennis season, she also managed to be a four-year starter and captain of the lacrosse team prior to the passing of Title IX (a federal law resulting in additional athletic opportunities for women nationwide). In addition to lacrosse, Gaud also captained both the field hockey and basketball teams during her four years at Connecticut College.
Gaud was not merely a star athlete, but she also received recognition for her outstanding involvement in other extra-curricular activities and her academic achievements. During her time as a Camel, she was president of the Athletic Association, class representative on the Judiciary Board and class treasurer.
In 1968, she received the Charlotte Pyle Award, which is given to the College’s outstanding senior athlete. Upon graduating Connecticut College, she was honored with the American Chemical Society Senior Award for her impressive work in the chemistry laboratory.
Susan now lives in Evanston, IL with her husband Henry T. Gaud Jr. and her two children Emily Gaud and Henry T. Gaud III.
Henry followed in his mother’s footsteps and recently graduated Connecticut College in 2007. He still holds track and field records at the College as a decathlon standout.
Sarah Pitt-Del Cristo ’86
Proving herself as a groundbreaker during her four-years with the Connecticut College swimming program, Pitt-Del Cristo led the team to a four-year 32-11 record, including four straight winning seasons. A dominant competitor in the butterfly, breaststroke and individual medley, she made an instant impact as a freshman in 1983, when she broke four individual school records and was a member of three record-breaking relays.
After both her freshman and sophomore seasons, she earned the team’s Most Valuable Swimmer award and became the first Camel swimmer in history to not only qualify but to also compete at the NCAA Swimming and Diving Championships.
As a senior, she continued to influence the Camel team after breaking additional school records and helping to lead the 1985-86 team to their first undefeated season with a perfect record of 11-0.
Upon graduation, Pitt-Del Cristo, the four-time New England Championships qualifier, departed the College with five individual records in the 100-yard butterfly (1:03.12), 100-meter butterfly (1:11.95), 200-yard butterfly (2:20.37), 200-meter butterfly (2:45.00) and 200-yard individual medley (2:26.59). In addition to her individual achievements, she was also a crucial member of four record-holding relay teams including, 200-meter medley relay, 400-yard medley relay, 200-yard freestyle relay and 400-yard freestyle relay.
Sarah currently lives in Cos Cob, CT with her three sons and husband Carlos Del Cristo ’86, a former men’s lacrosse player at Connecticut College who continues to be ranked ninth in career goals (93) and 14th in points (117). Sarah’s brother William ’90 also attended Connecticut College and was a member of the men’s swimming team.
