Courtesy of Sean Elliot
Fall athletics are in full swing, and with the season comes two new crops of inductees into the Connecticut College Hall of Fame. The group features six athletes and two coaches who have left their mark on their sport and the college community. As the Camel Athletics website puts it, “The Connecticut College Athletics Hall of Fame was created to honor those who have brought distinction to themselves and Connecticut College through their achievement, commitment, sportsmanship, and leadership in athletics.” On September 26, the inductees were received with a formal induction ceremony and dinner party at the College Center at Crozier-Williams.
Class of 2024 Inductees
The first group, the class of 2024 inductees, included Basil Donnelly ’86 (men’s rowing), Isabella Franz ’17 (women’s cross country/track & field), Nicolle Jasbon ’15 (women’s water polo), and Fran Shields P’14 (retired athletics director, men’s lacrosse coach). At the ceremony, each Camel was recognized for their accomplishments during their time at Conn, professionally, and after graduation.
Donnelly led the men’s rowing team to multiple medals at the Dad Vail Regatta and the New England Rowing Championship, all while training with the British National Lightweight Team. In 1985, he scored an individual ninth-place finish at the Indoor World Rowing Championships in the open lightweight category, and in 1986, placed second at the U.S. Rowing National Championships in the lightweight eight.
Franz currently holds the title for the most NCAA Championships appearances by a woman in Connecticut College history, competing at seven throughout her four years. She was a multiple-time All-NESCAC honoree and New England Division III champion, all while maintaining a top-three all-time record in the 800m, 1500m, and mile distances.
A three-time All-American, Jabson led the women’s water polo team to a historic four years. She earned Collegiate Water Polo Association (CWPA) Most Valuable Player three times after winning Rookie of the Year in her debut season. Jabson ended her college career as the Camel all-time leader in goals, assists, and steals.
Shields not only served as head coach of men’s lacrosse, he altered the prominence of Connecticut College athletics irrevocably. As a coach, he helped his team achieve four top-20 national rankings, a win at the ECAC New England Division III Championship in 1996, produced 12 All-American players, and was named USILA Division III Coach of the Year in 1993. As Director of Athletics, he implemented more than $16 million in facility improvements, helping to increase the amount of NESCAC competition wins and NCAA appearances. According to Camel Athletics, “More than 75% of All-American honors by Camel student-athletes in school history occurred during Shields’ tenure.”
Class of 2025 Inductees
The class of 2025 inductees also included a special crop of Camels, featuring James Butler P’10 (retired men’s cross country/track & field coach), Astrid Kempainen ’15 (women’s soccer), Benjamin Parens ’18 (men’s lacrosse), and Valerie Urban ’17 (women’s swimming).
Butler led the men’s cross country and track & field teams from 1987-2017, marking a historic career that earned him New England Division III and NESCAC Coach of the Year honors. In 2002, Butler’s cross country team was the first in program history to qualify for the NCAA Championships. He helped 14 athletes win a New England Division III or NESCAC title, and he coached 23 individual NCAA Championship qualifiers, including the likes of Michael LeDuc ‘14, a three-time individual NCAA champion.
Leading the women’s soccer team to their first NESCAC Championship victory, Kempainen was a star on the field. In 2014, she earned NESCAC Player of the Year, and went on to earn NSCAA First Team All-American and D3Soccer.com First Team All-American honors. She currently ranks ninth in program history in assists.
In 2016, Parens became the first men’s lacrosse player to earn first-team All-American honors, earning it again in 2017. During his career, he racked up three All-NESCAC selections and two Nike Specialist of the Year awards. Voted the “top male athlete” of his class, Parens helped the team rank nationally his senior year.
A six-time NCAA All-American, Urban led the women’s swimming and diving team to four top-six NESCAC finishes and two top-15 NCAA Championships finishes. She left her legacy at Conn with a NESCAC title in the 1,000 freestyle, an NCAA Woman of the Year nomination in 2017, and program records in three events.
Each of these athletes, even with their remarkable athletic performances, went on to achieve more after college. During their undergraduate years, many led clubs, won academic awards, and volunteered in and around New London. After college, many went on to earn higher degrees and work for impactful organizations. Some even went on to start their coaching careers. These two classes of inductees not only profoundly impacted Camel Athletics but are a testament to the development of young people participating in collegiate athletics. The legacy of the Connecticut College Hall of Fame will live on, raising Camels who, every day, are changing their sport and changing their communities.
