Cook, Harkins, Bridge and Korbini added to SU Athletic Hall of Fame
SHEPHERDSTOWN — The unsure times captained by the coronavirus didn’t keep Shepherd University from honoring four of its former athletes, by voting them into its Athletic Hall of Fame.
Women’s basketball stalwart Laura Harkins Kelly; two-sport standout Ed Bridge; swimmer and track and field athlete Lee Cook; and football player Tom Korbini are the latest inductees into the Hall, which now has 159 members.
Kelly played from 2004-2008 and was a two-time All-WVIAC selection in her successful stint at Shepherd. She is the school’s 10th all-time scorer, with 1,225 career points and the eighth all-time rebounder with 730. In her four years, Kelly’s teams produced a 70-45 overall record. The forward-center finished her career as Shepherd’s all-time leader in blocked shots.
Cook was a much-recognized swimmer from 1959 through 1963, during which Shepherd gained two WVIAC championships, in 1961 and 1963. He also performed for two years as a pole vaulter, long jumper and member of the 4×400 relay team on the track and field team.
As a four-year member of the swim team, Cook led the team in points scored for three of those seasons. He excelled in WVIAC championship meets, where he claimed seven firsts in a combined three meets.
Bridge was most recognizable as Shepherd’s soccer team’s goalkeeper for four years. He also played basketball from 1991-1994, the same years his soccer career covered.
He was a two-time All-WVIAC selection as a goalkeeper. Bridge was a member of the 1992 basketball team that gave Shepherd its only WVIAC basketball tournament championship.
From 1984-1987, Tom Korbini was a defensive starter in 41 games for the Rams. His college football accomplishments were so well-recognized that he was selected three times as an All-WVIAC player.
His final career totals showed him with 216 tackles, including 28 sacks. The Rams won the 1986 WVIAC championship, with Korbini being a major contributor.
The Shepherd Athletic Hall of Fame banquet will be held sometime in the spring of 2021, but no definite date has been announced.