Game Changers: Bryn Mawr Inducts First Athletics Hall of Fame Class

The event brought together more than 120 alumnae, former players, coaches, parents, faculty, and students to honor generations of excellence in girls’ sports at Bryn Mawr.

The night was festive and powerful, with guests swinging custom Bryn Mawr rally towels in the air as they cheered for each inductee. Emmy-winning TV host Ellen Meny ‘11 emceed the program. The honorees represented a remarkable range of sports achievements—from the Wimbledon courts and WNBA hardwoods to lacrosse fields and badminton world championships. Together, they embodied the school’s long-standing commitment to athletics as an essential part of a whole-girl education.

The inaugural Hall of Fame class includes:

“This was my training ground,” said honoree Theresa Sherry ’00. “In the classroom, in the Camerata and Dayseye halls, on the courts and on the fields. After leaving here, the messages I got, as we all get as women in society—about being too smart, too strong, too good—the volume turned up when I left here, making me more grateful as years passed to have the Bryn Mawr whole person education at my core.”

That spirit echoed throughout the evening. Carey Fetting-Smith ’01 fired up the crowd with a coach-style pep talk: “We got ‘em—it’s not just a cheer, it’s a mindset,” she said. “That’s what sports gives you. We got this. I love Bryn Mawr, and I feel so lucky to have gone here. Now my three daughters get to benefit from this incredible education—it means the world to me.”

Kisha Ford Torres ’93 reflected on how sports shaped her leadership and confidence, which helped her succeed as a major in the Army National Guard and for 19 years in law enforcement. She also recalled why she initially decided to come to Bryn Mawr. “I did my tour here and Coach Becker emphasized you're going to be a student first. You're going to have academic excellence first…and there’s going to be a sisterhood here that you'll never forget.”

Through prepared remarks by niece Nikki Bogan Kron '01, field hockey coach Jeanette Budzik thanked the many players, colleagues, fans and supporters who stood with her no matter what—sweltering heat, bumpy fields, and the occasional blood, sweat, and tears. “My love for the game of field hockey never wavered.” Tennis great Andrea Leand ’81 reminded the crowd that Bryn Mawr teaches girls to “just go for it” in all they do.

The ceremony didn’t just honor athletic milestones—it highlighted the values of leadership, resilience and excellence that Bryn Mawr instills in all young women. 

“The championship culture at Bryn Mawr that covers every facet of student life, where girls are encouraged to be the best in the classroom, the best artists, the best athletes—let’s continue to encourage and insist that our young people at least strive to be their better, whatever that means to them,” Sherry said. “Thank you for starting this Hall of Fame tradition. We have a heck of a history. Let’s unapologetically shout the love and shine the light. Go Mawrtians!”