Hall of Fame

Pat Conley was often ahead of her time, especially regarding women’s role in education and athletics. She earned a degree from Manhattanville College in 1946, a time when few women pursued higher education. Then, in 1968, with 11 children at home, she commuted daily from Madison, New Jersey, to earn her master’s in education from Columbia University.

Conley saw athletics as an ideal avenue for women to develop confidence, character, and leadership. She was disappointed with her local public schools’ offerings for female students, even as Title IX was in its nascence. So, she enrolled her three youngest daughters at Kent Place, and then landed her dream role as the school’s athletic director in 1973.

Conley had an enduring love for healthy competition and a strong sense of play—no matter the game. She leveraged her role as AD to expand access to emerging and non-traditional sports. For instance, she launched a paddle tennis PE class and shuttled students to courts in Summit. Her efforts laid the groundwork for the professional success of national champions Barbara “Bobo” (Mangan) Delaney ’78 and Sarah Krieger ’78. 

At Kent Place, Conley coached varsity tennis and 9th grade field hockey and basketball. She also refereed for many local sports. She even competed in a ladies' field hockey league that occasionally scrimmaged against the Dragons. 

Whether on the field or the sidelines, she engendered an enthusiasm for competition and athleticism among all of the girls at Kent Place, while modeling the possibilities for life as a working mother and athlete. Her selfless, tireless pursuit of giving girls a field to play on—including one on the school’s campus that bears her name—has been Conley’s lasting legacy at Kent Place.

Vicky Browne, Director of Athletics, said, "Whether on the field or the sidelines, Pat Conley engendered an enthusiasm for competition and athleticism among all of the girls at Kent Place, while modeling the possibilities for life as a working mother and athlete. Her selfless, tireless pursuit of giving girls a field to play on—including one on the school’s campus that bears her name—has been Conley’s lasting legacy at Kent Place." 

Hazel Clark grew up surrounded by Olympians and track athletes but avoided running at all costs. At Kent Place, she focused on figure skating until she was injured in a fall. That’s when her father convinced her to sign up for her first track meet. Clark quickly established she had talent. She attended the University of Florida on an athletic scholarship and was a member of the track and field team. Due to her intense dedication and drive, Clark was the only woman to go undefeated in SEC competition. She was named an All-SEC selection 15 times, a four-time NCAA champion, and a 15-time All-American. Clark was inducted into the University of Florida Athletic Hall of Fame in 2012.

At the professional level, she was a six-time U.S. national champion and among the top 10 in the world on five occasions. In 2000, Clark made history with her sister and sister-in-law when they became the first family to sweep the Olympic trials in the 800 meters. Clark went on to place seventh in the Games. She also competed at the Olympics in 2004 and 2008.

In addition to running, Clark appeared in a series of global advertisements for Nike and served as a spokesmodel for the company. Today, she is the director of global sales and business development for the Bermuda Tourism Authority. She manages partnerships with the PGA Tour, USTA, World Triathlon, and other major sporting organizations.

Chris Heddy knows what it takes to compete for a championship title. She was a member of the state champion field hockey team at Montclair High School. At the College of New Jersey, she won NCAA Division 3 championships in field hockey and lacrosse. Both teams were later inducted into the TCNJ Hall of Fame. She was also named first-team all-American for both sports.

In 1987, Kent Place hired Heddy as a physical education teacher and assistant coach for field hockey, lacrosse, and volleyball. She later served as head coach of field hockey for 13 years and lacrosse for nine. She was integral to the team’s success as they racked up major wins. During her tenure, the Dragons field hockey team won the Union County tournament three times and Day received the Coach’s Award as a result. In 1999, Heddy was named Coach of the Year by the Star-Ledger. She also received a Century Club Award for achieving 100 wins. 

Heddy’s athletes point to her coaching style as a motivating factor in their success. She prepared her team to compete in championships and at the collegiate level by fostering a culture of hard work, a sense of grit and competitiveness, and a will to win.

Growing up, Libbie Shawger’s parents saw athletics as an avenue for developing resiliency, teamwork, and confidence. They encouraged her to participate in a variety of sports. At Kent Place, Shawger landed a spot on the varsity basketball, field hockey, and lacrosse teams during her sophomore year. While a severe case of mononucleosis ended her basketball career during her junior year season, she showed continued success in lacrosse. She was named to the NJSIAA All-State Prep School Second Team as a defender her junior year, and first team as a senior.

However, field hockey is where Shawger truly shone. She was the team’s leading scorer and earned first-team all-state awards during her junior and senior years. As the team captain her senior year, Shawger led Union County in scoring with 17 goals, and the New Jersey Prep Division with 35 points. She carried Kent Place to a Union County championship title by scoring the only goal against the top-seeded Roselle Park. The Daily Journal called Shawger “the sparkplug of the Lady Dragons.” Her coach, Chris (Heddy) Day, said she was one of the best in the county at taking corners and a force at following up shots.

Shawger received the KPS Outstanding Athlete Award three times. She was recruited and played Division 1 field hockey and lacrosse at the University of Richmond. 

In addition to her field hockey success, Shawger was class president her freshman year, president of the KPS Student Athletic Association her senior year, and active in the Ski Club throughout high school. Outside Kent Place, she was an avid and accomplished junior golfer and played competitively during the summer.

Tammi Georgi was an all-star athlete—but she centered the success of the green and gold above all else. She was a compassionate leader who lifted others up and supported her teammates’ growth on the field. She had a competitive spirit but used that drive to elevate the team’s athleticism and sportsmanship.

Georgi started her athletic career at The Peck School and Kent Place, where she played field hockey, lacrosse, and basketball. However, field hockey was where she excelled. She received the Pat Conley Award at her graduation ceremony. Georgi also received the Citizenship Cup. 

She continued to play at the collegiate level for Hobart and William Smith Colleges in New York, and helped carry the team to a national championship in 2000.

In addition to her athletic accomplishments, Georgi was president of her sophomore class, vice president her junior year, and Senate president her senior year.

*Awarded posthumously

An award-winning tri-sport athlete, Tara King played lacrosse, basketball, and field hockey throughout her years at Kent Place, but lacrosse was her primary sport. She was integral to putting Kent Place on the map as a high-caliber team, and was highlighted as a noteworthy athlete in the county and state. 

King first played lacrosse in 7th grade at Kent Place and immediately clicked with the sport. She could always be found with a lacrosse stick in hand, constantly practicing how to cradle and throw the ball. When she was a freshman on the varsity team, a senior goalie once commented that she was glad she didn’t have to face off against King.

Her love of and passion for the game showed on the field. She earned the respect of her teammates for being a competitive force. She was a high scorer on offense and, as a senior, she helped guide the team to the finals in the division playoffs.

King was recruited to play lacrosse for Ithaca College. After law school, she continued to play club lacrosse in New York. She now works in regulatory compliance at Barclays, covering the investment banking division.

Growing up in Short Hills, Nancy Schieffelin spent many winter days skating around the frozen pond down the street. Around age 5, she started joining the neighborhood boys in pick-up games of pond hockey. When she was 8 or 9 years old, one of the boy’s fathers took notice and recruited her for an informal youth hockey program. A few years later, she competed in an all-star game at Princeton’s Hobey Baker Rink. She eventually moved up to a club team, but by high school, the game became more physical, and Schieffelin hung up her skates.

She followed her sisters to Kent Place, which she admired for its athletics program. When she sat in on 7th grade classes before enrolling, she asked to spend the day participating in the school’s gym classes instead of the traditional academic courses.

Schieffelin attended Pembroke College in Brown University where she chose ice skating as her gym requirement. She brought her stick and puck, dodging figure skaters as she navigated the school’s new ice rink. In 1964, Schieffelin caught the eye of the men’s hockey coach who invited her to join a scrimmage, disguised in full uniform. While the stunt was intended to motivate the men by showing them up, it inspired Schieffelin to petition for a women’s team. She recruited about 20 fellow students to join her and, a year later, the Pembroke Pandas were founded.

Schieffelin was inducted into the Massachusetts Hockey Hall of Fame in the Pioneer category in 2001. Today, she is a retired clinical social worker, a volunteer photographer for several Boston-area nonprofits, and a volunteer coach for SCORE Boston, a hockey program for inner city boys and girls ages 5 to 15.

Margery “Muffin” Slonaker loves the camaraderie and collaboration of a team sport, as well as the intensity and drive needed to succeed in individual sports. At Kent Place, she had the opportunity to pursue both.

Slonaker was a member of the field hockey and basketball teams. She was also a trampoline competitor and won the National Junior Olympics for the 12-and-under and 16-and-under divisions. However, she particularly excelled at tennis. At Kent Place, Slonaker was the head of the Green Team her senior year. She was also ranked in the 16-and-under and 18-and-under divisions of the Eastern Lawn Tennis Association. In her late 20s, she took up platform tennis and was a national champion in mixed and ladies’ doubles, and in the senior division.

Slonaker later coached tennis for both Oak Knoll and Kent Place before starting a business to provide college guidance for female athletes. She had long noticed that women were underrepresented in athletics. Best Foot Forward allowed her to advise her daughters, their teammates and coaches, and other athletes on navigating the college recruitment process.

The 1986 volleyball season was one of change, from the team’s first season in a new gym to its final under the direction of coach Lynn Horner. Despite the shifting landscape, they finished with a winning record of 19-1 and several tournament wins, including the NJSIAA Prep A Tournament, Union County Tournament, and the Morristown Beard Christmas Tournament.

An all-around athlete, Diana D’Alessio played basketball, field hockey, and softball while at Kent Place. Golf, however, was her true passion, and she began playing at the age of thirteen. Committed to her sport, Diana worked with Kent Place to develop an independent study to be on the green in the afternoons for golf practice. A hard-working and motivated golfer, Diana focused on improving her game every day with the dream of becoming a professional golfer. Diana played in her first competitive event with the American Junior Golf Association (AJGA) at the age of fifteen, taking home first place in her second event with the AJGA. In 1993, Diana began her freshman year at Furman University where her golf career continued to soar. In 1994, she was named the New Jersey State Amateur champion and the Women’s Metropolitan Golf Association (WMGA) Stroke Play champion, repeating the WMGA champion title again in 1995–1996. Diana was a star member of Furman’s Golf Team, recording seven top ten finishes and earning the 1997 Southern Conference champion honors. Diana was named the 1997 Most Valuable Player for the Furman Paladins. Diana’s dream of becoming a professional golfer was realized in 1997. She played for two years for the Futures Tour and earned non-exempt status for the 2000 LPGA season. Diana’s golf career has been nothing short of exceptional, and she holds twelve Career top-10s. Diana recorded her career-best finish of second place at the Honda LPGA Thailand in 2006.

Porscha Dobson shone in green and gold on the Kent Place track and field team. Originally a gymnast, Porscha began running track during her freshman year, and found her talent with hurdles during her sophomore year. In addition to competing in every KPS track and field meet, Porscha also ran for the Jaguar Track Club in Maplewood, New Jersey, where she had the opportunity to run in the prestigious Colgate Women’s Games. During her high school career, Porscha was earned multiple All-American New Jersey State Champion titles and Athlete of the Year. As a senior, Porscha was ranked number one in the state of New Jersey and fifth in the country in hurdles. She was ranked number two in the country and seventh in the world for the 100 meter hurdles. Porscha currently maintains the record as the third fastest hurdler in New Jersey history and continues to hold the New Jersey Senior Class 100 meter hurdle record. Porscha also earned the second fastest New Jersey State Meet of Championships time in the 100 meter hurdles. After graduating from Kent Place, Porscha went on to the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, serving as team captain of Women’s Track and Field for three years. Porscha made history at UNC becoming one of the top five hurdlers in the school’s history. While a Tar Heel, Porscha received the All-Atlantic Coast Conference honors and celebrated two ACC Championship wins with her team. Porscha is now the Associate Head Coach at the University of Pennsylvania for the men’s and women’s track and field programs.

Athletic dynamo Barbara “Bobo” Delaney was a three-sport, twelve time varsity letter winner in field hockey, tennis, and basketball while a student at Kent Place. Bobo displayed her commitment to discipline, honor, and loyalty during her time wearing green and gold, and was the first-ever independent school student to be named All-State first team for field hockey. Bobo received the prestigious All-American honors in 1978 as a senior. Bobo was also a star on the tennis court winning the 18-and-under Junior Nationals in both 1976 and 1978. After graduating from Kent Place, Bobo brought her athletic prowess to the University of Denver, where she played field hockey and tennis, captaining both teams. Bobo helped her field hockey team take the 1979 NCAA Regional Tournament Championship title and advanced to the Division II National Tournament. Dominating in offense, Bobo helped the team clinch their highest ranking of fourth in 1980, setting a school record with 25 goals. Bobo’s stellar performance as a Pioneer was not isolated to the field, and in 1981 her tennis team won the AIAW region VII Division II Title, holding a school record of 13–1 in doubles. In 1982, Bobo won the regional individual singles championship and holds the best career doubles mark at DU. Bobo was honored at the University of Denver’s 25th celebration of Pioneer Women’s Athletics. Post-graduation, Bobo continued her tennis career, winning the Women’s Nationals in 1989 with KPS alumna Sarah Kreiger ’78 as well as five Mixed Nationals between 2002 and 2011, tying herself for the most mixed titles of all time. Bobo won six titles in the 40s division and 5 titles in the 50s. Bobo was inducted into the Paddle Tennis Hall of Fame in 2016 and currently serves as a winning tennis teaching professional. Bobo has earned the respect of her teams, classmates and opponents for the highest standards of sportsmanship, kindness, and her love of the game.

A three-sport athlete during her time at KPS, Audrey showed her athletic talent and tenacity on the field hockey, lacrosse, and basketball teams. A four-year varsity team member in both lacrosse and basketball, and varsity field hockey for three years, Audrey had a place on the starting line-up for all three sports each year at KPS. Audrey quickly made a name for herself as an all-star athlete and a force to be reckoned with in green and gold during her high school career. In field hockey, Audrey was the leading scorer and amassed the most assists. She earned all-conference and all-county selections, eventually earning an All-State honor during her senior year. Lacrosse was no different, as Audrey also earned all-county and all-conference selections as well as Honorable Mention All-American in 1990. On the basketball court Audrey led the KPS Dragons in steals each season and was among the top three players for leading scorers and assists. After graduating from Kent Place, Audrey took her athletic talents to The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where she was recruited to play for the undefeated NCAA Field Hockey National Champions.

A dedicated and well-rounded athlete, Christine Ryan played field hockey, basketball, and lacrosse during all four years at KPS. Captaining the field hockey team, Christine Ryan was named Field Hockey Player of the Year for Union County in 1999, also receiving All-State, All-Conference, and All-County honors. After graduation, Christine donned purple and white to play Field Hockey and Lacrosse at Amherst College. On the Field Hockey team Christine was named a National Field Hockey Coaches Association (NFHCA) All-Region First Team selection and a NFHCA All-America third team selection. Her athletic success extended to the lacrosse turf, where her team advanced to the Division III NCAA championship all four seasons. In 2003,  Christine and her lacrosse team won the NCAA national championship, bringing the first-ever national championship to Amherst College, and only the second Team Championship in school history. Christine was also an All-American selection by womenslacrosse.com. Following her time at Amherst, Christine proceeded to graduate from Fordham University School of Law. In 2009, Kent Place was thrilled to welcome Christine back as an assistant field hockey coach for the 2009 season. Remembered and respected for her discipline, leadership and passion for athletics, Christine is a worthy inaugural inductee into the Kent Place Athletic Hall of Fame.

For 43 years Elisabeth Benthien, known to all as Tizzie, has been an icon at Kent Place School. Beginning in 1977, Tizzie has served Kent Place in a variety of roles, including serving as athletic director, coach, and physical education teacher. Described by her colleagues and students as energetic, compassionate, dedicated, and motivating, Tizzie’s impact on the athletics department at KPS is vast. Beginning as a varsity gymnastics coach, Tizzie’s team won the NJISAA Prep A State Championship in 1980 and 1981 and she was awarded Union County Coach of the Year for Gymnastics in 1980. Her success extends to volleyball as well and Tizzie became Head Coach for varsity volleyball in 1986. From 1987 through 1990 Tizzie led her volleyball team to win the NJISAA Prep A State Championship every year. In 1994, Tizzie’s coaching acumen was honored as she was awarded and made a member of the Union County Interscholastic Athletic Conference (UCIAC) Century Club for earning over 100 wins. Tizzie also worked extensively with the Middle School athletics department, coaching track and field for over twenty years. Her Middle School teams took first place at the Gill St. Bernards Silver Spike Championship in 2004, 2015, 2017, and 2018, as well as first place at Pingry’s Big Blue Relay Championship in 2015 and 2019. Today, Tizzie continues her commitment to the growth of our students as the head coach of the Middle School field hockey, swimming, and track and field teams. She serves on the Primary School Early Childhood Admissions and Faculty and Staff Wellness Committees. A testament to Kent Places’ commitment to equality, fairness, and leadership, Tizzie’s devotion to Kent Place and girls’ athletics is unmatched, and her impact on thousands of Kent Place students, parents, faculty, and staff is immeasurable.