BURNABY, B.C. – Simon Fraser University is proud to welcome two-time wrestling Olympian and world silver medalist Danielle Lappage, and two-time CIS Player of the Year Jessica Kaczowka, who led women's basketball to a magical undefeated championship season in 2002, into its Athletic Hall of Fame. Lappage and Kaczowka will be joined by Chris Beaton, who recruited and coached an incredible 85 players who went on to be drafted into the CFL during his 23 years as head coach, and 1983 men's soccer, who won the NAIA championship for the second year in a row with a flawless run through the playoffs capped by a 1-0 victory over Midwestern State (Texas) in the final.
 
The 2023 induction class will be celebrated at this year's SFU Athletic Awards Show on Wednesday, April 5 at the Italian Cultural Centre in Vancouver.
 
Danielle Lappage (2008-13)
A two-time Olympian, Lappage moved from Olds, Alta., to Burnaby Mountain and developed into one of the best wrestlers SFU has ever produced. Her story is not one of just success but also one of perseverance and overcoming setbacks.
 
Lappage represented Canada and SFU with pride and honour at the 2016 and 2020 Olympic Summer Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil and Tokyo, Japan, respectively. She suffered a career-threatening injury while warming up for her opening Rio bout and had to forfeit, but made a full recovery to return to the international stage. In August 2020, a year before the re-scheduled Tokyo Games, Lappage tore her anterior cruciate ligament for the second time in her career, but she recovered to compete at the Olympics in Japan. 
 
As a university athlete, Lappage won three individual Women's Collegiate Wrestling Association national championships and was a four-time finalist and All-American. She, along with other SFU greats Victoria Anthony, Justina Di Stasio and Helen Maroulis, led SFU to its first ever WCWA team title in 2013.
 
In her first two years, Lappage helped the program win two CIS team championships, while providing major individual contributions. Lappage won the Canada West Rookie of the Year award for the 2008-09 season. The next season (2009-10), she won the CIS national championship at 63 kilograms.
 
In addition to the Olympic appearances, Lappage's list of international accomplishments is long.
 
She won the world junior championship at 63 kilograms in 2010, and then bronze at the 2012 World University Championships. A year later, Lappage took first place at the Francophone Games. In 2014, she won gold at both the Commonwealth Games and the World University Championships. Lappage wrestled to 65-kg silver at the World Championships in 2018 and silver at 68 kgs at the Commonwealth Games that same year.
 

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Jessica Kaczowka (1998-2003)
One of the greatest players in program history, Kaczowka recorded a total of 2,490 points during her time on Burnaby Mountain and a per-game average of 19.7, both of which rank second on SFU's all-time list. She is also second in SFU's record book in career field goals (994), field goal percentage (61.8 per cent) and free throws (501). Kaczowka is fourth in total rebounds with 1,083.
 
A forward originally from Regina, Sask., Kaczowka helped transition SFU from a powerhouse NAIA program to a dynasty in the Canadian Interuniversity Sport (now called U SPORTS). She was an NAIA All-American in her freshman year and sophomore campaign, leading SFU, coached by Allison McNeill, to the NAIA championship game both years.
 
She was a second-team Canada West Conference All-Star in her first year of CIS competition. The next season (2001-02), she earned Canada West Most Valuable Player, first-team All-Canadian, CIS Player of the Year honours and led SFU to an undefeated 35-0 season, which culminated with a national title in coach Bruce Langford's first season. In the 66-51 CIS championship game win over Laval (Que.), Kaczowka scored 28 points and grabbed 13 rebounds.
 
Kaczowka capped off her career by winning Canada West Most Valuable Player, first-team All-Canadian, and CIS Player of the Year recognition for the second consecutive in 2002-03 season. She won the SFU Female Athlete of the Year award in 2003.
 
During her five years at SFU, Kaczowka led the team in scoring three times, and two seasons rank in the top 10 in Red Leafs history. Two of her rebounding campaigns are among the top 10 all-time at SFU. Kaczowka posted six 30-point games in her university career.
 

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Chris Beaton (1983-2005)
"The Bear," as Chris Beaton is known, is the longest-serving and winningest coach in SFU history, with an incredible track record of sending his players to the next level. An incredible 85 players who competed at SFU with Beaton as head coach between 1983 and 2005 have been selected in the CFL Draft. They include athletes such as defensive tackle Doug Brown, fullback Sean Millington, offensive guard Bob Molle, and centre Angus Reid.
 
Brown played in the National Football League with Washington before moving to Winnipeg in the CFL. He spent the rest of his career with the Blue Bombers, earning eight CFL All-Star selections, and the league's Most Outstanding Canadian Award in 2001. Brown is a member of the Canadian Football Hall of Fame.
 
Millington won two Grey Cups in his career with the BC Lions and was a three-time league all-star. He was twice named the winner of the CFL's Most Outstanding Canadian Award (1997, 2000).
 
Molle is two-time Grey Cup champion with Winnipeg and won a silver medal in super heavyweight wrestling for Canada at the 1984 Olympic Summer Games in Los Angeles.
 
Reid enjoyed a 13-year playing career in which he won two Grey Cups and earned a CFL all-star nod in 2011.
 
Glen Suitor, a three-time CFL all-star at defensive back and 1989 Grey Cup champion – played his senior season in 1983, Beaton's first as SFU head coach.
 
A member of the school's original football team in 1965, Beaton played through to 1968 as part the program's first senior class, and served as captain.
 
He returned to Burnaby Mountain to coach the defensive line from 1973 to 1980. After two seasons away, Beaton was hired to succeed Ron Woodward beginning with the 1983 season. SFU was competing in the NAIA at the time, and moved to CIS for the 2002 campaign.
 
Beaton guided SFU to its first playoff triumphs in school history in 2003 when the team won the Hardy Cup as Canada West Conference champions.
 
He took part in two Shrum Bowls against the University of B.C. as a player, winning both, and went 9-9 in the rivalry game as a coach.
 
Beaton was inducted into the BC Football Hall of Fame as builder in 2016. The next year, he won the Bob Ackles Lifetime Achievement Award at the Orange Helmet Awards, sponsored by the B.C. Lions.
 

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1983 Men's Soccer
The 1983 SFU men's soccer team, coached by Keith Watts, won the second of back-to-back NAIA national championships, capping off an incredible and historic run. It went 18-4-1, scoring 58 times while giving up just 16 goals. The team recorded 14 shutouts, including a school-record eight in a row (tied with the 2007 squad).
 
After winning the NAIA District I title for the ninth consecutive year, SFU qualified for the national tournament by beating the District II champion.
 
SFU swept through the competition at the NAIA Men's Soccer Championship in Wichita Falls, Texas, winning all four games without surrendering a goal.
 
Captain Darryl Larson scored in the team's 1-0 Pool D-opening win against Benedictine (Kansas), before George Mrsic's brace provided all the offence in a 2-0 victory over Alabama Huntsville sent SFU to the semifinals. There, Alphonso Napoletano got the overtime winner against top-ranked Alderson Broaddus (West Virginia). In the championship contest, SFU defeated host Midwestern State (Texas) for the second straight year. Ron Cuthbert got the title-winning goal, with the assist going to Tony Pensato.
 
Defender David Cobb, forward Larson, and goalkeeper Jerry Vick were named to the NAIA All-Tournament Team.
 
Vick tied his own school record of 18 wins in goal for SFU, and was named NAIA All-American First Team. Larson earned a spot in the second team, while defender Dave Ellenwood made the third team.
 
A dozen players from 1982 NAIA championship squad helped SFU take the 1983 title. Over those two seasons, SFU went 36-7-4, with 29 shutouts in 47 games.
 
For the latest information on SFU Athletics, visit athletics.sfu.ca. You can also find us on social media at @SFU_Athletics.


 


 
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