The concept for the Alma College Athletic Hall of Fame was an outgrowth of a series of three lettermen dinners held at various locations in the late 1960s to rekindle alumni enthusiasm and enlist support for the development of adequate athletic and recreational facilities. The initial Hall of Fame event was staged at the former Olds Plaza Hotel in Lansing on May 25, 1971.
Alma was the first Michigan college or university and one of the first in the nation to establish a Hall of Fame. The Hall of Fame's purpose as originally stated was noble:
"It is the intent of the Alma College Hall of Fame to celebrate the past, present and future of Alma College through the recognition of excellence in those who have made significant contributions to the Scots' athletic tradition."
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Katie Mans Gorno
Hall of Fame Athlete (2005)
Basketball
Class of 1994
Katie Mans Gorno '94 enjoyed immense success throughout her athletic
career at Alma College and remains the leading scorer in the history
of the program. Not only was she a member of the Scots' 1992 NCAA
National Championship Team but she remains Alma College women's
basketball's all-time points leader with 1,562 in her career. She is the
reigning record holder for career field goals with 596 and holds both the
single season and career field goal percentage records, shooting .646 in
the 1993-94 season for a career percentage of .584. Her 14.4 points per
game average for four years is fourth all-time in the team's history.
Mans began her basketball career on a high note her freshman year as she was voted the team's Most Valuable Player along with Jolene Kanary. At the same time, she was tabbed by the MIAA as a second team all-conference player. That season, Mans was seventh in the league in overall field goal shooting and 0th in both free throw shooting and individual scoring.
As a sophomore, Mans continued her climb up the league stats to rank second in overall field goal shooting, third in scoring and sixth in free throw shooting. She ranked in the top 10 in the league in rebounds as well. During the 1991-92 season, she was named the MIAA Player of the Week and again earned second team All-MIAA honors. Backed by her performance that year, the Scots went on an amazing ride, all the way to the National Championship. After the season, Mans was named an American Women's Sports Federation/Fast Break third team All-American in Division III.
Success continued for Mans in her junior year on the hardwood. With her prowess in league play, she ended the season second in overall field goal shooting, seventh in individual scoring, and eighth in rebounds for the 1992- 93 season. She was again named an MIAA Player of the Week and again was selected as a second team All-MIAA player.
It was her senior season that put the icing on the cake as the team captain became Alma's first-ever Kodak First Team All-American and just the third-ever Scot to be named the MIAA's Most Valuable Player. She is one of seven Alma women in the history of women's basketball in the MIAA to earn the distinction. She led the league in scoring, averaging 17.1 points per game and was the MIAA field goal leader, ranking fourth in free throws, fifth in rebounds, seventh in blocked shots and eighth in assists en route to first team All-MIAA honors.
Her name continues to dot the league record books as well as the Alma College record books. With a career scoring record that has stood for 11 years, Mans' 1,562 career points continue to give Alma's women something to shoot for.
Since leaving Alma College, Mans has had the opportunity to travel throughout the United States, including a memorable trip to Alaska. Still actively involved in sports - softball, volleyball, squash - she fosters the competitive spirit on the hardwood coaching fourth and fifth grade girls basketball in Trenton.
Fortunate to work as a mother to daughters Caroline (6 years) and Lily (one month), she co-owns Human Engineering Services with her siblings, concentrating on the company's marketing efforts. She and husband Ken reside in Trenton with their daughters.
"The biggest lesson I learned at Alma that assisted me upon life after graduation was learning to be prepared. Whether for a thesis presentation or a first game of the season, I learned - sometimes the hard way! - that taking the time and putting forth the effort weeks and months before was well worth the reward in the end. I appreciated the confidence it gave me, knowing I had worked to the point where I felt I was the best I could be. Playing basketball at Alma taught me how to handle extreme highs and lows that always seem to accompany us throughout life. Winning a national championship, and then being unable to duplicate the achievement was an important lesson for me. It taught me to truly enjoy a grand moment, because they are fleeting, and to never expect success based simply on the fact that you had it once before." - Katie Mans Gorno
Mans began her basketball career on a high note her freshman year as she was voted the team's Most Valuable Player along with Jolene Kanary. At the same time, she was tabbed by the MIAA as a second team all-conference player. That season, Mans was seventh in the league in overall field goal shooting and 0th in both free throw shooting and individual scoring.
As a sophomore, Mans continued her climb up the league stats to rank second in overall field goal shooting, third in scoring and sixth in free throw shooting. She ranked in the top 10 in the league in rebounds as well. During the 1991-92 season, she was named the MIAA Player of the Week and again earned second team All-MIAA honors. Backed by her performance that year, the Scots went on an amazing ride, all the way to the National Championship. After the season, Mans was named an American Women's Sports Federation/Fast Break third team All-American in Division III.
Success continued for Mans in her junior year on the hardwood. With her prowess in league play, she ended the season second in overall field goal shooting, seventh in individual scoring, and eighth in rebounds for the 1992- 93 season. She was again named an MIAA Player of the Week and again was selected as a second team All-MIAA player.
It was her senior season that put the icing on the cake as the team captain became Alma's first-ever Kodak First Team All-American and just the third-ever Scot to be named the MIAA's Most Valuable Player. She is one of seven Alma women in the history of women's basketball in the MIAA to earn the distinction. She led the league in scoring, averaging 17.1 points per game and was the MIAA field goal leader, ranking fourth in free throws, fifth in rebounds, seventh in blocked shots and eighth in assists en route to first team All-MIAA honors.
Her name continues to dot the league record books as well as the Alma College record books. With a career scoring record that has stood for 11 years, Mans' 1,562 career points continue to give Alma's women something to shoot for.
Since leaving Alma College, Mans has had the opportunity to travel throughout the United States, including a memorable trip to Alaska. Still actively involved in sports - softball, volleyball, squash - she fosters the competitive spirit on the hardwood coaching fourth and fifth grade girls basketball in Trenton.
Fortunate to work as a mother to daughters Caroline (6 years) and Lily (one month), she co-owns Human Engineering Services with her siblings, concentrating on the company's marketing efforts. She and husband Ken reside in Trenton with their daughters.
"The biggest lesson I learned at Alma that assisted me upon life after graduation was learning to be prepared. Whether for a thesis presentation or a first game of the season, I learned - sometimes the hard way! - that taking the time and putting forth the effort weeks and months before was well worth the reward in the end. I appreciated the confidence it gave me, knowing I had worked to the point where I felt I was the best I could be. Playing basketball at Alma taught me how to handle extreme highs and lows that always seem to accompany us throughout life. Winning a national championship, and then being unable to duplicate the achievement was an important lesson for me. It taught me to truly enjoy a grand moment, because they are fleeting, and to never expect success based simply on the fact that you had it once before." - Katie Mans Gorno
