Hall of Fame
The 1987 Men’s Cross Country Team was the first team to represent Alvernia in a national competition when it won the NAIA District 19 race hosted by Alvernia and qualified for the NAIA National Championship in Kenosha, Wisconsin.
The individual level of athletic achievement on this team was unprecedented at Alvernia in the mid-80s. The top three runners routinely broke 26 minutes for a 5-mile race – a pace of just over a five-minute mile. To give a sense of how that stacks up to current NCAA competitors, only 28 of 316 runners at the 2009 NCAA Regional run under 26 minutes.
The team included the following individuals:
Dwight Armistead '91
Alvernia Major: Business Management
Worked full-time while going through school. Has worked for Reading Eagle Company since graduation.
Tim Bender
Alvernia Major: Bio-Chemistry.
Worked full-time as a Youth Counselor for high risk youth at Concern Professional Services for Youth and Children.
Was the Intramural Basketball MVP in 1987 and received a Larry Bird poster from Sandy Slabik to commemorate the award.
Has been in banking and mortgage financing for 17 years currently a senior load officer for Vision Mortgage Capital.
Lee Bennett '92, M'04
Alvernia Major: Business Administration/Management
Alvernia MBA in Business Administration
Returned to Alvernia as an adjunct professor teaching classes in Retail Management, Sales and Sales Management, Advertising and Promotion, Operations Management, and Senior Marketing Seminar. Has worked in management, sales, and retail for 25 years at Corestates Bank, The John Wood Company, and MAB Paints / Sherwin Williams. Has extensive volunteer experience with the United Way (Reading), the American Red Cross, and for seven years with the American Online Ask a Teacher program.
Tom Dourte '90
Christopher Gallo
Dr. Mike Gentile '88
Alvernia Major: BS in Biology / Chemistry
Masters of Science in Biology from Villanova in ‘91
PhD in Biochemistry from Lehigh in ’03
Also participated in baseball and tennis at Alvernia. Since graduation has worked as an Analytical Chemist at Atochem Polymers (88-89), a teaching assistant at Villanova (89-90), and a Biochemist at Merck & Co. since 1990.
Brian Patton '90
Alvernia Major: Computer Science / Business Administration
Graduated from Governor Mifflin High School in 1985.
Masters of Science in Computer Information Services from Kutztown in ‘93
Named the Alvernia College top male athlete in 1990. Is on the 1,000 career points list for men’s basketball. Has been working as the technology coordinator for the Antietam school district since 1995 and been in the lead role for the district’s United Way Campaign.
Charles Scott '88
Butch Ulrich '88
Alvernia Major: Criminal Justice (Political Science Minor)
Was a basketball cheerleader for a year or two and also worked full time and coached high school track while going through school.
Is currently the general sales manager for WEEU in Reading. Runs a side business called Breakaway Sports which puts on running, biking, and adventure races.
Served in the Navy Reserves for six years from 1983-89.
Head Coach: Larry Zerbe '88
Assistant Coach: Stephanie Butcher
