Five Lancers inducted into the 2023 Alumni Sports Hall of Fame
The University of Windsor Alumni Association and the Department of Athletics announced the 2023 class inducted into the Alumni Sports Hall of Fame. The ceremony took place on Sunday, October 29, 2023 in the Alumni Auditorium in the CAW Student Centre.
Athlete inductees from this year’s class included Robert Fallenbuchl (fencing), Austin Kennedy (football), Spencer Pommells (hockey), Stephanie Wenner (track & field), and Korissa Williams (basketball).
Long time track & field assistant coach David McGuffin was also inducted as a Builder/Coach and former Lancer Kurt Michael Downes was recognized as a Sport Achievement Honouree.
Austin Kennedy (BComm ’15) is one of the most talented student-athletes in Lancer football history. The Windsor native led the team at quarterback from 2011-14 and continues to hold the OUA touchdown pass record eight years after his graduation with 79. Throughout his time with the blue and gold, Kennedy was named the team MVP three times, and captured the prestigious DeMarco award in his final year for his combined athletic and academic accomplishments. A three time OUA all-star, Kennedy holds thirteen Lancer football records, including most completed passes in a career with 710 and most passing yards in a single game at 482. An academic all-Canadian for the duration of this career, Kennedy was named to the CIS Academic Top 8 for the 2014-15 season.
Robert Fallenbuchl (BA ’90, LLB ’94, BEd ’95) was a member of the Lancer fencing team from 1987-93. He began his career with the blue and gold as a member of the track & field team in 1986, but an injury sent him into fencing. Fallenbuchl helped lead the Lancers to three OUAA championships in 1988-89, 1989-90, and 1992-93, while also claiming the OUAA George Tulley Award in 1993 as the league’s most proficient fencer. He won gold medals in various tournaments throughout his career including the OUAA Sabre and Ohio State’s Curn Memorial Sabre tournament and represented Windsor and Team Canada at the 1992 FISU games and helped the team place fourth overall in the world.
A forward with the Lancer hockey team from 2011-15, Spencer Pommells (BA ’16) helped lead the Lancers to a Queen’s Cup championship in the 2013-14 season. Throughout his time with the blue and gold, Pommells led the team in scoring from 2012-15 and was the named the 2014-15 Olympic Shield winner as the Lancer male athlete of the year, and the 2012-13 Super Sophomore award winner. A two-time OUA all-star, Pommells was named the CIS player of the year in 2015 and a first-team all-Canadian after being named the OUA’s MVP and the CIS’ scoring leader.
Stephanie Wenner (BA ’06) competed as a Lancer track & field athlete from 2001-05 and helped lead the team to an OUA Championship title in 2002 and 2005. Wenner was a three-time OUA all-star and currently is the co-record Lancer holder in the women’s 60mH. She holds five OUA medals including gold in the 60mH in 2003 and 2004, silver in the 4x200m relay in 2004 and 2005, and a bronze in the 60m dash in 2004. Wenner also achieved many accomplishments on the national level including being a two-time CIS all-Canadian, a silver medallist in the 60mH in 2003 and 2004, and a bronze medallist in the 4x200m relay in 2004. She was also part of the 2002 Pan American Junior Team and competed in Florida with the team.
Korissa Williams (BComm ’15) is only one of two student-athletes to win five CIS national championships. A guard with the women’ basketball team from 2011-15, Williams capped off her five-year career as the BLG Trophy recipient as the overall female Canadian university athlete of the year. In the same year, she was also awarded the Banner Shield as the Lancer top female athlete, a first-team CIS all-Canadian, team MVP, and the OUA women’s basketball defensive player of the year. Throughout her career, Williams was also a two-time CIS National player of the year, a two-time CIS Final 8 championship tournament MVP, Lancer female rookie of the year (2010-11), and Lancer female super sophomore award recipient (2011-12). On the Lancer all-time leader boards, Williams is ranked second overall in scoring (1268 points), and steals (300), third overall in assists (327), and eighth overall in rebounds (541). She was an OUA all-star from 2012-2015 and was named to the OUA all-rookie team in her first year. Williams also represented Canada in many international competitions such as the World U19 Championships in 2011, the 2013 World University Games in Russia, the 2015 World University Games in South Korea, and she was a member of the Canadian national women’s basketball program for four seasons.
Also inducted into the hall of fame in the category of Builder/Coach was Dave McGuffin.
Dave McGuffin was an assistant track coach with the Lancers from 1990-2018 and is considered the most winningest coach in University of Windsor history. He helped coach the Lancers to 21 national championships, and 40 provincial championships. Over the years, his athletes captured 17 CIS medals, and countless medals at the OUA championships. He won the Gino Fracas Coach of the Year award in 2000 and received an “A Award” from the athletic department for distinguished longtime service in 2010. Of the Lancer all-time high jump leaders in track & field, McGuffin coached nine of the top ten male athletes and eight of the ten top female athletes.
Kurt Michael Downes (BA ’03, BEd ’05) is being recognized this year as well as a Sport Achievement Honouree. Downes is a local teacher and coach of the Border City Athletics Club and has been a track & field coach in the area for many years. He has represented Canada as a staff coach at a number of international events including: the World Athletics Championships 2022, the Tokyo Olympics 2020, IAAF World Athletics Championship 2019, Pan American Senior Championships 2019, NACAC Senior Championships 2018, IAAF World Championship 2017, Pan-American Junior Championships 2015, IAAF World Youth Championships 2013, IAAF World Junior Championships 2012. In addition, Downes was named the Athletics Canada Dr. Doug Clement Coach of the Year (2019) for guiding Kelsey Balkwill to the OUA/U SPORTS track athlete of the year and Brandon McBride to a Canadian Record in the 800m and a 3rd Place finish in the Diamond League Final.