Phillylacrosse.com, Posted 10/28/11
From Press Releases
An evening of memories, honor, and love was shared at the Commonwealth Chateau as the Chestnut Hill College Department of Athletics recognized their foremothers – including lacrosse legends Betty Shellenberger and Janice Rensimer Kuklick – at the inaugural Athletic Hall of Fame Induction.
The 2011 Inaugural Class included some of the key administrators and coaches that established and nurtured athletics at the College; Rensimer Kuklick (Administrator/Coach 1977-present), Shellenberger (Coach 1950-1977), Betty Buckley (Administrator/Coach 1942-1977, posthumously), Lorraine Busch (Administrator/Coach 1977-1999), and the 1950’s Archery Teams.
Shellenberger (Agnes Irwin) served as the head coach for the Chestnut Hill College badminton program from 1950-56, 1960-61, and 1964-77, the field hockey program from 1964-77, and the lacrosse program from 1965-77.
Shellenberger’s place in the history of lacrosse and field hockey reaches far beyond the campus of Chestnut Hill College. She is a 2008 inductee to The Eastern Pennsylvania Lacrosse Hall of Fame, a 2005 inductee to The Agnes Irwin School Athletic Hall of Fame, a 1994 inductee to the National Lacrosse Hall of Fame, a 1988 inductee to the USA Field Hockey Hall of Fame, and a 1986 inductee to the Pennsylvania Sports Hall of Fame.
She served as the President for the United States Women’s Lacrosse Association from 1967-68 after a brilliant playing career with the USA Field Hockey National Team (1939-41, 1946-55, and 1960) and the USA Lacrosse National Team (1940-61); her 21 years on the national field hockey team is the longest in the history of USA Field Hockey. She was named a Distinguished Daughter of Pennsylvania in 1987 for her contribution to sports. She also founded the Chestnuts and Hillers Hockey Clubs of the Philadelphia Field Hockey Association, which often carried many of Chestnut Hill College alumni.
In many ways, Rensimer Kuklick (Plymouth Whitemarsh, West Chester University) is athletics at Chestnut Hill College. Since joining the staff in 1977, Rensimer Kuklick has coached badminton (1977-1988), field hockey (1977-2000), and lacrosse (1977-2000), while also serving as an assistant athletic director (1977-1990), director of athletics (1990-2004), physical education/athletics chair (1990-2004), and physical education instructor (1977-present).
Throughout high school, at Plymouth Whitemarsh, and college, at West Chester University, Rensimer Kuklick never experienced a loss as a player. In 1975, she was a member of the undefeated US Women’s Lacrosse touring team, which was the first opponent ever to claim victory on English soil.
Meanwhile at Chestnut Hill College, she delivered a PAIAW Field Hockey Championship in her second year with the program (1978), and the following year, the lacrosse program won the first of 14 PAIAW Lacrosse Championships (1979, ’80, ’84-’93, ’95, & ’99) under her leadership.
Rensimer Kuklick was named the PAIAW Coach of the Year in 1987, 1992 and 1998. In addition to her coaching accomplishments, as the Athletic Director in 1996, Janice also oversaw the transition of the College to an NCAA DIII institution. Janice is a member of the Plymouth Whitemarsh High School Hall of Fame, the West Chester University Athletic Hall of Fame, the Pennsylvania Lacrosse Hall of Fame and the USA Lacrosse Hall of Fame.
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