Houghton Athletics Inducts Three into Hall of Honor

HOUGHTON, N.Y. – Keith Greer ’67, Bonnie (Ellison ’67) Greer, and Sanjeev Parmar ‘00, are the latest inductees into the Houghton Athletics Hall of Honor after a luncheon ceremony among friends, family, and Houghton staff on April 27.

The three honorees of this induction class join the Hall’s roster that now totals 69 alumni, coaches, teams, and contributors.

Keith and Bonnie Greer made their marks as Highlander athletes during the final years of the Purple and Gold era. Keith primarily excelled in football but also participated in soccer, basketball, baseball, and track. He received the Sportsmanship Award (given to that year’s top athlete) at the 1967 Athletic Association banquet. Bonnie was a standout in field hockey, but also was a cheerleader and participated in swimming, track, and tennis. She was voted the 1966 homecoming queen. The couple were married following graduation and spent more than three decades serving in local church ministry in Massachusetts. Today they reside in Pennsylvania and work alongside and support missionaries at Barnabas International. Keith’s award was accepted on his behalf by Phil Stockin ’67.

Parmar played men’s soccer under head coach, Dwight Hornibrook, from 1996-1999. The native of British Columbia, Canada, earned Third Team NAIA All-America accolades as a sophomore and was a two-time NAIA Honorable Mention All-America selection. He finished his career with 21 goals and 30 assists and helped guide the Highlanders to a 53-16-4 record. The Highlanders were ranked No. 9 in the NAIA at the end of Parmar’s sophomore season and No. 16 after his junior campaign. Following his Houghton career, Parmar was drafted by the Toronto Lynx of the USL A-League and went on to play for the Charlotte Eagles and Ottawa Wizards. Following his passion for the sport and coaching, Parmar started his own soccer training business—Parmar Futuro Soccer Academy—where he leads a coaching staff that trains elite youth players throughout Eastern Canada.

Teams, Athletes Honored for 2023-24 Performances

HOUGHTON, N.Y. – A spring tradition with a new look in 2024 honored the accomplishments of Houghton’s teams and student-athletes on April 25, while recognizing the contributions of the outgoing senior class.

The annual Night of Excellence celebration—traditionally an end-of-the-year banquet—shifted to an awards gala held in the Chapel to honor the best of Highlander athletics.

The ceremony kept the traditional senior speeches, senior recognitions, passing of the leadership baton to the junior class representatives, and the awarding of the Student-Athlete Excellence Awards. However, added to the evening were seven new awards.

Dr. Doug Gaerte, professor of communication, served as the event master of ceremonies, while baseball student-athlete, Ethan Cetton, and women’s basketball student-athlete, Tymber Wynn, provided interviews with each award winner.

In addition, the department’s highest honors—the Student-Athlete Excellence Awards,—were given to Levi Webb and Noelle Linenfelser. The awards recognize student-athletes who have lived according to the department’s motto: “Excellence for the Glory of God.” The recipients are those who have regularly exhibited excellence in the areas of athletic performance, academic achievement, and Christian character during their time as Highlander student-athletes. The awards have been described as recognizing the “ideal Houghton athlete.”

Webb, a senior men’s tennis and men’s soccer athlete, received the Dr. Marvin H. Eyler Excellence Award. Webb was named the Empire 8 Men’s Tennis Rookie of the Year in 2021, was named E8 Player of the Week four times, has received multiple all-conference honors, and has appeared twice in NCAA National Tournament. Webb was a two-year captain of the men’s tennis team and helped guide Houghton men’s tennis to four-straight No. 1 seeds in the E8 Tournament. Webb recently completed his degree in communications and marketing, has earned multiple E8 President’s List and Houghton Dean’s List honors, and is a two-time NCCAA Scholar-Athlete in both soccer and tennis.

Linenfelser was the recipient of the Velma H.M. Hewson Excellence Award. She was named the Empire 8 Cross Country Rookie of the Year in 2022. This year, Linenfelser won the E8 Cross Country individual title in record time and was named the Empire 8 Runner of the Year. She currently holds the school record for the cross country 6K and secured a 21st place finish at NCAA regionals this year. Transitioning to indoor track, she won both the 5,000 meters and 3,000 meters at the 2024 Empire 8 Indoor Championships and was named E8 Championship Female Track Athlete of the Meet. In the classroom, she boasts a 3.976 GPA in biology, pre-vet track, and has been a multiple recipient of the E8 President’s List and the Houghton Dean’s List honors.

Other highlights of the evening included senior speeches from Tobias Webb (men’s soccer/tennis) and Hannah Roeske (women’s basketball) and special recognition for Teresa, Mike, and Matt of the athletics facilities custodial staff.

To close the evening, senior leaders Carlee Miller and Caleb Kasper passed the baton of leadership to juniors Tymber Wynn and Graham Cook, symbolically representing the completion of the seniors’ careers as Highlander athletes and passing on the responsibility of continuing the ministry of Highland athletes in the coming year.

Reitnour has been extremely effective at providing opportunities for his athletes to serve in practical ways, connecting the players with Fillmore Little League, helping store equipment at the end of the season, and removing leaves from the Little League fields. He encourages his players to serve on their own, and several regularly volunteer as tutors at Powerhouse—an after-school program for at-risk youth. The team also takes care of winterizing the Powerhouse facility in Fillmore, volunteers at the annual Houghton Wesleyan Church Harvest Festival, and helps with the set up and tear down of events for Valley Preschool. They also assist local residents with winterizing homes by cleaning gutters, weeding gardens, checking pipes, and troubleshooting generators.

One colleague writes this: “In quiet ways, Brian has built relationships with residents from many different circles in the county… He and his team once helped wrangle a herd of rebellious cows who were roaming through the local forests after getting through a fence. I remember being impressed that Brian was aware of such a problem, understood the seriousness of the issue from a farmer’s perspective, and was able to rally his team for the adventure… It sums up Brian’s impact as he intentionally combines his strong sense of place and community with his calling to shape young men through coaching.”

Since 2023, Reitnour has served on the Fillmore Central School Board of Education, bringing his insight as a parent and educator to that role as well. A friend explains that “Brian thinks deeply about what he is involved in and makes calculated, well-thought-out decisions for everything he does.”