GRANTHAM, Pa. - On Monday afternoon, Messiah Athletics announced the 2023 induction class for the Messiah Hall of Honor. The Falcons are pleased to announce the seven members of the class of 2023: Kevin Dennstaedt '04, Eli (Cook) Henninger '06, Chris Heisey '07, Ashley Mowery '10, Amanda Naeher '11, Erin (Hench) Musau '11, and Jerry Stonge.
The seven-member class matches the 2022 induction as the largest class Messiah has ever inducted in a single year.
The induction banquet is scheduled to take place on Friday, Feb. 3 on campus.
Below is a quick bio for each of the individuals being inducted in the Class of 2023:
Kevin Dennstaedt '04 – Men's Lacrosse
Kevin Dennstaedt commanded the midfield for some of the best men's lacrosse teams the Falcons have ever had. A four-time First Team All-Conference performer, Dennstaedt helped lead the Falcons to the program's first two Conference Championships in 2001 and 2004. The two-year captain did a little bit of everything for Messiah. Offensively he owns top-10 marks in program history with 183 points (fifth), 125 goals (fifth), and 58 assists (10th).
In addition to his abilities on the offensive side of the ball, Dennstaedt's name appears in the program record book with 306 ground balls (third), 323 face off wins (sixth), and a .573 face off percentage (ninth) in his career. His senior season of 2004 might have been his best. He finished with 79 points on 48 goals and 31 assists, earning an Honorable Mention All-American nod in the process. In 2012, Dennstaedt was honored as a member of the MAC All Century Men's Lacrosse Team.
Eli (Cook) Henninger '06 – Women's Basketball
Eli Cook Henninger worked at everything she did as a four-year member of the Messiah women's basketball program. During her career, she developed skills on both ends of the floor, while also growing her grit and resiliency. The combination allowed her to become one of the most complete players in program history. During her four years, Messiah claimed three Conference Championships, compiled an overall record of 102-14, advancing to the Elite Eight in 2003, the Sweet Sixteen in 2005, and the NCAA Tournament Second Round in 2004 and 2006.
Henninger currently sits in eighth-place in program history with 1,354 points and 772 rebounds. She was a three-time First Team All-Conference honoree, being named the 2005 Conference Player of the Year in addition to three First Team All-Region honors, and a Second Team All-American honor from d3hoops.com in 2006. In the classroom, Henninger was a standout as well. In 2006, she was named the MAC Senior Scholar Athlete for women's basketball and was the first Messiah women's basketball player to be named a CoSIDA First Team Academic All-American.
Chris Heisey '07 - Baseball
Chris Heisey is the lone Messiah baseball player to ever play in the Major Leagues. Prior to his eight-year career with the Cincinnati Reds, Los Angeles Dodgers, and Washington Nationals, Heisey tormented Division III pitching from 2004-2006. He was a three-time First Team All-Conference honoree, earning a Rookie of the Year nod in 2004 and Conference Player of the Year honors in 2006. Heisey is the program leader in batting average with a career mark of .405 and home runs (23) despite only playing three years for the Falcons.
Heisey also holds program records for extra base hits (71) and career bases (294). He drove home exactly 100 runs in his career while also stealing 40 bases. Heisey helped the Falcons claim the 2005 Conference Championship. After the 2005 season, he was named First Team All-Region and Third Team All-American, the first national honor for Messiah baseball. Following the 2006 season, Heisey was drafted by the Cincinnati Reds in the 17th Round. Heisey would make his Major League debut on May 3, 2010 and would go on to hit 62 career home runs across eight big league seasons.
Ashley Mowery '10 – Field Hockey
Ashley Mowery set the bar for Messiah field hockey goalkeepers after a stellar four-year career for the Falcons. While Mowery certainly has the accolades and statistics to warrant a place in the Hall of Honor, it is her work ethic, discipline, and competitive spirit that set the tone for those that followed in her footsteps. A three-time All-American, Mowery helped the Falcons to a trio of Final Fours as well as National Runner-Up finishes in 2006 and 2009. For her career, Mowery sees her name in the program record books with 457 saves (second), 25 shutouts (seventh), 1.07 goals against average (10th), and a .938 save percentage (10th).
Mowery elevated the team around her, particularly as an anchor for the Falcons' defensive efforts. As a team, Messiah went 71-13 during Mowery's career. In addition to her three All-American honors in 2007, 2008, and 2009, Mowery was a four-time All-Region honoree and earned All-Conference accolades in her final three seasons in Grantham.
Amanda Naeher '11 – Women's Soccer
There have been four instances where a Messiah women's soccer player has scored 30 goals in a season. Amanda Naeher accounts for three of those four years with seasons of 33, 31, and 32 goals in consecutive years from 2008-10. A two-time National Player of the Year in 2008 and 2010, Naeher can find her name littered throughout the program's Record Book, though mostly near the top of every list. She finished her career 252 points (first in program history), 108 goals (first), 36 assists (fifth), and 24 game winning goals (first). She is also one of just seven members in program history with 30 career goals and 30 career assists.
In addition to her two National Player of the Year honors, Naeher was a three-time First Team All-American, a two-time Conference Player of the Year, and helped the Falcons to four National Championship Game appearances. Messiah went on to claim National Titles in both 2008 and 2009 with Naeher netting 15 career goals in the NCAA Tournament, including the Game Winner in the 2009 Championship off a feed from fellow class of 2023 inductee, Erin (Hench) Musau.
Erin (Hench) Musau '11 – Women's Soccer
Erin (Hench) Musau is the lone member of the Messiah women's soccer 50-50 club, finishing her career with 69 goals and a program record 56 assists. The 2009 National Player of the Year, appeared in more games that anyone else in Messiah women's soccer history. Musau appeared in 103 career games and helped the Falcons to an overall record of 98-1-4 during the course of her career. As mentioned, Musau assisted on the most goals in program history while scoring the third most for the Falcons. She also holds top-five marks with 16 game-winning goals (fifth), 194 career points (third), and 1.88 points per game (fourth).
Musau was a four-time First Team All-Conference honoree and earned All-Region accolades in each of her four full seasons. Musau was an integral member of three of Messiah's first four women's soccer National Championships, helping the Falcons to titles in 2008, 2009, and 2011. In her career, Musau netted 19 goals and added 13 assists during NCAA Tournament play, scoring four goals with three assists in National Championship Games alone.
Jerry Stonge – Administration
An influential member of the Messiah Athletics Department for over a decade, Jerry Stonge served a wide variety of roles within the department from 1989 to 2001. Stonge started his tenure as the Equipment Manager before finishing as an Assistant Athletic Director, picking up more and more responsibilities along the way.
Stonge also served as a cross country coach during his tenure at Messiah, going above and beyond to mentor students, especially those who had difficulty finding their niche. He was heavily involved with their academic progress and spiritual development while also providing department leadership during periods of growth and transition which helped shape and provide a foundation for the department we know today.
