DISTRICT SPOTLIGHT: Four AAU Legends Inducted into Middle Atlantic District Hall of Fame

PHILADELPHIA, Penn. (June 20, 2023) -- The Middle Atlantic District of the AAU welcomed four new members to its Hall of Fame on Monday, June 12, 2023.

Olympians Jim Thorpe, Horace Ashenfelter, and J.E. 'Ted' Meredith were inducted during the Hall of Fame banquet, as well as former WNBA and University of Tennesse basketball star Michelle Marciniak.

Jim Thorpe was selected for the Middle Atlantic District Hall of Fame because of his generous leadership, personal integrity, and natural ability to inspire future generations of Native Americans. He was the first Native American to earn a gold medal while representing the United States of America at the Olympic Games. Thorpe earned gold medals in both the pentathlon and decathlon at the 1912 Olympic Games in Stockholm, Sweden. Thorpe was fully reinstated and recognized as the sole champion by the International Olympic Committee on July 15th, 2022.

Juaquin Hamilton Youngbird, the Ambassador of the Sac and Fox Nation of Oklahoma, and Johanna Smith, Library/Archival Tech, Sac and Fox Nation of Oklahoma, were at the ceremony to accept Thorpe's award.


Above: Juaquin Hamilton Youngbird (left) and Johanna Smith (right) pose with Jim Thorpe's Hall of Fame award

Mary Jo Ashenfelter, the niece of Horace Ashenfelter, attended the event to accept his Hall of Fame award. Horace Ashenfelter competed during the 1952 Helsinki Olympic Games, earning the gold medal in the 3,000-meter steeplechase. Across his athletic career, he won fifteen national AAU titles and three collegiate national titles. He received the 23rd annual AAU James E. Sullivan award in 1952. 

Above: Juaquin Mary Jo Ashenfelter (left) and Middle Atlantic District Governor Alison Eachus (right) 

J.E. ‘Ted’ Meredith, another inductee, was a gold medalist at the 1912 Olympic Games in both the 800 meter and 4x400 meter relay disciplines. Meredith served in the Army during World War I. His award was accepted by a representative from the Williamson School of Trades, Meredith’s alma mater and the location of the largest collection of Meredith memorabilia on record.

Michelle Marciniak was in attendance to accept her award. She's a former collegiate basketball player, who earned the title of 1996 NCAA Final Four Most Valuable Player during her time at the University of Tennessee. She played professionally for the Women’s National Basketball Association as a member of the Portland Fire and Seattle Storm organizations. During her professional career, she earned the WNBA Community Service award for her philanthropic efforts. In 2007, she co-founded SHEEX, Inc. 

Above: Michelle Marciniak poses with her award (left) with Alison Eachus, Governor of the Middle Atlantic AAU District

In addition to the Hall of Fame inductees, over $25,000 in scholarships were awarded to eight deserving student-athletes. 

AAU President Jo Mirza was the featured speaker at the banquet.