Army West Point Athletics
Army West Point Athletics Announces 2023 Hall of Fame Class
June 08, 2023 | General, A Club
WEST POINT, N.Y. – Army West Point Athletics has announced the newest members to the Army Sports Hall of Fame with an induction ceremony held last night, Friday October 6.
The Class of 2023 features the following inductees: Lisa Benitez '88 (Cross Country/Track & Field), Tom Cahill (Head Football Coach), John Connors '70 (Lacrosse), Gar O'Quinn '58 (Gymnastics), and Phillip Simpson '05 (Wrestling).
The 19th class of the Army Sports Hall of Fame was inducted with a special plaque unveiling ceremony in the Kenna Hall of Army Sports inside Kimsey Athletic Center, with the formal black-tie Hall of Fame Induction Banquet at Eisenhower Hall to follow.
Lisa Benitez (Cross Country/Track & Field, 1984-88)
Benitez was a distance runner where she was a two-time All-American. She was a team captain in cross country and co-captain in both indoors and outdoors her senior year, helping Army to a 31-4-1 over her first three seasons. She played a key role in Army's sweep of the inaugural series with Navy in cross country and both indoors and outdoors (1986-87). She placed first in the 3000-meter indoors to provide the winning point and was second in that event in the outdoors vs. Navy. In her senior year, helped lead Army to a 2-0 outdoor record, including a win over Navy and 7th place at the NCAA Division II Championships.
Phillip Simpson (Wrestling, 2001-05)
Simpson was a three-time All-American, Army's only three-time All-American. He finished his career ranked second with 134 career victories and 54 career pins. His mark of 20 pins in a single season stands as the second-most on the single-season charts in program history. Following his senior year, he was the 2005 AAA Award Winner, A prestigious Army Athletic Association Award that is awarded annually to the male and female cadet who displays the "most valuable service to intercollegiate athletics during a career as a cadet." Simpson is also Army's only three-time EIWA Champion.
Tom Cahill (Head Football Coach, 1966-73)
Cahill coached Army football for eight seasons, composing a recording of 40-39-2, which ranks fifth on the academy's career wins list. In his first season at the helm, Cahill improved Army from a 4-5-1 win-loss record in 1965 to an 8-2 record in 1966, which led him to be named National Coach of the Year by the American Football Coaches Association, the Football Writers Association of America and Touchdown Club of Washington, D.C. He became the first coach to win the FWAA award in their first season as a head coach. He posted a 5-3 record against Navy.
John Connors (Men's Lacrosse, 1967-1970
Connors was a member of the 1969 Co-National Championship Team that posted a 10-1 record. He was a two-time All-America in 1969 and 1970 and was also served as the team captain in '70. In the Corps of Cadets, Connors held rank as First Captain and Brigade Commander of his class. He was an early organizer and commissioner of the Connecticut/New York Youth Lacrosse Association. He also played in the 1970 North-South College Lacrosse All-Star Game
Gar O'Quinn (Men's Gymnastics, 1955-58)
O'Quinn was a three-time All-American, where he was a two-time selection on pommel horse (6th) and parallel bars (5th) in his junior year. He repeated as an All-American on pommel horse (5th) during his senior year. Served as a team captain in 1958, leading Army to an 11-0 mark, including a first-place finish at the Eastern Championships. Army compiled a 26-1 mark during his career, going undefeated in 1956 (8-0) and 1958, defeating Navy all three years. Also helped Army capture the Eastern championship in 1956 as well.
The Army Sports Hall of Fame is a subset of the Kenna Hall of Army Sports, a comprehensive museum displaying Army's rich and proud intercollegiate athletic program. It is located on the third floor of the Kimsey Athletic Center, Army's state-of-the-art football training facility.
Please join the Army West Point Athletic Association as we honor the 2023 Army Sports Hall of Fame inductees. Tickets are available for $200 per person or tables of ten can be reserved for $1,750. Purchase tickets HERE.
For additional information, please contact the Army A Club at 845-938-2322 or visit goarmywestpoint.com.
The Class of 2023 features the following inductees: Lisa Benitez '88 (Cross Country/Track & Field), Tom Cahill (Head Football Coach), John Connors '70 (Lacrosse), Gar O'Quinn '58 (Gymnastics), and Phillip Simpson '05 (Wrestling).
The 19th class of the Army Sports Hall of Fame was inducted with a special plaque unveiling ceremony in the Kenna Hall of Army Sports inside Kimsey Athletic Center, with the formal black-tie Hall of Fame Induction Banquet at Eisenhower Hall to follow.
Lisa Benitez (Cross Country/Track & Field, 1984-88)
Benitez was a distance runner where she was a two-time All-American. She was a team captain in cross country and co-captain in both indoors and outdoors her senior year, helping Army to a 31-4-1 over her first three seasons. She played a key role in Army's sweep of the inaugural series with Navy in cross country and both indoors and outdoors (1986-87). She placed first in the 3000-meter indoors to provide the winning point and was second in that event in the outdoors vs. Navy. In her senior year, helped lead Army to a 2-0 outdoor record, including a win over Navy and 7th place at the NCAA Division II Championships.
Phillip Simpson (Wrestling, 2001-05)
Simpson was a three-time All-American, Army's only three-time All-American. He finished his career ranked second with 134 career victories and 54 career pins. His mark of 20 pins in a single season stands as the second-most on the single-season charts in program history. Following his senior year, he was the 2005 AAA Award Winner, A prestigious Army Athletic Association Award that is awarded annually to the male and female cadet who displays the "most valuable service to intercollegiate athletics during a career as a cadet." Simpson is also Army's only three-time EIWA Champion.
Tom Cahill (Head Football Coach, 1966-73)
Cahill coached Army football for eight seasons, composing a recording of 40-39-2, which ranks fifth on the academy's career wins list. In his first season at the helm, Cahill improved Army from a 4-5-1 win-loss record in 1965 to an 8-2 record in 1966, which led him to be named National Coach of the Year by the American Football Coaches Association, the Football Writers Association of America and Touchdown Club of Washington, D.C. He became the first coach to win the FWAA award in their first season as a head coach. He posted a 5-3 record against Navy.
John Connors (Men's Lacrosse, 1967-1970
Connors was a member of the 1969 Co-National Championship Team that posted a 10-1 record. He was a two-time All-America in 1969 and 1970 and was also served as the team captain in '70. In the Corps of Cadets, Connors held rank as First Captain and Brigade Commander of his class. He was an early organizer and commissioner of the Connecticut/New York Youth Lacrosse Association. He also played in the 1970 North-South College Lacrosse All-Star Game
Gar O'Quinn (Men's Gymnastics, 1955-58)
O'Quinn was a three-time All-American, where he was a two-time selection on pommel horse (6th) and parallel bars (5th) in his junior year. He repeated as an All-American on pommel horse (5th) during his senior year. Served as a team captain in 1958, leading Army to an 11-0 mark, including a first-place finish at the Eastern Championships. Army compiled a 26-1 mark during his career, going undefeated in 1956 (8-0) and 1958, defeating Navy all three years. Also helped Army capture the Eastern championship in 1956 as well.
The Army Sports Hall of Fame is a subset of the Kenna Hall of Army Sports, a comprehensive museum displaying Army's rich and proud intercollegiate athletic program. It is located on the third floor of the Kimsey Athletic Center, Army's state-of-the-art football training facility.
Please join the Army West Point Athletic Association as we honor the 2023 Army Sports Hall of Fame inductees. Tickets are available for $200 per person or tables of ten can be reserved for $1,750. Purchase tickets HERE.
For additional information, please contact the Army A Club at 845-938-2322 or visit goarmywestpoint.com.
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