Five former ÍĂ×ÓĎČÉú athletes and coaches will be inducted into the during Homecoming & Family Weekend, Oct. 10–12, 2025.
Founded in 1966 to honor talented Logger athletes competing in a variety of sports, the Hall of Fame recognized a total of 25 individuals during its first 11 years. From 1977–87, the program was discontinued until Athletics Director Dr. Richard Ulrich revived the tradition. Since 1988, more than 100 extraordinary scholar-athletes, coaches, trainers, teams, team physicians, and administrators have been added to its ranks. Congratulations to the five newest members!
Emily Lau ’07 – Golf
Originally from Honolulu, Emily Lau was a trailblazer for women’s golf during her years at Puget Sound. She was the university’s first NCAA All-American in 2007 and, that same year, led the team to its first-ever Northwest Conference (NWC) championship and NCAA tournament appearance. She also served as team captain. “Those were big moments for me,” she says. “I didn’t expect to go to the NCAA tournament twice, once as an individual and once with the team. It was such an achievement to compete, especially coming from the Northwest Conference.”
Those experiences still resonate with her today. “I think college athletics shapes who you are,” says Lau. “It teaches you lessons that you carry into life, such as time management, patience, and perseverance. If you have a bad day on the golf course, you can’t spend time obsessing about it; you have to move on.”
Lau began playing golf as a child, mentored by an uncle and a close family friend. After graduating from Puget Sound, she became a part-time assistant coach, an experience she relished. “There’s so much less control when you are not playing,” she says. “The girls’ team were conference champs the year I coached, which was great fun.”
Lau is currently a nurse practitioner at a radiology medical practice in Seattle. In her free time, she still plays golf and also enjoys travelling, snowboarding, and hanging out with friends.
Janece Levien ’09 – Soccer/Track
Janece Levien set numerous soccer records at Puget Sound. During her college days, she netted 71 career goals and scored 146 points, including 25 game-winning goals. In 2007, she set the school record for goals in a single season (25). She was also named a three-time NWC Offensive Player of the Year, three-time All-American, and two-time recipient of the university’s Alice Bond Award for outstanding athlete.
“My time as a Logger on and off the field helped shape who I am today,” she says. “Being a Logger athlete was something special. It was about being part of a community larger than yourself. A special thank-you to my coaches who saw my potential and continuously challenged me to step outside my comfort zone.”
During her years on the field, Levien realized the importance of relationships. “I learned if you put people first, then everything else will follow,” she says. “I shared some of my hardest days – and some of my best days – with my teammates. Those experiences taught me to stop and pause for significant moments, whether big or small.”
Levien shares some advice for today’s up-and-coming athletes. “I coached many young players who burned out by only focusing on soccer,” she says. “I suggest finding other things to balance out your soul and bring you joy ― maybe play another sport, join a club, or volunteer. Stay true to yourself, be open to growth, and know there is an entire network of Logger alumni who support you.”
Today, Levien uses the lessons she learned on the field and in the classroom as education services administrator for the Washington State Department of Corrections Reentry Division, where she oversees the division’s adult education efforts.
Jill Voorhies
Martin ’01, MAT’02 – Softball
Jill Voorhies Martin, a Puget Sound softball superstar, ranks among the top three athletes in Logger history for batting averages and runs scored. She was named NWC Player of the Year in 2001 and earned All-Region honors twice. She holds several school records, including career hits (165) and single-season hits (50). Off the field, she was a Phi Beta Kappa inductee and received the Roberta Wilson Award, presented annually to an outstanding female student-athlete.
As a child, there was never a question that she would shine at athletics: Her parents were physical education and health teachers and her father coached high school baseball in Newport, Oregon, where she was raised. She grew up on playing fields and baseball diamonds, in gyms and athletic centers.
But it wasn’t just her family history that made her excel; she also put in hours of hard work and hustle. “When I tried out for the team as a freshman, I didn’t make the cut,” she recalls. “I asked the coach if I could practice with them that season. I attended every practice and worked to transform myself. I made the team my sophomore year and went on to have a great career. That experience taught me a lot about determination, dedication, and self-confidence.”
Today, she applies those same qualities to her career as director of communications and social media for a Pacific Northwest community-based health care company, working remotely from her home in Edwardsville, Illinois, where she also serves on her local school district’s steering committee.
Chris Myhre – Swim Coach
Tacoma native Chris Myhre turned his love of the water into becoming a competitive high school and collegiate swimmer before he transitioned to coaching. In 1990, he became head coach for the Logger women’s swim team and added head coaching responsibilities for the men’s swim team in 1994. He retired as head coach in 2022 after 32 years at Puget Sound.
During those three decades, Myhre’s distinguished career boasted many achievements, including six national team titles from the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics ― three women’s titles (1996, 1998, 1999) and three men’s titles (1995, 1996, 1997). He was named the Northwest Conference Coach of the Year six times, and coached 71 NAIA All-American and 21 NCAA All-American athletes.
Myhre’s passion for swimming was legendary, exemplified through his coaching, leadership, and mentorship. He strove to make personal connections with each member of the team, and used this knowledge to motivate and inspire his student-athletes. His customized approach was recognized nationally: He was named NAIA Women's Coach of the Year in 1996 and NAIA Men's Coach of the Year in 1997.
The swim program he created at Puget Sound was renowned for its positive atmosphere, inclusive environment, and boundless support. “I have been blessed to have met so many amazing individuals while coaching at the best university I could ever imagine,” Myhre says. “The memories and relationships will forever be stamped on my soul.”
Al Roberts ’69 – Football
Al Roberts spent more than 40 years coaching football, including 21 years with the National Football League, 11 years with college football, and the remainder at the high school level. He started his coaching career at Mercer Island High School before becoming head coach at Garfield High School.
Roberts played football for the University of Washington during the 1964-65 season before transferring to Puget Sound, where he set records on the football field, including ones for single-game rushing yards (192) and single-season rushing yards (576). He also holds the record for the second-longest run in Puget Sound football history at 90 yards. “Puget Sound is where I got started,” he says. “I enjoyed the relationships I made when I was there as well as the instructors, players, and coaches. We were pretty good at that time.”
During his collegiate coaching days at the University of Washington, Purdue University, and University of Wyoming, his teams advanced to compete in the Rose Bowl, Sun Bowl, and Aloha Bowl. Much of his NFL career was spent as a special teams coach for the Cincinnati Bengals, St. Louis Rams, Houston Oilers, Philadelphia Eagles, and Arizona Cardinals, among other teams.
Roberts returned to the Pacific Northwest in 2011, where he currently coaches football at O’Day High School. His advice to the next generation of athletes contains some of his trademark humor. “Do not blink,” he says. “If you blink, you’ll be 50 years old. If you blink twice, you’ll be 81 years old. Why did I blink twice? I’m 81 years old! But I’m excited to be here.”
This year’s inductees will be honored at a special dinner and induction ceremony during Homecoming & Family Weekend. The ceremony will be held on Friday, Oct. 10, from 6 to 8:30 p.m. in Wheelock Student Center, Upper Marshall Hall. Tickets are required. Learn more and register at pugetsound.edu/hfw.
