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Athletic Hall of Fame 09
DaVE ROSEN
Dave Rosen played during a different
era for Tiffin University.
“There was no pressing allowed at
that time,” Rosen recalled. “We had a
young team and tried to fast break a
lot. I passed a lot as a center. We had
very little compared to today’s players,
but we did a lot with what we
had.”
Rosen’s trip to Tiffin was also not the
norm for most of TU’s basketball players
from that period.
Tiffin University enjoyed another Homecoming Weekend in 2009, as five more individuals were
honored for their contributions to TU’s athletic history with induction to the Athletic Hall of
Fame. Nearly 250 in attendance enjoyed the inductions in October. The event marked the 15th
year that the Hall of Fame has been in existence, and the night was as enjoyable as ever as
former inductees, alumni, staff, faculty, and students came together to celebrate TU’s history.
“I was from New York and had been looking at different schools,” Rosen recalled.
“(Dragons Coach) Dick Routh was there watching a NCAA game and
he approached me about playing at Tiffin. He sold me on the school, and
so I went there.”
Rosen came to TU in 1950, starting a collegiate career that few basketball
players achieve. He was an NAIA All-American men’s basketball player who
helped lead Tiffin University to its first appearance in a national tournament
in 1951.
Dave was the leading scorer and Most Valuable Player for a Dragons squad
that won the Tri-State Championship. Dave also earned All-Division All-Ohio
selection in 1951. Dave is a three-time All-Conference player who finished
with 2051 career points.
BONNIE TIEll
Bonnie Tiell coached for Tiffin University from 1988-2005, the longest coaching
tenure for a female coach in school history. She started in volleyball, then
coached softball before finishing her coaching career as a women’s tennis
coach. She found success in all three arenas.
Tiell amassed 425 collegiate victories
in those three sports and is the volleyball
coach with the most wins in
school history. She led the softball
team to the 1993 NAIA National Tournament,
Bi-District 15 title, and also
won the MOC Championship in 1991.
She took a women’s tennis team that
was low in numbers and hard-pressed
to find victories and built them into a
regional NAIA power that also reached
the NAIA National Tournament shortly
after her departure.
Beyond her coaching acumen, Tiell left her mark as an administrator, serving
as Assistant Athletic Director, Senior Woman Administrator, and Hall of Fame
Coordinator. Spearheading gender equity initiatives during her time in the
athletic department, she still serves as Faculty Athletic Representative.
In recent years, Tiell has been a national leader fronting the Women’s Leadership
Symposium, and working with various NCAA institutions on gender
related issues.
gaRY DuplESSIS
Gary DuPlessis continues the long line of standout men’s soccer players at
Tiffin University. No athletic program has more All-Americans than men’s
soccer, and DuPlessis shared in those
achievements.
He was a two-time NAIA All-American
from 1995-97. He also garnered three
All-Region, District, and Mid-Ohio
Conference citations during that period.
Helping to lead the Dragons to the
1995 MOC Championship was the
start of DuPlessis’s career. He finished
his career 9th in overall scoring.
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