JOAN E. LADNER '78

Field Hockey, Softball, Basketball

The first female inductee into the Alumni-Athletics Hall of Fame was JOAN LADNER, who played softball, field hockey and basketball in the formative years (1974-78) of women's sports at the College.

"We were freshmen together," said her coach Rita Castagna. "I had been coaching at Marian High (Worcester, MA) and Assumption College at the same time. When I left Marian to come full-time to Assumption, Joan came along with me."

Ladner was instrumental in the early years. "She made us competitive with the schedule we played in those years," said Castagna. "She was willing to sacrifice a great deal to make women's sports become something special at the College."

"I really enjoyed playing for Coach Castagna at Marian and when it came time to think about college choice there really wasn't much problem. I wanted to combine a top academic situation with an athletic program that I could really get involved with. Because coach was at Assumption, it seemed like the perfect place."

"I don't think of myself as an innovator, or big time contributor. I was a simple everyday player who enjoyed that particular day's challenge. I played hard because that's the only way I knew how to and people say I had a winning attitude but that was simple too . . . I hate to lose at anything."

Ladner was the recipient of the William Cating Memorial Award for "coachability" in 1978.

She played four years of field hockey as the team's goalkeeper, four years of basketball as the team's point guard and three years of softball (the sport was introduced in her sophomore year) as the team's catcher.

"She played the most important position on each team that she played on<" continued Castagna. "And, because we weren't very good inthose years, her statistics don not reflect her contribution not only to the sports she played , but to the College.

"Women's sports have come a long way since the 1970s," continued Castagna. "However if I had to a team of Ladners evern now we'd be one helluva team regardless of sport. Her winning attitude was infectious, her personality was perfect for the times and her leadership was unequalled."

Statistically speaking she posted a 2.73 goals-against average while starting and completing all 40 games (3,105 minutes) during her career. In basketball she started all 63 games and left as the career leader in points (494) and assists (208). Softball was a club sport for one year (1976) with Ladner leading the team with a spectacular .680 average (17 hits in 25 at bats) with 13 RBI and 13 runs scored in just six games. The team was made a varsity sport in 1977. She finished her career at .495 (46-for-93) with 39 RBI and a .677 slugging percentage in just 27 games.

She is a bookkeeper for Bridgewater Foundry and resides in nearby Holden, MA with husband George Mardin and three daughters Lisa, Tara and Julie.