Three to Earn Induction Into Elon Sports Hall of Fame

ELON, N.C. – Elon University’s 44th Sports Hall of Fame class, which will be inducted at 1:30 p.m. on Sept. 13, includes football standout Tony DiPietro ’89, former men’s golfer Chris Dockrill ’86 and women’s golfer Beth Frace Heinzelmann ’01. The event, which is open to the public, will be held in Whitley Auditorium on the Elon campus.

The three inductees will also be recognized that evening during a halftime ceremony of Elon’s football game between the Phoenix and North Carolina A&T at Rhodes Stadium.

DiPietro was an offensive tackle for Elon from 1985-88. He began his career by earning honorable mention all-district accolades following the 1985 season before adding second-team all-conference honors to his awards list at the conclusion of his sophomore campaign. After the 1987 year, DiPietro was an honorable mention All-American as well as an all-conference and all-district honoree. DiPietro’s senior season saw him collect second-team All-America honors along with all-conference and all-district recognition. During his time in the maroon and gold, DiPietro helped the football program to 27 victories. DiPietro also participated as a member of Elon’s track and field team in 1986.

A two-year member of the Elon men’s golf team, Dockrill earned both All-America and Academic All-America honors following his senior season in 1986. In his time in the maroon and gold, Dockrill helped Elon to an NAIA National Tournament appearance in 1986 where he tied for fifth individually. That year he won the Washington & Lee Invitational in the fall and ended the spring with a 75.43 stroke average over the course of eight tournaments. Dockrill’s performance helped Elon finish second in the conference and district as well as a fourth-place showing at the 1986 NAIA National Championship. In 1985, he posted a 79.11 stroke average in five events, helping the team to the Max Ward Invitational team title and a second-place district finish. Dockrill returned to Elon in 1998 where he is currently the head coach of the school’s women’s golf squad.

Frace played for fellow inductee Chris Dockrill from 1998-2001 as Elon completed the transition to NCAA Division I play. In each of her four seasons, Frace earned Big South All-Academic Team honors. She also collected All-America Scholar status from the National Golf Coaches Association in both 2000 and 2001. A three-year team captain, Frace earned team MVP distinction in both 1999 and 2000. In her senior season she became Elon’s first women’s golfer to be named to an all-conference squad. That year, Frace was also recognized as the female recipient of Elon’s Browne Memorial Sportsmanship Award.