Clarkson Inducts Five

POTSDAM — Five former Clarkson athletes were inducted into the school’s Athletic Hall of Fame Friday night.

The inductees included John Babcock (Class of 1962), Paul Bovee (1972), Russ Hall (1969), Katie Johnson (2000) and Art Smith (1956).

Babcock, a Norfolk native, was a dominant wrestler for the Golden Knights, leading the team to an undefeated season in 1962, when he compiled a 10-0 record in the 157-pound division. He finished his career with a then-school record of 24 wins.

Bovee, a Massena native, competed on the men’s lacrosse team as a midfielder. He played three seasons for Clarkson and finished with 35 career goals and 21 assists and set Clarkson records for most faceoffs won in a season with 175 and in a game with 21 against Syracuse in 1972.

Hall was a two-sport athlete, competing in men’s basketball and baseball. He averaged over 22 points a game in basketball, finishing with 1,341 career points in 60 games and leading the team in scoring each of his three years. He was also a shortstop on the baseball team and had a career .320 batting average.

Johnson competed in cross country and nordic skiing for the Golden Knights. She won four consecutive USCSA national championships in classic style and three straight overall combined women’s nordic titles. She also had a 4.0 grade-point average in electrical engineering.

Smith was a senior on Clarkson’s undefeated 1955-56 men’s ice hockey team. He played four years as a defenseman for Bill Harrison and finished with 11 goals and 23 assists in 56 games. He was an All-American in 1955, Clarkson’s first since the 1931 season.