Softball

Penelope “Penny” Stout Shanks '58  played field hockey and basketball, but was renowned for her tennis skills during her time at Summit School. At Summit, Penny served as the volleyball team captain and played second singles for the St. Paul Tennis Club, winning the Jr. Whiteman State Tennis Cup in 1957. She was also selected as one of five Widjiwagan campers for their Voyageurs canoe trip in 1957.

Penny attended Middlebury College where she was on the varsity field hockey, volleyball, and softball teams for four years and spent three years on the varsity basketball team. She was also a member of the Middlebury Alpine Ski Team her freshman year. In her words “I was practicing the giant slalom with the team before a meet, I made a turn around a pole, my skis didn’t catch the snow, and I flew off a high cliff. I ended up knocked out and hanging by my stomach over a tree trunk. After this, I decided to ski for fun and to play varsity basketball.”

After graduating from Middlebury, Penny moved to Winchendon, Massachusetts to teach English at Murdock High School. She also competed in the Women’s Volleyball League and was named MVP in 1963. Following a brief return to Minnesota where she taught at Summit School, Penny and her husband moved to Keene, New Hampshire where she taught at Keene High School for twenty years, and was awarded the New England Association of Teachers of English Outstanding Teacher Award in 1997. 

In Keene, she was a member of the Racquet Club, and was selected to play doubles against other teams in New Hampshire and Vermont, compiling a 21-5 record. She also played second base for ten years for the Keene Fast Pitch Softball League, compiling an impressive .400 batting average each year, leading the team in stolen bases and runs scored, and helped her team to state titles in 1980, 1984, and 1985, and went on to play in two national tournaments where her team placed third in 1985.  

Penny also served as the field hockey and softball coach for fifteen years while at Keene High School. In 1986, the varsity softball team won the only state title Keene softball has won to date and lost in overtime in their second state title game in 1989. Penny and her team were honored in 1989 with a letter from the New Hampshire House of Representatives recognizing their hard work and dedication.

For Cathy Paper '85, athletics was and continues to be an important part of her life. A four-sport athlete at St. Paul Academy and Summit School, Cathy was a talented tennis player and member of the basketball, track and field, and softball teams, earning fourteen varsity letters and captain honors five times over the course of her SPA career.

In tennis, Cathy helped lead her team to three state championships, winning the individual state doubles championship as a junior. A captain her senior year, she led her team to an impressive 11-5 record against some of the top schools in the state and a third-place overall finish. She also partnered with teammate Cynthia Wang ’86 to claim the region doubles championship and a state runner-up finalist.

On the track and field team, as an eighth grader, right as middle schoolers were being allowed to play on Varsity sports, Cathy set the school record in the 3200m and earned All-Conference honors. Outside of St. Paul Academy and Summit School, she set a top-five record at the Grandma’s Marathon with a time of 3:33 for the U18 division.

Cathy was awarded the Girls’ Athletics Bowl for her exceptional performance and leadership, along with the Headmaster’s Bowl, awarded by the Headmaster in consultation with the faculty and given to an individual who makes significant contributions to important aspects of school life. Mr. Harris, SPA’s headmaster at the time, praised Cathy’s athletic and academic achievements, her work on the Student Activities Council and as editor of The Rubicon, and noted her enthusiasm and involvement in all aspects of the school.

Cathy attended Williams College where she earned four varsity letters in tennis and squash and was named to the All-New England Team in Women’s Rugby. She continues to run and play tennis, and has run two additional marathons and competes in USTA tennis programs, where she recently competed at Over 40’s Nationals.

“To know Cathy is to be buoyed by her energy and compassion,” says classmate Peggy Driscoll '85. “She's a fierce competitor, as demonstrated by her accomplishments, and an amazing leader. Her teammates loved her, and she was a great captain. She would be an excellent addition to SPA's Athletics Hall of Fame.”

Eliot “Elie” Foster Donahue '94, was a talented and skilled athlete at St. Paul Academy and Summit School, contributing to the success of numerous SPA programs including the varsity soccer, basketball, and softball programs. On the soccer field, Elie served as a captain for both her junior and senior seasons, and helped her team to numerous successful seasons, while helping lead the team to an impressive 14-1-4 record, earning All-State honors. In her senior year she was voted All-Metro Soccer by the Star Tribune and All-State by the Pioneer Press. She also competed on the basketball team, where her tenacity and strategic play led to her service as team captain. She would conclude her time at SPA as recipient of  the Girls Athletic Bowl in recognition of her exceptional leadership and athletic contributions.

Considered one of the top soccer recruits in the country, Elie continued her career at Stanford University, where she emerged as a standout midfielder and leader. Starting 75 out of 78 career games and serving as a two-time captain, she helped the Cardinal to a top 5 national ranking every season she was on campus. Her exceptional skills, including agility, footwork, and goal-scoring, made her a pivotal player. Her coach at Stanford, Steve Swanson, lauds her as one of the best midfielders he has ever coached and said that “Elie was a selfless, disciplined, and natural leader who prioritized team success above all else. Her impact extended beyond the field, influencing teammates and coaches alike.”

After Stanford, Elie was drafted into the inaugural Women's United Soccer Association (WUSA) and played for the Boston Breakers.

Elie Foster Donahue's athletic achievements and exemplary character make her a fitting addition to the SPA Athletics Hall of Fame. Her passion, perseverance, and leadership are all traits that embody what it means to be an athlete.

Julia Lane Weyerhaeuser Heidmann ’77 was a standout three- sport athlete at St. Paul Academy and Summit School, lettering all four years in tennis, basketball, and softball—and serving as captain of all three teams during her senior year. Before softball became a varsity sport, she also competed in track and field. Julia was a key contributor to SPA’s tennis program during its dominant run of independent school state titles in the early 1970s, and in 1976, she helped lead the team to victory in the school’s first-ever appearance in the official Minnesota State High School League tournament.

Known for her athleticism, leadership, and competitive spirit, Julia brought skill and determination to every team she joined. Her coaches and teammates recall her as a consistent top performer and a strong presence on and off the court. She credits mentors like Coach Cliff Caine and Athletic Director Dave Montgomery with providing the guidance and encouragement that helped her thrive. Julia’s time as an athlete also sparked early opportunities in coaching, including teaching tennis and skiing during high school.

After graduating from SPA, Julia was among the first generation of female athletes to compete under the new opportunities created by Title IX. She continued her athletic career at Williams College, competing in four varsity sports: tennis, soccer, lacrosse, and ice hockey. She was part of the early years of women’s hockey at the collegiate level, helping lay the foundation for future growth of the sport. Though she didn’t pursue athletics competitively after college, Julia remained active and continues to enjoy tennis and cycling. Her lifelong commitment to athletics and her contributions during a formative time for girls’ sports at SPA make her a deeply deserving inductee into the Athletics Hall of Fame.

Julia Mairs Weisbecker ’84 was a standout three-sport captain at SPA, excelling in tennis, basketball, and softball. A five-time state team champion in tennis from eighth through twelfth grade, she also earned All-Conference honors in basketball and softball and capped her SPA career with a third-place individual finish in the state tennis tournament as a senior.

At Dartmouth College, Julia competed as a Division I tennis player, where she was a four-year letter winner, senior-year team captain, and team MVP in 1987–88. After graduation, Julia returned to the courts as a coach at Mounds Park Academy and SPA while building her career as a physical therapist continuing to inspire and mentor young players.

Eventually, her competitive drive shifted to triathlon, where she completed six Ironman races, numerous half-Ironmans, and proudly represented her age group at the 2022 Ironman World Championships in Kona. In April 2025, she won her age group at the prestigious Oceanside 70.3 season opener.

Through every chapter—whether battling for match point or pushing through the final miles of an Ironman—Julia has embodied the dedication, resilience, and passion that define SPA Athletics.

Erica Olson ’97 was one of SPA’s most accomplished and versatile athletes, excelling in soccer, hockey, and softball—and making school history as the first athlete to earn All-State honors in all three sports. A 1996 USA Hockey Junior National Team member and finalist for the prestigious 1997 Ms. Hockey Award, Erica led SPA teams to state and conference championships while also competing at the highest club levels, earning silver medals at the USA Hockey National Championships with the Minnesota Thoroughbreds. She was a captain in both soccer and softball, All-Metro in soccer, and the recipient of SPA’s Athena Award, Girls’ Athletic Bowl, and Tri-Sport Award her senior year.

At Cornell University, Erica was a rare two-sport Division I athlete, playing four years each of women’s hockey and women’s soccer. On the ice, she led her team in goals and points during her junior and senior seasons, earned All-Ivy Honorable Mention, and was twice voted MVP by her teammates. She was named one of Cornell’s “Top 25 Senior Athletes” and continued to compete at an elite level after graduation, playing professional hockey in Sweden, Canada, and with the Minnesota Whitecaps. In the National Women’s Hockey League, she ranked among the top 10 players in goals and points for three seasons and remains on the all-time scoring lists for both the NWHL and all North American professional women’s leagues.

Beyond the statistics, Erica’s career is defined by her leadership, dedication, and love of sport. She has given back to the game as a youth soccer coach and volunteer trainer, and she still plays recreational hockey. Whether representing SPA, Cornell, or professional teams, Erica has embodied the values of hard work, resilience, and sportsmanship, leaving a legacy as one of the school’s most decorated multi-sport athletes.