Purdue Cal to honor three former athletes

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Soon after Purdue University Calumet revived its men’s basketball program in the early 1980s, Hammond native Tony Vermejan emerged on campus to help trigger a golden, four-season era (1982-86) of 72 PUC victories.

Another hoops standout, Lynn Hevezi, came to Purdue Calumet in 1985 following a standout high school career at Andrean. Picking up on campus where she left off in high school, she completed her PUC career in 1989 as the university’s No. 2 scorer.

Both are returning to campus Saturday to be inducted into the Purdue Calumet Athletic Hall of Fame. Induction will take place at halftime of the 1 p.m. women’s basketball game between the host Peregrines and Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference rival Calumet College of St. Joseph.

Vermejan, a smooth, sharp-shooting, ball-handling guard and product of Morton High School, is the No. 4 scorer (1,588 points) in Purdue Calumet history. He is a two-time NAIA All-District 21 (Indiana-wide) honoree. He also earned District 21 Player of the Year and NAIA All-America honorable mention during his senior season (1985-86), when he averaged 17.9 points and led the district in free-throw shooting (.878).

Hevezi, one of the most versatile players in Purdue Calumet women’s basketball history, still holds the school single-game scoring record (45). As a senior, she earned all-District 21 and Kodak All-Region VI recognition after leading her squad in per-game scoring (22.0), assists (4.3), steals (2.7), field-goal percentage and free-throw percentage. She also averaged 4.1 rebounds.

Vermejan earned a bachelor’s degree in 1988 in restaurant, hotel and institutional tourism. Hevezi is a 1990 graduate in sociology.

Hammond native, hoops standout Simmons also honored: Another former Purdue Calumet men’s basketball standout — 1992 alumnus Ben Simmons — will be recognized at halftime of the 3 p.m. Purdue Cal-Calumet College men’s game as this year’s recipient of the annual Purdue Alumni Calumet-Bob Hayes Alumni Athletic Award.

The award recognizes former university athletes and other alumni who have distinguished themselves in athletics-related or other career fields. Award namesake Hayes is a former longtime coach and athletics director and revered as the father of Purdue Calumet athletics.

Simmons, who played from 1987 through 1992, is the No. 2 rebounder in PUC history with 952 (8.9 game average). The Hammond High School product is founder of The International Sports Training Institute in Houston, and ISTI DAKAR, based in Senegal, Africa, both curriculum-based, basketball education facilities.

The Ben Simmons Sports Foundation, advances sports playing and training, mentoring and educational opportunities for underprivileged youngsters.

Spring semester enrollment increases to 9,585: An expanding, online nursing program has lifted Purdue Calumet to an overall enrollment increase this spring.

The Office of Enrollment Management reports spring semester enrollment of 9,585, up from last spring’s total of 9,524. Additionally, Purdue Calumet exceeded from a year ago its number of new student applications, newly admitted students and new enrollees.

School of Nursing enrollment of 1,324 represents an 807-student leap from last year, primarily among online enrollees. Less significant gains this spring were recorded in the School of Engineering, Mathematics and Science (34) and among graduate students (29).

Suicide support group: Anyone whose life has been touched by suicide is invited to attend the Healing Circles support groups, which meet at 7 p.m. the third Thursday each month at Purdue Calumet’s Couple and Family Therapy Center, 1247 169th St., 11/4 miles west of the Hammond campus.

There are three Healing Circles groups: adults 18 and older, young adults 14-24 and youth 9-13. Eighteen-to-24-year-olds can choose to attend either the adults or young adults groups. Advance registration is required for the youth and young adults groups only.

An adult survivor and two therapists facilitate each group, all of which meet simultaneously for 90 minutes.

For more information, call the Couple and Family Therapy Center at 989-2027 or contact facilitator Karen Lawrence at clawrence5198@sbcglobal.net or 844-5198.