On Saturday, Nov. 8, 2025, Smith athlete and coach alumni across five sports were inducted into the Smith Athletics Hall of Fame. Inductees included three individual athletes, one team and two coaches. Nominations were opened to the entire Smith community in February. That pool was subsequently narrowed down by a committee of Smith Athletics administrators, alumni and current coaching staff.
The inductees included Jean Tomlinson Holdsworth ’52 from the lacrosse, basketball and field hockey teams, Ann Miller ’96 from the basketball team, Bonnie Benson Gorrasi ’00 from the softball team, former swim and dive Head Coach Kim Bierwert and finally, the 1984 cross country team and their Head Coach Mary Grinaker.
The event began Saturday evening, during which inductees shared a dinner in the Alumnae House, giving them a chance to reminisce on memories at Smith with current coaches, family, friends and former teammates. Following the dinner, representatives from each of the current teams joined the party for a short dessert reception before heading over to Weinstein for the ceremony.
Athletic Director Kristen Hughes hosted the event, interviewing each inductee about their time as a student-athlete or coach and the lessons they learned from the experience. Each inductee was introduced with a video showcasing photos of their time at Smith and their various accomplishments. They were then introduced by a member of the current team, who recognized the impact the inductee(s) had on their program.
The first athlete honored was Jean Tomlinson Holdsworth. She was inducted into the Lacrosse, Basketball and Field Hockey Hall of Fame teams. Holdsworth’s son accepted the award in her honor. He spoke about how his mother was humble about her athletic achievements, but they would come to the surface at casual family scrimmages. He said, “I remember thinking, ‘Wow, Mom’s got skills!’” Holdsworth earned first team honors in all her sports every year she competed. She was a strong leader both on her teams and in her house, paving the way for female student-athletes before women’s sports were broadly recognized and accepted.
Ann Miller followed Holdsworth as the second inductee. Miller transferred to Smith after two years at Central Arizona College and was an instant standout. She was a two-time New England Women and Men’s Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) All-Conference pick and was a part of Smith’s 1,000 Point Club. After graduating in 1996, she climbed the ranks at Nike and recently took over the position of Executive Vice President of Global Sports Marketing in 2024. She arrived at the event in custom black bedazzled Nike shoes, representing the brand. Hughes asked Miller about which celebrities were most exciting to meet, and Miller casually noted her acquaintances with Michael Jordan and former President Barack Obama.
The next inductee, Bonnie Benson-Gorrasi, dominated the softball field, leading the team to its first NCAA Tournament appearance in 1998. Gorrasi was an all-star pitcher earning numerous accolades during her athletic career, including NEWMAC All-Conference all four years, three-time National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) All-Region Honors and the prestigious NEWMAC Player of the Year award in 1998. Gorrasi still holds school records in several categories, including most wins (63), most shutouts (22) and most strikeouts (513). She is also in the top 10 for multiple batting categories, showcasing her versatility as an athlete.
Kim Bierwert, former head swim and dive coach, was the next inductee. Bierwert passed away this February so his wife, Lou Ann Bierwert, and son, Joel Bierwert, accepted the award in his place. Kim Bierwert coached an astonishing 90 All-American athletes and made 21 NCAA Championship appearances throughout the course of his 42 year career at Smith. Hughes asked Lou Ann Bierwert about the origin of his motto, “There is always more toothpaste in the tube.” Lou Ann Bierwert laughed and recounted how the phrase was born when the two of them were brushing their teeth, attempting to get out the scarce remnants of the toothpaste. This everyday occurrence was transformed into a coaching philosophy, used to remind Kim’s athletes that they always have more effort to give.
The final inductees were the 1984 cross country team, led by Head Coach Mary Grinaker. The team placed sixth at the NCAA National Championship, a record high finish for the program. Six of the top seven runners as well as Grinaker were present to receive the honor. One team member, Karin Lee ’86, spoke directly to the current team and said the team continues to cheer on the current athletes and wishes them nothing but success. Olympian Gwyn Hardesty ’87, who still holds school records in the 3k and 5k, addressed the athletes and said, “Go tear (those records) down!” Hardesty finished third overall in that historic NCAA appearance and then went on to represent the United States in the 1992 Olympics in the 10,000 meter race.
The ceremony was an inspiring gathering of past and present student-athletes, and a space for student-athletes to hear about the history of their programs and share with alumnae the successes and details of Smith Athletics today.
