Hall of Fame

Coach David Geiser

Dave Geiser has served as the varsity volleyball coach at The Academy of the Holy Cross since March 2009. During his 15 seasons, the volleyball teams have amassed a 362-63 record. This is a remarkable 85% winning percentage. Holy Cross teams have had 12 consecutive appearances in the WCAC finals and won seven WCAC championships.

The Holy Cross volleyball team has been ranked in the Washington Post Top Ten in each of the last 10 seasons - including two seasons ranked at #1.

Over the years, Dave Geiser has coached over 100 Holy Cross varsity athletes, 23 of whom have gone on to play in college. He has been honored with two American Volleyball Coaches Association High School Coach of the Year awards for Maryland and one WCAC Coach of the Year award.

When he is not coaching Tartan volleyball, Coach Geiser teaches Project Lead the  Way engineering courses at the Academy and coaches U12 club volleyball with the Montgomery Village Sports Association.

Rhamat Alhassan ’14

Rhamat started her volleyball career in the summer of 2011, and made the decision to try out for the Holy Cross team. She played volleyball from her
sophomore to senior year, helping lead the team to three WCAC Championships. While playing club volleyball with Metro American, it allowed her to be noticed and signed by the University of Florida (UF).

While in Florida, Rhamat was the starting middle blocker for her entire career. She also helped her team to three SEC Championships. Rhamat was named captain her junior and senior years. In her senior year, she helped lead her team to the National Championship match against Nebraska, also picking up honors such as; AVCA Southeast Region Freshman of the Year.

She was named the 2017-18 Honda Sport Awardwinner - Volleyball (making her the first UF Gator to earn the award), named the 2017 SEC Player of the Year. She made the US Junior National Team in 2014 and 2015. She then played on the Women’s National Team in 2016, 2017, 2019, and 2022.

Rhamat graduated from the University of Florida with a Bachelor of Science in Telecommunications - Production (2018) and later with a Master of Science in Management (2021). She went on to continue her career after college as a professional volleyball player overseas. She played her inaugural season as a professional athlete in Japan for the NEC Rockets. Following that, she played in Italy.

Currently, she works at the Flint Hill School as the Director of Sports Information and also serves as Head JV volleyball coach and Assistant Varsity Coach. She is also a coach with Metro American, a place where she can give back to the community that taught her the fundamentals of volleyball.

Kathleen Slater ’10

Kathleen (Katie) was a graduate of the 2010 class of LOTA's. She played Varsity field hockey and lacrosse all four years while always having a passion for Holy Cross's art programs as well. After high school, Katie was fortunate to attend the University of Virginia with a scholarship to play D1 lacrosse while also pursuing a degree in Fine Arts (with concentrations in sculpture and photography).

Today, Katie has proudly taken her artistic passion and transformed it into a professional career as a fashion and wedding photographer. When she is not traveling for photoshoots, she is at home on the Outer Banks in North Carolina.

In a recent chapter of her life, she embraced her love for health and fitness, earning a certification as a Health Coach, and empowering others to live their best lives. Being an athlete has always given Katie the discipline and ambition to go for the gold in life - while, of course, finding the joy in the game.

Lanay Montgomery ’12

Lanay overcame multiple setbacks to succeed at the highest levels of basketball. She joined The Academy of Holy Cross as a sophomore and made an immediate impact, earning WCAC All-Conference accolades in her first season. As a junior, the three-star prospect once again achieved all- conference status, garnered second-team All-Met recognition, was named the MVP of the holiday tournament and earned most improved player. During her junior campaign, she averaged 14.5 points per contest, 8.7 rebounds and 2.8 blocks, totaling 463 points, 278 rebounds and 88 blocks.

Unfortunately, a torn ACL in March 2011 would be the beginning of a 16-month setback for the promising center. Lanay missed her senior campaign at Holy Cross and had surgery to remove more cartilage in January 2012. Despite the injury, West Virginia University honored its scholarship offer. Yet another surgery setback in July 2012 would push Lanay’s college debut back another year. During this time, Lanay worked every day to regain strength in her leg and build her overall confidence, all while developing and preparing for the grueling demands of college basketball

Countless hours in the weight room and film room paid off. Lanay would finish her collegiate career at West Virginia with 937 rebounds (7.1 rpg), 855 points (6.5 ppg) and 330 blocks (2.5 bpg). She received Big 12 All-Defensive Team honors in 2016 and 2017 and was tabbed All-Big 12 Honorable Mention in her senior campaign. She was part of two championship runs at WVU including as the starting center in WVU’s unforgettable 2017 Big 12 Tournament championship run. Her 330 career blocks remain fourth in the Big 12 record books. In addition to her athletic success, Lanay earned a bachelor’s degree in psychology from WVU in 2016 and was an Academic All-Big 12 honoree, Big 12 Commissioners’ Honor Roll recipient and Big 12 Champion for Life.

She was selected 30th overall by the Seattle Storm in the 2017 WNBA Draft. During her lone season with the Storm, she made her debut against the Los Angeles Sparks and scored her first career points against the Indiana Fever. Since playing in the WNBA, Lanay has served as a contract Watch Analyst with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and as an Activity Therapist with the State of Maryland prison system. Lanay obtained her master’s in forensic psychology from Liberty University in 2021 and is planning to earn a Ph.D. beginning next year. Lanay ultimately wants to serve as a forensic psychologist for the U.S. government. 

Taylor Gallart ’13

Taylor started her volleyball career at the age of 10. She played MVSA club volleyball for four years, starting out as a Middle Hitter then changing position to Outside Hitter. When she was 15, she played with Virginia Elite and made the CHRVA High performance team. She finished her travel career with Metro American for three years where they helped to get her noticed and signed by University of Central Florida.

At Holy Cross, Taylor was a four-year varsity volleyball starter as an outside hitter. Holy Cross won its first ever WCAC volleyball championship in 2012 in Taylor’s senior year. Taylor’s awards include; First Team WCAC 2009, 2010, 2011 and 2012; Washington Post All-Met 2nd team 2011, first team 2012; Holy Cross MVP 2010 and 2012; and Co-Captain 2011 and 2012. Taylor still holds the record-breaking title of 1,604 career kills and 606 season kills. She continued her volleyball career at the Division I University of Central Florida where she received a full athletic four-year scholarship. Her team competed in the American Athletic Conference earning the conference title in 2014 and competed in the NCAA tournament. She received her degree in 2017 in Human Communication. 

Following college, Taylor moved back to Maryland for a career in retail management at Nordstrom, where she was promoted numerous times into different management roles through her four years with the company. She was recognized with awards several times for her leadership, sales and team growth. In 2021, Taylor was recruited by Canadian based luxury brand Aritzia to open and manage their new location at Tysons Corner, where she achieved a record-breaking store opening.

Jennifer Betts Liberto ’03
Lacrosse

From an early age, Jen was passionate about athletics. If she wasn’t playing organized sports, she was playing friendly games in the neighborhood. She played varsity lacrosse, soccer, and basketball at Holy Cross. She excelled in lacrosse, receiving numerous high school honors, including WCAC Player of the Year. Her love of the game lead her to Gettysburg College where she earned a bachelor of arts degree in business management. Jen played four years of lacrosse at Gettysburg College and helped the team advance to the program’s first two NCAA Final Four games and one NCAA national championship game.

Continuing with the athletics theme in her life, Jen sought a career that incorporated her love of sport. After graduation, she worked for the City of Rockville Department of Recreation Parks and became the supervisor of the sports division. After the birth of her second child, she decided to become a stay-at-home mother.

Jen lives in Rockville, MD with her husband TJ and three children Madeline, Trip and Livia.

Kristen Coleman McDaniel ’07
Lacrosse

Kristen’s career at Holy Cross included four years on the varsity soccer and lacrosse teams and, in doing so, earning multiple awards and recognitions participating in seasons, and school records including being named USA Lacrosse All-American. She continued her success at Fairfield University where she was honored to be chosen as Fairfield Female Athlete of the Year as a freshman. In 2021 Kristen was inducted into the Fairfield University Athletic Hall of Fame and represented Fairfield on the MAAC 40th Anniversary Women’s Lacrosse Team. She earned her graduate degree in sports marketing and management from Georgetown, where she played on the women’s lacrosse team, and ended her lacrosse career as one of their leading scorers and as a member of the All Big East Academic Team.

In 2012 Kristen became head lacrosse coach at The Academy of the Holy Cross, and the team was recognized with a top 10 national ranking, and she was awarded the Montgomery County Gazette Coach of the Year. She then became varsity lacrosse head coach and the assistant athletic director at Stone Ridge. Kristen is proud that numerous student athletes at Holy Cross and Stone Ridge have gone on to play lacrosse in college. During her time at Stone Ridge, the lacrosse team has been nationally ranked and defeated conference rivals Visitation and St. Stephen’s & St. Agnes. Kristen was selected as the USA Lacrosse 2021 Coach of the Year in the Mid-Atlantic Area.

Kristen and her husband Warren live in Kensington, MD with their three children, Emery, Cole and Finley.

Monica McNutt ’07
Basketball

As a student at The Academy of the Holy Cross, Monica was a champion basketball player and which helped the Tartans to win a WCAC and City Championship. She earned a bachelor’s degree and completed a career as a standout women’s basketball player at Georgetown University in 2011 and a master’s degree in journalism from The University of Maryland in 2013.

Monica is a sports reporter, host, and basketball analyst based in New York City. In 2021 she added host for the ESPN programs Sportscenter, Around the Horn,

Debatable, NBA Today and WNBA Studio to her roster of network assignments. She was a WNBA game analyst at the Connecticut Sun, is a studio analyst for the New York Knicks, and co-hosts MSG PM on MSG Networks. Her work has been seen on Fox Sports 1, CBS Sports Network,

Turner/NBA TV, and the NBC’s family of networks as she made her debut covering the Olympics during the summer of 2021. She is the co-host of “The Jr. NBA Coaches Corner” podcast as well as the forthcoming “SALA Series” podcast, a conversation with leaders across the industry. In February 2021 Monica was featured in The Washington Post. She has also worked on WJLA ABC7/News Channel 8 in Washington, D.C., The American Sports Network, BeIN Sports and NBC Sports Washington.

Monica is proud to be an example to the young women watching her and able to offer her perspective in daily sports commentary.

Mary Jordan “MJ” Nogay Sorrow ’12
Golf

MJ learned golf at the early age of three from her dad. She found a love for the game that has continued to this day. Throughout her youth, she twice competed as Maryland representative in US Kids tournaments as well as PGA and USGA tournaments. At Holy Cross, MJ played in the WCAC, where the team played match-play against mostly boys’ teams and co-ed schools. She was selected First Team All-WCAC and selected Honorable Mention All-Met by The Washington Post in 2012. She also participated in junior golf tournaments state and nationwide and won four tournaments in four different junior tours. She was selected for both the Maryland State girls’ team and the Maryland-Virginia girls’ team for interstate competitions.

MJ played Division 1 golf at Presbyterian College and continued her golf career post-graduation as a PGA Class A teaching professional. As an assistant golf professional at the Club at Brookstone and Greenville Country Club in Greenville, SC, she specialized in the development of youth programs and teaching and provided lessons to women and men of all ages.

MJ recently moved to Conway, SC with her husband Mitch. They enjoy their new home, the beach, and their dog Hogan.

Patricia Dillon ’68
Outstanding Contributor to Lacrosse

Pat and her four brothers were involved in CYO activities from an early age…basketball, softball, football, whatever was in season at the time! While attending Holy Cross, Pat played on the basketball team.

After graduation from Holy Cross, Pat continued her education at Towson State College (now University), continuing to play basketball and also taking up lacrosse. Her Bachelor of Science in Physical Education led to a short stretch in teaching, a time with the American Association of Museums running their professional meetings and clinics, and finally to a 43-year career at Costabile Associates Inc., a firm providing technical
assistance and cataloging for libraries.

But it is really her “second” career that brings Pat to the Athletic Hall of Fame. After seeing and playing lacrosse in Baltimore she returned to the Washington metropolitan area and has been involved with the sport as an official and as an administrator for the past 38 years. Pat officiated high school games in the Washington area and umpired collegiately across the country, including many NCAA championship games. She led the Washington Lacrosse Umpires Association for years, teaching and mentoring new officials, and continues to work with WLUA as their Treasurer. She’s also a long-time board member for the Potomac Chapter of US Lacrosse, also serving as their Treasurer. Nationally, Pat has served in a number of roles with USL as well as with the NCAA including the Rules Committee chair, National Umpiring Committee, Executive Committee member, and Board Chair. Pat has been inducted into the Potomac Chapter Hall of Fame (2004) as well as the US Lacrosse National Hall of Fame (2008).

Mary Jane Walton
Founder of the Holy Cross Tennis Program

The oldest of five children, Mary Jane was born and raised in Boston, MA. She graduated with honors from Archbishop Cushing Central High School and entered the School of Nursing at Boston College, from which she received her degree cum laude. While at Boston College, Mary Jane was elected President of the Student Government and President of the Massachusetts Student Nurses’ Association, of which there were 5,000 members.

A year after graduation, during which she taught Pediatric Nursing at St. Elizabeth’s Hospital in Brighton, MA, she married her husband Don, and they raised five children. All were involved in sports every season from a young age and all lettered in varsity sports in high school and college. Their three girls were involved in swimming, diving, track and field, soccer, and tennis at The Academy of the Holy Cross, while their sons were involved in swimming, diving and softball at St. John’s High School and later dove at West Point. In 1980, Mary Jane was asked to start and coach a tennis team at Holy Cross. Since then, she has also substituted at Holy Cross as a nurse, teacher, and librarian. Mary Jane and her husband have been active for years at St. Patrick’s Church, Rockville, and Manor Country Club. Currently, she volunteers with the Gold Star Mothers of America and she and her husband participate in the Salute Military Golf Association, which works with the Wounded Warriors from Walter Reed NMMC, on weekends.

Mary Jane and her husband, Dr. Donald C. Walton, Jr. enjoy golf. This fall, Mary Jane and her husband will celebrate their 60th anniversary.

Lenore Reilly Martinez ’76
Coach of the Year

Lenore’s first experience with golf was at an early age, as her father (who was very good) and her four older brothers all played. Thus it was a given that she would take up the game. Lenore graduated from Catholic University in 1980 with a nursing degree.
While there, she played basketball and field hockey. In 1985 Lenore married her husband Michael Martinez, and they have two children, Andrew and Joanna ’07. In the early 1990s Lenore was appointed to the Maryland State Amateur Golf Association – Women’s Division for eight years and helped develop and run the Junior Girls program for the state. She also served on the Holy Cross Alumnae Board as President.

In 2003 Lenore’s daughter Joanna played on the newly-formed golf team and Lenore was proud to watch her daughter hit the first shot. In 2008 the Academy asked Lenore to run the program. She has worked over the last 11 years to organize and develop the golf program not only for the school but also for the WCAC. Several girls have gone on to play golf and Lenore believes that all of the players have learned an amazing game that they can play and use for life. Looking back, Lenore has found that her nursing background and the discipline it requires helped her to develop her skills as both a mother and coach.  

Apart from coaching, Lenore plays golf regularly and, as a member of Columbia Country Club, she has won the Ladies Club Championship 18 times starting in 1993. In thinking about golf, Lenore likes to reflect on these words by the noted golf champion Bobby Jones: “Golf is the closest game to the game we call life. You get bad breaks from good shots; you get good breaks from bad shots—but you have to play the ball where it lies.”

Debrah Brown
Most Valuable Tartan

Debbie joined The Academy of the Holy Cross staff as Human Resources Director in 2001. In 2004 she started attending Holy Cross basketball games to show support for the girls. Debbie comes from an athletic family—her father, brothers, sons, nephews, nieces and grandchildren play or played a sport, and there are also several coaches in her family. It is not unusual to see her at Holy Cross athletic events. She has traveled with the basketball, soccer and lacrosse teams, though the members of the basketball teams are always closest to her heart.

After Debbie traveled with the basketball team to a Christmas basketball tournament in Florida, she soon began coordinating permission forms for travel, purchasing snacks for the bus rides, and on over-night trips, conducting bed checks. The players and coaches were excited to have Debbie join them and that was the beginning of her becoming an important part of the team’s administrative efforts. Always keeping a watchful eye on the girls and offering suggestions and support to the coaching staff, she says “I love being able to connect with the girls during the school day and before and after games to give them encouragement and positive feedback. Traveling with the teams gives me the opportunity to participate in team-building and their further development as student athletes and women of courage, compassion and scholarship.”

In 2017 Debbie was the recipient of a $1,000 grant from the Big 12 Conference, in partnership with the College Football Playoff Foundation’s Extra Yard for Teachers program. The award is given to recognize a teacher who has made a lasting impact. Alumna Lanay Montgomery ’12, who was one of the “Big 12 Champions for Life” student-athletes from West Virginia University, nominated Debbie for the award.

In her nomination, Lanay wrote, “She had a great impact on my high school transition. With the help of Ms. Brown, I grew to love and learn a lot about my alma mater!”

Debbie offers students guidance and support and that continues after they have left Holy Cross and through their college years.

2003 Field Hockey Team
Inaugural WCAC Champions

The Washington Catholic Athletic Conference (WCAC) started an official league for field hockey in 2003. Over 90 girls attended tryouts for the Holy Cross field hockey team that fall and 22 girls made the Varsity team. The founding teams in the league were Holy Cross, Good Counsel, Elizabeth Seton, St. Mary’s Ryken and St. John’s.

Every team played the others twice. The Holy Cross team won every regular season game except one against Good Counsel. Holy Cross played Good Counsel in the championship game. The game was tied after regulation and overtime play. It then came down to which team made the most out of five penalty strokes. Again the score was tied. In the second set of sudden-death penalty strokes, Holy Cross won, capturing the first ever WCAC Field Hockey Championship.