Fifty-seven years ago it was finally ruled by Brown v. Board of Education that it was unconstitutional to segregate schools. Fifty-seven years ago Title IX had yet to be passed. Fifty-seven years ago the Blue Demons did not have a women’s track team. Yet DePaul alumni Mabel Landry Staton went on to become an Olympic athlete, sprint and long jump national record holder and now a member of the DePaul Hall of Fame.
“I was overwhelmed by the thought [of being inducted], that they even would consider me,” said Staton. “I’m just so pleased. I’m overjoyed.”
Staton finished seventh in the long jump at the 1952 Olympics in Helsinki, Finland, setting an Olympic record in the preliminaries with a long jump of 19 feet, three inches, and is a four-time national long jump champion, winning gold in the 400-meter relay and bronze in the 60-meter dash at the 1955 Pan Am Games in Mexico City. She has won five national titles in the 50 and 60-yard dashes, in addition to co-holding the American 50-yard dash record.
Although Staton “would’ve appreciated the opportunity to compete for DePaul,” she is thankful for the education she earned and the opportunities her track career offered.
“I had a chance to interact with all races and creeds,” said Staton, who attended DePaul from 1951-54. “And I just found out that people were beautiful people and I enjoyed that part of my life and it afforded me so many opportunities in later life.
“I was the first black in many things…the fact that I made the Olympic team and was such a successful sprinter and jumper, I was given opportunities that other blacks may not have received.”
Staton is one of six inductees being honored on Jan. 23 by the DePaul Athletic Department including Jenny Bruno (softball), Latasha Byears (women’s basketball), Terry Davis (men’s basketball), Mark Gant (track and field) and Joni Phillips (benefactor).
Forty years after Staton graduated from DePaul, Byears was making her debut on the women’s basketball team under current head coach Doug Bruno.
“I mean, to me it’s a great honor [being inducted].it’s something I’ll cherish for the rest of my life,” Byears said. “It was probably some of the best years of my life by attending DePaul University.”
Byears, who is currently playing professionally in Bulgaria, was a First-Team All-American and finished as DePaul’s all-time leader in career scoring average (24.5 points) and rebounding average (11.1). In 1994-95, she set records for single-season scoring average (26.4 points) and field goals made (311).
Despite program changes since the ’90s, one thing has not changed, according to Byears. “All new buildings now. All new, different facilities that wasn’t there when I was there.but one thing that hasn’t changed is [Doug Bruno’s] philosophy of the game of basketball,” Byears said. “One thing I’ve noticed is [the women’s team has] always been ranked among the top teams, so that’s one of the things I was really happy for him, as well as the program’s continuing the success.”
Byears attributed some of the program’s success to the respect players have for those who came before, a concept echoed by softball’s Jenny Bruno.
“It’s obviously, it’s a tremendous honor [being inducted],” said Jenny Bruno. “So many years have passed and it’s such a great feeling to know that you may have gone on in life and so many years have passed, but you’re not forgotten. And there’s a legacy there that you, with your time spent there, that you’ve created for others behind you.
“It’s just as I looked up to people that came before me going through the softball program here.”
Jenny Bruno was a First Team, All-Mideast Region shortstop on the first DePaul softball team to appear in the NCAA tournament in 1994, her senior year, and had an overall record of 42-17 from 1991-94.
She is fifth in single-season RBI (50 in 1994) and finished fifth all-time in career assists. Her 1992 season saw DePaul appear at the NIT, their first-ever postseason tournament.
Although she shares the same last name as Doug Bruno, they are unrelated; however, Jenny Bruno’s kindergarten teacher did happen to be Doug Bruno’s mother, leading to speculation.
“People thought I got the best crayons and everything because they thought she was my mom or grandma or something.I was like, ‘She’s not a relative of mine,’ but no one would believe me,” said Jenny Bruno, adding with a laugh, “And I always said at DePaul when people would ask, ‘Well, he’s a relative of mine if I’m in trouble.'”
Jenny Bruno has since retired from softball. She is currently working as a personal trainer and health care consultant, but remembers some valuable lessons learned while on the field, such as teamwork and “the personal accountability of being part of bigger goals than just your own personal goals,” and offered some advice to current athletes.
“Definitely live in the moment and take advantage of everything that you have available to you.because you have so much given to you that’s available and you kind of don’t want to look back and regret anything,” Jenny Bruno said. “You want to appreciate everything you have and know that you took advantage fully of all your opportunities and resources because you may not have situations like that again.”
The other 2011 Hall of Fame inductees
Terry Davis – Basketball
Men’s basketball’s Terry Davis, a 6’4″ guard, tallied 1,534 career points from 1989-93, ranking eighth all-time at DePaul. The 1992-93 captain was named to the 1991-92 All-Great Midwest Conference, 1992-93 All-Tournament team and 1991-92 All-Academic Team. He led the team in 1991-92 with a field goal percentage of 52.8 and ranks fourth in DePaul in history with 3,657 minutes played. DePaul had appearances in the 1990-91 and 1991-92 NCAA tournaments and reached the third round of the NIT in his freshman season.
Mark Gant – Track & Field
Track and field’s Mark Gant, a 1989 graduate, holds the school record for both indoor and outdoor high jump at 7′.25″ and 7’1″, respectively. As of graduation, Gant had records for the indoor and outdoor long jump, in addition to the triple jump. The 1989 winner of the Rev. Edward F. Riley Award was the team’s Most Outstanding Performer for three consecutive seasons and was named to the All-Central Collegiate Conference in 1987, having finished second in the outdoor high jump.
Joni Phillips – Benefactor
Joni Phillips will also be honored as the Class of 2011 recipient for the Dr. Robert Hamilton Special Service Award. The 1982 graduate is the most generous benefactor of DePaul Athletics, having purchased rings for student-athletes commemorating NCAA and conference team titles and donating the largest gift in DePaul history. McGrath Arena will be renamed the McGrath-Phillips Arena early this year.
Inductees will be introduced at the men’s basketball game against Pittsburgh at Allstate Arena on Jan. 22 and the women’s matchup with Seton Hall at McGrath Arena later that day. They will also honored with a memorial service and social hour at the Sullivan Athletic Center, 2323 N. Sheffield Ave., starting at 10 a.m. Tickets are available until Jan. 18 and can be purchased from Cathy Ramsey at 773-325-7504 or [email protected].