BSU Hall of Famer Mary Lou Thimas Honored

By David Wilson, Generations of Service

BRIDGEWATER, Mass. -- At a ceremony held in June, 2026, in Salt Lake City, Utah - attended by an audience of more than 2,000 people - Bridgewater State's Mary Lou Thimas, Class of 1968 and former director of women's athletics at her alma mater - was among "a group of multi-sport athletes inducted into the National High School Hall of Fame for 2026."

The news of the award was published by The Boston Globe, which quoted her in its profile, "I love sports, I love being outdoors, and I love being involved."

The Globe also added, "Thimas, 81, who was honored in June by the National Federation of State High School Associations, is the latest institution to call her a Hall of Famer. Plymouth-Carver High, Bridgewater State University, the MASCAC (Massachusetts State Collegiate Conference), New Agenda Northeast, and the Eastern Mass. chapter of the US Lacrosse Hall of Fame previously did the same.

"Officiating has been a constant in a comprehensive career that has lasted parts of seven decades," The Globe added.

Among those honored with her in Salt Lake City were Joe Carter, "whose iconic walk-off home run won the 1993 World Series for the Toronto Blue Jays;" Patrick Willis, "who had a stellar career with the San Francisco 49ers;" Alisha Glass Childress and Jordan Larson "who are two of the top players in the history of high school volleyball;" and Krissy Wendell Poole, "who is the most prolific scorer in the history of high school girls hockey."

In announcing its selection of Ms. Thimas for the 2026 National Hall of Fame, the organization said, "For 60 years Mary Lou Thimas has been the guiding light for the girls sports of field hockey and lacrosse in the state of Massachusetts. From her days as a student and coach, and now in her seventh decade of officiating at the age of 81, no one in Massachusetts has contributed more to the state's high school sports than Mary Lou Thimas.

"Outside her officiating duties, Thimas has coached basketball, field hockey, lacrosse and tennis at both the high school and college levels. She also served as director of athletics for women and associate director of athletics at her alma mater, Bridgewater State University, as well as associate director of athletics at the University of Massachusetts-Dartmouth. 

Also noted in the Globe article, "Sherry Bryant, a senior official with the Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic  Association, said, 'Mary Lou's greatest contribution may be her unwavering character. In my decades of experience, I have never met a person who has expressed anything but the most respect and admiration for her. Her reputation as a humble, hard-working, kind and giving person of integrity is known statewide.'"