LENNOXVILLE - The Bishop's University Department of Athletics will add three names to the RBC Wall of Distinction at a ceremony held on Saturday morning. This year's inductees are Bruce Stevenson ’76, a former basketball player and recently-retired Dean of Student Affairs at Bishop’s; David Thornhill, who was a star in both football and basketball during the late 1970s; and Eddie Pomykala, who coached the Gaiters’ men’s basketball team from 1984 to 2008.
The RBC Wall of Distinction was created in 1991 to honour individuals who have made significant contributions to the Bishop's University athletic program through either athletic participation and contribution as an athlete or through outstanding services to athletics as well as teams who have won national championships, or otherwise excelled.
A total of 40 individuals and eight teams have been placed onto the RBC Wall of Distinction.
RBC Wall of Distinction Class of 2010:
Bruce Stevenson ‘76 – Basketball / Builder
Bruce Stevenson has devoted most of his adult life to Bishop’s University and Gaiters Athletics. He had an outstanding basketball career at Bishop’s, and was named the team’s MVP in 1974. He also served as Head Coach of the Gaiters women’s basketball team in 1975-76.
He served Bishop’s for 20 years, first as Director of Alumni and Public Relations, and from 2000-2010 as Dean of Student Affairs. In both these capacities, he has helped to raise funds for the Department of Athletics and the Gaiter Club for over 20 years, and started the Winter Homecoming tradition at Bishop’s.
An avid tennis player, he has also been active in the broader community, from his time as Head Coach of the Senior Boys’ Basketball team at Alexander Galt Regional School, to more recently, when he was a member of the bid committee that secured the 2013 Canada Summer Games for the City of Sherbrooke.
David Thornhill – Basketball, Football
David Thornhill was an outstanding two-sport athlete for Bishop’s in the late 1970s, starring in both basketball and football.
On the court, he won a QUAA championship in basketball in 1979, and was named to the conference’s Second All-Star Team in 1978 and the First Team in 1979.
On the field, Thornhill was an outstanding punt returner, finishing in the top ten in the country in 1978, and leading the nation in punt return yards in 1979. He was drafted by the B.C. Lions in 1980.
Prior to coming to Bishop’s, Thornhill was an Ontario Football Conference All-Star with the Verdun Maple Leafs, and won a gold medal for Team Quebec in basketball at the 1975 Canada Games.
After leaving Bishop’s, Thornhill went on to coach the Ottawa Gee-Gees women’s basketball team for two seasons (1982-84), and was an assistant coach with Dawson College’s men’s team from 1989-92. Altogether, he spent more than 20 years coaching basketball at a variety of levels.
Eddie Pomykala – Men’s Basketball Head Coach
Eddie Pomykala coached the Bishop’s Gaiters Men’s Basketball team from 1984 to 2009, amassing more than 300 wins in his 24 seasons patrolling the sidelines at the Mitchell Gym. He coached the Gaiters to their only national championship in 1998, when he led the team to a 30-6 overall record (18-2 QSSF), and was named the CIAU Men’s Basketball Coach of the Year. The 1998 title gave Bishop’s the distinction of being the smallest school ever to win a CIAU national championship.
Under Pomykala’s leadership, the Gaiters won four Québec Championships, the first coming in 1988, followed by three straight titles from 1997 to 1999. The Gaiters qualified for the playoffs 18 times under his reign, playing in 10 finals, and Pomykala was named league Coach of the Year on six occasions, including three consecutive wins from 1996-1998.
Pomykala’s coaching career also includes a five-year term as Head Coach of the Quebec Provincial Team, and he served as an assistant coach with the Canadian National Junior Team from 1989-1991, helping lead Canada to an 8th-place finish at the 1991 Junior World Championship. Pomykala also served as Director of the Bishop’s Gaiters Basketball Camp, and is deeply involved in the development of basketball in the Eastern Townships.
