BETH SEMONIK BRUNING CLASS OF '82 YEAR OF INDUCTION: 2017 A three-year varsity letterwinner, Beth Semonik helped the Spartans go 40-2 over the 1980 and '81 seasons as they captured state sectional titles. She was named to the 1981 National Soccer Coaches Association/McDonald's High School All-American Soccer Team. During the 1980 season, the Spartans allowed just 15 goals and recorded 11 shutouts. The junior back was named to the All-Mercer First Team for both major Trenton newspapers and she was second-team all-state in The Star-Ledger. In 1981, as she helped the Spartans capture the inaugural Mercer County championship in girls' soccer, she repeated as an all-star on the local level and moved up to first-team all-state. Steinert's stingy defense allowed 11 goals (the lowest total recorded in the state that season). "Our defense has been super," Coach Bob Pivovarnick said, late in the '81 campaign. "Our co-captain, Beth Semonik, does an outstanding job. She's been a true team leader." After the season, the Ledger noted "her ability to read the game, combined with her speed and agility that resulted in consistently outstanding defensive performances." In addition to thanking her parents, who "were always my biggest fans and provided endless encouragement and support throughout school and sports," she also gave a nod to youth soccer coaches Mr. and Mrs. George Caruso, who "were the first people to recognize my ability to play (and provided) the opportunity to play travel ball which helped me to be more confident in myself and my abilities both on and off the field." Her high school coaches, "Mr. (Ray) Fumo (freshman year) and Coach Pivovarnick, had the biggest impact in developing me as a player. Coach Pivo was instrumental in teaching the fundamentals of the game and always pushed me to be the best player I could be. He trained us to be both physically and mentally tough on the field." She went on to play for the University of Massachusetts for two years. She won the starting sweeper position and played every game for UMass which was in the final eight in 1982. UMass was in the final four in '83. With husband Ken (who played football and baseball at SHS), Beth Bruning has raised two soccer-playing daughters. RETURN TO THE HALL OF FAME MEMBERS PAGE