Athletics
Hall of Fame
The individuals inducted into the Oakwood School Athletics Hall of Fame have earned notable achievements in their sports and left an indelible mark on our school. These honorees also distinguish themselves by being exemplary Alumni in their collegiate and professional lives.
Mitchell Butler '89
Mitchell Butler was a four-year letter winner at Oakwood and still holds several school records in both Basketball and Track & Field. Upon completion of his high school playing career, Mitchell was selected as one of the Top 25 High School Basketball Players in the country, participating in the prestigious McDonald’s All-American Game with such future NBA stars as Shaquille O’Neal, Allan Houston, and Kenny Anderson. Mitchell chose to continue his studies and basketball career at UCLA, where he finished his career with the honor of playing more games than any other player in UCLA history. Mitchell went undrafted in the 1993 NBA Draft but made the Washington Bullets’ fifteen-man roster as a free agent and went on to earn a multi-year contract that resulted in an eight-year NBA career.
After retiring in 2004 with the Washington Wizards, Mitchell accepted the position of Director of Player Development and helped coach the team to a second round appearance in the playoffs—a first for the organization in thirty years. The following year, Mitchell became an NBA certified agent. He’s worked with some of the biggest names in the NBA and is currently President of Basketball for Paradigm Sports Management Group.
Treani Swain '03
Treani Swain was a standout performer in both Cross Country and Track & Field at Oakwood School. A two-time State Runner-Up in Cross Country and the 800 meters, Treani still holds school records in the 200 meters, 400 meters, 800 meters, 1600 meters, and 3200 meters, as well as being a member of the school record-holding 4 x 400 meter relay team. Treani was the Oakwood School Athlete of the Year in 2003.
After high school, Treani attended the University of Southern California, where she was a member of the 2004 NCAA West Region runner-up team and was All-Pac 10 in the 4 x 400 meter relay. In 2005, she broke into USC’s All-Time Top 10 List in the 800 meters, running 2:05.93, which is currently 9th on the USC All-Time List, and earned All-Pac 10 and NCAA Western Region honors for the second year in a row. In 2006, she was a member of USC’s NCAA Division I Women’s Outdoor Track & Field Championship second-place team. While at USC, Treani received numerous student-athlete academic awards and was a member of the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee.
Eric Walter, Coach & Athletic Director
Eric Walter served as Oakwood’s Athletic Director for over thirty years. When he took over the program in 1982, there were few teams and virtually no practice facilities. By the time he retired in 2015, Oakwood had won sixty-four League Championships and had sixteen California Interscholastic Federation Southern Section (CIFSS) Finalists. Eric also served as President of the Liberty League for thirty years and was a valuable presence on numerous CIFSS committees.
Eric’s record as a coach was stellar. He coached a wide variety of sports and levels: from Middle School Soccer, where he led his team to a 10-0 record and a League Title, to High School Girls Basketball, which achieved a 15-3 record, a League Championship, and an appearance at the CIF Semifinals.
Eric will be most remembered for coaching Cross Country and Track & Field. As Boys Cross Country coach, his teams were 724-11, with twenty-five League Championships. As Girls Cross Country coach, his record was 326-38. In total, he sent fourteen teams to the CIF Southern Section Finals and coached one state champion. Eric also created a number of beloved traditions for his teams, including sunrise runs, a yearly trip to Morro Bay, and the fiercely competitive watermelon eating competition.
As Track & Field coach, Eric’s boys teams were 295-65, and in total his teams won nine League Championships. Eric coached eight CIFSS Individual Champions. Perhaps most importantly, Eric’s emphasis on hard work, fairness, integrity, and team spirit instilled a deep love of sports in a generation of Oakwood student-athletes.
Erin Farrell '91
Athlete of the Year in 1991, Erin Farrell is one of the most versatile and accomplished athletes in Oakwood School history. During her distinguished time at Oakwood, Erin was a four-year competitor at the varsity level in basketball and softball. In her junior and senior year, Erin starred in four sports, adding volleyball and track & field to her sports resume. The consummate team player, Erin excelled at basketball, and as a senior she led her team to the CIF Southern Section playoffs, advancing to the second round. Her softball team also won the league championship and advanced deep into the playoffs that year. Erin Farrell was one of the most decorated female athletes in Oakwood history, earning individual honors such as All-Liberty League for Basketball in 1990 and 1991, as well as All-Liberty League for Softball in 1989, 1990, and 1991. She was also named the league’s Most Valuable Player in 1991 and earned a spot on the All-CIF Southern Section Small Schools Division Softball Second Team.
After Oakwood School, Erin continued her athletic career at Vassar College in Poughkeepsie, NY. In 1991, she made the All-Seven Sisters League Basketball Team and continues to hold the record for sixth highest assist average, per game, in Vassar history.
Since college Erin has dedicated herself to civil and human rights issues, and she currently serves as Special Events Coordinator at Public Counsel, the nation’s largest pro bono law firm providing free legal services to people living at or below the poverty line.
Aric Van Halen '08
State Champion, Athlete of the Year, Pac-12 Champion, Olympic hopeful, and a Gorilla “lifer” who attended Oakwood from kindergarten through high school, Aric Van Halen enjoyed athletic success early on playing baseball, soccer, basketball, volleyball, and hockey.
Thanks to the keen eye of Oakwood AD and Coach Eric Walter, Aric found his stride in high school in cross country and track and field. In cross country, Aric won the state championship in 2007 after helping the team to the state finals in 2005. In track and field, Aric set the school record in the 800 meters, a record that still stands today. Aric concluded his Oakwood career as the Athlete of the Year in 2008.
After high school, Aric attended the University of Colorado on an athletic scholarship majoring in film studies. At Colorado, he continued to excel in cross country and track, and ended his college career as a 4-time All-American, Pac-12 Steeplechase Champion with the 3rd and 4th fastest times in school history in the flat 3k and 3k steeplechase.
Since graduating, Aric has competed in multiple USATF national championships, including last summer’s Olympic Trials, where he finished 15th after a poorly timed fall in the last 150 meters cost him at shot at the Rio Olympics.
BRIAN GLUCKSMAN '98
Brian Glucksman epitomizes the term “Oakwood Lifer.” His older sister Joanne was already an Oakwood student when he and his twin sister Stephanie (also honored this year) were born. Brian attended Oakwood from elementary school through high school, graduating in 1998. He then returned to Oakwood in 2005 to become a legendary coach and PE teacher after college.
Brian got his start in Oakwood Athletics as a young manager of Joanne’s basketball team, thanks to coach Mike Smith, then the girls basketball coach and now Brian’s colleague, who let him sit on the bench and to learn and take in the team’s development. As an athlete, he was a four-year basketball player, making All League as a senior. Brian was also a four-year volleyball player who made All League three times and went on to play as the setter on the LA team in the 1996 Maccabee games, going undefeated and winning the Gold Medal. After high school Brian went on to play volleyball at the University of Colorado in Boulder as a setter and was team captain for two years.
Brian credits his parents, siblings, coaches, teammates, and Oakwood School for his success in life and his love of sports. At any mention of his own accomplishments, he quickly acknowledges his parents’ love and support of their children’s endeavors, which included incalculable hours spent playing with and watching them compete in sports. Brian also warmly recalls the mentorship of Mike Smith, the inspiring advice—“Pain is temporary, pride is forever”—of Dave Smith, the wisdom and insights he gleaned from Angel Hardy, and the lessons he learned about leadership on and off the court from volleyball coach Rainy Smith.
He also recognizes that his busy Oakwood schedule, which included classroom studies, athletics, being a theatre tec, and a job as a Recreation Assistant at North Weddington gym, taught him the skill of maintaining the demanding schedule of collegiate athletics while earning a Bachelor’s of Science in Business Administration. He is proud to now be passing on life lessons to the next generation of Oakwood Student-Athletes.
STEPHANIE GLUCKSMAN SHERMAN '98
Like her twin brother Brian, Stephanie Glucksman also grew up at Oakwood. Her drive and determination in athletics began at an early age with the support of her parents, who she says never missed a game. Her passion for sports was fostered at Oakwood Elementary by PE teacher (and later coach) Mike Smith, who instilled in her the importance of teamwork, sportsmanship, accountability, commitment, and the ability to learn and grow from mistakes. Throughout her high school career, she was further motivated and taught by exceptional coaches: Dave Smith in softball, and Rainy Chrisman Smith in volleyball. These coaches became both mentors and treasured friends with whom Stephanie has remained in contact.
Stephanie became one of the most versatile and accomplished athletes in Oakwood history. A four-year varsity athlete in three sports—volleyball, basketball, and softball—Stephanie was also captain of each team. In basketball, she was the starting point guard her freshman year and guided her team to a Liberty League championship. She was the leading scorer and earned first team All-League honors all four years as the team earned several CIF playoff berths.
In softball, she was the starting shortstop her freshman year. Stephanie was the lead-off hitter, ending her career with an on base percentage of over .900 and making All-League both her junior and senior year. She also led the team in stolen bases.
In volleyball, she played setter and earned second team All League honors as a senior. She was also fortunate to have her twin brother Brian with her each step of the way, providing guidance as the manager of her team.
Because of these accomplishments, Stephanie was honored as Oakwood’s Athlete of the Year in 1998. After Oakwood, Stephanie continued as an intramural athlete at UC San Diego and in graduate school at the UCLA Anderson School of Management. Stephanie has built a successful career in Corporate Finance. Inspired at a young age by her parents, siblings, and coaches, sports remain a very important aspect of her life.
