Athletics Announces Hall of Fame Inductees for 2016
1/4/2016 3:28:00 PM | General
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The University of North Florida Athletic Department announced the UNF Athletic Hall of Fame Class of 2016 which features a quartet of standout athletes along with a pair of championship teams and a longtime philanthropic supporter.
Emily Kohler (volleyball), Gary McCall (men's soccer), Lyn Ann Nelson (swimming) and Chris Sneed (men's basketball) headline the list of individual student-athlete selections, while donors Mr. and Mrs. George Hodges, Jr., along with the 2000 and 2001 Ospreys Baseball teams round out the newest group of honorees to the Hall.
The Hall of Fame induction ceremony is scheduled for Saturday, Feb. 20 at the UNF Student Union 3rd Floor Ballroom and will begin at 11:30 a.m. Tickets to the event are $25 per person and are available by contacting UNF Associate Athletic Director of Development, Eric Nappy -- (904) 620-5036 or eric.nappy@unf.edu.
"Hall of Fame weekend is always an event that our staff and alumni look forward to every year," said UNF Athletic Director Lee Moon. "This year we are excited to have our Hall of Fame ceremony included in the University's annual Homecoming festivities. The Hall of Fame is our opportunity to recognize, highlight and celebrate the best of the best in North Florida athletic history. The committee continues selecting classes that honor the greats of our past, who paved the way for our current successes and our future accomplishments. We look forward to welcoming the honorees and their families along with alumni and fans back to campus for this memorable event."
A standout volleyball player from 2003-06, Kohler received honorable mention All-America honors as a sophomore while also garnering AVCA All-South Region and All-Peach Belt Conference accolades. As a junior, she became one of UNF's first All-Atlantic Sun honorees after being named all-conference in volleyball as well as tallying all-conference distinction in indoor and outdoor track and field. Kohler was named the Outstanding Field Performer at the A-Sun Outdoor Championship in 2006. She ranks among the program's all-time leaders in several categories including block assists, attack percentage and kills. Additionally, Kohler was an outstanding student earning Academic Honor Roll recognition from both the Peach Belt Conference and the Atlantic Sun Conference.
A member of UNF's first men's soccer team, McCall was a key performer on the pitch for the Ospreys from 1991-94. A two-time NAIA All-District honoree during his career, McCall collected NSCAA/UMBRO All-South Region third-team honors in 1993. During his career, UNF boasted a 41-28-2 record highlighted by three seasons of 10 or more victories including twice tallying a program record 12 wins.
Nelson, a member of the Osprey swim team from 2007-10, becomes the first swimming inductee into the UNF Athletic Hall of Fame. The owner of a program high seven school records during her career, Nelson was named Coastal Collegiate Swimming Association All-Conference nine times, including four times in both 2009 and 2010. The individual champion in the 200m freestyle in both 2008 and 2009, she also claimed the 500m freestyle in 2010. Her strong performances helped lead North Florida to the best conference finish in program history (4th) and she is listed on the CCSA all-time Top 10 times in five events.
A member of the inaugural men's basketball team, Sneed was a standout hardwood performer for UNF from 1992-96. A two-time All-Sunshine State Conference honoree, Sneed was the program's first 1,000-Point scorer finishing with 1,122 career points. He is the all-time career leader with 889 rebounds, while also holding the program record of 8.2 rebounds per game. Sneed, who posted the first and only 20-rebound performance in program history against Edward Waters in 1993, led the team in rebounding for four consecutive seasons. His 264 rebounds as a sophomore are still the benchmark for the program. Sneed finished his career with a .669 shooting percentage highlighted by the single season UNF record of .705 in 1994-95.
The 2000 and 2001 North Florida Baseball teams advanced to back-to-back NCAA Division II College World Series. The 2000 Ospreys finished with a program DII best 49-14 record en route to claiming the South Atlantic Regional Championship and the Peach Belt Conference championship. The team spent a good portion of the year ranked No. 1 nationally and collected wins over DI programs Michigan, Notre Dame, Central Michigan and Stetson. The team produced a school-record five All-Americans with Matt Incinelli earning South Region Pitcher of the Year honors and head coach Dusty Rhodes being named South Region Coach of the Year. Four players on the 2000 team were picked in the MLB First Year Player Draft. The 2001 squad boasted a 47-17 record highlighted by wins over DI programs Ohio State and Gardner Webb. The Ospreys ranked No. 2 nationally most of the season while claiming Peach Belt and South Atlantic Regional titles. The roster boasted a pair of All-Americans including South Region Pitcher of the Year, Todd Ewasko. Rhodes earned another South Atlantic Region Coach of the Year accolade while helping to develop multiple all-conference and all-region honorees. The two squads also produced over 20 Peach Belt Conference Presidential Honor Roll members.
The Hodges family has been longtime philanthropic supporters of not only UNF Athletics and the Osprey Club but also the University as a whole. Namesakes of North Florida's soccer and track & field facility, Hodges Stadium, the couple donated $2 million for the construction and enhancements of the building. The Hodges were also major donors, giving $100,000, toward the Browning Rehab Center at Hodges Stadium. The philanthropy of the Hodges family is not just limited to UNF as they are yearly contributors to The Bolles School, have donated land to the Jacksonville Fraternal Order of Police and have made multiple major gifts to the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn.
The 2015 UNF Hall of Fame Inductees
Emily Kohler (Volleyball, 2003-06)
"It feels very special to be inducted to the UNF Hall of Fame, and I owe a lot of my success to my teammates."
- Honorable mention All-American (2004)
- Garnered AVCA All-South Region and All-Peach Belt Conference (2004)
- Earned All-Atlantic Sun first-team honors (2005)
- Academic Honor Roll honoree for both the Peach Belt and Atlantic Sun
- Played in 132 matches finishing with 258 blocks assists and 1,276 kills
- Posted one of the top single season attack percentages (.414) in 2004
- Hit a program record .824 in four-set match against Augusta State in 2003
- Named the Outstanding Field Performer in the 2005 Atlantic Sun Outdoor Track & Field Championship
- Collected a pair of Atlantic Sun All-Conference honors for indoor and outdoor track and field
Gary McCall (Men's Soccer, 1991-94)
"I am honored and delighted to be inducted into the UNF Hall of Fame in the Class of 2016, and to join some of the pivotal and legendary members is a truly humbling experience. I recall the summer of 1991, when the first UNF men's soccer team was formed and I was lucky enough to captain it as a freshman. We were proud to be founders of the soccer program and represent Osprey Athletics. Our real strength was our sense of unity and dedication to each other, a trait which was vital and remains equally as important today. Indeed, I am delighted to see that the unity and dedication is still apparent in the current men's soccer team. I congratulate them for the fantastic achievement of winning this year's A-Sun title. Go Ospreys!"
- NSCAA/UMBRO All-South Region (1993 – 3rd Team)
- NAIA All-District (1992 – 1st Team)
- NAIA All-District (1991 – 2nd Team)
- Team Record while on team: 41-28-2 (.592)
- Three seasons of 10 or more wins (1992, 1993, 1994), including two seasons with school record 12 wins (1992, 1994)
Lyn Ann Nelson (Swimming, 2007-10)
"Being inducted into the Hall of Fame is a phenomenal honor, I am truly grateful to be a part of such a decorated class."
- Owns more school records than any UNF swimmer having posted seven in her career (100 Free, 200 Free, 500 Free, 1,000 Free, 1650 Free, 200 Free Relay & 400 Medley Relay).
- 2008 CCSA All-Conference selection (200 Free)
- 2009 CCSA All-Conference selection (100 Free, 200 Free, 500 Free, 400 Medley)
- 2010 CCSA All-Conference selection (200 Free, 500 Free, 1650 Free, 800 Free Relay)
- Named CCSA Swimmer of the week in 2009-10, three times
- CCSA Event Champion in 200 Free (2008 & 2009) and 500 Free (2010)
- Listed five times in CCSA Top 10 all-time performances
- Led North Florida to program's highest finish in CCSA Championships (4th)
Chris Sneed (Men's Basketball, 1992-96)
- Two-time All-Sunshine State Conference honoree (1995-96, 2nd team | 1994-95, honorable mention)
- First 1,000-Point scorer in program history finishing with 1,122 points
- All-time leader in rebounds with 889 and rebounding average with 8.2 rebounds per game
- Posted first 20-rebound game in UNF history vs Edward Waters (1/18/93)
- Team's leading rebounder in all four seasons of his career
- Collected UNF single season record of 264 rebounds in 1993-94
- Finished career with program record .669 shooting percentage
- Shot a program single-season record 70.5% from the floor in 1994-95
- Owns top three single season shooting percentages in UNF history
- Led team in blocked shots for three seasons
Mr. and Mrs. George Hodges, Jr. (Longtime Supporters)
- Longtime philanthropic supporters of UNF Athletics and the Osprey Club
- Donated $2 million for construction/enhancements of Hodges Stadium, home of UNF soccer and track & field programs
- Committed $100,000 towards the Browning Rehab Center
2000 & 2001 UNF Baseball teams
2000 Accomplishments:
- 49-14 Overall Record, most wins in school's Division II era (1994-2005), third most in the country
- Advanced to the program's third College World Series
- NCAA Division II South Atlantic Regional Champions
- Peach Belt Conference Championship
- Spent most of the season as the No. 1 team in the country
- Defeated D-1 opponents, Michigan, Notre Dame, Central Michigan & Stetson
- .972 fielding percentage was the highest in school history until 2015
2001 Accomplishments:
-Overall record of 47-17, seventh most wins in the country
- Appeared in the College World Series for second-straight year, finished thrid
- Won Peach Belt Conference Championship for third consecutive year
- Won NCAA Division II South Atlantic Championship for second-straight year
- Hosted NCAA Division II South Atlantic Regionals for second-straight year
- National Ranking of No. 2 for most of the season
- Defeated Division I opponents, Ohio State and Gardner Webb
Emily Kohler (volleyball), Gary McCall (men's soccer), Lyn Ann Nelson (swimming) and Chris Sneed (men's basketball) headline the list of individual student-athlete selections, while donors Mr. and Mrs. George Hodges, Jr., along with the 2000 and 2001 Ospreys Baseball teams round out the newest group of honorees to the Hall.
The Hall of Fame induction ceremony is scheduled for Saturday, Feb. 20 at the UNF Student Union 3rd Floor Ballroom and will begin at 11:30 a.m. Tickets to the event are $25 per person and are available by contacting UNF Associate Athletic Director of Development, Eric Nappy -- (904) 620-5036 or eric.nappy@unf.edu.
"Hall of Fame weekend is always an event that our staff and alumni look forward to every year," said UNF Athletic Director Lee Moon. "This year we are excited to have our Hall of Fame ceremony included in the University's annual Homecoming festivities. The Hall of Fame is our opportunity to recognize, highlight and celebrate the best of the best in North Florida athletic history. The committee continues selecting classes that honor the greats of our past, who paved the way for our current successes and our future accomplishments. We look forward to welcoming the honorees and their families along with alumni and fans back to campus for this memorable event."
A standout volleyball player from 2003-06, Kohler received honorable mention All-America honors as a sophomore while also garnering AVCA All-South Region and All-Peach Belt Conference accolades. As a junior, she became one of UNF's first All-Atlantic Sun honorees after being named all-conference in volleyball as well as tallying all-conference distinction in indoor and outdoor track and field. Kohler was named the Outstanding Field Performer at the A-Sun Outdoor Championship in 2006. She ranks among the program's all-time leaders in several categories including block assists, attack percentage and kills. Additionally, Kohler was an outstanding student earning Academic Honor Roll recognition from both the Peach Belt Conference and the Atlantic Sun Conference.
A member of UNF's first men's soccer team, McCall was a key performer on the pitch for the Ospreys from 1991-94. A two-time NAIA All-District honoree during his career, McCall collected NSCAA/UMBRO All-South Region third-team honors in 1993. During his career, UNF boasted a 41-28-2 record highlighted by three seasons of 10 or more victories including twice tallying a program record 12 wins.
Nelson, a member of the Osprey swim team from 2007-10, becomes the first swimming inductee into the UNF Athletic Hall of Fame. The owner of a program high seven school records during her career, Nelson was named Coastal Collegiate Swimming Association All-Conference nine times, including four times in both 2009 and 2010. The individual champion in the 200m freestyle in both 2008 and 2009, she also claimed the 500m freestyle in 2010. Her strong performances helped lead North Florida to the best conference finish in program history (4th) and she is listed on the CCSA all-time Top 10 times in five events.
A member of the inaugural men's basketball team, Sneed was a standout hardwood performer for UNF from 1992-96. A two-time All-Sunshine State Conference honoree, Sneed was the program's first 1,000-Point scorer finishing with 1,122 career points. He is the all-time career leader with 889 rebounds, while also holding the program record of 8.2 rebounds per game. Sneed, who posted the first and only 20-rebound performance in program history against Edward Waters in 1993, led the team in rebounding for four consecutive seasons. His 264 rebounds as a sophomore are still the benchmark for the program. Sneed finished his career with a .669 shooting percentage highlighted by the single season UNF record of .705 in 1994-95.
The 2000 and 2001 North Florida Baseball teams advanced to back-to-back NCAA Division II College World Series. The 2000 Ospreys finished with a program DII best 49-14 record en route to claiming the South Atlantic Regional Championship and the Peach Belt Conference championship. The team spent a good portion of the year ranked No. 1 nationally and collected wins over DI programs Michigan, Notre Dame, Central Michigan and Stetson. The team produced a school-record five All-Americans with Matt Incinelli earning South Region Pitcher of the Year honors and head coach Dusty Rhodes being named South Region Coach of the Year. Four players on the 2000 team were picked in the MLB First Year Player Draft. The 2001 squad boasted a 47-17 record highlighted by wins over DI programs Ohio State and Gardner Webb. The Ospreys ranked No. 2 nationally most of the season while claiming Peach Belt and South Atlantic Regional titles. The roster boasted a pair of All-Americans including South Region Pitcher of the Year, Todd Ewasko. Rhodes earned another South Atlantic Region Coach of the Year accolade while helping to develop multiple all-conference and all-region honorees. The two squads also produced over 20 Peach Belt Conference Presidential Honor Roll members.
The Hodges family has been longtime philanthropic supporters of not only UNF Athletics and the Osprey Club but also the University as a whole. Namesakes of North Florida's soccer and track & field facility, Hodges Stadium, the couple donated $2 million for the construction and enhancements of the building. The Hodges were also major donors, giving $100,000, toward the Browning Rehab Center at Hodges Stadium. The philanthropy of the Hodges family is not just limited to UNF as they are yearly contributors to The Bolles School, have donated land to the Jacksonville Fraternal Order of Police and have made multiple major gifts to the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn.
The 2015 UNF Hall of Fame Inductees
Emily Kohler (Volleyball, 2003-06)
"It feels very special to be inducted to the UNF Hall of Fame, and I owe a lot of my success to my teammates."
- Honorable mention All-American (2004)
- Garnered AVCA All-South Region and All-Peach Belt Conference (2004)
- Earned All-Atlantic Sun first-team honors (2005)
- Academic Honor Roll honoree for both the Peach Belt and Atlantic Sun
- Played in 132 matches finishing with 258 blocks assists and 1,276 kills
- Posted one of the top single season attack percentages (.414) in 2004
- Hit a program record .824 in four-set match against Augusta State in 2003
- Named the Outstanding Field Performer in the 2005 Atlantic Sun Outdoor Track & Field Championship
- Collected a pair of Atlantic Sun All-Conference honors for indoor and outdoor track and field
Gary McCall (Men's Soccer, 1991-94)
"I am honored and delighted to be inducted into the UNF Hall of Fame in the Class of 2016, and to join some of the pivotal and legendary members is a truly humbling experience. I recall the summer of 1991, when the first UNF men's soccer team was formed and I was lucky enough to captain it as a freshman. We were proud to be founders of the soccer program and represent Osprey Athletics. Our real strength was our sense of unity and dedication to each other, a trait which was vital and remains equally as important today. Indeed, I am delighted to see that the unity and dedication is still apparent in the current men's soccer team. I congratulate them for the fantastic achievement of winning this year's A-Sun title. Go Ospreys!"
- NSCAA/UMBRO All-South Region (1993 – 3rd Team)
- NAIA All-District (1992 – 1st Team)
- NAIA All-District (1991 – 2nd Team)
- Team Record while on team: 41-28-2 (.592)
- Three seasons of 10 or more wins (1992, 1993, 1994), including two seasons with school record 12 wins (1992, 1994)
Lyn Ann Nelson (Swimming, 2007-10)
"Being inducted into the Hall of Fame is a phenomenal honor, I am truly grateful to be a part of such a decorated class."
- Owns more school records than any UNF swimmer having posted seven in her career (100 Free, 200 Free, 500 Free, 1,000 Free, 1650 Free, 200 Free Relay & 400 Medley Relay).
- 2008 CCSA All-Conference selection (200 Free)
- 2009 CCSA All-Conference selection (100 Free, 200 Free, 500 Free, 400 Medley)
- 2010 CCSA All-Conference selection (200 Free, 500 Free, 1650 Free, 800 Free Relay)
- Named CCSA Swimmer of the week in 2009-10, three times
- CCSA Event Champion in 200 Free (2008 & 2009) and 500 Free (2010)
- Listed five times in CCSA Top 10 all-time performances
- Led North Florida to program's highest finish in CCSA Championships (4th)
Chris Sneed (Men's Basketball, 1992-96)
- Two-time All-Sunshine State Conference honoree (1995-96, 2nd team | 1994-95, honorable mention)
- First 1,000-Point scorer in program history finishing with 1,122 points
- All-time leader in rebounds with 889 and rebounding average with 8.2 rebounds per game
- Posted first 20-rebound game in UNF history vs Edward Waters (1/18/93)
- Team's leading rebounder in all four seasons of his career
- Collected UNF single season record of 264 rebounds in 1993-94
- Finished career with program record .669 shooting percentage
- Shot a program single-season record 70.5% from the floor in 1994-95
- Owns top three single season shooting percentages in UNF history
- Led team in blocked shots for three seasons
Mr. and Mrs. George Hodges, Jr. (Longtime Supporters)
- Longtime philanthropic supporters of UNF Athletics and the Osprey Club
- Donated $2 million for construction/enhancements of Hodges Stadium, home of UNF soccer and track & field programs
- Committed $100,000 towards the Browning Rehab Center
2000 & 2001 UNF Baseball teams
2000 Accomplishments:
- 49-14 Overall Record, most wins in school's Division II era (1994-2005), third most in the country
- Advanced to the program's third College World Series
- NCAA Division II South Atlantic Regional Champions
- Peach Belt Conference Championship
- Spent most of the season as the No. 1 team in the country
- Defeated D-1 opponents, Michigan, Notre Dame, Central Michigan & Stetson
- .972 fielding percentage was the highest in school history until 2015
2001 Accomplishments:
-Overall record of 47-17, seventh most wins in the country
- Appeared in the College World Series for second-straight year, finished thrid
- Won Peach Belt Conference Championship for third consecutive year
- Won NCAA Division II South Atlantic Championship for second-straight year
- Hosted NCAA Division II South Atlantic Regionals for second-straight year
- National Ranking of No. 2 for most of the season
- Defeated Division I opponents, Ohio State and Gardner Webb
| 2000 Roster | 2001 Roster |
| Kyle Catrett Victor Caban Jeff Stockton Greg Labbe Mike Wood Jesse Collins Kevin Kay Lee McCool Justin Newbern Dan Roszel Adam Horne Todd Piersol Ryan McDonald Erik Brown Brian Rapp Travis Edwards Darien McMillan Brent Suriano Matt Incinelli Jerrod Payne Brian Rauch Cory Caplinger David Draksler Barry Marquart Adam Brown Marc DeLaughter Tod Ewasko Steve Palinkas Nick Steppe Brian Fleetwood |
Ryan Knight Greg Labbe Mike Wood Jesse Collins Ricky Willis Alden Watson Erik Brown Brian Rapp Justin Newbern Adam Horne Todd Piersol Ryan McDonald Kyle Aylor Brent Suriano Matt Incinelli Scott Bridges Brian Rauch Brian Kolke Phil Gaby Barry Marquart Chuck Mink Ryan Soehlig Tod Ewasko Justin Fuller Steve Palinkas Nick Steppe Ben Johanning Aaron Titkemeier |
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