Spanning parts of five decades, a class of five individuals entered the »¨¼¾´«Ã½ Athletics Hall of Fame on Saturday. Joe Hada '72, Trista (VanGuilder) Flanagan '94, Darren Nelson '02, Jon Hatfield '06 and Marian (Bevington) Heitkamp '13 make up the 38th induction class of the Hall of Fame.
Hada, one of the first national qualifiers in the history of the wrestling program, entered the Hall of Fame under the newly redefined Career Distinction and Dedication designation. After a storied career as a high school wrestling coach at Mentor High School, Hada returned to his alma mater and served as a volunteer coach. In that capacity, he steered a number of talented wrestlers to »¨¼¾´«Ã½, including Joe Pflug '09, the 2006 national champion at 157 pounds.
With her name popping up throughout the Women's Soccer record book, Flanagan was a key member of the powerhouse teams of the early 1990s. She holds the program record for career points (200) and goals (76) and is third in assists (48). Flanagan was an All-American in 1993 and was a two-time first team all-conference selection.
Nelson's accolades as a member of the »¨¼¾´«Ã½ Track & Field Team are remarkable. He was an All-American (twice), the OAC's most outstanding field athlete (twice), an OAC Champion (twice), an All-OAC honoree (nine times), and a USTFCCCA All-Academic honoree (twice). At the 2000 NCAA Division III Indoor Championships, Nelson cleared 6-8 in the high jump, tying for third. At the 2002 NCAA Division III Outdoor Championships, he took fourth in the Decathlon with 6,563 points -- setting a »¨¼¾´«Ã½ record that still stands.
As the »¨¼¾´«Ã½ Baseball program soared to unprecedented heights in the 00s under the leadership of then-Head Coach Matt Palm, Hatfield was one of the main weapons. He was the first of 16 All-Americans in the Palm Era, and was the program's second OAC Player of the Year honoree. A career .352 hitter, Hatfield was a three-time First Team All-OAC honoree.
Enshrined for her prowess in both track & field and volleyball, Heitkamp becomes just the third hall of famer from the 2010s. On the track, Heitkamp was a three-time All-American long jumper, placing eighth in 2010 and 2012, and finishing seventh in 2013. Still holding on to three program records, she was a three-time OAC champion and an 18-time All-OAC finisher. On the volleyball court, Heitkamp was a two-time AVCA All-American and three-time All-OAC honoree. She remains third in career kills (1,414) and third in career blocks (444).
Congratulations to all five of the newest Athletic Hall of Fame members!