St. Mary’s College of Maryland Director of Athletics and Recreation Scott Devine announced Monday morning the Athletic Hall of Fame Class of 2016. This year’s class features eight worthy individuals – the largest class in the 26-year history of the Hall of Fame.
Four of the newest eight members – Tyson Lesesne ’08 (Edgewood, Md.), Emily (Smithson) Moore ’09 (Richmond, Va.),David Mueller ’06 (Baltimore, Md.), and Briana McDowell Porter ’09 (Doylestown, Pa.) – will be inducted into the Hall of Fame on Friday, September 30, as part of the 2016 Hawktoberfest at Family Weekend festivities — a St. Mary’s Homecoming of sorts. The induction ceremony will be held on campus at Daugherty-Palmer Commons.
The other four inductees – sailors Timothy Healy ’95 (Niantic, Conn.), Mark Ivey ’99 (Huntington Beach, Calif.), Anthony Kotoun ’00 (St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands), and Scott Nixon ’92 (Newport News, Va.) – will have their ceremony onDecember 2 at the annual SMC Varsity Sailing Team Alumni Regatta for the Stephen P. Sparkman Trophy, more familiarly known amongst alumni as the Possum Bowl.
Devine stated, “This is an outstanding class of Hall of Fame inductees, both in terms of quality and quantity. Being named to the Seahawk Hall of Fame is truly the highest honor the athletic department can bestow upon a former student-athlete. As one would expect, standards to be voted into our Hall of Fame are extremely high. This is a permanent recognition of the tremendous athletic career and amazing contribution each of these individuals made to Seahawk athletics and to St. Mary’s College of Maryland.”
“I look forward to seeing our newest Hall of Famers, along with their family and friends, back here on campus for the induction ceremonies this fall,” continued Devine.
There will be two Hall of Fame ceremonies this year as Nixon, Kotoun, and Ivey are will attending the 2016 Melges 32 World Championship (Newport, R.I.) while Healy will be competing at the J/70 Worlds (San Francisco, Calif.).
“I see the amazing accomplishments each of these tremendous Seahawks have accomplished both as undergraduates and now as worldwide leaders in the sport of sailing; and simply feel grateful that I was lucky enough to be their coach,” expressed Adam Werblow, St. Mary’s head sailing coach.
The Hall of Fame used to be celebrated every year starting with the inaugural class in 1990 but following the Class of 2000 induction, the Hall of Fame is now recognized every two years. A brief description of this year’s inductees follows. For more detailed information, please contact Nairem Moran, director of athletic communications, at 240-895-4482 or nmoran@smcm.edu.
Timothy Healy ’95 skippered St. Mary’s first-ever national championship title at the 1993 Intercollegiate Yacht Racing Association Sloop Nationals, the first of 15 national titles for the Seahawks sailing program, and finished his career as a three-time All-American. Since leaving St. Mary’s, Healy has captured the J/24 and J/70 World Championships.
Mark Ivey ’99 was the 1999 ICSA College Sailor of the Year, receiving the Everett Morris Memorial Trophy as a senior, and finished his career as a four-time All-American. Ivey has really shined since leaving St. Mary’s, coaching the Swedish Star class team to a gold medal at the 2012 London Olympics and has picked up a pair of U.S. Sailing National Coach of the Year awards (2009 and 2013).
Anthony Kotoun ’00 led the Seahawks to three national championships in 1999 and 2000 – two ICSA Team Race National Championships and the 2000 ICSA Dinghy National Championship. Along with three national championships, Kotouncollected three All-America awards. After graduation, he has racked up six North American Championships, five national championships, and has over 10 Top-5 finishes at world championships.
Tyson Lesesne ’08 was a three-year letter winner (2005-08) who collected two D3hoops.com All-Middle Atlantic Region Third Team selections in 2006 and 2008 plus three All-CAC awards, including first team nods in 2006 and 2008. A two-year team captain, Lesesne led St. Mary’s in scoring throughout his entire three-year career and left as the program’s second all-time leading scorer with 1,589 points.
Emily (Smithson) Moore ’09 was a four-year starter and 2008 team captain who became only the second player in the history of the field hockey program to earn NFHCA All-America laurels. A two-time all-region and three-time all-conference selection, Moore earned 2008 CAC Co-Player of the Year honors after leading St. Mary’s in scoring with 10 goals and three assists for 23 points.
David Mueller ’06 is the school’s all-time scoring leader with 133 goals, 127 assists, and 260 points. Mueller garnered 2003 CAC Rookie of the Year accolades as well as 2006 honorable mention All-America honors. In addition, he registered four All-CAC selections, including first team picks in 2004 and 2006. Mueller also led Division III in scoring in 2006 with 95 points (47 goals, 48 points).
Scott Nixon ’92 is a world-class sailor who has won 12 championships throughout his illustrious professional career. Nixonhas twice captured the Melges 32 Gold Cup as well as the Melges 32 National Championship. He also has two Farr 30 North American Championships under his belt. At St. Mary’s, Nixon was the first All-American in the Werblow coaching era and finished with two All-America awards.
Briana McDowell Porter ’09 left the St. Mary’s swimming program as one of the most decorated swimmers in school history. A two-time CAC Women’s Swimmer of the Year, Porter was a five-time NCAA All-American with top 10 finishes in her two trips to the national championships in 2007 and 2009. Porter rewrote the annals of Seahawk women’s swimming in 2009 as she set 12 out of a possible 19 school records, holding eight individual and four relay marks.
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