15 New Members Selected for Ohio State Athletics Hall of Fame – Ohio State Buckeyes
6/20/2000 12:00:00 AM | General
June 20, 2000
COLUMBUS, Ohio – The Men’s and Women’s Varsity “O” Associations have selected a total of 15 former Ohio State athletes for induction into the Ohio State Athletics Hall of Fame. This year’s class, which is comprised of eight males and seven females, will be inducted the weekend of Sept. 15-16 in Columbus as part of the festivities surrounding the Ohio State-Miami (Ohio) football game.
Three football players are in the men’s group, including two-time All-America linebacker Chris Spielman, winner of the 1987 Lombardi Award. Keith Byars, a 1984 All-America tailback selection, and 1945 All-America fullback Ollie Cline round out the list of gridiron honorees.
Basketball standout Dave Sorenson, who helped lead the 1968 Buckeyes to the Final Four, Olympic Diver Kent Vosler, and All-Americans Paul Hartman (lacrosse), William Hunt (fencing) and Chris Smith (golf) complete the list of male inductees.
The women’s class features Laura Davis Johnson, the 1994 National Volleyball Player of the Year, and Carrie Irish Finneran, a four-time All-America diver for the Buckeyes in the late 1970s.
Basketball standouts Nikita Lowry and June Brewer Daugherty also were selected for enshrinement. Lowry was a first-team All-America pick and the Big Ten’s MVP in 1989. Daugherty was a finalist for the Wade Award as the top player in college basketball as a senior in 1978.
All-America swimmer Gail Armstrong, a seven-time Big Ten champion, All-America fencer DeAnn Dobesh Clark and pitcher/infielder Krinon Clark Moccia, OSU’s only two-time softball All-America, complete the class of 2000.
All 15 members will be officially inducted on Sept. 15. The men’s induction ceremony will take place at the Woody Hayes Athletic Center, while the women’s ceremony will be held at the University Plaza Hotel on Olentangy River Road. The entire group will be introduced at halftime of the Ohio State-Miami game on Sept. 16.
Additionally, longtime men’s basketball trainer Mike Bordner, who will retire this August, has been awarded an Honorary Varsity “O” by the men’s association. Bordner also will be recognized during the Hall of Fame weekend in September.
This is the 24th year for the Men’s Hall of Fame, which was started in 1977, and the eighth year for the Women, who took in their first class in 1993.
Ohio State Men’s Inductees
Keith Byars
Football
Keith Byars, a four-year letterman between 1982-85 and the 1985 team co-captain, was one of Ohio State’s all-time great tailbacks. A first-team All-American and the Big Ten Most Valuable Player as a junior in 1984, Byars finished as the runner-up that season for the Heisman Trophy after rushing for a then school-record 1,764 yards and 22 touchdowns. He led the nation in rushing, scoring (144 points) and all-purpose yards (2,441) that season while leading the Buckeyes to a Big Ten championship and the Rose Bowl. That year, in one of the truly marvelous games by a Buckeye, Byars rushed for a then-school record 274 yards and tied the school record with five touchdowns in a 45-38 come-from-behind win over Illinois. An injured foot hampered Byars’ efforts as a senior. He still ranks fourth on the all-time OSU rushing list with 3,200 yards.
Keith Byars Highlights
Four-year Varsity O letterman, 1982-85
Heisman Trophy runner-up, 1984
Team co-captain, 1985
Set school records for season (1,764) and single game (274) rushing yards, 1984
First-team All-American, 1984
Big Ten Most Valuable Player, 1984
Led the nation in rushing, scoring (22 touchdowns) and all-purpose yards, 1984
Big Ten Championship and Rose Bowl team, 1984
Ranks fourth at OSU with 3,200 rushing yards
Had distinguished, 15-year NFL career
Ollie Cline
Football
Ollie Cline was a three-year Varsity O letterwinner who played on powerful Ohio State football teams between 1944-47. In 1944, his blocking helped Les Horvath become the school’s first Heisman Trophy winner and the Buckeyes won the 1944 Big Ten Championship with an undefeated, 9-0 record and a No. 2 final ranking (behind Army) in the final Associated Press poll. The next season, Cline rushed for 936 yards and scored nine touchdowns in 1945 and was named an All-American and the Big Ten Conference’s Most Valuable Player as the Buckeyes went 7-2 and finished third in the Big Ten. He also led the Buckeyes in rushing in 1947.
Ollie Cline Highlights
Three-year Varsity O letterwinner, 1944-45, 1947
Part of unbeaten, Big Ten championship team (9-0), 1944
All-American, 1945
Big Ten Most Valuable Performer, 1945
Rushed for 936 yards and nine touchdowns in 1945
Helped the Buckeyes to a three-year mark of 18-8-2
Paul Hartman
Lacrosse
Paul Hartman was a star player and coach. He was the first Buckeye All-American in the programs history in 1957. That year he led the team in scoring with 43 points and in goals with 38 and he was named all-Midwest Lacrosse League for his efforts. His 38 goals scored that season was an OSU single season record that stood for six years. It is currently the ninth-highest total in school history. A three-year letterwinner between 1955-57, Hartman was team captain in 1957. He was OSU’s head coach between 1961-66 and still has the most wins of any coach in school history. His teams went 57-35-2, including a 40-8 mark between 1964-66. The 1966 team was 14-0 and is still the only team in OSU history to go unbeaten over a season.
Paul Hartman Highlights
Three-year Varsity O letterwinner, 1955-57
Team captain, 1957
OSU’s first lacrosse All-American, 1957
All-Midwestern Lacrosse Association, 1957
Honorable-mention all-MLA, 1956
OSU lacrosse coach, 1961-66
Holds OSU coaching record with 57 victories
Coached OSU’s only unbeaten team (14-0), 1966
William Hunt
Fencing
William Hunt was a member of Ohio State’s 1942 NCAA championship winning fencing team. A Varsity O letterman, Hunt was also an All-American in the sabre category in 1942.
William Hunt Highlights
Varsity O letterwinner
NCAA All-American in sabre, 1942
Helped OSU win NCAA fencing championship, 1942
Chris Smith
Golf
Four-year letterman Chris Smith had a distinguished career as a golfer between 1988-91. Four times named all-Big Ten Conference, this two-time team captain distinguished himself even further by winning medallist honors at the 1990 Big Ten championships – one of seven collegiate tournaments he won – and by being named a first-team All-American in 1991. Twice he helped the Buckeyes win Big Ten Conference team championships.
Chris Smith Highlights
Two-time team captain, 1990-91
Member of two Big Ten Conference championship teams, 1989-90
Four-time Varsity O letterwinner, 1988-91
Four times named all-Big Ten Conference, 1988-91
First-team All-American, 1991
Big Ten champion, 1990
Les Bolstad Winner (Big Ten’s low stroke average), 1990
Sun Bowl champion, 1990
Won seven intercollegiate tournaments
Holds Kepler Intercollegiate Record (210, -6)
PGA, Canadian and Nike tour professional
Dave Sorenson
Basketball
A three-year starter for the Buckeyes, Dave Sorenson led Ohio State in scoring and rebounding as a junior (23.6 ppg and 10.6 rpg) and again as a senior (24.2 ppg and 9.0 rpg). Team captain as a senior and a three-year Varsity O letterwinner, Sorenson’s distinguished career includes being named honorable mention All-American as a junior in 1969, twice being named all-Big Ten Conference, helping the Buckeyes win the 1968 Big Ten championship and hitting the game-winning basket against Kentucky that sent the Buckeyes into the 1968 NCAA Final Four. He scored 1,622 points, a total that ranked second to Jerry Lucas’ total when Sorenson graduated and is still eighth all-time at OSU. He also grabbed 761 career rebounds, again which ranked second to Lucas at the time and still ranks seventh in OSU history. His career scoring average of 21.1 points per game ranks fifth at OSU and his career 9.9 rebounds per game ranks sixth.
Dave Sorenson Highlights
Three-year Varsity O letterwinner, 1968-70
Team captain, 1970
Two-time team Most Valuable Performer, 1969-70
NCAA Southeast Regional Most Outstanding Performer, 1968
Ranks eighth at OSU with 1622 points and seventh with 761 rebounds
Twice named all-Big Ten Conference, 1969-70
Career averages of 21.1 ppg and 9.9 rpg rank fifth and sixth, respectively, at OSU
Starting center on Big Ten championship and Final Four team, 1968
Chris Spielman
Football
One of the all-time great middle linebackers in not only Ohio State but also in college football history, Chris Spielman played and respected the sport of football with a passion unlike anyone else. The four-time Varsity O honoree (1984-87) was also a two-time All-American linebacker for the Buckeyes, a three-time All-Big Ten Conference selection, a Lombardi Award winner and a team captain and Most Valuable performer. When his OSU days were over Spielman had set a new record for career solo tackles (283) and he collected 546 total tackles to rank third all-time. He recorded 205 tackles as a junior in 1986 including a school record 105 solo stops. He tied the school record with 29 tackles against Michigan that year. Spielman played on two Big Ten championship teams and was the defensive MVP in the 1987 Cotton Bowl.
Chris Spielman Highlights
Four-time Varsity O letterwinner, 1984-87
Team co-captain, 1987
Lombardi Award winner, 1987
Two-time All-American, 1986-87
Three-time All-Big Ten Conference performer, 1985-87
Recorded OSU record 283 solo tackles
OSU record holder for single game tackles (29) and season solo stops (105), 1986
Ranks third with 546 total tackles
Part of two-Big Ten championship teams, 1984, 1986
Played 12 years in the NFL
Kent Vosler
Diving
Kent Vosler was one of the premier divers in the world in the mid-to-late 1970s. A four-year letterwinner, Vosler earned All-America honors all four years at the NCAA championships with high finishes of second on the one-meter springboard event (1977) and third on the three-meter springboard (1974). He helped the Buckeyes capture two Top 10 finishes at the NCAA championships and two Top 15 finishes as well as a second-place finish at the 1978 Big Ten championships. He starred at the National AAU meets as well, winning four gold medals on the 10-meter platform. Internationally, he captured gold medals on the 10-meter event eight different times in competitions around the world and against the very best divers in the world. Vosler dove in the 1976 Summer Olympics in Montreal, capturing fourth on the 10-meter platform. He competed at the 1980 Olympic Trials, but the United States did not send a team to the Soviet Union for those games. Vosler also made the 1975 Pan American team and won a bronze medal, again on the 10-meter event. A four-year OSU Scholar-Athlete, Vosler is now a doctor of osteopathic medicine. He was coached at various times by OSU Hall of Famers Ron O’Brien, Vince Panzano and Hobie Billingsley.
Kent Vosler Highlights
Four-year Varsity O letterwinner, 1974-75, 1977-78
NCAA All-American all four seasons, 1974-75, 1977-78
Member of the U.S. Olympic team, 1976
Fourth at the 1976 Olympics on the 10-meter platform
Competed at Olympic Trials, 1980
Bronze Medal winner, 1975 Pan American Games
Won eight international gold medals on the 10-meter platform
Won two international gold medals on the three-meter springboard
Ohio State Women’s Inductees
Gail Armstrong
1985-88
Swimming
All-America selection in 1985 … Seven-time Big Ten Champion … Claimed the 100-yard butterfly in the Big Ten championships for four consecutive years (1985-88) … Added the 200 butterfly to her list of accomplishments in 1987 … Participated as one-fourth of the Big Ten championship 400 medley relay teams in 1985 and ’86 … Four-time all-Big Ten selection (1985-88) … Still holds the OSU record in the 100 butterfly with a time of :55.33 established 12 years ago.
DeAnn Dobesh Clark
Fencing
1986-89
Buckeyes mounted a record of 79-18 in her four-years as a letterwinner … First team All-America in 1986 … Second team honoree in ’87 and ’88 … Earned three Top 10 finishes in the NCAA Championships … Claimed two second-place finishes in the Big Ten Championships (1986, 1987) … Once the championships came under the sponsorship of the Midwest Collegiate Conference, Dobesh earned two individuals titles (1988, 1989) … Steered the Buckeyes to a 20-1 record, the league and NCAA regional championships in her final campaign … Junior National Champion in 1986 … Junior Olympic National Champion in 1987 … Selected OSU Fencer of the Decade in 1990 … Currently Vice President, Compensation & Benefits, FINOVA.
June Brewer Daugherty
Basketball
1974-78
Four-time letterwinner … Member of Big Ten championship teams in 1977 and 1978 … Captained the latter squad … All-American and Wade Trophy finalist in her final campaign … Ranks 16th on the career scoring list with 1,137 points and after 22 seasons still is fourth in career rebounds (829) … Owns the single game record for blocks, rejecting 12 vs. Michigan State in February 1976 … Entering fifth season as head coach at Washington … Head coach at Boise State from 1989-96 where she earned two Big Sky conference regular-season championships (1992,’94) … League’s co-coach of the year in 1994 … Had stops as an assistant at Stanford (1985-89) and Kent (1983-85).
Laura Davis Johnson
Volleyball
1991-94
Four-year letterwinner … Only player in the history of the program to be honored as the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) National Player of the Year in 1994 … Secured the Honda Sports Award in the same season … AVCA two-time first team All-American … Gained All-America laurels as well from Asics/Volleyball in ’94 … 1994-95 Big Ten Suzy Favor Female Athlete of the Year and the Ohio State Female Athlete of the Year … Four-time all-Big Ten honoree … 1991 Big Ten Freshman of the Year … Two-year co-captain who guided the Buckeyes to 104-22 record during her stay, including their first two NCAA national semifinal appearances … Career leader in assists (5,483) and assists per game (12.87) … Two-time Academic all-Big Ten choice … A competitor in 17 major international competitions as a member of the USA Volleyball … Currently training for a spot on the U.S. Olympic Women’s Volleyball Team.
Carrie Irish Finneran
Diving
1975-80
Only one of three Buckeye divers to earn All-America laurels four times in her career … A seven-time champion, competing on both the one- and three-meter boards … Posted an undefeated campaign in 1975 en route to claiming AIAW and Big Ten titles in the one- and three-meter … One-meter AIAW champion in 1976 … Three-meter Big Ten champion in 1978 and ’79 … Competed internationally for more than six years … OSU’s “Carrie Irish Finneran Award” was established because she was the first woman to dive four complete years … Currently working for IBM.
Nikita Lowry
Basketball
1986-89
Kodak First Team All-American, 1989 … Chicago Tribune Silver Basketball MVP Honoree, 1989 … Two-time first team all-Big Ten selection, 1988, 1989 … Second team selection in ’87 … Member of three Big Ten Championship teams (1986,’87,’89) … Participated in four NCAA Tournaments, advancing to the regional finals in 1987 … Twice selected the Buckeyes’ Most Valuable Player (1988, ’89) … Paced the Big Ten Conference as a junior and reserve in scoring (23.7 ppg), field goal percentage (.616), and steals (3.1 spg), and co-led in the rebounding column (8.4 rpg) … Ranks sixth on the all-time scoring ladder (1,746) … Competed internationally as a member of the USA Basketball Jones Cup and Junior National Team in 1987 … Two stints on the Select Team (1988, 1990), and the World University Games squad in 1989 … Served as an assistant coach one season at Michigan … Spent three seasons as an assistant at Ohio State before securing the top coaching position at Detroit Mercy … Currently enjoys a career in marketing in her hometown of Detroit, Mich.
Krinon Clark Moccia
1991-94
Softball (P/1B)
Softball’s only two-time All-America selection (1993, ’94) … Regional All-America choice in ’94 … Four-time all-Big Ten honoree … All-Great Lakes Region pick 1992-94 … Paced the Buckeyes two years running in batting average in 1993 (.392) and ’94 (.377) … Closed collegiate career as a record-holder in seven offensive categories … Owns career records in doubles (58), triples (17) and walks (118) … Currently a veterinarian and captain in the United States Army.
