DAHLONEGA — The University of North Georgia Department of Athletics is honored to announce the five outstanding individuals who will be inducted into the Athletics Hall of Fame as its seventh annual class at a luncheon on Saturday, Feb. 4, 2017. Those individuals include Richard Coleman, ('56, baseball), Keisha Hall, ('02, women's basketball), Haines and Carolyn Hill ('56) and Courtney McGuire ('10, softball).
The induction ceremony will take place Saturday, Feb. 4, 2017, at 11:30 a.m., in the university's Dining Hall Banquet Room. Tickets are available for $50 per person, or a table of eight for $500, with guests encouraged to reserve by calling 706-867-3212 or registering online at ungalumni.org/HOF.
Richard Coleman - Baseball - Class of 1956
As a three-year captain for the North Georgia baseball team, Coleman hit .295 at the plate and like so many in the game led the team from behind the plate as a catcher. While his statistics on the field may not have been Hall of Fame numbers, his character, leadership, and generosity off the field have left a far more lasting impact. Coleman was a distinguished member of the Corps of Cadets, served as a Battalion Sergeant Major, and was President of the NCO Club. His financial support helped turn a long time dream into a reality as the baseball and softball programs received a home of their own in Coleman Field House, which opened its doors to both Nighthawk programs in March of 2014.
Keisha Hall - Women's Basketball - Class of 2002
One of the most outstanding all-time players in the tradition-rich women's basketball program, Hall was a two-time All-American at North Georgia. In her time on the hardwood, Hall recorded both the career and single-season records for most steals with 302 career swipes in her three years wearing the Blue and White and 103 steals in her senior season. Hall was just the tenth player in program history to score over 1,000 points in her time in Dahlonega. She still holds two impressive single game records, having made 23 free throws against Cumberland in 2001 and collecting nine steals versus Emmanuel in 2002. Under her four-year leadership at point guard, North Georgia won 109 games capped with a school record 32-4 campaign in 2001-02 that ended with a conference championship and national tournament appearance.
Haines & Carolyn Hill - Philanthropists - Class of 1956
It is hard to put into words what Haines and Carolyn Hill have meant to North Georgia. Haines is one of North Georgia's most distinguished alumni; he served his country as a Colonel in the United States Army, North Georgia as the Commandant of the Corps of Cadets and Professor of Military Science, and locally he served a total of four terms as the Mayor of Dahlonega. Carolyn formerly coached girls' summer league softball in Alexandria, Va. and her love to give back led to the creation of the Haines & Carolyn Hill Endowed softball scholarship. Late, the pair would make another incredibly generous contribution, as the namesakes to the softball stadium. Dedicated in 2010, Haines & Carolyn Hill Stadium is one of the premier softball facilities in the sport and was a major piece of the foundation that led UNG to its first national championship in 2015.
Courtney McGuire - Softball - Class of 2010
One of the best players to ever roam the outfield in Dahlonega, McGuire was named an NFCA All-American in 2009 and was just the second player in program history to be named to the NCAA Division II Softball Championship All-Tournament Team. At the time of her induction, McGuire ranks in the top five in seven different career categories in the established North Georgia record book. The Atlanta native was a catalyst in the lineup on the 2010 squad that won 51 consecutive games, the second-longest streak in the history of collegiate softball. North Georgia went an impressive 175-41 in McGuire's four years on campus with her junior year marking UNG's first Peach Belt Conference Championship and the program's first trip to the NCAA DII Softball Championship.
The induction ceremony will precede a Peach Belt Conference basketball doubleheader against Georgia College set to tip off at 1:30 p.m., in Memorial Hall. The UNG Athletics Hall of Fame class of 2017 will be recognized alongside the 26 previous inductees at halftime of the women's game.
The Hall of Fame ceremony will coincide with UNG's homecoming festivities that fall on the same day. Along with an introduction of the 2017 HOF Class to the Nighthawk Nation, fans will experience performances from the Corps of Cadet's Boars Head Brigade, the Blue Ridge Rifles squad, the UNG Patriot Choir and the Golden Eagle Band, all honoring the military heritage of the institution.
The UNG Athletics Hall of Fame honors individuals who have earned outstanding athletic achievement or made substantial contributions to the university. A nine-member Board of Directors is responsible for operations of the Athletics Hall of Fame and serves as selectors for all honorees, based upon nominations.
Single game tickets for the Hall of Fame basketball doubleheader against Georgia College are available the day of the game at the main entrance to Memorial Hall Gym. Tickets are $6 for adults, $4 for youth and free to all UNG faculty and students with valid UNG ID.
