JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. – Carson-Newman's athletics club executive committee has released the nine individuals up for consideration for induction into the Carson-Newman Athletics Hall of Fame.
Voting is open to all former Carson-Newman athletes, coaches and administrators. It can be done at the following link: https://cneagles.com/HallOfFame/2022HoFBallot
Or by filling at the form linked. Voting will close Oct. 31. BALLOT FORM
A note from those on the executive committee. There are no active female nominees up for consideration to the athletics hall of fame. Nominations are accepted year-round, but close on Aug. 1 of each year. Nominations can be made at: https://www.cneagles.com/HallOfFame/HofNom. The executive committee once again calls attention to this nomination process with an additional call for worthy female nominees.
Individuals who finished their playing careers in May of 2013 or earlier are now eligible for nomination/induction.
The individuals up for consideration are listed below in alphabetical order.
Mike Brady (1993), Baseball; Ron Case (1978-80), Football coach and administrator; Gaines Cox (1993), Baseball; Don Elia (1978-08), wrestling coach; Leonard Guyton (2003), football; Patrick Olare (1993), men's soccer; David Roberts (1987), football; Mark Sweeney (2000), men's golf; Ryan Williams (1996), men's soccer.
Mike Brady (1992) – The 1992 South Atlantic Conference Player of the Year and a first-team All-American catcher, Mike Brady still holds the C-N single-season home record at the time of his nomination. Brady clobbered 22 home runs in 1992. A two-time All-SAC selection, Brady would also set school records for most RBI in a single season (72) and total bases (156), records which have since been broken. He helped C-N to a tournament title in 1992 and an NAIA World Series appearance in 1993.
Ron Case (1978-80) – Carson-Newman's head football coach and athletic director from 1978-80, and linebackers coach for the 1972 national-runner up team, Ron Case carved out a 50-year career coaching football. He helped C-N secure a winning season in 1979 after four consecutive losing campaigns to spark a run of 32 straight winning seasons. Case spent time as an assistant with the University of Richmond, Ole Miss, Vanderbilt, Louisiana State, University of North Carolina and Alabama. As Carson-Newman's AD, he hired hall of fame women's basketball coach Lewis Bivens and nominee Don Elia.
Gaines Cox (1993) – The 1993 South Atlantic Conference Player of the Year, Gaines Cox helped lead C-N to a fifth-place finish at the 1993 NAIA Baseball World Series. In two years, Cox raked in 93 RBI while setting a then C-N single-season hits record with 88 as a senior. Cox helped the Eagles to a regular season SAC title and tournament title as a senior. At the time of graduation, Carson-Newman's 41-win season in 1993 was a school record.
Don Elia (1978-08) - Don Elia guided the Carson-Newman wrestling program to 15 top-twenty finishes and nine top-tens. Since 1980, Carson-Newman qualified no fewer than two wrestlers every year for the NAIA or NCAA Tournaments. Elia had 67 of his wrestlers earn All-American honors, 22 of those have won individual National Championships. He sent a combined total of 35 competitors to the NCAA Championships in C-N's first seven seasons at that level. Coach Elia was inducted into the NAIA Hall of Fame for his contributions to the Eagle wrestling program.
Leonard Guyton (2003) – The 2002 South Atlantic Conference Offensive Player of the Year and the only All-American quarterback in the history of the Carson-Newman football program, Leonard Guyton is one of five Eagles all-time to finish as a finalist for Harlon Hill Trophy, the Division II Heisman. Guyton quarterbacked C-N to a title game appearance in 1999 and an NCAA quarterfinal appearance in 2002. At the time of nomination, he has the second-most passing yards and passing touchdowns in Carson-Newman football history with 4,981 and 41, respectively. He ranks third with 6,626 career yards of total offense.
Patrick Olalere (1993) – The first All-American in the history of the Carson-Newman men's soccer program, Patrick Olalere's name still features prominently in the Eagle soccer record books. In a two-year career, Olalere tallied 83 points, a figure that still ranks third all-time at the time of nomination. His 33 career goals are tied for third all-time, while his 10 game-winners are fourth in program history. He is one of three players in program history to be named an All-American twice.
David Roberts (1987) – A vaunted defensive lineman for three national championships for the Carson-Newman football program in 1983, 1984 and 1986. Roberts earned All-America honors at the conclusion of his senior season and was a two-time All-SAC choice. At the time of nomination, Roberts ranks sixth in program history with 349 career tackles. Playing in a time before sacks were a formalized statistic, Roberts still wracked up 18 and ranks ninth in school history.
Mark Sweeney (2000) – Carson-Newman men's golf's and the South Atlantic Conference's first NCAA/PING All-American, Mark Sweeney was named the league's golfer of the year in 2000. He led Carson-Newman to a regional appearance in Orlando, Fla – the first NCAA berth in program history. Sweeney also brought home first place his senior year at the SAC championships.
Ryan Williams (1996) – One of Carson-Newman men's soccer's all-time great scorers, Williams was a two-time All-SAC selection. Williams' 23-goal senior season still registers as the most prolific scoring year in program history, as do his 55 points from that year. He is second all-time for a career in points (89) and goals (38) while ranking third in assists (23). His four goals against USC Aiken on Oct. 28, 1995 register as the second most in a single-game in program history.
