The University of Akron Athletics
Akron Athletics Announces Class of 2018 Hall of Fame Inductees
August 02 | Football, Men's Basketball, Men's Golf, Men's Soccer, Track & Field, Women's Soccer, Women's Volleyball, Baseball, Hall of Fame
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AKRON, Ohio-- The University of Akron Department of Athletics announced its 44th Annual Varsity "A" Sports Hall of Fame Inductees on Thursday. The Class of 2018 — Jabari Arthur, Kurt Davidson, Caleb Porter, Natalie Sako Switalski, Sinisa Ubiparipovic, Bill Williamson, and Krystin Wilson Ross —will be honored during Homecoming weekend on Saturday, Oct. 6, 2018. The Team of Distinction— the 1971-72 men's basketball team, the Kenneth "Red" Cochrane Meritorious Service Awardees, Mark T. and Cathy Clark, and the Mike Krino Varsity "A" Achievement Awardee, Greta Johnson, will also be honored.
The Akron football game against Miami (Ohio) kicks off at 3:30 p.m. at InfoCision Stadium. The inductees will also be introduced to the crowd during the game.
The seven honorees expand the total in the UA Varsity "A" Hall of Fame to 340 athletes, coaches, and administrators. In addition, there are now 41 Kenneth "Red" Cochrane Meritorious Service Award recipients and 30 Mike Krino Varsity "A" Achievement awardees.
The banquet festivities on October 6 will begin at 10:30 a.m., with a brunch buffet followed by the induction program at 11:30 a.m. The cost of the banquet is $40 per person and $20 for children (12 and under). For further information about the Varsity "A" Hall of Fame, contact Tim Faix at (330) 972-8502 or via email at tfaix@uakron.edu.
2018 HALL OF FAME INDUCTEES
JABARI ARTHUR '07 (Football) – An Honorable Mention All-American and first-team All-MAC selection, Jabari Arthur holds school records for receptions in a game (15), season (86), and career (184); and receiving yards in a game (223) and career (2,653). Arthur resides in Calgary, Canada.
KURT DAVIDSON '08 (Baseball) – A two-time first-team All-MAC selection (2007, 2008), second-team All-MAC (2006) pick, and a 2007 All-Mideast Region second team honoree, Kurt Davidson started every game in his career (201). The Zips' catcher and first baseman was the recipient of the 2006 Joe Thomas Award for the highest batting average. The three-time team MVP (2006, 2007, 2008), Davidson holds the Zips' career records for home runs (41), RBI (180), and total bases (430). He also stands No. 2 in career at-bats (807), No. 3 in hits (253), and No. 3 in doubles (52). Davidson holds two spots on the single-season list for home runs– No. 2 with 12 and No. 8 with 10 home runs. He earned his bachelor's degree in communications in 2009 and started his coaching career at Akron (2009-11). Currently an assistant baseball coach at Walsh, Davidson resides in Canton, Ohio.
CALEB PORTER (Soccer) – The men's soccer head coach (2006-12) for seven seasons, Caleb Porter guided the Zips to five MAC titles. Named the MAC Coach of the Year six times (2007-12) and the NCAA Coach of the Year in 2009, he coached UA to the 2010 national championship title. In 2011, Porter coached the U.S. Under-23 Men's National Team. From 2013-17, Porter coached the MLS Portland Timbers, earning MLS Coach of the Year honors in 2013 and winning the MLS Cup in 2015. He resides in Hilton Head, S.C.
NATALIE SAKO SWITALSKI '07 (Track & Field) – A four-time All-American in the high jump, Natalie Sako earned All-American (2005, 2006, 2007) honors three times during the indoor season and once during the outdoor season (2006). Twice she was the MAC high jump champion (2007, 2008 outdoor). A three-time All-MAC honoree, Sako owns the No. 4 indoor high jump mark and the No. 3 outdoor high jump mark in program history. In 2005, she placed sixth at the NCAA Indoor Championships. The three-time MAC outdoor champion (2005, 2006, 2007), Sako earned a bronze medal competing for Team USA at the 2006 North American, Central American and Caribbean (NACAC) Athletic Association Under-23 Championships. She was. named team's Newcomer of the Year in 2004. Sako resides in Strongsville, Ohio.
SINISA UBIPARIPOVIC '10 (Soccer) – A two-time All-American midfielder, Sinisa Ubiparipovic played two seasons (2004, 2005) under Ken Lolla and one for Caleb Porter (2006) after transferring from University of Illinois-Chicago. In 2004 he started in 12 games action and scored his first goal in a UA uniform to give the Zips a 1-0 lead in an eventual 3-1 win over Ohio State. As Akron was enjoying one of its all-time best seasons with an 18-1-4 record, the 5-9 Ubiparipovic exploded for a team-leading and career-high 17 goals and seven assists to aid the Zips in capturing the MAC regular-season and tournament titles. UA then advanced to the quarterfinals in the NCAA Tournament before falling to Maryland by penalty kicks. Ubiparipovic's performance earned him first-team All-MAC and All-Great Lakes and second-team All-America on the National Soccer Coaches (NSC) team. Although scoring only seven goals and seven assists, Ubiparipovic again led UA in scoring in 2006 as UA compiled a 13-5-1 record en route to MAC co-champions. Named the 2006 MAC Player of the Year and second-team All-American by both the NSC and College Soccer News, Ubiparipovic was selected in the third round by the New York Red Bulls of Major League Soccer, where he played until 2011. He retired from the Indy Eleven in 2017. Ubiparipovic, who resides in Willoughby, Ohio, is in his first season as an assistant coach at Cleveland State.
BILL WILLIAMSON '99 (Golf) – As a four-year letterman during the 1995-99 golf seasons, Bill Williamson earned All-MAC honors as a player and in the classroom. As a freshman, he averaged 77.7 strokes. However, twice he fired season low rounds of 72 at the Seascape and Kent Invitationals and a round of 75 earned him a 22nd finish at the Dayton Invitational. A season later, Williamson lowered his average to 76.4, second best on the team. Three times he shot low rounds of 71, and he finished tied for third at both the Butler and Penn State Invitational for his best finishes. Better yet, Williamson managed to achieve a 3.71 grade point average as a finance major which earned him first-team Academic All-MAC. He repeated that honor in 1997-98 and as a senior would be selected nationally third-team GTE Academic All-American. He produced his best golf his junior season, compiling a career-best 73.7 stroke average that was again second best on the team. His low round of 69 came at the Yale Classic, and he helped UA finish fourth at the MAC Championships that earned him second team All-MAC accolades. He managed an average of 74.9 during his senior campaign and fired his best golf at the Dr. Pepper Intercollegiate in Texas with an even par 216 for a sixth-place finish. In addition, Williamson was the recipient of the MAC Presidential Award, recognizing his academic achievement. He resides in Cincinnati, Ohio.
KRYSTIN WILSON ROSS '08 (Soccer) – As a first-team All-MAC honoree and three-time All-MAC Academic selection, Krystin Wilson Ross became the first athlete from the women's soccer program that began in 2001 to be nominated for the HOF. Wilson earned three letters as UA's goalkeeper from 2005-07. She was the second player in the program's history to be named to the MAC's first team in 2007 and was the first since 2003. Wilson closed out her three-year career as the program's leader in saves (213), goals against average (1.15), shutouts (18) and wins (21). She also had high season marks of 10 wins in 2006, 84 saves, six ties, goals against average of 1.02 and seven shutouts in 2007. Wilson resides in Clinton, Ohio.
Kenneth "Red" Cochrane Meritorious Award
MARK T. '78 & CATHY CLARK – The Chairman of Canal Pointe Capital, Mark T. Clark earned an M.B.A. in finance from The University of Akron in 1978 and was a member of Phi Delta Theta fraternity. His undergraduate degree is from The Ohio State University. Mark continued his involvement with the University of Akron since his graduation, serving on the University's National Alumni Board. In 2006, he was awarded the Frank L. Simonetti Distinguished Business Alumni Award. He is on the board of directors of First Tee Akron and the Champion's Council for the Bridgestone World Series of Golf. Mark is former president of Portage Country Club.
Cathy Clark, an alumna of The Ohio State University, has been a community volunteer and philanthropist for nearly 40 years. Her involvement includes the Summit County Juvenile Court, the Junior League of Akron, and projects targeted at helping children. A charter member of the Akron Child Guidance Women's Board, she spearheaded the Remember the Children program. Cathy was awarded the 2016 Friend of Children Award by Child Guidance & Family Solutions.
The Clarks are major supporters of the University. In addition, Mark has been instrumental in securing gifts from FirstEnergy for the University. He was also a key champion for the Alumni and Development office move to InfoCision Stadium. The couple has generously supported Akron Children's Hospital, Akron Art Museum, Akron-Canton Regional Foodbank, and United Way.
The Clarks are avid golfers and belong to Portage Country Club.
Mike Krino Varsity "A" Achievement Award
GRETA JOHNSON '99, '01, '04 – Greta Johnson was a four-year letterwinner in volleyball (1995-98) where she helped the Zips compile a 71-56 record. The 5-11 utility player from Wellington, OH, could play virtually anywhere on the court. She earned UA's Most Improved Player Award as a freshman and as a team captain her senior season Johnson was presented the Coaches Award for her leadership and 3.6 GPA in the classroom. Johnson earned all her degrees at the University of Akron, a bachelor's in secondary education in 1999, a master's in higher education administration in 2001, and her JD in law in 2004. She has worked in the Prosecutor's Office for Mahoning County, Summit County, and the City of Akron since 2004. In November 2014 and 2016, Johnson was elected representative for Ohio's 35th District which covers the eastern, southern and southwest portions of Akron. Her professional experiences put her in a unique position in the Ohio House and she enjoyed tackling the various challenges. She brought a strong voice for education, women, and criminal justice to the Statehouse. She was a fierce advocate for women's concerns over sexual assault and domestic violence. However, in 2016 she resigned to accept the position of Deputy Director in the Department of Law of the Summit County Executive's office. Johnson is married and mother of two. The family resides in Akron.
Team of Distinction
The 1971-72 men's basketball team, under the guidance of head coach Wyatt Webb, won a record-breaking 26 victories in 31 games, captured its fourth NCAA College Division Mideast Region crown, finished as the national runner-up in the NCAA Finals. The seemingly impossible dream was achieved by a veteran starting five and a strong bench that established six team records and nine individual records. Leading the way was 6-4 junior forward Len Paul, who netted 5643 points to become the all-time season scorer and the first UA player to score over 500 points twice in his career en route to first-team Little All-American honors. Joining him in the starting line-up were double-figure scorers– 6-3 senior guard Larry Quarles (13.6 ppg), 6-5 junior forward Harvey Glover (10.8 ppg), and 6-7 senior center Randy Anderson (10.6 ppg). Senior 6-1 point guard Wil Schwarzinger rounded out the line-up with a scoring average of 8.7 points per game. All five have already been individually inducted into the UA Sports Hall of Fame. While there were several last-second victories during the 1971-72 season, the biggest was a 71-69 overtime upset of Associated Press' No. 1-ranked Tennessee State in the NCAA Semifinals when 6-8 reserve junior forward Brian Westover drove the lane for a lay-up as time expired.
AKRON, Ohio-- The University of Akron Department of Athletics announced its 44th Annual Varsity "A" Sports Hall of Fame Inductees on Thursday. The Class of 2018 — Jabari Arthur, Kurt Davidson, Caleb Porter, Natalie Sako Switalski, Sinisa Ubiparipovic, Bill Williamson, and Krystin Wilson Ross —will be honored during Homecoming weekend on Saturday, Oct. 6, 2018. The Team of Distinction— the 1971-72 men's basketball team, the Kenneth "Red" Cochrane Meritorious Service Awardees, Mark T. and Cathy Clark, and the Mike Krino Varsity "A" Achievement Awardee, Greta Johnson, will also be honored.
The Akron football game against Miami (Ohio) kicks off at 3:30 p.m. at InfoCision Stadium. The inductees will also be introduced to the crowd during the game.
The seven honorees expand the total in the UA Varsity "A" Hall of Fame to 340 athletes, coaches, and administrators. In addition, there are now 41 Kenneth "Red" Cochrane Meritorious Service Award recipients and 30 Mike Krino Varsity "A" Achievement awardees.
The banquet festivities on October 6 will begin at 10:30 a.m., with a brunch buffet followed by the induction program at 11:30 a.m. The cost of the banquet is $40 per person and $20 for children (12 and under). For further information about the Varsity "A" Hall of Fame, contact Tim Faix at (330) 972-8502 or via email at tfaix@uakron.edu.
2018 HALL OF FAME INDUCTEES
JABARI ARTHUR '07 (Football) – An Honorable Mention All-American and first-team All-MAC selection, Jabari Arthur holds school records for receptions in a game (15), season (86), and career (184); and receiving yards in a game (223) and career (2,653). Arthur resides in Calgary, Canada.KURT DAVIDSON '08 (Baseball) – A two-time first-team All-MAC selection (2007, 2008), second-team All-MAC (2006) pick, and a 2007 All-Mideast Region second team honoree, Kurt Davidson started every game in his career (201). The Zips' catcher and first baseman was the recipient of the 2006 Joe Thomas Award for the highest batting average. The three-time team MVP (2006, 2007, 2008), Davidson holds the Zips' career records for home runs (41), RBI (180), and total bases (430). He also stands No. 2 in career at-bats (807), No. 3 in hits (253), and No. 3 in doubles (52). Davidson holds two spots on the single-season list for home runs– No. 2 with 12 and No. 8 with 10 home runs. He earned his bachelor's degree in communications in 2009 and started his coaching career at Akron (2009-11). Currently an assistant baseball coach at Walsh, Davidson resides in Canton, Ohio.CALEB PORTER (Soccer) – The men's soccer head coach (2006-12) for seven seasons, Caleb Porter guided the Zips to five MAC titles. Named the MAC Coach of the Year six times (2007-12) and the NCAA Coach of the Year in 2009, he coached UA to the 2010 national championship title. In 2011, Porter coached the U.S. Under-23 Men's National Team. From 2013-17, Porter coached the MLS Portland Timbers, earning MLS Coach of the Year honors in 2013 and winning the MLS Cup in 2015. He resides in Hilton Head, S.C.NATALIE SAKO SWITALSKI '07 (Track & Field) – A four-time All-American in the high jump, Natalie Sako earned All-American (2005, 2006, 2007) honors three times during the indoor season and once during the outdoor season (2006). Twice she was the MAC high jump champion (2007, 2008 outdoor). A three-time All-MAC honoree, Sako owns the No. 4 indoor high jump mark and the No. 3 outdoor high jump mark in program history. In 2005, she placed sixth at the NCAA Indoor Championships. The three-time MAC outdoor champion (2005, 2006, 2007), Sako earned a bronze medal competing for Team USA at the 2006 North American, Central American and Caribbean (NACAC) Athletic Association Under-23 Championships. She was. named team's Newcomer of the Year in 2004. Sako resides in Strongsville, Ohio.SINISA UBIPARIPOVIC '10 (Soccer) – A two-time All-American midfielder, Sinisa Ubiparipovic played two seasons (2004, 2005) under Ken Lolla and one for Caleb Porter (2006) after transferring from University of Illinois-Chicago. In 2004 he started in 12 games action and scored his first goal in a UA uniform to give the Zips a 1-0 lead in an eventual 3-1 win over Ohio State. As Akron was enjoying one of its all-time best seasons with an 18-1-4 record, the 5-9 Ubiparipovic exploded for a team-leading and career-high 17 goals and seven assists to aid the Zips in capturing the MAC regular-season and tournament titles. UA then advanced to the quarterfinals in the NCAA Tournament before falling to Maryland by penalty kicks. Ubiparipovic's performance earned him first-team All-MAC and All-Great Lakes and second-team All-America on the National Soccer Coaches (NSC) team. Although scoring only seven goals and seven assists, Ubiparipovic again led UA in scoring in 2006 as UA compiled a 13-5-1 record en route to MAC co-champions. Named the 2006 MAC Player of the Year and second-team All-American by both the NSC and College Soccer News, Ubiparipovic was selected in the third round by the New York Red Bulls of Major League Soccer, where he played until 2011. He retired from the Indy Eleven in 2017. Ubiparipovic, who resides in Willoughby, Ohio, is in his first season as an assistant coach at Cleveland State.BILL WILLIAMSON '99 (Golf) – As a four-year letterman during the 1995-99 golf seasons, Bill Williamson earned All-MAC honors as a player and in the classroom. As a freshman, he averaged 77.7 strokes. However, twice he fired season low rounds of 72 at the Seascape and Kent Invitationals and a round of 75 earned him a 22nd finish at the Dayton Invitational. A season later, Williamson lowered his average to 76.4, second best on the team. Three times he shot low rounds of 71, and he finished tied for third at both the Butler and Penn State Invitational for his best finishes. Better yet, Williamson managed to achieve a 3.71 grade point average as a finance major which earned him first-team Academic All-MAC. He repeated that honor in 1997-98 and as a senior would be selected nationally third-team GTE Academic All-American. He produced his best golf his junior season, compiling a career-best 73.7 stroke average that was again second best on the team. His low round of 69 came at the Yale Classic, and he helped UA finish fourth at the MAC Championships that earned him second team All-MAC accolades. He managed an average of 74.9 during his senior campaign and fired his best golf at the Dr. Pepper Intercollegiate in Texas with an even par 216 for a sixth-place finish. In addition, Williamson was the recipient of the MAC Presidential Award, recognizing his academic achievement. He resides in Cincinnati, Ohio.KRYSTIN WILSON ROSS '08 (Soccer) – As a first-team All-MAC honoree and three-time All-MAC Academic selection, Krystin Wilson Ross became the first athlete from the women's soccer program that began in 2001 to be nominated for the HOF. Wilson earned three letters as UA's goalkeeper from 2005-07. She was the second player in the program's history to be named to the MAC's first team in 2007 and was the first since 2003. Wilson closed out her three-year career as the program's leader in saves (213), goals against average (1.15), shutouts (18) and wins (21). She also had high season marks of 10 wins in 2006, 84 saves, six ties, goals against average of 1.02 and seven shutouts in 2007. Wilson resides in Clinton, Ohio.Kenneth "Red" Cochrane Meritorious Award
MARK T. '78 & CATHY CLARK – The Chairman of Canal Pointe Capital, Mark T. Clark earned an M.B.A. in finance from The University of Akron in 1978 and was a member of Phi Delta Theta fraternity. His undergraduate degree is from The Ohio State University. Mark continued his involvement with the University of Akron since his graduation, serving on the University's National Alumni Board. In 2006, he was awarded the Frank L. Simonetti Distinguished Business Alumni Award. He is on the board of directors of First Tee Akron and the Champion's Council for the Bridgestone World Series of Golf. Mark is former president of Portage Country Club.Cathy Clark, an alumna of The Ohio State University, has been a community volunteer and philanthropist for nearly 40 years. Her involvement includes the Summit County Juvenile Court, the Junior League of Akron, and projects targeted at helping children. A charter member of the Akron Child Guidance Women's Board, she spearheaded the Remember the Children program. Cathy was awarded the 2016 Friend of Children Award by Child Guidance & Family Solutions.
The Clarks are major supporters of the University. In addition, Mark has been instrumental in securing gifts from FirstEnergy for the University. He was also a key champion for the Alumni and Development office move to InfoCision Stadium. The couple has generously supported Akron Children's Hospital, Akron Art Museum, Akron-Canton Regional Foodbank, and United Way.
The Clarks are avid golfers and belong to Portage Country Club.
Mike Krino Varsity "A" Achievement Award
GRETA JOHNSON '99, '01, '04 – Greta Johnson was a four-year letterwinner in volleyball (1995-98) where she helped the Zips compile a 71-56 record. The 5-11 utility player from Wellington, OH, could play virtually anywhere on the court. She earned UA's Most Improved Player Award as a freshman and as a team captain her senior season Johnson was presented the Coaches Award for her leadership and 3.6 GPA in the classroom. Johnson earned all her degrees at the University of Akron, a bachelor's in secondary education in 1999, a master's in higher education administration in 2001, and her JD in law in 2004. She has worked in the Prosecutor's Office for Mahoning County, Summit County, and the City of Akron since 2004. In November 2014 and 2016, Johnson was elected representative for Ohio's 35th District which covers the eastern, southern and southwest portions of Akron. Her professional experiences put her in a unique position in the Ohio House and she enjoyed tackling the various challenges. She brought a strong voice for education, women, and criminal justice to the Statehouse. She was a fierce advocate for women's concerns over sexual assault and domestic violence. However, in 2016 she resigned to accept the position of Deputy Director in the Department of Law of the Summit County Executive's office. Johnson is married and mother of two. The family resides in Akron.Team of Distinction
The 1971-72 men's basketball team, under the guidance of head coach Wyatt Webb, won a record-breaking 26 victories in 31 games, captured its fourth NCAA College Division Mideast Region crown, finished as the national runner-up in the NCAA Finals. The seemingly impossible dream was achieved by a veteran starting five and a strong bench that established six team records and nine individual records. Leading the way was 6-4 junior forward Len Paul, who netted 5643 points to become the all-time season scorer and the first UA player to score over 500 points twice in his career en route to first-team Little All-American honors. Joining him in the starting line-up were double-figure scorers– 6-3 senior guard Larry Quarles (13.6 ppg), 6-5 junior forward Harvey Glover (10.8 ppg), and 6-7 senior center Randy Anderson (10.6 ppg). Senior 6-1 point guard Wil Schwarzinger rounded out the line-up with a scoring average of 8.7 points per game. All five have already been individually inducted into the UA Sports Hall of Fame. While there were several last-second victories during the 1971-72 season, the biggest was a 71-69 overtime upset of Associated Press' No. 1-ranked Tennessee State in the NCAA Semifinals when 6-8 reserve junior forward Brian Westover drove the lane for a lay-up as time expired.2019 Akron Zips Athletics Hall of Fame - Team of Distinction - '99 Women's T&F
Wednesday, October 16
2019 Akron Zips Athletics Hall of Fame - Team of Distinction - 2009 Men's Soccer
Monday, October 14
2019 Akron Zips Athletics Hall of Fame - Dr. David Axner
Monday, October 14
2019 Akron Zips Athletics Hall of Fame - James "Dru" Joyce III
Monday, October 14
