National News

 September 24, 2009

INA, Ill. - Rend Lake College officials have announced the second class of 2009 to be inducted into the college's Sports Hall of Fame.

Those who will be inducted at the Nov. 7 ceremony in James "Hummer" Waugh Gym on the Ina campus are the 1995-96 softball team, All-American sluggers Meredith Ramsey and Mike Breyman, the 2002-03 and 03-04 men's cross country teams, national cross country champ Ian Hornabrook, and high jump national champion Todd Green.

The 1995-96 softball team won RLC's first softball Region 24 Championship and went to the national championship tournament where they went 1-2 in a double-elimination setup. No other softball team in RLC history has been to the national championship tournament. Coached by Dave Ellingsworth and former assistant coaches Ronnie Ressel and Wayne Arnold, the team featured RLC Hall of Fame pitcher Angela Robinson (Johnston City), pitcher Amanda Perjenski (Mt. Vernon), First-Team All-American Jaymie Cowell (Brazil, Ind.), Second-Team All-American Nicole Murray (Herrin), and catcher Shanna Tolbert (Johnston City). Also on the roster were Gena Atchinson (Sesser), Jamie Bernard (Wayne City), Tanya Bird (Pinckneyville), Terri Henken (Germantown), Kelley McCree (Herrin), Kimmy McNeal (Herrin), Tmazen Montgomery (Marion) and Theresa Sumner (Pinckneyville).

Ramsey (Milwaukee) played two years (1999-2001) under Ellingsworth. She was selected Third Team All American as a sophomore after hitting .415 with 49 RBI in 52 spring games. She was All-GRAC and All-Region XXIV both years.

Breyman (Attica. Ohio) played outfield and first base in 2001 and 2002 for former coach Rich Campbell. Breyman was recognized by the NJCAA as a Second Team All American and played his last two seasons at NCAA DI University of Kentucky. He departed with the Warriors' single season record with 18 home runs as a sophomore. The left-handed slugger was all-conference his freshman and sophomore years and led the team in both slugging percentage and on-base percentage each season. He also led the team both springs in runs scored and RBI.

The men's cross country team from the 2002-03 season was RLC's first team to repeat as a national championship team after the 2001-02 team (already inducted into the RLC Hall) won it. Led by individual national champ Hornabrook (Mt. Vernon), the ‘02-03 Warriors consisted of Rob Duncan (Wayne City), Chris Herren (Harrisburg), Thomas McQuade, Travis Redden (McLeansboro) and Justin Crain (McLeansboro).

The 2003-04 men's cross country runners three-peated as NJCAA DII national champions. Team members included twin brothers Rey and Ricardo Alvarez (Danville), Tim Clark (Indianapolis, Ind.), twins Jeremy and Justin Kunz (Benton), Jason Phillips (Lafayette, Ind.), Chris Robson, Lucas Roethlisberger (Scheller), Bryce Smith (Mt. Vernon), and sophomore versions of McQuade, Crain and Herren. The college has since won one national cross country championship at the Division 1 level.

Hornabrook was a two-time NJCAA DII cross country national champion in 2001 and 2002, leading the team to the national title in both years. He was an All American in track and was a member of the national champion distance medley relay team.

Green, a native of Wayne City, was the 2003 indoor high jump national champion. The three-time Region XXIV champ was an All-American in outdoor high jump in 2003 and once held the high jump record at Southern Illinois University in Carbondale.

The second Class of 2009 will be the tenth to be inducted into the Sports Hall of Fame at Rend Lake College. Previous inductees include Doug Creel, Mike McClure, Susan Woodward and Lee Yearwood in 2000, April Long and James "Hummer" Waugh in 2001, Bryant Lowe in 2002, the 1995 men's golf team, Matt Armstrong, Jace Bugg, Cowell and Cheryl Weis in 2003, Curtis Smith in 2004, the 1985-86 baseball team, Randy Lemay and Rick Gaebe in 2006, Jennifer Calandrilla and Cliff McIntosh in 2007, Mark S. Kern, Wayne Arnold, Elizabeth Kasey and 2001 men's cross country team in 2008, and Dan DeMent and Angela Robinson in 2009.

The current Hall of Fame Committee, charged with accepting nominations and voting in new members to the Hall, consists of Arnold, Kern, Waugh and RLC Director of Athletics Brent McLain. For more information about the RLC Sports Hall of Fame, go online to www.rlc.edu/warriors/hof.

For all things athletic at RLC, visit online at www.rlc.edu/warriors.