Tickets CINCINNATI – The University of Cincinnati Department of Athletics celebrated its top current and former student-athletes during the 18th Annual Legion of Excellence Gala on Thursday, September 20, 2018 at The Phoenix in downtown Cincinnati.
The Legion of Excellence recognized the academic achievements of current UC scholar-athletes from each sport, inducted four former student-athletes into the James P. Kelly Sr. UC Athletics Hall of Fame, honored new recipients of the Strubbe Distinguished Service Award and named new inductees to the Order of the Black Blazer.
// ORDER OF THE BLACK BLAZER
The Order of the Black Blazer recognizes UCATS donors for their long and distinguished service to Bearcats Athletics. The honorees have exhibited extraordinary enthusiasm and support for UC, have contributed at a leadership level and have distinguished themselves with their actions in advancement of UC Athletics.
2018 Honorees: William J. Mulvihill & Dr. J. Richard Wuest
// STRUBBE DISTINGUISHED SERVICE AWARD
Strubbe Award winners have given generously of their time, effort and ability to the University of Cincinnati Intercollegiate Athletic Program. They are active members of UCATS who support the Bearcats mission in many ways, including campaign fundraising and strategic planning initiatives.
2018 Honorees: Vickie & Steve Brash
// JAMES P. KELLY SR. UC ATHLETICS HALL OF FAME INDUCTEES
The UC James P. Kelly Sr. Athletics Hall of Fame was established in 1976 to honor and pay tribute to those individuals and teams who have made outstanding contributions in the field of intercollegiate athletics and helped bring recognition, honor, distinction and excellence to the UC and its athletics programs through participation, support or interest.
Trent Cole, Football
Cole played defensive line for the Bearcats from 2002-04. The native of Xenia, Ohio was a CollegeFootballNews.com Third-Team All-America selection in 2004 and a two-time First-Team All-Conference USA choice. He was also selected as UC's Claude Rost Most Valuable Player and John Pease Outstanding Lineman as a senior, ranking fifth in the nation, averaging almost two tackles per loss per game (1.79). Cole still sits in the UC record books, ranking second all-time in tackles for loss (48.0) and sixth all-time in sacks (18.5). Cole was selected by the Philadelphia Eagles in the fifth round of the 2005 NFL Draft and went on to a 12-year career with the Eagles and Indianapolis Colts, making the Pro Bowl twice. He tallied 90.5 career sacks and ranks second in Philadelphia's record book behind Reggie White. An avid outdoorsman, Cole currently hosts Blitz TV, a TV show which takes big-game hunting to the extreme.
Trish Ladusaw, Volleyball
A four-year letterwinner between 1999-2002, Ladusaw concluded her Cincinnati career with 2,074 digs, ranking second in NCAA history. At the time of her graduation, she owned every dig record in school annals and was in the top 10 of six school career record charts. She still holds the UC records for career digs (2,074) and digs per set (4.38). One of six members of UC's 1,000 kill-1,000 dig club with 2,074 digs and 1,465 kills. Ladusaw helped lead the Bearcats to a 98-34 record during her four-year career, appeared in four NCAA Tournaments and was one of the cornerstones of three Conference USA regular season championship teams. She was the C-USA Defensive Player of the Year three times, a three-time First-Team All-C-USA honoree and an American Volleyball Coaches Association all-region selection and CoSIDA Academic All-District honoree in 2002.
Doris Scott, Women's Basketball
A four-year women's basketball letterwinner from 1996-99, Scott started in 116 career games and sits at No. 7 on the program's all-time scoring list with 1,695 points. She averaged 14.6 points per game over her four year career with a high-water mark of 17.6 ppg in 1997-98. Scott was a two-time Second-Team, All-Conference USA honoree in 1998 and 99 and was tabbed for a spot on the C-USA All-Freshman Team in 1996. A force inside, she topped the UC chart in blocked shots in all four years of her career, stuffing 19, 30, 22 and 29 shots from 1995-99, respectively. Scott also led UC in rebounding over a three-year period from 1996-99, grabbing 224, 235 and 231 rebounds, respectively. She still ranks in UC's career top-10 in points (7th/1,695), scoring average (9th/14.6), field goals made (4th/691), field goals attempted (t-5th/1,339), field goal percentage (3rd/.516), free throws made (6th/313), free throws attempted (3rd/514), rebounds (3rd/861), rebounding average (7th/7.4), blocked shots (third/100).
Nick Van Exel, Men's Basketball
Van Exel averaged 15.2 points and 3.6 assists during his two seasons as a Bearcat (1991-93), helping lead UC to the 1992 NCAA Final Four as a junior. As a senior he averaged 18.3 points and 4.5 assists earning third team all-America honors (Associated Press, Basketball Times and Basketball Weekly) and was named a finalist for the John Wooden Award for the nation's top player. Van Exel was drafted in the second round (37th overall pick) by the Los Angeles Lakers in the 1993 NBA Draft. During his 13-year NBA career, Van Exel played with six teams, earning NBA All-Star distinction in 1998. He averaged 14.9 points and 7.3 assists in five seasons with the Lakers. He currently serves as an assistant coach for the Memphis Grizzlies.
// STUDENT-ATHLETE HONOREES
A student-athlete representative from each team was inducted into the Legion of Excellence. The selection for Legion of Excellence is based on the highest cumulative grade-point average on the respective team for the previous school year and good academic standing within the individual's athletics team and college.
Baseball: Clayton Colvin
Men's Basketball: Trevon Scott
Women's Basketball: Sam Rogers
Men's Cross Country: Nick Grismer
Women's Cross Country: Hannah Markel
Football: Garrett Campbell
Men's Golf: Jake Fox
Women's Golf: Alyssa Burritt
Lacrosse: Monica Borzillo
Men's Soccer: Elias Helbig
Women's Soccer: Holyn Alf & Kaleigh Piscioneri
Men's Swimming & Diving: Din Selmanovic
Women's Swimming & Diving: Caroline Sheehan
Women's Tennis: Caroline Morton
Men's Track & Field: Alex Bloom
Women's Track & Field: Angelica Lightfoot
Volleyball: Carly Nolan
The Legion of Excellence recognized the academic achievements of current UC scholar-athletes from each sport, inducted four former student-athletes into the James P. Kelly Sr. UC Athletics Hall of Fame, honored new recipients of the Strubbe Distinguished Service Award and named new inductees to the Order of the Black Blazer.
// ORDER OF THE BLACK BLAZER
The Order of the Black Blazer recognizes UCATS donors for their long and distinguished service to Bearcats Athletics. The honorees have exhibited extraordinary enthusiasm and support for UC, have contributed at a leadership level and have distinguished themselves with their actions in advancement of UC Athletics.
2018 Honorees: William J. Mulvihill & Dr. J. Richard Wuest
// STRUBBE DISTINGUISHED SERVICE AWARD
Strubbe Award winners have given generously of their time, effort and ability to the University of Cincinnati Intercollegiate Athletic Program. They are active members of UCATS who support the Bearcats mission in many ways, including campaign fundraising and strategic planning initiatives.
2018 Honorees: Vickie & Steve Brash
// JAMES P. KELLY SR. UC ATHLETICS HALL OF FAME INDUCTEES
The UC James P. Kelly Sr. Athletics Hall of Fame was established in 1976 to honor and pay tribute to those individuals and teams who have made outstanding contributions in the field of intercollegiate athletics and helped bring recognition, honor, distinction and excellence to the UC and its athletics programs through participation, support or interest.
Trent Cole, Football
Cole played defensive line for the Bearcats from 2002-04. The native of Xenia, Ohio was a CollegeFootballNews.com Third-Team All-America selection in 2004 and a two-time First-Team All-Conference USA choice. He was also selected as UC's Claude Rost Most Valuable Player and John Pease Outstanding Lineman as a senior, ranking fifth in the nation, averaging almost two tackles per loss per game (1.79). Cole still sits in the UC record books, ranking second all-time in tackles for loss (48.0) and sixth all-time in sacks (18.5). Cole was selected by the Philadelphia Eagles in the fifth round of the 2005 NFL Draft and went on to a 12-year career with the Eagles and Indianapolis Colts, making the Pro Bowl twice. He tallied 90.5 career sacks and ranks second in Philadelphia's record book behind Reggie White. An avid outdoorsman, Cole currently hosts Blitz TV, a TV show which takes big-game hunting to the extreme.
Trish Ladusaw, Volleyball
A four-year letterwinner between 1999-2002, Ladusaw concluded her Cincinnati career with 2,074 digs, ranking second in NCAA history. At the time of her graduation, she owned every dig record in school annals and was in the top 10 of six school career record charts. She still holds the UC records for career digs (2,074) and digs per set (4.38). One of six members of UC's 1,000 kill-1,000 dig club with 2,074 digs and 1,465 kills. Ladusaw helped lead the Bearcats to a 98-34 record during her four-year career, appeared in four NCAA Tournaments and was one of the cornerstones of three Conference USA regular season championship teams. She was the C-USA Defensive Player of the Year three times, a three-time First-Team All-C-USA honoree and an American Volleyball Coaches Association all-region selection and CoSIDA Academic All-District honoree in 2002.
Doris Scott, Women's Basketball
A four-year women's basketball letterwinner from 1996-99, Scott started in 116 career games and sits at No. 7 on the program's all-time scoring list with 1,695 points. She averaged 14.6 points per game over her four year career with a high-water mark of 17.6 ppg in 1997-98. Scott was a two-time Second-Team, All-Conference USA honoree in 1998 and 99 and was tabbed for a spot on the C-USA All-Freshman Team in 1996. A force inside, she topped the UC chart in blocked shots in all four years of her career, stuffing 19, 30, 22 and 29 shots from 1995-99, respectively. Scott also led UC in rebounding over a three-year period from 1996-99, grabbing 224, 235 and 231 rebounds, respectively. She still ranks in UC's career top-10 in points (7th/1,695), scoring average (9th/14.6), field goals made (4th/691), field goals attempted (t-5th/1,339), field goal percentage (3rd/.516), free throws made (6th/313), free throws attempted (3rd/514), rebounds (3rd/861), rebounding average (7th/7.4), blocked shots (third/100).
Nick Van Exel, Men's Basketball
Van Exel averaged 15.2 points and 3.6 assists during his two seasons as a Bearcat (1991-93), helping lead UC to the 1992 NCAA Final Four as a junior. As a senior he averaged 18.3 points and 4.5 assists earning third team all-America honors (Associated Press, Basketball Times and Basketball Weekly) and was named a finalist for the John Wooden Award for the nation's top player. Van Exel was drafted in the second round (37th overall pick) by the Los Angeles Lakers in the 1993 NBA Draft. During his 13-year NBA career, Van Exel played with six teams, earning NBA All-Star distinction in 1998. He averaged 14.9 points and 7.3 assists in five seasons with the Lakers. He currently serves as an assistant coach for the Memphis Grizzlies.
// STUDENT-ATHLETE HONOREES
A student-athlete representative from each team was inducted into the Legion of Excellence. The selection for Legion of Excellence is based on the highest cumulative grade-point average on the respective team for the previous school year and good academic standing within the individual's athletics team and college.
Baseball: Clayton Colvin
Men's Basketball: Trevon Scott
Women's Basketball: Sam Rogers
Men's Cross Country: Nick Grismer
Women's Cross Country: Hannah Markel
Football: Garrett Campbell
Men's Golf: Jake Fox
Women's Golf: Alyssa Burritt
Lacrosse: Monica Borzillo
Men's Soccer: Elias Helbig
Women's Soccer: Holyn Alf & Kaleigh Piscioneri
Men's Swimming & Diving: Din Selmanovic
Women's Swimming & Diving: Caroline Sheehan
Women's Tennis: Caroline Morton
Men's Track & Field: Alex Bloom
Women's Track & Field: Angelica Lightfoot
Volleyball: Carly Nolan