Lynn University Fighting Knights

Lynn University has 46 inductees into its Athletic Hall of Fame.  Men's & women’s soccer and women’s tennis lead the way with eight members, followed by administrators/coaches with five selections.  Baseball has garnered five picks and women’s basketball is next with three.  Men’s basketball, women’s golf, softball and men’s tennis have two honorees and volleyball holds one selection.

Class of 2013

Eric Abreu - Men's Golf Head Coach/Men's Soccer Assistant 1985-2011

A member of the Lynn University Athletics family from 1985 until his retirement in 2011, Abreu served as head coach of the men’s golf program from 1993-2005, was an assistant coach with the men’s soccer program from 1985-2010, served as head coach for the women’s golf team from 1992-93 and at the end, assisted with the men’s golf program from 2005-11.  During his time with the Fighting Knights, the Madeira, Portgual, native captured one men’s golf national title, three men’s soccer national crowns and helped two individuals, women’s golfer Genevieve Laverdure and men’s golfer Henrik Nystrom, claim individual national championships.  As head coach of the men’s golf team, Abreu led Lynn to its first NCAA National Championship and started a string of 12 consecutive NCAA appearances for the program.  If that were not impressive enough, Abreu assisted teams recorded 10 Sunshine State Conference titles, 111 All-American selections and countless NAIA and NCAA appearances.   Abreu made his mark as a midfielder playing professional soccer for 12 clubs in 10 different countries, including South Africa, Hong Kong, New Zealand, Japan, Australia and the Philippines during a 21-year period. He also represented Japan and Hong Kong in five all-star matches.

Gulsah Akkaya - Women's Basketball '99

A three-year letterwinner for the women’s basketball team from 1996-99, Akkaya was a force to be reckoned with on the offensive end during her time with the Blue & White.    The Bornova, izmir, Turkey, native closed out her stellar career by leading the Sunshine State Conference in scoring at 23.8 points per game, garnering the first NCAA All-America and First Team All-SSC selection in program history.  She still ranks in the top-10 of single season records for points, scoring Average, field goals made & attempted, three-point FG made, attempted & percentage, free throws made & attempted, rebounds, rebound average and minutes average and in the top-10 of career records for points, scoring average, field goals made, attempted & percentage, three-point FG made, attempted & percentage, free throws made, attempted & percentage.

Monika Mastalirova - Women's Tennis '04

Mastalirova is one of the most decorated players in Lynn women’s tennis history, earning ITA All-American honors four times in singles and three times in doubles from2001-04.  She was also a three-time first-team All-SSC singles and doubles player, was named the SSC Player of the Year as a junior in 2003 and was selected as the top player on the SSC Silver Anniversary Women’s Tennis Team.  Mastilarova led the Fighting Knights to the NCAA Division II National Championship in 2001 and a national runner-up finish in 2004.  Additionally, Lynn won three SSC titles during her time and went an astounding 25-1 in regular season SSC play.  Her name is still littered through the record books as she is one of nine players to post an undefeated singles season and one of eight to record an undefeated doubles season. She is third in career doubles winning percentage (.926), tied for fourth in career doubles wins (87) and tied for second with 24 doubles victories in a season.

Dorte Nielsen - Women's Soccer '93

One of the pioneers of the women’s soccer program, Nielsen was a key member of the Fighting Knights from 1990-93.  The four-year letterwinner helped lead the team to its first national championship in 1992 and a national-runner-up finish in 1993.  Nielsen was named the 1992 NAIA National Most Valuable Player when she scored 25 goals and added eight assists for 58 points.  In addition, she was honored as a two-time NSCAA and two-time NAIA All-American and showed she was just as brilliant in the classroom by earning Scholar-Athlete All-America accolades in her final year.  She holds the record for most goals scored in a career (89), is tied for third with 205 points and led her team in scoring and goals all four seasons.

Class of 2012

Nicolas Boisvert - Baseball '07

A two-year letterwinner for the baseball team from 2006-07, Boisvert helped the Fighting Knights make their first ever NCAA Tournament appearance in 2006.  In his senior year, the Laval, Quebec, product became the first player to garner First Team All-America honors from three publications, ABCA/Rawlings, Daktronics and the NCBWA.  He was also the first player to be recognized as the Sunshine State Conference Player and Male Athlete of the Year for baseball.  Boisvert left Lynn as the career record holder for batting average (.419), on-base % (.514), slugging (.703) and triples (10) and season record owner for total bases (172), triples (7), on-base % (.536) and fielding (1.000 in 150 chances).  Additionally, he was the only player to hit .400 twice in his career.

Carrie Meyer-Richardson - Women's Tennis '74

Recruited by women’s professional tour pioneer Peachy Kellmeyer to Marymount College in 1973, Meyer went undefeated in match play during her freshman year.  In the spring of 1974, she won the women’s national collegiate singles championship in a thrilling three-set battle.  Turning professional after her collegiate victory, Meyer played for eight years on the women’s tour, reaching a career high world ranking of No. 14. She also competed in World Team Tennis as a member of the Indiana Loves.  Remaining active in tennis as a U.S. coach for international junior competition and a supporter of Indiana junior tennis, Meyer was inducted into the Indiana High School Tennis Coaches Association Hall of Fame in 2005 and the ITA Women’s Hall of Fame in 2010.

Jannie Nicolaisen - Women's Soccer '01

Arriving on campus when Lynn began competing at the NCAA Division II level, Nicolaisen joined the Fighting Knights in 1997 and was a vital component over a four-year career (1997-2000).  During her time donning the Blue & White, she helped LU to three NCAA tournament appearances, including the program’s first ever NCAA National Title, and fourth overall, in 1998.  In that season she was honored as the SSC Player and Female Athlete of the Year and was named the NSCAA National Player of the Year.  A three-time NSCAA All-American, Nicolaisen ranks fourth in goals (31) and points (79) and fifth in assists (17) for a season and ranks first in game-winning goals (18), second in goals (87) and points (220) and third in assists (46) for a career.  Not only did her final career statistics put her in the top-three at Lynn but Nicolaisen is ranked 10th in points, 11th in points per game, 12th in goals and 20th in assists for her NCAA career.

Shaun Pendleton - Men's Soccer Head Coach 1991-07

Pendleton, spent 17 years on the sidelines with the men’s soccer program, accumulating a 293-42-12 mark with two national championships, three national runner-up finishes, six SSC titles and 14 postseason appearances.  He arrived in 1991 and immediately put his name in the record books by going 22-0-2 and winning the program’s second national crown.  He would go on to win his second, and the program’s third national title in 2003 with a 22-0-1 mark.  His overall numbers were staggering as he has won 17 or more games in a season on nine occasions, averaging 16.8 wins a year, while having lost four or more games just four times.  Lynn’s teams were built on explosive offensives and staunch defense, scoring 50 or more goals 13 times and yielding 20 goals or less 13 times with 177 shutouts.  He left Lynn in 2007 as the NCAA Division II all-time winningest coach, a mark that still stands today.  The Sheffield, England, native coached 46 of the 88 All-America selections for Lynn, 70 All-SSC honorees and 23 Scholar All-Americans.

Christina Rolla - Softball '06

One of the top offensive softball players in school and Sunshine State Conference history, Rolla was one  the most feared hitter for the Fighting Knights from 2004-06.  She holds school career records for batting average (.384), home runs (47), total bases (362), slugging (.756), runs batted in (128), runs scored (120), walks (54) and on-base % (.452) while owning season records for home runs (25), total bases (175), slugging (.936), RBI (73) and on-base % (.486).  Additionally, her 25 home runs in 2005 ranks fourth all-time in NCAA Division II history.  Rolla piled up the awards during her time with the Blue & White as a First Team All-America selection and three-time All-SSC honoree while being named SSC Player of the Year and to the SSC Silver Anniversary Team.

Class of 2011

Christina "Peppy" Albrecht - Women's Soccer '92

A member of the women’s soccer program’s first national championship in 1992, Albrecht was a four-year letterwinner with the Blue & White from 1989-92.  The two-year team captain was named a three-time NAIA All-American, including two first team honors.  Albrecht set the tone for the offensive minded players who were to come after her as she left Lynn atop the record books in nearly every offensive category.  She is currently fifth all-time at LU in career goals (49), assists (42) and points (140), fourth for assists in a season (20) and is one of just two players in program history to score five goals in a single game.

Jakob Lorentzon - Men's Soccer '95

One of the greatest men’s soccer players for the Fighting Knights, Lorentzon led LU to a pair of NAIA runner-up finishes (1992-93) and four post-season appearances from 1991-94.  A scorer by which all are measured at Lynn, he owns 13 of the 16 season and career offensive records including, points (83), goals (34) and assists (19) in a season and points (210), goals (79) and assists (52) for a career.  In addition, Lorentzon is 16th all-time in NAIA history in points for a career.  A four-time All-America honoree, he also garnered CoSIDA Academic All-America accolades, was twice named an NAIA Scholar-Athlete and was a member of the 1994 NAIA National All-Tournament team.

Mischa Peterova - Women's Tennis '96

Peterova closed out her four-year tennis career at LU with a 79-12 singles mark playing primarily at the No. 3 position and 65-8 record in No. 1 doubles play.  She was second all-time with the Blue & White in career singles victories and ninth for doubles wins while her .890 doubles winning percentage ranks ninth.  A four-time All-American, Peterova helped the Knights to the program’s first national championship in 1993 before again winning in 1995 and 1996.  She achieved her highest national ranking in 1995 when she closed out the season as the 2nd ranked singles player in the country.

Petra Stankova - Women's Tennis '96

Stankova was just as dominant at No. 2, winning a program record 92 singles matches and 68 doubles matches, which ranks ninth in school history.  She is one of just two players at Lynn with over 80 singles wins and the only player with at least 90 victories.  Her .895 doubles and .876 singles winning percentage are eighth and ninth at Lynn while her 63 doubles victories with Peterova are the most for one doubles tandem.  Stankova also won national championships in 1993, 1995-96, was a national semifinalist in 1994 and finished as the NAIA Individual National Runner-Up twice.  Like her former teammate, she was a four-time All-American and achieved her highest individual ranking in 1995-96 at No. 10 and was ranked No. 2 with Peterova in doubles her senior year.

James Taylor - Men's Basketball '05

A prolific scorer during his four years (2001-05) with the Knights (2001-05), Taylor graduated as the program’s all-time leading scorer (1,406 points) while also ranking first in games started (98) and field goals attempted (1,085).  He is also in the top-five all-time at Lynn for games played (113), field goals made (463), 3-pt made (146) and attempted (420), free-throws made (334) and attempted (474), rebounds (512), assists (299) and steals (155) while being just one of four players to have 1,000 points and 500 rebounds in their career.  A leader on the floor, Taylor was twice named an All-Sunshine State Conference selection while also earning SSC Freshman of the Year and Division II National All-Freshman Team accolades.  In 2004-05 he helped win the program’s first and only SSC Regular Season and Tournament titles while guiding the Knights to their second NCAA Division II Elite Eight and national semifinals appearance.

Class of 2010

Gareth Dunn - Men's Soccer '00

Dunn becomes the third men's soccer alumnus to be inducted in the last three years and seventh over the last eight. A four-year starter with the Fighting Knights from 1997-2000, he was selected for the Sunshine State Conference Hall of Fame in 2008 and was picked for the SSC 25th Silver Anniversary Team following his playing days, adding two more accolades to an already distinguished career. Dunn was a four-time NSCAA All-American, two-time NSCAA Scholar All-American, four-time First Team NSCAA All-South region honoree and the 2000-01 Lynn and SSC Male Scholar Athlete of the Year. With Dunn on the pitch, LU posted a 69-8-1 record, made three NCAA Tournament appearances, captured two SSC titles and notched one NCAA runner-up finish.

Joyce Parson-Roth - Women's Soccer '94

Parson-Roth is the fifth member of the women's soccer program to enter the Hall of Fame ranks. A net-minder from 1991-94, she back-stopped the Fighting Knights' first two women's soccer national championships in 1992 and 1994. She also helped LU to a NAIA runner-up finish in 1993 and semifinals placing in 1991. A three-time All-America honoree, Parson-Roth holds or ranks in the top-five in nearly every goalkeeping category at Lynn. She is first in minutes played in a season (2,113) and matches played (77) and started (71), minutes (6,302), shutouts (33.5) and wins (60) for a career. Her 177 career saves are second while her 0.56 goals-against average is third all-time.

Donnie Bivens - Baseball '97

Making this an every-other-year occurrence, Bivens is the third baseball selection in the last five years following Ed Sisko in 2006 and Brad Fairholm in 2008. One of the top pitchers the Fighting Knights have ever had, he holds the LU career record for wins (23) and complete games (20) and innings pitched (145.1) and CGs (10) for a season. He is also tied for first in starts (17) and ranks second in earned-run average (1.67) for a single year and third for ERA (2.77) and IP (253.1) for a career. In addition, he led all of NCAA Division II in victories with 13 in 1997, which is second all-time for the Blue & White.

Aimee Murch - Softball '05

Moving from the mound to the circle, Murch is the top softball pitcher in school history. Her impression was felt so much in her two-year stint with LU that she was selected for the Sunshine State Conference 25th Silver Anniversary team. The accolades she accumulated in her time donning the Blue & White include NFCA First Team All-America, SSC Pitcher of the Year, SSC Female Athlete of the Year, two-time All-SSC and NFCA All-Region selections and the only two-time Blue & White Club Athlete of the Year in school history. Murch holds 13 program records, most notably strikeouts in a game (22), ERA (0.45), wins (39), complete games (38), shutouts (21) and strikeouts (428) for a season and ERA (0.55), wins (62), complete games (69), shutouts (37) and strikeouts (737) in a career. She also holds the NCAA Division II record for combined strikeouts in a game with Saint Leo's Katie Heintz (45) and ranks sixth all-time for strikeouts, tied for 12th for wins and tied for 19th in winning percentage (.929) in a season and tied for 21st for all-time winning pct (.838) and eighth in strikeout ratio (10.14) in a career. Murch continued to pitch following her time at Lynn, playing three years in Milan, Italy and two more in the Netherlands while also playing for the Australian National Softball Team.

Class of 2009

Dr. Donald E. Ross - President of Lynn 1971-06

Dr. Ross is the third administrator to be inducted into the Athletic Hall of Fame. President of Lynn from 1971-2006, he presided over an athletic department that would become arguably one of the top NCAA Division II programs in the country. Under his guidance, the Fighting Knights began play in the NAIA, made the transition to the NCAA Division II level and became a full member of the Sunshine State Conference. During his tenure, LU grew from six intercollegiate athletic programs to its current state of 11, won 17 national championships and 18 SSC titles. In addition, Dr. Ross was the founder and first president of Wilmington College (Del.), which he founded with his wife, Helen, in 1967.

Giorgio Carneade - Men's Tennis '95

Just the second men's tennis player inducted into Lynn's Hall of Fame, Carneade was a three-year letterwinner (1993-95) for the Blue & White. During his outstanding career with the Knights, he posted a 67-4 mark at the No. 1 singles position and 37-8 record in doubles play. The two-time NAIA First Team All-American won the NAIA Individual National Championship in 1993 when he went a program record 18-0. He is the only men's tennis player in school history to go undefeated in singles play. Carneade holds school records for singles victories in a season (28) as well as a career singles winning percentage (.944), is second for career doubles winning-percentage (.822) and third in career victories.

Peter Cherry - Men's Golf '87

Laying the ground-work for the men's golf program, Cherry was a four-year letterwinner for the Fighting Knights (1984-87). A two-time NAIA All-American and NAIA Scholar Athlete, he was the team MVP and captain his senior year when Lynn finished the season ranked No. 1 in the nation. Cherry won seven individual titles with the Blue & White, including the 1985 NAIA District championship, qualified individually or with the team in four NAIA National Tournaments and was runner-up for the West Burnham Sportsmanship Award in 1985 and 1987.

Megann Garretson - Women's Soccer '93

Another player who helped lay the foundation for her sport was women's soccer player Garretson. Garretson earned four letters with the Fighting Knights (1990-93) and was an integral part of the program's first national championship in 1992. She captained a defense which recorded 49 shutouts and posted a 0.65 team goals-against average. Garretson won one national championship and finished as a national runner-up and national semifinalist during her tenure at Lynn. An outstanding student as well, Garretson was a two-time NAIA Scholar Athlete.

Zoe Grimbeek - Women's Golf '97

Grimbeek left her mark on the women's golf program in just two years playing with the Fighting Knights (1995-97). During her time at Lynn, she posted a 79.41 career stroke average over 17 tournaments, claimed two team national championships, won two individual national championships, was a two-time All-American and was named the NGCA Division II National Player of the Year. Grimbeek wasted little time acclimating herself in her first season, recording an 80.53 scoring average in winning the NAIA Team and Individual National Championship. In the Knights first year of NCAA play she notched a stroke average of 78.35, guided Lynn to a third consecutive national crown and won her second consecutive individual title. Her 78.35 stroke average stood as a program record for nine years before being broken in 2004-05.

Ross Lumsden - Men's Soccer '03

A first-time ballot inductee, Lumsden garnered every honor imaginable while helping the Fighting Knights men's soccer team to its first NCAA National Championship, and third overall. He intimidated opposing teams for four years (2000-03) on squads which claimed Sunshine State Conference regular season and tournament titles, posted 37 shutouts and went a combined 72-5-1. The Blue & White's MVP in 2001 and captain for 2003, he was honored as a three-time First Team All-SSC selection, two-time NSCAA First Team All-South Region honoree and two-time NSCAA First Team All-American. Lumsden capped off his career by being named the 2003 SSC Defensive Player of the Year, Blue & White Athlete of the Year and NSCAA/Adidas National Player of the Year.

Class of 2008

Brad Fairholm - Baseball '92

Fairholm was a four-year letterwinner for the Fighting Knights from 1989-1992 and becomes the second baseball player elected to LU's Hall of Fame. One of the program's greatest hitters and baserunners, his best season came in 1991 when he set a school record and led NAIA District 25 with a .451 batting average and 43 stolen bases, earning Team MVP and NAIA All-Star honors. He was also a runner-up as the NAIA District 25 Player of the Year. During his time with the Blue and White, Fairholm swiped 66 stolen bases, second-most in school history, and hit .408, becoming just one of two players to bat over .400 for their careers.

Darrin Kelley - Men's Soccer '88

Arguably the greatest goalkeeper the men's soccer program has ever seen, Kelley was a four-year letterwinner on Lynn's inaugural men's soccer team (1985-88) and was a key member of the school's first ever national championship in 1987. He is the fifth men's soccer player to be elected to Lynn's Athletic Hall of Fame. Kelley, a two-time NAIA All-American, set seven season and career records with the Fighting Knights and ranks in the top-five in five other categories. Among the records he set were shutouts in a season (16), games played (62) and games started (62) for a keeper, minutes played (5,910), shutouts (44), wins (58) and goals-against average (0.49) for a career. In addition, his 0.42 GAA in 1986 stood as a program record for 12 years and is second all-time at Lynn while his career GAA still stands as the best mark in NAIA history.

Cindy Marcial - Women's Soccer '95

Marcial's name can be found all around the women's soccer record books after a stellar four-year career (1992-95) with the Fighting Knights. A natural play-maker, she holds career records for points (235), assists (63) and matches played (96) and also ranks in the top-five for goals (86), game-winning goals (14) and matches started (72). She also closed out her playing career in the NAIA all-time record books, finishing fifth in assists, 10th in points and 16th in goals for a career and tied for 12th in assists (22) and 20th for points (80) in a season. Along with her individual success, Marcial led Lynn to NAIA National Championships in 1992, 1994 and 1995, the last of which coming as the team captain. In addition, she was selected as a three-time All-American (2nd-Team 1993, 1st-Team 1994-'95).

Michele Newman - Women's Basketball & Volleyball '03

Newman becomes the first multi-sport student-athlete to be selected into LU's Hall of Fame. The first-time ballot inductee starred for the women's basketball team for four years (1999-03) while also lettering with the volleyball squad for three seasons (2001-03). Not a pushover in either sport, she was selected to the All-Sunshine State Conference Freshman Team, All-SSC First Team and was First Team Academic All-District in basketball while earning All-SSC Second Team and First Team Academic All-District honors for volleyball.

Additionally, Newman is the only volleyball player in program history to be named First Team Academic All-American. At the net, the 2003 graduate holds season records for games (135) and matches played (37) and career marks for kills (1,227), aces (149) and solo blocks (56). She also ranks in the top-five for kills (517) and attempts (1,431), aces (68) and hitting percentage (.283) in a season and attempts (3,193), block assists (120) and total blocks (176) for a career. On the hardwood, Newman is tied for the all-time games played (111) record while finishing in the top-five for points (1,336), rebounds (732), blocks (50) and field goals made (563) and attempted (1,147). 

Class of 2007

Dr. Richard Young - Athletic Director 1993-02

Dr. Young became Lynn University's fourth athletic director on April 23, 1993 and was instrumental in the Fighting Knights making the transition from the NAIA to the NCAA Division II level. During his tenure Lynn saw its athletic programs reach new heights as over a span of nine years the Blue and White won 13 NAIA and NCAA National Championships. In 1996 Lynn joined the Sunshine State Conference and became a full member in 1997. Over the five years LU was in the SSC with Young at the helm it accumulated six conference titles. A former athletic director at Oklahoma State, Washington State and Florida Atlantic University. Young was also the main force behind the addition of several teams at Lynn University.

Cristina Cavina - Women's Tennis '96

Cavina roamed the back line of the top spot in singles all four years with the Blue and White, accumulating a 78-9 career record while posting a 62-10 doubles mark. Cavina has the third highest singles winning percentage (.897) in school history and is tied for third in singles victories. A four-time NAIA All-America selection, she was also honored as the 1993 NAIA Rookie of the Year, 1996 NAIA Senior of the Year and was the NAIA Special Achievements Award winner. In addition to the personal accolades she accumulated, Cavina led the Fighting Knights to NAIA National Championships in 1993, 1995 and 1996. She was also the 1993 NAIA National Singles Champion.

Henrik Nystrom - Men's Golf '94

Nystrom has the great honor of being the first men's golfer inducted into the Lynn University Hall of Fame. A two-time NAIA All-America honoree, he won 11 career tournaments in his four-year career with the Fighting Knights. His best season came in 1994 when he posted a 72.69 stroke average, the lowest in program history, and became the first NAIA Individual National Champion in school history. He is currently a member of the European PGA Tour.

Class of 2006

Ed Sisko - Baseball '90

Ed Sisko was a four-year letterwinner from 1987-1990 with the Fighting Knights' baseball team and is the first baseball player ever inducted into the Lynn University Hall of Fame. A two-time NAIA 2nd-Team All-American (1988-89), one of only two in the baseball program's history, he ranks in the top-five in 11 season and career records at Lynn. Sisko holds the program record for batting average (.447) and triples (6) in a season and home runs (32) and runs batted in (174) for a career. He ranks second in slugging percentage (.812) and RBI (62) for a season and is tied for second in triples (9), third for runs scored (155), fourth in walks (97) and tied for fifth with 201 hits for his career.

Josephine Stalvant - Women's Golf '97

Stalvant was a four-year letter winner from 1994-97 and is the first women's golfer inducted into the Lynn University Hall of Fame. During her time with the Blue and White she posted an 80.7 scoring average, became a three-time All-American (1995-97), won three team national championships and one individual championship. She recorded a team best 80.89 stroke average in the 1994-95 season, earning Team MVP honors, winning the NAIA Individual Title and NAIA National Championship. She improved her scoring average in 1995-96, helping her team to their second consecutive NAIA National Championship while also being named the Lynn Female Scholar Student-Athlete of the Year. In the program's first year in
the NCAA, she lowered her scoring average to a career-low 78.35 and helped guide her team to a third national title as well as Team MVP honors.

Darren Warham - Men's Soccer '98

The final inductee, Warham, becomes the fourth men's soccer player inducted into the Lynn University Hall of Fame. A four-year letterwinner from 1995-98, he holds the program record for matches started as a field player with 80. He is a three-time NCAA All-American, earning second team honors in 1996 and first team honors in 1997-98. He was the first men's soccer player to garner NCAA All-American honors, is one of only eight NCAA All-Americans in program history and one of only three to earn First Team All-American honors twice in his career. A stalwart defender, Warham was the first men's soccer player to earn Sunshine State Conference Player of the Year honors and was the first defender in conference history
to earn the award. He was also named LU Male Scholar Student-Athlete of the Year for the 1998-99 school year. On the field he helped the Blue and White to the first of four SSC titles and to a semifinal and runner-up finish at the NCAA Tournament in 1996 and 1997.

Class of 2005

Katerina Koldova - Women's Tennis '00

A 2000 graduate of Lynn University, Koldova played for Mike Perez and the women's tennis team for four years before coaching for a season. She left LU with a 74-8 career singles mark, a 74-16 career doubles record and three national championships, two as a player and one as a coach. Koldova's honors include: four-time singles and three-time doubles All-American; the ITA National Senior of the Year; 1998 NCAA Honda Award recipient; and two-time First-Team All-SSC honoree.

Hanne Nissen - Women's Soccer '96

Nissen was a two-year letterwinner of the women's soccer team and graduated LU in 1996. She was an integral component on the Fighting Knights back-to-back NAIA National Championship (1994-1995) squads, receiving NAIA All-America and Offensive MVP honors both seasons while being named the NAIA National Tournament MVP in 1994. Nissen holds program records for goals (37), assists (30) and points (103) in a season and is second in assists (59) and fourth in goals (73) and points (205) for a career.

Lenin Steenkamp - Men's Soccer '93

Steenkamp, a four-year letterwinner of the men's soccer squad, graduated from Lynn in 1993. He was a four-time NAIA All-America selection and was honored as the NAIA and LU Most Valuable Player in 1991 when the Fighting Knights won their first ever National Championship. Steenkamp still holds the program record for goals in a game (4) and is in the top-five for goals (25) and points (63) in a season and matches played (89), goals (60), assists (29) and points (149) for a career. Since leaving Lynn, the South African native has had a healthy professional soccer career that has lasted over 12 seasons. Playing primarily for the Rochester Rhinos, Steenkamp is a three-time recipient of the Leadership Award and was named MVP once.

Class of 2004

Derek Backman - Men's Soccer '89

Backman was a two-year letterwinner on the men's soccer team and graduated from Lynn University in 1989. The Tampa, Fla. native captained the Fighting Knights to the 1987 NAIA National Championship, scoring nine goals and four assists for a career-high 22 points to earn NAIA All-America honors. In his two years at LU Backman scored 14 goals, assisted on nine goals and tallied 37 points. After his collegiate career he played professional soccer for the Tampa Bay Rowdies in the APSL before moving onto the Tampa Bay Mutiny of Major League Soccer. He announced his retirement from soccer in 1998 and is currently coaching youth soccer.

Ivan Keskinov - Men's Tennis '97

One of the best individual men's tennis players in Lynn University history, Keskinov was a two-year starter from 1996-97. He posted records of 37-5 in singles play and 31-3 in doubles play over his career, winning the NAIA Individual National Championship in 1996 and helping the Blue and White to a third place finish in the program's inaugural year of NCAA Tournament competition. Keskinov was named a NAIA All-American in 1996 and NCAA All-American in 1997 as well as being named team MVP. Keskinov is one of only two Lynn men's tennis players to win an individual national championship.

Ann Sjoden-King - Women's Tennis '91

Sjodin-King played four years (1988-91) on the women's tennis team as well as one season with the women's soccer team. Over her four-year tennis career, she compiled a 50-14 singles and 48-14 doubles record, mostly at the no.2 singles/doubles position. Sjodin-King was a three-time NAIA All-American, earning honors from 1988-90. In her only season with the soccer team, she played in 11 games and scored two goals.

Class of 2003

Jim Blankenship - Women's Soccer Head Coach 1986-98

Blankenship was the head women's soccer coach for Lynn University from 1986 to 1998. While at Lynn, he was named NAIA Coach of the Year five times (1988, 1990, 1992, 1994 & 1995) and NSCAA Coach of the Year twice (1992 and 1994). The Fighting Knights earned post-season berths in nine of his 12 seasons patrolling the sidelines, winning the National Championship three times (1992, 1994 & 1995) and finishing runners-up twice (1991 and1993). Blankenship holds the program's all-time record for wins, 198-37-8 (.832), and is third among Lynn University's coaches all-time in victories. After LU, Blankenship held the position of head women's soccer coach at the University of Miami. He started the program in 1998 and helped to build it into a national contender in only four years. Under his direction, the Hurricanes climbed as high as a no. 14 national ranking. The Boca Raton, Fla. native joined Jacksonville University's staff in 2002 and retuned home in 2003 as a coach for Florida Atlantic University.  Blankenship undertook a new challenge in 2007 when he became the first women's soccer coach at Florida Gulf Coast University, a position he still holds today.

Ivan McKinley - Men's Soccer '90

McKinley was a four-year letterwinner (1987-90) for the men's soccer team, helping guide the Fighting Knights to the 1987 NAIA National Championship in his first season. Over his career he tallied 26 goals, 17 assists and 69 points. He set career highs for goals, assists and points in his final season, scoring 11 goals with seven assists for 29 points, as he helped the Blue and White to their second consecutive NAIA National runner-up finish. While at LU, the soccer team lost only 10 games in four years and advanced past the quarterfinals every season.

Christine Richardson - Women's Basketball '97

The greatest women's basketball player in program history, Richardson was a four-year letterwinner from 1993-97. Over her career the Fighting Knights posted a 84-19 (.816) record with three consecutive NAIA Tournament appearances. The 1997 graduate still holds seven game and career records including rebounds in a game (27) and points (1,793), rebounds (1,144), blocks (182), field goals made (770), field goals attempted (1,414) and double-doubles (61) in a career. She also ranks in the top-five in points (4th), field goals made (2nd), field goals attempted (3rd), field goal percentage (2nd), total rebounds (2nd), blocks (2nd) and double-doubles (2nd) in a season. Richardson was a two-time team MVP, a three-time All-Region selection and NAIA All-America Selection.

Class of 2002

Mimi Nieporte - Women's Tennis '91

The first women's tennis player inducted into the Lynn University Hall of Fame, Nieporte was a four-year letterwinner from 1988-91. She posted a career record of 44-19 in singles play and 48-13 in doubles play, primarily at the no.2&3 singles and 1&2 doubles positions. Her best season came in 1989 when she notched a 16-5 singles and 20-1 doubles record. A two-year team captain (1990-91), Nieporte earned NAIA All-America honors all four years while at LU.

Arteus Sullivan - Men's Basketball '95

One of the greatest men's basketball players in program history, Sullivan holds 12 individual, season and career records. A two-year letterwinner from 1993-95, he helped lead the Fighting Knights to two consecutive NAIA tournament appearances including the 1993-94 NAIA National Tournament. Sullivan was a two-time NAIA All-America selection and was named Regional Player-of-the-Year and the Knights Team MVP in 1994-95 after leading the team with 19.4 ppg, 6.2 apg and 50% shooting from the field. He holds individual game records for points (40), field goals made (14) and attempted (18), free throws made (18) and attempted (23) and assists (12) while being the only player in program history to record a triple-double. Sullivan was also the program's all-time assists leader (414) until 2004-05 when Austin Faber eclipsed his total by notching 464 career assists.

Class of 1995

Richard McCusker - Lynn Administrator

Richard McCusker was a long-standing member of the Lynn University community. He was a recipient of the Boca Raton Award for Outstanding Contributions to the Community and is the first inductee in the Lynn Athletics Hall of Fame. An avid sports enthusiast, McCusker believed athletics helped students build character. He was one of the driving forces that led the sports committee in the development of the University's nationally recognized athletic program while aiding in the development of the McCusker Sports Complex.