12-4-18

DAHLONEGA – University of North Georgia Director of Athletics Lindsay Reeves and the UNG Athletics Hall of Fame committee announced Tuesday the members of the ninth induction class into the North Georgia Athletics Hall of Fame. The five new inductees will be enshrined at a special luncheon and ceremony on Saturday, February 2, 2019.

The UNG Athletics Hall of Fame honors individuals who have earned outstanding athletic achievement or made substantial contributions to the university. A nine-member Board of Directors is responsible for operations of the Athletics Hall of Fame and serves as selectors for all honorees, based upon nominations.

The class consists of Randy Dunn (coach/administrator, 80), Tom Fowler (men’s basketball & baseball, ’52), Syretha Marble (women’s basketball, ’09), Sarah Phillips (softball, ’11) and Sean Pittman (baseball, ’01).

The induction ceremony will precede a Peach Belt Conference basketball doubleheader against Georgia Southwestern set to tip off at 1:30 p.m. The UNG Athletics Hall of Fame class of 2019 will be recognized alongside the 35 previous inductees at halftime of the women’s game.

The Hall of Fame ceremony will coincide with UNG’s homecoming festivities that fall on the same day. Along with an introduction of the 2019 HOF Class to the Nighthawk Nation, fans will experience performances from the Corps of Cadets Boar’s Head Brigade Blue Ridge Rifles squad, the UNG Patriot Choir and the Golden Eagle Band, all honoring the military heritage of the institution.

Tickets for the induction ceremony are available for $50 per person, or a table of eight for $500, with guests encouraged to reserve by calling 706-867-3212 or registering online at http://ung.imodules.com/HOF.

The UNG Athletics Hall of Fame honors individuals who have earned outstanding athletic achievement or made substantial contributions to the university. A nine-member Board of Directors is responsible for operations of the Athletics Hall of Fame and serves as selectors for all honorees, based upon nominations.

Single game tickets for the Hall of Fame basketball doubleheader are available the day of the game or through advance purchase at UNGTickets.com. Tickets are $8 for adults, $5 for youth and free to UNG faculty, staff and students with a valid UNG ID.

Randy Dunn
Dunn oversaw the transition for the North Georgia Department of Athletics from the NAIA into NCAA Division II status. After coaching the men’s basketball team for 14 years, Dunn retired from coaching to serve full time as Director of Athletics. During his tenure, he also oversaw the addition of five new sports: women’s soccer, men’s and women’s golf, baseball and softball. With Dunn at the helm, the school’s intercollegiate athletic program produced 12 conference championships in the Georgia Athletic Conference, the Georgia-Alabama-Carolina Conference, and the Southern States Athletic Conference, and for two years, the NGC&SU softball team has earned the NCAA Division II Southeast Regional Championship and competed in the College World Series. Dunn’s roots with North Georgia go back to his days as a student-athlete as he played basketball for three years and graduated in 1980.

Tom Fowler
Fowler played three years for the Kadets baseball team from 1950-52, graduating with a degree in physical education. While playing for North Georgia, he was a member of B Company, the Corporals’ Club and the Letterman’s Club. After finishing his collegiate career at UNG, Fowler went on to play for the Atlanta Crackers in the Class AA Southern Association. He later joined the minor-league Baton Rouge Red Sticks as part of the Evangeline Baseball League in Louisiana.

Syretha Marble
Marble is the NCAA-era leading scorer in North Georgia women’s basketball history, tallying over 1,700 points in her four years as a Saint. Averaging 17.5 points per outing, Marble shot a program best 51.2 percent from the field and also pulled down 8.6 rebounds per game, second best in UNG history. Marble was named the Peach Belt Conference Freshman of the Year in North Georgia’s first season in the league, and, two years later, was named a Daktronics Third-Team All-American. Marble is the only North Georgia player to be named All-Conference in all four years in a North Georgia uniform and one of only six players in Peach Belt history to accomplish the feat.

Sarah Phillips
Phillips enjoyed one of the most prolific softball careers in NCAA Division II history. The two-time Peach Belt Conference Pitcher of the Year finished her career as the league’s all-time leader in wins (124), appearances (164), starts (142), complete games (113) and innings (946.1) along with North Georgia’s record holder for strikeouts (911) and shutouts (45). Her wins rank sixth on the NCAA’s all-time list. Phillips was named the Ron Lenz Division II Pitcher of the Year in 2010 after winning 44 straight games as part of the 51-game winning streak for North Georgia. She was named to the All-American First Team twice and was also a two-time PBC Pitcher of the Year.

Sean Pittman
Pittman was the first North Georgia baseball player to be drafted, going to the New York Mets in the 34th round of the 2001 MLB Draft. Pittman’s career at North Georgia saw him be named an NAIA All-American in 2001 after a season in which he stole 27 bases, third most in program history. Pittman led the 2001 Saints to a GAC Conference Championship, hitting .391 while playing and starting in all 62 games. He finished with 17 doubles, four triples, six homers and 55 RBI. During his career, Pittman played in two NAIA Regionals, making it to the Regional Championship game in 2001.