WINTER PARK, Fla. (March 23, 2023) - The Rollins athletic department welcomed six new members to the Sports Hall of Fame in a ceremony held at the Alfond Inn on Thursday evening. This was the 43rd class of inductees to have the honor bestowed upon them.
Following opening remarks from Associate Vice President of Athletics Pennie Parker, the six new members were introduced, giving thoughtful speeches about their time at Rollins, the impact it had on them, and how the school shaped their futures.
Gavin Frase was introduced first representing men's rowing. During his time at Rollins, Frase established himself as one of the top crew members in the history of the program. A three-year team captain, Frase won multiple SIRA championships, and also helped the Tars to a SSC title. He was able to continue rowing after his 2001 graduation, landing a spot on Team USA for the 2003 Pan-Am games, where the Americans won a bronze medal. He also tried out for the 2008 Olympic team, and was a member of Team USA at the 2007 and 2008 World Championships.
JD Gruenewald was the face of men's soccer at Rollins for four years. He helped the Tars to a pair of SSC titles and two appearances in the NCAA tournament. Following his senior year in 2009, Gruenewald was named a 1st team All-American and the SSC Player of the Year. He earned two All-South Region nods, and was an All-SSC player three times. He ended his career tied for the team record for assists with 42.
Hope Hazelwood, known as Hope Bitzer when she attended Rollins, only played for two years following a stint at Seminole State College. However, she made those years count with some of the best pitching the Tars have ever seen. In 2011, Hazelwood was named a 1st team All-American after leading the entire country in ERA with a 0.61 mark. During the season, she threw a team-record 58.1 straight scoreless innings. Her career ERA was another program record, standing at a miniscule 0.93. The Tars won the SSC championship in both 2011 and 2012 during Hazelwood's tenure.
Shruti Khanna established herself early, earning All-American honors following her freshman year in 1995. She would repeat the process again in 1997 after finishing third overall at the NCAA Championship. Khanna was also a standout in the classroom, twice earning a spot on the NGCA All-Scholar Academic Team.
Dr. Joan Davison served as the Faculty Athletics Representative for more than thirty years at Rollins. In the fall of 2022, she was named to the SSC Hall of Fame. During her time as FAR, she was chosen for the prestigious NCAA Pariser Award, and also served as the President of the NCAA FAR Council. She was a professor of political science at Rollins.
Eddie Cole has been on the sidelines alongside Glenn Wilkes Jr. since 1989, helping women's basketball to eleven SSC championships and 650 wins. His impact reaches far beyond the court, having touched the lives of hundreds of student-athletes over the past three decades, advocating for African-American and female athletes. He is also an outstanding community member, having served as the mayor of the town of Eatonville, Florida and the team chaplain for the Orlando Magic.
The ceremony can be watched on demand
here.
