'Berg Athletics set to welcome largest HOF class in 4 decades

With one team, one coach, and seven athletes, the 39th class of the Heidelberg University Athletic Hall of Fame will be the largest since the inaugural enshrinement in 1985.  

And for good reason.  

Overlooking the Trustee's Track inside the new Frann's Fieldhouse, a sleek, modern Hall of Fame display will be unveiled when the group is enshrined on Saturday, Feb. 7, 2026.  

"We are excited to bring a new look to the Hall of Fame, and we wanted to do it in grand fashion," said Jason Miller, Associate Athletic Director. "Including the Hall in such a prominent location in Frann's Fieldhouse is an incredible way to honor generations of Heidelberg's finest."

The 2025-26 Class includes Dr. Brian Haley, Bart Randolph '91, Sarah Williams Kipp '98, Todd Gerwig '01, A.J. Schlea '06, Emily Hurlburt Dieringer '09, Michael Preston '11, Kathleen Phillips '14, and the 2007-08 Men's Basketball team.

Brian was the head coach of the Men's Soccer team for 26 seasons, racking up 243 wins for the Tricolor. His squads reached the 10-win plateau 12 times, including a career-best 17-win campaign in 1998. He led the 2010 team to an Ohio Athletic Conference regular-season title and guided the 2014 team to a memorable OAC Tournament title.

Bart, a wrestler, is eighth on Heidelberg's all-time wins list with 94 career victories. He was a three-time NCAA Qualifier and two-time OAC champion. Randolph will join his brother, the late Matt Randolph '94 in the Hall of Fame -- just the third set of siblings to be enshrined.

Sarah was a stalwart for the juggernaut women's soccer teams of the 1990s. She was a three-time All-OAC First Team honoree and was named OAC Offensive Player of the Year in 1995. During the 1995 season, she amassed 21 goals and 17 assists, setting a program record of 59 points that still stands.  

Frann's Fieldhouse will be a fitting enshrinement venue for Todd Gerwig, a standout performer for the 'Berg Track & Field team. Not having an indoor track to practice on did little to stop Gerwig in 2001, a season in which he earned All-American honors in the 800m run. In addition to the indoor All-American honor, he was an outdoor All-American in the 800 twice. He was an eight-time OAC champion, a 12-time All-OAC performer, and was twice selected as the conference Most Outstanding Track Athlete.

In 2006, A.J. became Heidelberg's first-ever First Team All-American baseball player, and he remains one of the greatest sluggers in school history. The '06 season saw Schlea belt 15 home runs and drive in 56 runs -- both records at the time. He was a three-time All-OAC selection and the 2006 OAC Player of the Year.

Emily was a phenomenal middle hitter for 'Berg Volleyball in the late 2000s, helping lift the team to a pair of NCAA Regional appearances. A two-time All-OAC selection, she capped her career with an All-America selection in 2008. One of just 11 players in program history to eclipse 1000 kills, she remains second in career attack percentage (.333).  

One of many faces to symbolize the rejuvenation of the Heidelberg Football program of the late 2000s, Michael was the first 'Berg football player in nearly three decades to play in an NFL game. For Heidelberg, he caught 167 passes for 2,748 yards and 27 touchdowns. He was a consensus All-American in 2010, also earning OAC Receiver of the Year laurels.  

Kathleen was a pure scorer for Women's Basketball, becoming one of just eight women in program history to earn All-OAC First Team accolades and one of two to earn D3hoops.com All-Region honors. She set the school record for points in a game, scoring 40 against Pitt-Greensburg in 2013. With a total of 1,755 points, Phillips remains third on the program's career scoring list.  

With a potent mix of perimeter shooting and paint presence, Duane Sheldon's 2007-08 Men's Basketball team claimed Heidelberg's first, and only, OAC Men's Basketball Tournament title. The team is still one of just four in school history to compete in the NCAA Tournament. Andrew Lemmon, Chad Szalay, and Brian Schmidt received All-OAC honors, while Lemmon, Jake Hessey, and Josh Calver earned Academic All-OAC nods.

The induction ceremony will take place during the evening of Feb. 7, in Frann's Fieldhouse. The inductees will be honored at halftime of the Women's Basketball game that afternoon.

The ceremony is open to the public, and all are welcome.