John Carroll Announces 2021 Athletic Hall of Fame Class

6/22/2021 10:45:00 AM | By: JCUSID

Seven individuals and one team have been chosen for the Class of 2021.

UNIVERSITY HEIGHTS, Ohio -- After a COVID-19 year with no 2020 induction, John Carroll University Athletics is set to induct a new class into the Athletic Hall of Fame in 2021.

Seven individuals and one team comprise the 2021 John Carroll University Athletic Hall of Fame induction class.

Dave Hosea (Basketball, class of 1976), Tony Szczesiul (Men's Soccer, class of 1986), Jason Kessen (Wrestling, class of 1996), Bryan Mohler (Men's Tennis, class of 1999), Brandon Mimes (Men's Basketball, class of 2008), Jamie Smrdel (Softball, class of 2010), and Lee Jennings (Women's Basketball, class of 2011) are the individuals. 2003 Men's Soccer will be the team inductee.

The class is a great one, filled with legends of JCU lore. Notably, the 2003 Men's Soccer squad will be the first soccer team to be inducted, while Jennings is a first-ballot Hall of Famer.

The Class of 2021 will be honored at the Hall of Fame banquet on Friday, October 1, 2021 as part of Homecoming Weekend at John Carroll. Details to follow.

Dave Hosea (Basketball, class of 1976) starred for the Blue Streaks during his three-year JCU career. Hosea was named to All-Presidents' Athletic Conference three times in his career: second team in 1973 and 1974 and first team in 1975, one of five Blue Streaks to achieve the feat. The other four to do so are also in the Hall of Fame.

Hosea led the Blue Streaks to third-place PAC finishes in 1973 and 1975, with the 13 wins in 1973 then tying for third-most in program history. Hosea was JCU's leading scorer and team captain in both 1974 and 1975, averaging 17.0 and 16.5 points per game, respectively.

Hosea finished his career in the top 10 of five stat categories, including fourth in made field goals and fourth in rebounds.

Tony Szczesiul (Men's Soccer, class of 1986) anchored the Blue Streaks in net during his JCU career. Szczesiul is one of just three to be a four-time first-team All-PAC soccer player, joining Hall of Fame teammates Drue Carney and Rich Kramer. Szczesiul also garnered 1984 All-Ohio honors.

The gutsy goalie helped usher the Blue Streaks to a PAC runner-up effort in 1982 and the program's second PAC title in 1984. As a junior, he led the Blue Streaks to a 12-3-1 mark, tying the school record for wins. One of the triumphs was an unforgettable 3-2 victory over Notre Dame, during which Szczesiul got stitches on his foot but finished out the game. He ended his career with a 33-19-5 record, allowing 71 goals in 54 career games (approximately 1.31 GAA for his career), including just 12 goals in 1983. He's the fifth JCU goalkeeper to be inducted into the hall.
Due to a personal conflict, Tony is unable to attend this year's induction ceremony. He will still be a Class of 2021 inductee, but he will be honored at next year's ceremony on October 7, 2022.

Jason Kessen (Wrestling, class of 1996) excelled on a national stage for the Blue Streaks. A three-time national qualifier, Kessen became an All-American as a senior with a fifth place finish at 158 points in 1997. At the OAC level, he was a three-time OAC place winner.

Always competing in an exceptionally loaded weight, Kessen never won an OAC Championship, but he did finish runner-up at 150 points in 1994 and at 158 in 1997. At the NCAA Tournament, he made lots of noise, with a 7-6 record. He also notched a 5-0 record at the national duals as a senior, helping JCU notch second in the country.

The team's Most Valuable Wrestler in 1997, he finished his career with 89 victories, tied for seventh when he graduated. He also tabbed Academic All-American honors in 1994, 1996, and 1997.

Bryan Mohler (Men's Tennis, class of 1999) recorded all kinds of program records during a special career in University Heights. Mohler set the record for most career combined victories with 120, which stood for nearly 20 years. He played anywhere between No. 3 to No. 6 singles and was a regular as a No. 1 doubles player (playing with three different partners in four years). He still owns the best winning percentage in singles (.890, 65-8, 1996-99) in program history.

Mohler graduated as a seven-time All-OAC honoree and a five-time OAC champion. As a freshman, he won No. 1 doubles and finished as the runner-up at No. 5 singles at OACs. As a sophomore, he won the OAC title at No. 1 doubles and No. 6 singles. As a junior, he notched the OAC title at No. 4 singles. As a senior, he captured OAC crown at No. 3 singles and was the OAC runner-up at No. 1 doubles. JCU won OAC Tournament Championships in 1997 and 1999 and notched OAC Regular Season crowns in 1997 and 1998 (co-champs). Mohler was a GTE Academic All-District IV first team as a senior and two-time Academic All-OAC.

Brandon Mimes '08 (Men's Basketball, class of 2008) starred during a golden era of JCU Men's hoops. Mimes helped the 2004 squad reach the National Semifinals and the 2005 and 2007 teams get to the Sweet 16. A two-time All-OAC First Teamer (2005 and 2007) and Honorable Mention All-OAC in 2004, Mimes played an essential role in his JCU career.

A three-year starter, Mimes compiled 1,397 career points, which is ninth all-time, along with 743 rebounds, which is second all-time. Mimes set the JCU record for most rebounds in a single season with 327 in 2006-07. His 638 points in 2006-07 stood as the second-best single season total in program history. Mimes, a three-time OAC All-Tournament team performer, helped JCU win OAC Regular Season Championships in 2004, 2005, and 2007, along with an OAC Tournament Championship in 2004.

Jamie Smrdel (Softball, class of 2010) made history as the first player to be named a First Team All-America in JCU Softball history. She's one of the best power hitters to lace up the cleats for the Blue Streaks, with marks that still stand very high even after the prominent early 2010s. One can argue that Smrdel laid the groundwork for the program's excellent run in the early 2010s.

After three sub.-500 seasons from 2006-08, the Blue Streaks broke out for a program-record 26 wins in 2009, good enough for a second-place OAC finish. Smrdel earned All-OAC First Team honors for her efforts, adding to a collection, which includes 2008 All-OAC Honorable Mention, 2007 All-OAC Second Team, and 2006 All-OAC Second Team. Smrdel currently ranks second in program history in batting average (.465), first in slugging % (.781), first in On Base % (.571), first in doubles (49) first in home runs (27), first in RBI (150), first in total bases (331), first in Walks (105), first in Intentional Walks (25), and third in hits (197). Smrdel earned NFCA First Team All-America and NFCA Diamond Catcher of the Year status in 2009.

Jennings 2010

Lee Jennings (Women's Basketball, class of 2011) gains entry into the Hall of Fame as a first-ballot honoree and for good reason. Jennings became JCU's first D3hoops.com All-American, first-team, also adding a State Farm® Coaches' All-America Team Honorable Mention. She was also a three-time All-Region honoree and four-time All-OAC player (First Team in 2008, 2010, 2011; Second Team in 2009).

Jennings led JCU to the program's first-ever OAC title game in 2011, topping the team and OAC with 25 points per game and 6.81 assists per game along the way. Jennings was the only women's collegiate basketball player at any level in 2010-11 to rank among the top five in the nation in both points and assists per game. She stands in the top 10 in many categories in program history, including first in assists (496) and assists per game (5.4), along with third in points (1,892) and second in ppg (19.9).

2003 Men's Soccer makes history as the first soccer team to earn induction into the JCU Hall of Fame. The Blue Streaks made history in 2003, winning the program's first-ever NCAA contest.

The Blue Streaks finished as OAC Regular Season Co-Champs with a 7-2 OAC record in the regular season. By virtue of a 2-1 conquest of Otterbein in the title game, the Blue Streaks won the OAC Tournament, clinching a bid to the NCAA tournament. The Blue Streaks upended Ohio Wesleyan and Carnegie Mellon, advancing to the Round of 16. With a final record of 17-6, the Blue and Gold tied for the most wins in program history. Goalkeeper Phil Mansell '04, midfielder Kevin Pitorak '04, and forward Chris Heslep '04 have all been previously inducted into the Hall of Fame as individuals. Dejan Mladenovic '06 now serves as the head coach of the program.

2003 Men's Soccer

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