LAKEWOOD, NJ (April 21, 2023) - This past weekend, Georgian Court Athletics saw the induction of seven new members into the Athletics Hall of Fame. The largest induction class in Lions history expanded the number of Hall of Famers from 11 to 18.

The banquet was held on campus at the Georgian Court Casino Saturday, April 15. Inducted into the Hall of Fame were four former student-athletes, two university presidents and a team physician. The class also boasts the first women's lacrosse student-athlete and the first ever male student-athlete. 

Georgian Court Athletics Hall of Fame Class of 2023
Ann Casado
Volleyball (2006-08)
Despite only playing three seasons with the Lions, Casado still holds numerous Georgian Court records and her name is all over the volleyball record book. She was the first All-American in the history of GCU Volleyball, earning two All-American honors and two All-Region. In all three of her years at Georgian Court, Casado was named the CACC Player of the Year. She helped lead the Lions to three straight NCAA appearances as well as championships each year in the CACC regular season and tournament. In three seasons, Casado landed 1379 kills and 212 service aces, both of which are still school records. She also added 917 digs, 547 assists and 107 blocks. Casado has three of the Lions top-five seasons in points including a school record 653.5 in 2007.

Michael Clarke
Men's Soccer (2013-16)
Clarke was a part of the inaugural men's soccer team in 2013 and played four seasons with the Lions. He scored not just the first goal in team history, but the first two goals in their first season in 2013 against East Stroudsburg. Clarke is still the Lions all-time leader in goals with 46 and points with 105. He has three of the top-four seasons at Georgian Court in terms of points and goals scored. Clarke was the first ever All-CACC First Team selection and first ever All-American in program history, doing so in 2015 and finished his career as a three-time All-CACC honoree, three-time All-East Region and an All-American.

Kelly Lyons
Women's Soccer (2008-11)
One of the best players of the NCAA-era, Lyons was the first-ever four-time All-CACC selection in program history. She earned three All-CACC First Team selections. Since joining the ranks of the NCAA Division II in 2002, Lyons is the Georgian Court leader in goals scored with 76 and points with 169. She was the first to named CACC Player of the Year and is the only Lion to be a CACC Rookie and Player of the Year in her career in the NCAA-era. During her four seasons, Georgian Court won two CACC Tournaments (2008, 2010) and one CACC regular season championship in 2009. She helped lead the Lions to their first two NCAA Tournament appearances in program history in 2008 and 2010.

Ryan McGrath
Women's Lacrosse (2008-11)      
McGrath joined Georgian Court Lacrosse for the 2008 season, just their second season in program history, and became the first great goal scorer for the Lions. At her time of graduation she left an indelible mark on Georgian Court and was the Lions and CACC all-time leader in goals scored with 205 and points with 312. Those marks are still second all-time at GCU, standing for nearly a decade until 2019. McGrath was of just three to make the All-CACC First Team in the first three seasons of CACC sponsorship which started in 2009. She helped Georgian Court win each of the first three CACC regular season championships and led the Lions to two CACC Tournament championships, taking home MVP honors in 2011.

Sister Barbara Williams
University President (1980-2000)
Sister Barbara Williams was instrumental in advancing the growth of the Georgian Court athletic department. Under her guidance, the department doubled in number of teams from three to six. She also played a large part in the Lions moving to the Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference (CACC) in 1983. She then also backed the move allowing Georgian Court to transition from the NAIA to the NCAA Division II, first as a provisional member in 2002 and then as a full-fledged institution in 2004. A champion for athletics, Sister Barbara not only increased the number of teams, but increased the athletic budget and the amount of aid going to student-athletes.

Sister Rosemary Jeffries
University President, 2001-2015
Another past president, Sister Rosemary Jeffries was another champion for the Georgian Court athletic department. She oversaw the Lions transition from NAIA to Division II in 2002. Many of the current facility upgrades are in part due to Sister Rosemary. She helped to build the GCU Wellness Center and install the turf field at the GCU Track and Field Complex. One of Sister Rosemary's biggest achievements was leading Georgian Court through the inclusion of men's sports starting in 2013 with four sports and now five. Sister Rosemary also advocated for the Georgian Court coaches, making all head coaches full time which has made a tremendous impact on the athletic department and within the university.

Dr. Stephen Rice, M.D., Ph.D., M.P.H, FACSM, FAAP
Team Physician (1998-2017)
For 19 years, Dr. Rice not only served as the Georgian Court Team Physician, but was also Director of the Jersey Shore Sports Medicine Center and Pediatric Concussion Center. He had a tremendous impact on thousands of student-athletes across his near two decades of service, providing the very best healthcare possible. Dr. Rice dedicated his life to Sports Medicine as a well-respected clinician, educator, mentor and legislative activist. He served as an expert witness in the lawsuit surrounding Zackery Lystedt's 2006 brain injury which led to the passage of "Zack's Law" in 2009. This landmark case can be viewed as a turning point in bringing national attention to concussions and head injuries. He also mentored dozens of sports medicine physicians as Program Director for a Primary Care Sports Medicine Fellowship including Dr. Christina Lusk-Cáceres, D.O. who returned as the Lions Team Physician in 2019.