Inductees for the 2023 UNG Athletics Hall of Fame Class are Gary Blohm, Ben Chedgy, Hilary Cox, Dean H. Michael Hyams Jr., and the 2005-06 women's basketball team. The induction ceremony is Sept. 14.
Article By: Staff
The University of North Georgia (UNG) Department of Athletics and the Athletics Hall of Fame Committee have announced the 13th class of the UNG Athletics Hall of Fame with the induction ceremony scheduled for 6 p.m. Sept. 14 at the Convocation Center at UNG's Dahlonega Campus. The evening will begin with a social hour, followed by a dinner and ceremony programming beginning at 7 p.m.
Tickets for the induction ceremony are available for $50 per person with registration online at UNGAthletics.com/HOF.
The UNG Athletics Hall of Fame honors individuals who have earned outstanding athletic achievements or made substantial contributions to the university. A nine-member Board of Directors is responsible for Athletics Hall of Fame operations and serves as selectors for all honorees, based upon nominations.
The 2023 UNG Athletics Hall of Fame induction class includes:
Gary Blohm, '76, men's soccer
Blohm arrived in Dahlonega in the fall of 1972 as a student and was part of the team when men's soccer was elevated to varsity club status. As a player, Blohm was voted team captain and was selected all-conference during his senior campaign. After graduating, while pursuing his master's degree, Blohm stepped up and agreed to coach the team for two seasons. During that time, the team recorded an 11-14-1 record.
He went on to coach The Walker School in Marietta, Georgia, for 35 years, where he also served as the athletic director for more than 30 years. In his time there he accumulated more than 400 wins, eight championships, and numerous runner-up and Final Four teams.
Ben Chedgy, '10, men's soccer
Chedgy is one of the most decorated men's soccer players to wear the North Georgia uniform and holds the record for games played with 72 from 2006-2010. In his career at center-back, he scored five goals, four of which came during his senior campaign, and recorded two assists. He was a three-time first-team All-Peach Belt Conference (PBC) performer.
As a freshman, he was voted to serve as team captain, a role he would retain throughout his playing career, which his teammates say is a testament to his consistency and commitment to the team. Known as "the rock at the back," Chedgy also found success in the classroom, being named a Peach Belt Bronze or Silver Scholar all four years of his collegiate career, as well as being named to the Honor Roll twice.
Hilary Cox, '12, softball
Cox made her mark on North Georgia softball from the time she arrived on campus in the fall of 2008. She sits third in the records book for career fielding percentage at .994 and in 2011 was named a National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) All-America Scholar-Athlete, the only one on the team to be named that season. She was named to the D2CCA All-Region second team in 2012, the NFCA All-Region first team in 2011 and 2012, and was named to the NCAA Division II Championship All-Tournament team every year from 2010-2012.
Off the field, she served in a leadership role on the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee, which led her to serve as Division II National PBC representative and eventually the Division II National Student-Athlete Advisory Committee chair. Since graduating, Cox has remained connected to North Georgia by serving as a board member for the Nighthawks Athletic Club.
Dean H. Michael Hyams Jr., administration
Dean Hyams served as vice president for Student Affairs and dean of students from 1971-1999 at North Georgia College & State University. As the college's first dean of students, Hyams was instrumental in establishing a number of student programs and services. Among his accomplishments were founding INTRO, the new student orientation program; re-establishing national fraternities and sororities on campus; and establishing the student recreation program and creating the UNG Ropes Course at Pine Valley that now bears his name. He is considered by numerous alumni and student-athletes to have been perhaps, other than their direct coach, their guiding mentor during their collegiate days.
In addition to his work around campus, Hyams has always been an avid supporter of UNG's teams. He was a staple at basketball games for 40 years, keeping the clock at every home basketball game.
2005-06 women's basketball team
The 2005-06 year served as the first year that what was then North Georgia College & State University would compete at the NCAA Division II level. North Georgia continued its winning ways from its time in NAIA and entered the PBC in a dominant fashion, going 23-4 on the season and earning the title of regular-season champions to cap off their first season at the new level, which was the first PBC championship for North Georgia.
The team was led by a senior class of five student-athletes, who won a conference championship in every year they competed at North Georgia. Along with being named the PBC regular-season champions, Syretha Marble was named the PBC Freshman of the Year, while head coach Buffie Burson won Coach of the Year. Katie Williamson was named to the All-PBC team.
The 2005-06 roster included: Williamson (Class of 2014 inductee), Sophia Brown, Lindsay Taylor, Jeanine Dorminey (Class of 2021 inductee), Melissa Chancey, Syretha Marble (Class of 2019 inductee), Megan Huffman, Rachael Jolley, Lindsey Huffman, Lindsey Kitchens, Lara Seamon, Jenica Johnson Alvarez, and Kim Love. Amber Kent was an assistant coach, and Katie Schleisman was a graduate assistant coach.
