The 2023 FLC Hall of Fame induction class consists of four individuals and two teams

FLC Athletics announces 2023 Hall of Fame inductees

1/17/2023 5:12:00 PM

By: Angela Roberts, Assistant AD - Communications

DURANGO, Colo. – The Fort Lewis College Department of Athletics is excited to announce four individuals and two teams that will be inducted this upcoming spring to the Fort Lewis College Athletics Hall of Fame.

Soccer in Durango is a cherished piece of the community's history and future, and in recognizing the sport's importance, this year's induction class is entirely dedicated to men's and women's soccer. The 2023 Hall of Fame class consists of John Cunliffe (Men's Soccer-Player), Jeremy Gunn (Men's Soccer-Coach), Hayley Hollenga (Women's Soccer-Player), Oige Kennedy (Men's Soccer-Coach), the 2009 Men's Soccer team, and the 2010 Women's Soccer team.

"Tradition is a core value for our Department of Athletics, and we wouldn't be here today without those that paved the way. It is a great honor to host this event as it gives us the opportunity to recognize the rich history of excellence within FLC Athletics. I want to be the first to congratulate this outstanding class of inductees that is very deserving. Please join us in April as we celebrate this wonderful group, reflect on our past, and provide updates about our exciting future."
- Travis Whipple, Director of Athletics

This year's ceremony is scheduled for 11 a.m. on Saturday, April 15^th. Ticket information for the event will be released in the coming weeks as well as an itinerary with events scheduled Friday through Sunday for those interested in attending.

The Fort Lewis College Athletics Hall of Fame is an effort to recognize former student-athletes, coaches, staff, and others associated with Fort Lewis College Athletics, as well as outstanding teams and the meritorious efforts of alumni and friends on behalf of the College's athletics program. These inductees have distinguished themselves in the field of athletics by virtue of their performance in competition, or through their outstanding contributions on behalf of FLC Athletics.

John Cunliffe – Men's Soccer (2003-06)
A member of the 2005 National Championship team, Cunliffe was a standout player for a Skyhawks roster that was teeming with talent. His efforts were recognized throughout his career, including being named NCAA Division II Final Four Most Outstanding Offensive Player in 2005. Cunliffe was named the MVP of the RMAC All-Century Team in addition to being part of the FLC Athletics All-Century Team.

He was the 2006 NCAA Division II Player of the Year after ranking second in the country in goals (29) while handing out 16 assists for 74 points. The forward was a three-time All-American, three-time RMAC Player of the Year, and four-time All-RMAC First Team Selection. He ended the 2006 season by being drafted seventh by Chivas USA in the first round of the 2007 MLS Entry Draft. Cunliffe played professionally for seven seasons before retiring in April 2013.

Jeremy Gunn – Men's Soccer Head Coach (1999-2006)
Gunn is the winningest coach in FLC history after posting a 123-35-17 record (.751) in eight seasons at the helm. He led the Skyhawks to three national title games (1999, 2005, 2006), winning the 2005 National Championship title with a 22-0-1 mark, earning him National Coach of the Year honors. He also guided the team to national runner-up finishes in 1999 and 2006. He won five RMAC regular season titles (2001, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006), five RMAC Tournament titles (1999, 2000, 2001, 2005, 2006), and made five NCAA Tournament appearances. He was named the RMAC Century All-Time Men's Soccer Coach in 2009 and the 1999 Men's Soccer team was inducted into the FLC Athletic Hall of Fame a year later (2010). Gunn received RMAC Coach of the Year honors five times (1999, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006) and United Soccer Coaches DII Midwest Region Coach of the Year in 1999 and 2005.

Throughout his tenure at FLC, he never once had a losing season, as the teams posted double-digit victories in seven of the seasons, with the other being a nine-win campaign. Gunn has since gone on to become one of the top coaches in the nation, serving as the Stanford Men's Soccer Coach since 2012, at one point winning three straight Division I titles. Gunn is 1-of-4 coaches to win NCAA titles at Division I and Division II institutions.

Hayley Hollenga – Women's Soccer (2007-11)
Hollenga, a current women's soccer assistant coach at Rose-Hulman (NCAA Division III), stands as the most decorated women's soccer player in Skyhawks history. Hollenga helped her team finish 66-15-12 with two conference championships, four NCAA Tournament appearances, and a trip to the NCAA Elite Eight in 2010. She was a three-year team captain and set school records for career goals (43), assists (30), points (116), and game-winning goals (15). She was chosen as the best women's soccer player in school history and is part of the school's 100-person All Sports All-Century Team. Hollenga was featured in Sports Illustrated's "Faces in the Crowd" after scoring four game-winning goals during a five-game span. Hollenga was a second-team All-American in 2010 and a four-time all-region honoree.

In addition to her prowess on the pitch, Hollenga was a three-year member of the women's basketball team (2007-10) where she played in 36 games. She was part of the Skyhawks' teams that went on to earn a spot in the NCAA Division II Sweet 16 (2009) and NCAA Division II National Runner-Up nods (2010).

Oige Kennedy – Men's Soccer Assistant (2006-08) and Head Coach (2009-15)
Kennedy spent three seasons as an assistant coach at FLC from 2006-08, under head coaches Jeremy Gunn (2006) and Tim Hankinson (2007-08). The Skyhawks went 54-10-5 (.819) during those seasons, winning two RMAC regular season titles (2006, '08), three RMAC postseason titles, and three trips to the NCAA playoffs — including a runner-up finish in the 2006 NCAA playoffs.

Kennedy took over as head coach after former head coach Tim Hankinson resigned to take a coaching assignment in India. In his first season at the helm, Kennedy's team reeled off 21 straight wins to claim their second national championship in five years. He duplicated the feat in 2011 as his team went 24-1 and added NCAA Division II, RMAC regular season, and RMAC Championship trophies to the case. In seven seasons at FLC, Kennedy complied a 102-37-9 overall record (.720) and was 65-25-5 (.718) in RMAC play. His teams were a perfect 10-0-0 in the NCAA playoffs and 12-4-2 in the RMAC tournament. In January 2012, he became the second FLC head coach to be named NSCAA Division II Coach of the Year.

2009 Men's Soccer
The 2009 Skyhawks squad earned the program's second NCAA Division II National Championship title and finished the season with a 24-1 overall record. The lone loss came at the hands of Incarnate World and propelled the team to 21 straight wins as they surged toward the title. The season ended on December 5 with a 1-0 shutout of Lees-McRae thanks to a goal in the 78^th minute off the foot of David Borden. Kyle Wood was named the Most Outstanding Defensive Player of the NCAA Division II Final Four and David Barden was the Most Outstanding Offensive Player.

The team boasted five Daktronics All-Americans (Tom Settle-First Team, Jamie Cunningham-Second Team, Euan Purcell-Third Team, Zane Wells-Third Team, and David Barden-Honorable Mention) and two NSCAA All-Americans (Settle-First Team, Purcell-Third Team). Amazingly, the Skyhawks team outscored their opponents by a 108-13 margin and posted 14 shoutouts.

2010 Women's Soccer
The 2010 Skyhawks team was a force to be reckoned with and ended the season ranked No. 7 in the final NSCAA poll. The team finished the season with an 18-3-2 overall record while advancing to the NCAA Division II playoffs for the third time in four years. The Skyhawks fell in the quarterfinals to the eventual national champions. Fort Lewis won its first-even RMAC women's soccer regular-season title by virtue of a 12-1-1 record in league games.

Individually, Hayley Hollenga was named to the NSCAA All-American Third Team and Erika Shisler earned All-American Honorable Mention nods from Daktronics. Head coach Damian Clarke was named the NSCAA Central Region Coach of the Year for the second-straight season while leading the team to a chance to host the NCAA Division II Central Regional playoffs for the second year in a row.

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