Muskingum University will induct its newest members into the Athletic Hall of Fame and recognize Muskie senior student-athletes during the Night of Impact on Friday, February 8 at 7:00 p.m. The event will be presented by Carol Goff & Associates Real Estate and hosted at EagleSticks Golf Club in Zanesville, Ohio. The class of inductees includes Douglas Smart '69 (Football), Kristina Naegele '92 (Softball), Eric Caldwell '92 (Track), and Annie Rome Stamm '00 (Volleyball).
Smart was a three-time First Team All-Ohio Athletic Conference honoree. He anchored the offensive line and helped lead the Muskies to back-to-back OAC Championships in 1965 and 1966. The 1965 squad went 8-1 overall and 7-0 in league play, while the 1966 team went 9-1 overall and 6-0 in the OAC. During his tenure, Muskingum compiled an impressive 25-3 overall record and an 18-1 mark in the OAC. The 1966 team was the last Muskingum football team to compete in the Grantland Rice Bowl.
Naegele was honored with First Team All-American and First Team All-OAC accolades in 1992. During her tenure, the Muskies won three Ohio Athletic Conference Championships, made four NCAA Regional appearances and advanced to the NCAA National Tournament. Naegele helped lead the Muskies to a 112-45 (.713) overall mark and 53-10 (.841) slate in OAC play during her career.
Caldwell finished fourth in the 110-meter high hurdles at the 1989 NCAA Outdoor Track & Field National Championships to earn All-American honors and help lead Muskingum to a 17th place finish at the National Championships. He was also a National Qualifier in 1990 for both indoor and outdoor track. Caldwell still holds school records in the 55-meter hurdles (7.66) and 110-meter high hurdles (14.7).
Rome Stamm received Second Team All-American honors and was named the Ohio Athletic Conference Player of the Year in 1999. During her two-year tenure, Rome Stamm was a two-time First Team All-OAC honoree and helped guide the Muskies to consecutive OAC Regular Season and Tournament Championships in 1998 and 1999. In 1999, Muskingum finished third in the NCAA National Tournament and the 40 wins from that season rank second all-time for wins in a year. The Muskies notched an overall record of 70-10 (.875) and a mark of 17-0 in the OAC during Rome Stamm's career.
The honorees will also be recognized during halftime of the Muskingum men's basketball game on Saturday, February 9, in the Anne C. Steele Center. Game time is scheduled for 2:00 p.m. and a special pregame reception for the inductees will begin at 1:00 p.m. in the Muskie Skybox.