TGFC - Hall of Fame Members - Class of 2008
Al Cariss, '70
BaseballÂ
A first team All-District and second team All-MAC honoree in 1969, Cariss held 13 Kent State records at the time of his graduation. He was a three-year letter winner, team captain in 1969 and a second team All-District pick in 1968. Nearly 40 years later, the Philadelphia, Pa., native still stands fourth in KSU annals in career stolen bases (44) and fourth in steals in a season (23 in 1968). Cariss led the Flashes in runs (32) during the 1968 season, and in at bats (89), hits (26) and runs (26) in 1969.
Dr. Carol A. Cartwright
Administrator
Leader. Innovator. Pioneer. Friend. Dr. Cartwright was all of those and much more during her 15-year tenure as Kent State’s 10th president – and as the first woman president of a state university in Ohio. An outspoken proponent of student welfare, she earned a place nationally among the most highly respected voices in higher education.
At the national level, she chaired the board of directors of the American Association for Higher Education and served on the board of directors of the American Council on Education and the National Association of State Universities and Land-Grant Colleges. She chaired the National Collegiate Athletic Association Executive Committee from 2003-05 and served as a member of the NCAA’s board of directors from 1997-05. In 1999, Dr. Cartwright was appointed to the Board of Trustees of the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars, a component of the Smithsonian Institution that fosters scholarship and dialogue in international relations through the humanities and social sciences. In 2000, she was named to the reconvened Knight Commission on Intercollegiate Athletics, a blue-ribbon panel of national leaders in education, business and sports that assessed the state of intercollegiate athletics and recommended improvements. In 2002, she began a three-year term on the executive board of the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education and was elected to the Center for Research Libraries board of directors.
The scope of her contributions to higher education led to Dr. Cartwright's induction into the Ohio Women's Hall of Fame in her first year of eligibility. She also has received Distinguished Alumni awards from the University of Wisconsin at Whitewater and the University of Pittsburgh's School of Education; the Clairol Mentor Award in Education; the YWCA Greater Cleveland Women of Achievement Award; the Northeast Ohio ATHENA Award; and the March of Dimes Franklin Delano Roosevelt Humanitarian Award for Excellence.
Dr. Cartwright earned master's and doctoral degrees from the University of Pittsburgh and her bachelor's degree from the University of Wisconsin at Whitewater.
She and Dr. G. Phillip Cartwright have raised three children, the youngest of whom is a Kent State graduate.
Jeff Datkuliak, ‘91
Wrestling
Datkuliak has the proud distinction of being one of just eight Kent State wrestlers to win three or more MAC individual championships, doing so at 285 pounds from 1989-91. The Louisville, Ohio, native led the Golden Flashes to MAC titles in 1989 and 1990 and was the recipient of the Joe Begala Award in 1991 which is awarded annually to a wrestler based on academic achievement, wrestling skill and merit. The owner of a 70-24-3 career record, Datkuliak was a two-time Academic All-MAC honoree. A three-year letterwinner, he captained the Flashes in 1990 and 1991.
Jan Dowling, ‘02
Women’s Golf
Dowling not only helped get the fledgling women’s golf program off the ground, but also played a big role in putting it on the map nationally and establishing a tradition of success that continues to this day. The Bradford, Ontario, native burst onto the scene as a freshman in 1999, earning MAC Freshman of the Year accolades while claiming medalist honors at the MAC Championship. She then followed that up with an even better sophomore campaign, winning four tournament titles including a repeat performance at MAC Championship while earning a second team nod on the Golfweek/Sagarin Midwest District team. Dowling led the Flashes to four straight MAC team titles, earning first team all-conference honors each year. In addition, she was a three-time member of both the NCGA All-Scholar Team and the CoSIDA Academic All-District Team.
She is tied for first in school history with 25 top-10 finishes, while standing second in career wins (5) and fourth in career average (77.25).
Brendon Falconer, ‘98
Men’s Track & Field
Falconer pulled off a rare double in 1998, garnering All-America honors for his prowess as both an athlete and a student. He finished third overall and first among Americans in the decathlon at the NCAA Outdoor Championships in addition to garnering CoSIDA Academic All-America Third Team accolades. A native of York, Pa., Falconer won a pair of MAC titles in the indoor pentathlon (1996 & 1997) and another in the long jump during the 1998 outdoor championships. Named the Most Valuable Performer at the 1998 MAC Outdoor Championships, he was a six-time Academic All-MAC honoree and a member of the Arthur Ashe Jr. Sports Scholars Award first team in 1996. Falconer still ranks first in the Kent State annals in decathlon (7,865 points) and indoor pentathlon (4,175 points).
Brian Hallett, ‘03
Football and Men’s Track & Field
A two-sport star for the Golden Flashes, Hallett was also a standout performer in the classroom as well. On the gridiron, he earned first team All-MAC and first team CoSIDA Academic All-America accolades in 2001. A four-year letterwinner on the offensive line, the Norton, Ohio, native started the final 36 games of his career, helping the team to a 6-5 mark in 2001 (KSU’s first winning record since 1987). In track & field, his shot put career is unparalleled in school history. Hallett won three MAC titles each in indoor and outdoor shot put (1999, 2002 & 2003), adding the 2002 outdoor discus title for good measure. A three-time All-MAC first team honoree, he was a CoSIDA Academic All-America second team honoree in 2003. Hallett still owns the school records in both the indoor (62-1.25) and outdoor (62-10) shot put.
Trevor Huffman, ‘02
Men’s Basketball
Huffman was the anchor of Kent State’s magic carpet ride to the Elite Eight of the 2002 NCAA Tournament. That year, he was named to the NCAA Tournament All-South Regional squad, was the MAC Tournament MVP, a first team All-MAC honoree and was named to a pair of All-District teams (NABC, USBWA). The previous season, the Petoskey, Mich., native also garnered first team All-MAC accolades and was the MAC tournament MVP as the Flashes won the second of three titles during his tenure. The captain of the 2001-02 squad, he garnered National Player of the Week honors from The Sporting News for his performance the first week of January. KSU’s career scoring leader, he is also the owner of four other career marks and four season records. In a ceremony in the M.A.C. Center in February of 2003, Huffman and the other three seniors from the Elite Eight team had the honor of having their jerseys retired.
Helen (Jerdan) Knull, ’03, M.A. ‘04
Field Hockey
One of only three two-time NFHCA All-Americans in school history, Knull was a four-time first team All-MAC selection and the 2002 MAC Player of the Year. The Glasgow, Scotland, native led the Flashes to four straight MAC Tournament titles – garnering All-Tournament accolades each time – and four consecutive NCAA berths. A four-time NFCA All-West Region selection (twice on the first team, twice on the second), Knull earned the Janet Bachna Award given to the outstanding female athlete who demonstrates the most exceptional qualities of academic performance, athletic ability and leadership. After finishing her career ranked among the KSU leaders in points (5th-121), goals (7th-43) and assists (3rd-35), she went on to serve as an assistant coach for the Golden Flashes for three seasons.
John Van Benschoten
Baseball
Arguably one of the greatest players in Kent State and MAC history, Van Benschoten was chosen eighth overall by the Pittsburgh Pirates in the 2001 Major League Draft. That year, he hit .440 with 74 runs scored, 31 home runs, 84 RBI and 23 stolen bases while compiling a 2-2 record with eight saves and 63 strikeouts in 48.2 innings pitched on the mound. The standout performance garnered the Milford, Ohio native consensus first team All-America honors as well as a spot amongst the finalists for the Dick Howser Trophy and the Rotary Smith Award – both of which honors the nation’s top collegiate player. A two-time All-MAC honoree, Van Benschoten led the Flashes to the 2000 MAC regular season championship and was named MVP after KSU won the 2001 MAC Tournament title. The owner of five Kent State and four MAC single season records, he is in the top 10 of 10 different school career records despite playing just three seasons.
