Athletic Hall of Fame

One of the first standouts in the early years of the Archbishop Hoban soccer program, William “Billy” Andrews was a mainstay between the posts for the Knights from 1978-’81, setting the standard for every goalkeeper to wear the blue and gold since. His prowess as a stopper earned him a reputation as one of the top soccer players in the Akron area and the state of Ohio, and his 2023 election into the Hoban Athletic Hall of Fame cements his legacy as a Hoban soccer legend.

Andrews was a four-year starter and letter winner for the Knights and Coach Dan Cody, both of which are considered among the pioneers of Hoban’s soccer program. Andrews was rock solid in the goal in the initial years of the team’s varsity play and integral to Hoban’s ascension from fledgling program to area powerhouse, culminating in his senior season in 1981. The talented and dedicated ‘81 Hoban squad was one to remember. Possessing hard working tacticians on offense and defense, the well rounded Knights dominated opponents in the regular season, vanquished their cross-town rival St. Vincent-St. Mary in the district semi-final and finished one game away from the regional round with a 16-5 overall mark. Andrews was unflappable in the goal all season, accounting for nine shutouts, registering 192 saves and allowing a 1.2 goal/game average on the season. For his career, the stawart goalie allowed less than one goal per contest. Andrews garnered numerous accolades, including All-City, All-Summit County, Honorable Mention All-Ohio and Greater Akron Coaches All-Star status. Andrews was chosen as the squad’s Top Defensive Player and Most Valuable Player.

Following graduation, Andrews played four seasons of soccer for the University of Akron, earning Academic All-American status and contributing to the Zips NCAA Division 1A National Runner-Up team in 1986.
Coach Cody described Andrews as, “100% his own guy.” The coach lauded his goalie’s work ethic. “He was meticulous and dedicated to his craft because he knew his role was important to the team’s success. He never was less than entertaining at practice, even though he was always dialed-in," noted Cody.

“Coach Cody allowed us to be ourselves as long as it was team first," Andrews said. “He taught us to prepare to win, to expect to win and to learn and improve after a loss." 

Andrews, who credits his Hoban experience for instilling the commitment necessary to work towards
and achieve short and long term goals, earned a B.S. in Geology, an M.S. in Environmental Geology and an
M.S. in Civil Engineering from the University of Akron.

As a prep volleyball and softball standout at Hoban and a record-shattering collegiate pitcher at Youngstown State, Kim (Givens ’92) Madden earned countless awards and mountains of recognition as a result of her athletic achievements. As a member of the Archbishop Hoban High School Athletic Hall of Fame Class of 2023, Madden adds yet another honor to her long list of accolades.

In an era of Hoban dominance in both volleyball and softball, Madden was a key player and contributor to the success of both programs during her days as a Knight. A two-time letter winner for Hall of Fame volleyball coach Mary Howard, Madden had a hand in two OHSAA Division II State Championships in 1990 and 1991. During those back-to-back championship seasons, Madden and the Knights, despite often categorized as undersized, accumulated a 52-4 overall mark. Madden was a perfect representation of the effort, toughness, selflessness and flawless fundamentals the Hoban team employed to earn its titles. In her senior campaign, Madden accounted for 99 service aces and scored 55% on kills, collecting All-Summit County, All-District and All-Ohio Coaches Association recognition in the process.

Equally gritty on the diamond, both on the mound as a stellar pitcher, as a crafty fielder at shortstop, or on the hot corner, Madden was an important cog in the finely-tuned Hoban softball machine from 1989-’92. A four-time letter winner for coaches Mary Ann King and Luke Darrah, Madden and the Knights captured the OHSAA Division II State crown in 1991 and 1992, losing only once in 56 contests (33-0 in 1991 and 22-1 in 1992) during that two-year reign. Madden was elected as team Co-Captain in 1992, a season which saw the multi-tool player finish 6-1 as a pitcher, including a perfect game vs. Chaminade Julianne. The dominant Madden racked-up a 0.28 ERA in 1991 en route to earning All County, All-District, Summirt County All-Star Game participant, All-Plain Dealer and All-Plain Dealer Scholastic honors as well as All-City recognition for the third time in her high school career.

“Frankly,” noted teammate and fellow Hoban Hall of Fame recepiant Patti (Godzinski ’92) Hardman, “without Kim, we don’t win those championships, particularly in ’92. She could do everything. She was clutch time and time again in the field, at the plate and whenever she took the mound."

Madden received an athletic scholarship to play softball at Youngstown State University, where her
prowess as a dominant pitcher continued to escalate. Madden earned four letters for the Penguins and
her name still peppers the YSU Softball record book. She is the program’s career leader in five categories; Wins (46), Shutouts (18), Complete Games (76), Innings Pitched (623) and Appearances (101). Madden is tops in three YSU Single Season Record categories; Shutouts (8), Complete Games (28) and Innings Pitched (200.2). She was the first Penguin hurler to record 100 strikeouts and ended her career with 303 “Ks” and a 1.83 ERA, both third in program history. In 1996, Madden earned First Team All Mid-Continental Conference honors and became the first and only YSU student-athlete to be named the MCC Scholar-Athlete of the Year. Madden was inducted into the Youngstown State Athletic Hall of Fame in 2008 and, along with her father Cecil Givens, was elected to the Summit County Softball Hall of Fame in 2016. Madden counts coach Mary Howard among her key influencers during her time at Hoban, noting, “Mary (Marge) got the best out of us everyday by not only setting high expectations and standards, but also making things fun." When she became a softball coach herself at Twinsburg High School, Madden found herself reaching back to the lessons learned from her mentor at Hoban.

“I remember many things she said and did, and I found myself saying and doing many of those same
things” Madden recalled about Coach Howard, “She was more than a coach. She bacame a permanent
part of our lives."

“Hoban High School and Hoban athletics helped prepare me for my time in college by teaching teamwork
perseverance through difficult situations," Madden said. “Being on four state championship teams, there were many times we were placed in high-pressure situations and had to keep our composure. Those things helped me in my college softball career, my coaching career and my teaching career."

Madden earned Bachelors Degrees in Special Education and General Education from YSU and a Masters
Degree in Special Education from the University of Akron. She is in her 26th year as an Intervention
Specialist for Twinsburg City Schools, where she also served as Varsity Softball Coach from 1998-2006,
winning three conference championships. Madden and her husband, Marcus, are the parents of two
sons, Conner and Cooper.

While numerous Archbishop Hoban High School student-athletes have been recognized for athletic performance over the years, Kristine (Sokol ’10) Darling could be considered among the finest three-sport stars to wear a Knight uniform in decades. As an 11-time letter winner overall at Hoban; track and field (4 letters), volleyball (4 letters) and basketball (3 letters), along with a stellar track and field career at Walsh University, Darling has crafted an impressive list of accomplishments on the prep and collegiate playing fields. Another space in Darling’s crowded trophy cabinet is now occupied with her 2023 induction into the Archbishop Hoban High School Athletic Hall of Fame.

Darling was an impact player at Hoban from the start, earning a spot on the varsity volleyball team as a freshman and gaining Honorable Mention All-North Coast League honors for her performance. Darling developed into one of the finest volleyball players in the area from 2006-2009, becoming a four-time All-NCL honoree, a two-time Akron Touchdown Club All-Star (2008, 2009) and an All-District Honoree (2009). Darling was voted team captain in 2009 and was twice named the squad’s Most Valuable Player (2008, 2009). During her senior season, she became the first Hoban volleyball player to record 1,000 kills for her career.

As equally bright a star on the hardwood in basketball, Darling was a force on both offense and defense
for coach Tracy Miller’s Hoban squad and proved to be one of the finest players in the league. Darling was a four-time All-NCL honoree (2008-2010) and was named the conference’s Most Valuable Player following her senior season in 2010. A two-time team captain, Darling was voted the team “Defensive Player of the Year” in her junior season and garnered the “Offensive Player of the Year” and Most Valuable Player honors the following season, during which she led the team in scoring. Darling earned All-County honors in 2010 and was selected to participate in the Stark vs. Summit and City vs. Suburban All-Star Basketball Games.

Track and Field provided another arena for Darling to help her team succeed. Darling competed in the shot
put and discus events for the Knights, routinely winning both events in dual meets and relays. She placed third in the NCL in both events in 2008 and 2010 and set the Hoban record for discus in 2010. She was named the team’s Most Valuable Player in her senior season, and at the culmination of her high school athletic career was crowned the Archbishop Hoban Female Athlete of the Year.

Darling’s multi-sport days didn’t end at Hoban, as she took her talents to Stark County as a standout volleyball player and track and field competitor for the Walsh University Cavaliers. Darling earned four varsity letters on the Cavs basketball squad and served as team captain in her senior season. In track, she was a four time letter-winner, earned All-GLIAC honors (2013), won the team “Coaches Award” (2013), was elected team captain her senior season and was named the Women’s Track and Field Outstanding Performer (2012). Darling ended her career as the owner of the Walsh University record in the javelin throw.

Impacted by multiple coaches across three sports, Darling credits many for her success as a student athlete at Hoban and beyond.

“I had three coaches that were all impactful during my time at Hoban," Darling said. “Renee (Anderson) Scheidt was my first volleyball coach at Hoban and gave me the opportunity to play varsity as a freshman which gave me the confidence that I needed to excel. Tracy Miller was my basketball coach all four years and showed me where hard work and dedication can take you. All four of my track coaches were amazing and treated me like their own even though I was only a thrower. Joe Lutz, Peach, McVan and Joe B. were the best coaching staff around and made track and field a very enjoyable experience.”

Upon earning her degree, Darling returned to One Holy Cross Blvd., where she has been an educator in
the Math Department since 2014. Darling has also served as an assistant coach in volleyball, basketball
and track and field.

A multi-sport starter, difference-maker and infectious positive presence from the time he stepped on campus, LaTroy Lewis ’12 had four years at Archbishop Hoban High School filled with success and life shaping personal lessons in perserverence and career paving inspiration. A four-time letter winner in both football and basketball, and a three-time letter-winner in track and field for the Knights, Lewis is among the most impactful, memorable and outstanding student-athletes to represent the school in recent memory. While Lewis continues to write his story as a football coach at the collegiate level, the chapter which includes the Archbishop Hoban Athletic Hall of Fame is now complete with his induction in the Class of 2023.

Lewis contributed, and often dominated, on both offense and defense on the Hoban football team for Hall of Fame coach Ralph Orsini from 2008-2011, playing a role as a freshman on a squad that reached the 2008 OHSAA Division II State Semi-Finals. A disruptive force at defensive end and a dual-threat blocker and receiver at tight end, Lewis was an imposing presence no matter where he lined up for the Knights. During his sophomore and junior seasons, Lewis registered 166 tackles and 22 quarterback sacks in 20 games. Despite missing nearly his entire senior season due to injury, Lewis was a two-time All-Ohio honoree, three-time All-NEO District selection, three-time at North Coast League designee and was twice selected as an All-Akron Beacon Journal and Akron Touchdown Club All-Star. Lewis rebounded from injury and played in the Ohio High School Football Coaches Association North vs. South All-Star Game where he was considered a 4-Star collegiate recruit, fielding offers from multiple Power Five universities across the nation.

“Despite the injury senior year, he never stopped being one of our leaders," said former coach Ralph Orsini. “That’s just the kind of guy he was and is. He didn’t make it about him. It was about the team and fighting through adversity."

Lewis also made an immediate and continuous mark as a leader on the hardwood for coach T.K. Griffith and the Hoban basketball team. A four-year starter, Lewis played in 80 career contests, scoring 307 points and snagging 377 rebounds, helping the Knights make two appearances in the District Finals. Lewis served as team captain, was a three-time Honorable Mention All-NCL performer (2010-12) and earned Honorable Mention All-District accolades in 2011.

Lewis consistently provided valuable scoring in multiple track and field events for the Knights. A member
of the 2011 NCL Championship squad, Lewis participated in the 200-meter dash, high jump, shot put and
discus events. At the conclusion of his senior year, Lewis was named the 2011-2012 Archbishop Hoban
High School Outstanding Male Athlete.

With multiple offers to consider, Lewis accepted an athletic scholarship to play football at the University of Tennessee. As a quick and versatile defensive end, Lewis earned three letters for the Volunteers and had a hand in victories in the Gator Bowl, Outback Bowl and Music City Bowl during his time in Knoxville. In 44 career games, Lewis notched 77 tackles, 12 tackles-for-loss and 4.5 quarterback sacks. He was a member of the Tennessee Vols Team Leadership Council, a 2016 All-Southeastern Conference Community Service Team honoree , and was named a 2016 VFL Campus Emerging Leader.

While an undergrad at Tennessee, Lewis founded Project Elevate, a non-profit organization with the mission of culturing, cultivating, educating and mentoring inner-city youth. Among its multiple outreach endeavors, Project Elevate provided families with meals at Thanksgiving, hosted Christmas gift drives for elementary schools, hosted community building events to build social and cultural competencies, formed a coalition of male and female Tennessee student-athletes to serve as ambassadors at local elementary schools, hosted free youth athletic camps and spearheaded community projects to provide playgrounds for local schools and winter clothing for children.

Lewis signed a rookie NFL contract with the Oakland Raiders in 2017 and tied for second in the league in
quarterback sacks during the pre-season. He then earned a contract with the Houston Texans in 2018,
receiving his first NFL start vs. the Jacksonville Jaguars. He concluded his playing career in the NFL with the Tennessee Titans (2018) and the Houston Roughnecks of the XFL (2020).

Lewis has continued to impact others through his career as a college football coach. He had coaching stops as an assistant at Akron, South Alabama and Wake Forest. Currently, Lewis is in his second season as an assistant linebackers coach at the University of Michigan, where he helped the Wolverines earn their second consecutive Big Ten Championship and berth in the College Football Playoff. He is pursuing his Masters Degree in Social Work.

Reflecting on his Hoban days, Lewis cited positive the positive influence of Griffith and Orsini, and also highlighted the lasting impact assistant Knight football coaches Cornelius Parsons and the late Sonil Haslam had on his life.

“What Coach Parsons taught me from a sports standpoint was powerful, but what he represented for
me I still can not put into words. He had my back more than most can realize. Attending Hoban as a
young black man had its difficulties that most could not understand or even notice, and having
someone I could spend time with and pour into me was crucial," Lewis said. " I still have vivid memories
of Coach Parsons and Sonil (Haslam) taking Greg (McMullen) and me for wings and to have a mental
check-in. Coach Parsons and Coach Haslam had an impact and a reach that inspires me daily. I am
extremely adamant on being part of diversifying the field in which I work, thanks to the inspiration I
received in high school," added Lewis. “My entire Hoban experience taught me how to work with and
serve diverse groups of people, which is a skill that continues to benefit me and the people around me
daily”.

Lewis and his wife Rita Lewis-Smith are the parents of three children; Everly Eden, Luca Blaze and
Lihanna Reign. LaTroy is the son of two Hoban alumni; mother LaTonya Lewis-Becton ’92 and father and
fellow Hoban Hall of Fame member Ray Edmonds ’92.

Described by one writer as an “imposing, virtually unblockable, game changing force on the defensive front” during his days as a Hoban football player, Greg McMullen ’12 proved to be all of those things and more on and off of the field and court. A four-time letter winner in football and two-time letter winner in basketball for the Knights, McMullen had an undeniable impact on Hoban opponents and teammates alike, garnering numerous honors over a four-year stretch and setting a standard for excellence for players that followed. His Hoban athletic story comes full circle with his 2023 induction into the Archbishop Hoban High School Athletic Hall of Fame.

Entering camp in the summer of 2008, coach Ralph Orsini was uncertain if the rangy, powerful incoming freshman who’d been attending voluntary workouts was going to show up for the start of mandatory camp. He’d stopped attending for a week and coaches were uncertain where he was planning to enroll.

“We thought he’d decided to go across town," Orsini lamented. “Then, near the deadline, he enrolls and shows up for two-a-days’." Later on, coach Orsini asked McMullen what made him choose Hoban. “Coach, the first thing I heard about at other places was athletics. The first thing I heard about from Hoban was academics. Education is why I’m here," McMullen responded. 

McMullen proceeded to take opponents to school on the gridiron for Orsini and the Knights. His blend of size, power and speed made him a nearly impossible match-up for the opposition from his spot on the defensive line. He helped the Knights reach the OHSAA Division II State Semi-Finals as a freshman and got better as a player every season. McMullen fought through creative blocking schemes and double teams to notch 44.5 career quarterback sacks, the top mark in program history upon his graduation. He was a four-time All North Coast League selection and was named the conference’s Defensive Player of the Year in 2011, a 10-game season that saw him collect 78 tackles, 14 tackles-for-loss and 12.5 sacks. He was named to the USA Today “Top 100” (2011), was a four-time All-Ohio selection, four-time All-NEO District choice, a three-time All-Plain Dealer All Area honoree and three-
time All-Akron Beacon Journal All-Star.

On the hardwood, McMullen was a strong presence for Coach T.K. Griffith and the Knights for three seasons. Strong in the paint and quick with his feet, McMullen played in 43 games with 33 starts, scoring 477 career points for an 11.7 points/game average.

McMullen accepted an athletic scholarship to play football at the University of Nebraska, where he was
a three-year starter on the front line for the Cornhuskers famed “Black Shirt” defense. McMullen helped
Nebraska win two bowl games during his time in Lincoln. He accounted for 91 career tackles, 20 tackles-
for-loss and nine quarterback sacks. McMullen’s collegiate accolades include earning Academic All-Big
Ten honors (2013) as well as the Brooks Berringer Citizenship Award (2015, 2106), the Tom Osborne
Citizenship Award (2015, 2016) and the Nebraska Husker Pride Award (2015). McMullen traces his success on the playing field and beyond in-part to the relationships and mentors he encountered during his Hoban days.

“I believe all my coaches at Hoban in football and basketball contributed to my success on and off the field, McMullen said. “I learned a lot of football insight from the great mind of Coach O, Coach Parsons, Coach Frisone and Coach Haslam (Big Dad). I learned even more important life lessons from people like Coach T.K. Lessons that have shaped the road I’ve traveled." 

“Our workload and and work ethic at Hoban was top tier with coaches and teachers pushing you to your
full potential," added McMullen. “Coaches gave encouragement to give that extra effort
when you are ready to give-up. Having that strong support system at Hoban made for an easy transition
to Nebraska. Further, I would truly say that the Hoban family has been the best experience for me and
my personal development as an individual, a man of the community and as a father."

While the history of Hoban Wrestling features tales of numerous standout performers on the mat, including a bounty of tournament champions, state qualifiers and placers, Lukus Stricker ’17 stands atop the program’s victory column. A four time letter winner for the Knights, Stricker completed his storied wrestling career at Hoban with a 173-19 record and ascended to the threshold of a state title. In a testament to his efforts and accomplishments, Stricker enters the Archbishop Hoban High School Athletic Hall of Fame in the 2023 class in his first year of eligibility.

Stricker blossomed into a dominant grappler during his time at Hoban. On his way to earning the most victories in school history, Stricker was a two-time team captain, three-time North Coast League Champion (2015, ’16, ’17), the NCL Most Outstanding Wrestler (2017), three-time Sectional Champion (2015, ’16, ’17), three-time District Champion (2015, ’16, ’17) and a three-time OHSAA State Qualifier (2015, ’16, ’17). Stricker captured the bronze medal at the state meet in his junior season and finished as State Runner-Up in his final match as a Knight.

“Lukus is a great young man. Special," coach Rich Lann ’81 said. “Clearly he was talented, but he was one of the hardest working wrestlers I’ve ever coached. It was truly an honor to have coached Lukus."

Stricker attended Harvard University, where he was a four-time letterman for the Crimson’s wrestling team. Committed to his craft, Stricker showed steady improvement during his collegiate wrestling career. He earned the program’s Most Improved Wrestler Award in his sophomore season and became a two-time All-Ivy League Honorable Mention honoree (2018-19 and 2020-21). In his senior season, Stricker earned a 19-11 record, including a 7-2 record in dual competitions.

“Wrestling at the Division I collegiate level was difficult," Stricker noted. “But by the end of my career I was very happy with how I ended up. In my senior year I really came into a leadership position when we most needed one, as all of our captains were injured or out of the lineup."

Stricker finished his collegiate wrestling career placing 7th at the EIWA Conference Championships and
left the mat for the final time with 58 career victories at Harvard. Amassing 231 wrestling wins between high school and college is no small feat, and Stricker is quick to give thanks to those that helped him find success.

“Coach Rich Lann was very impactful on me in my time at Hoban. He gave me a hard time because he knew I was a good wrestler. He knew I was aware that I was good, so he consistently pushed me extra hard because he believed that I could be great," Stricker said. “I was a fine wrestler when I started at Hoban, but I was nowhere near the competitor I was by the time I graduated and I owe a lot of that to the belief that Coach Lann instilled in me. I’m thankful to have had him and still have him in my life."

Stricker credits much of his success to his parents, Tyler and Angela. “They invested everything in me and my passion and they wanted desperately for me to be a great wrestler. Not for themselves, but because they knew that is all I ever wanted," Stricker said. 

Despite his glaring individual accomplishments on the mat at Hoban and beyond, Stricker never lost
sight of the importance of teamwork and accountability.

“We had a handful of guys at Hoban that were really committed to getting better every day and that energy was contagious. We knew that we may not be able to turn Hoban into the best wrestling team in the state, but we could do our very best to make each other the best wrestlers we could possibly become," Stricker said. “My senior year we produced three state qualifiers and finished 12th out of 83 Division II teams. Not too shabby."

Stricker added, “My participation in athletics at Hoban not only allowed me to build relationships that I
will carry for the rest of my life, but it endowed in me a sense of determination and a desire to be
great."

Stricker earned his Bachelor’s degree in Applied Mathematics in Computer Science from Harvard and is
currently a Software Engineer at Zagaran, Inc. in Boston.