Lakeland inducts Athletic Hall of Fame class

Lakeland Community College inducted former soccer player Everton Blake, former wrestler Bobby Jones and its 2011-12 men’s basketball team into the school’s 2018 Athletic Hall of Fame on May 3.

Blake starred for the Lakers as a midfielder in 2006-07. He was named the Ohio Community College Athletic Conference Midfielder of the Year in both seasons at Lakeland. After the 2007 season, Blake was selected to the Region XII men’s soccer first team.

Blake also earned recognition for his academic prowess. He was named a National Junior College Athletic Association All-American and Lakeland’s scholar athlete of the year twice.

Jones earned All-American honors as a wrestler for Lakeland in 1986. Jones placed second at the Regional Tournament and finished second at the NJCAA National Tournament. Jones led Lakeland to a second-place team finish and was honored with Lakeland’s Anchor Award.

The 2011-12 men’s basketball team finished fourth in the nation at the NJCAA Division II National Tournament. Lakeland went 26-10 and won the 2012 District 10 title.

Members of the team inducted into the Hall of Fame were Daishon Robinson, Deran Blanton, Richard Smith, Brendan Cooper, Chaz Rollins, Martell Medley, Gary Little, Marius Paulauskas, Romero Sumbry and Isaiah Boddie. The team was coached by head coach Terry Bowe and assistants Ornette Gardenhire and Chris Ulrich.

The Lakers also recognized student-athletes for the 2017-18 school year. Volleyball player Brittney O’Hara was named Female Athlete of the Year and soccer player Olivier Fevrier Slidor was named the Male Athlete of the Year.

Volleyball player Cary Morin, a Newbury graduate, and softball player Justine Barnes were named Co-Female Scholar Athletes of the Year. Baseball players Matt DiDonato and Alex Newsome shared Male Scholar Athlete of the Year honors.