DAHLONEGA – The University of North Georgia Department of Athletics inducted five outstanding individuals into the Athletics Hall of Fame as its eighth annual class at a luncheon on Saturday, April 7, 2018 in the new UNG Convocation Center. Those individuals included Jessica Coan, ('13, softball), Brian Lauderdale, ('08, baseball), Dr. Guy Oliver (men's soccer), Garland Pinholster ('49, men's basketball) and Rade Tanaskovic ('11, men's soccer).

The UNG Athletics Hall of Fame honors individuals who have earned outstanding athletic achievement or made substantial contributions to the university. A nine-member Board of Directors is responsible for operations of the Athletics Hall of Fame and serves as selectors for all honorees, based upon nominations.

The Class of 2018 brings the new total of inductees to 36. These five decorated individuals make up the eighth class of the UNG Athletics Hall of Fame program, which was created in 2011.
  
Jessica Coan - Softball - Class of 2013
Transferring in to North Georgia prior to the 2011 season, Coan made her mark as one of the best pitchers to step into the circle in North Georgia history. She was named the National and Peach Belt Conference Pitcher of the Year in 2011 as well as a NFCA and Easton first team All-American. She holds the second-lowest career ERA at 1.15 in program history as well as holding opposing batters to a .165 batting average in her over 441 innings pitched. Coan led the Nighthawks to the NCAA Division II Super Regionals twice and to the NCAA Championship in 2011, compiling 52 wins and just 13 losses in her two-year career.


 
Brian Lauderdale - Baseball - Class of 2008
Lauderdale was the first North Georgia baseball player to be named a NCAA All-American and the program's first Peach Belt Conference Player of the Year. In his four-year career at North Georgia, he hit .363, which is the fifth-best batting average in program history. He stole bases at a UNG-best .885 percentage, stealing 100 bases over four years. Lauderdale also holds the UNG records for runs scored in a career, most hits in a season among others. He was also a NAIA First-Team All-American in 2005 after leading the Saints to a 57-15 record that included a SSAC Championship as well as a sixth-consecutive trip to the NAIA Regional. After completing his collegiate career, he signed to play professionally with the San Diego Padres as a free agent. 


 
Dr. Guy Oliver - Men's Soccer
Doc Oliver was the inaugural coach of the 1967 UNG men's soccer program. He was a teacher, coach, mentor and friend to many in his years at North Georgia.  He was named North Georgia's Distinguished Professor in 1973.  As coach of the men's soccer team, he shepherded the team from club sport to NAIA varsity team status. The program is the second oldest in the state of Georgia, only surpassed in age by Emory.  The North Georgia family lost Coach Oliver when he passed away on March 13, 2017 in Fayetteville, Arkansas.


 
Garland Pinholster - Men's Basketball - Class of 1949
Pinholster graduated from North Georgia in 1949 and played basketball for the Cadets from 1948-50, winning the state title in his final year. There are theories that suggest during his time at North Georgia, Pinholster invented the jump shot which is still used to this day. Not only did he make his mark at North Georgia with the jump shot, he invented the "Wheel" offense while coaching at Oglethorpe University, where the court is named after him. Pinholster's coaching career also includes coaching the United States to a gold medal in the 1963 Pan American games and a fourth-place finish at the 1963 FIBA World Championship. Aside from his basketball career, after being a member of the Corps of Cadets at North Georgia, he served as a Lieutenant in the Army.



Rade Tanaskovic - Men's Soccer - Class of 2011
A three-time Peach Belt Conference All-Conference selection, Tanaskovic is seventh all-time in Peach Belt Conference history with a career goals-against average of 0.91. He currently holds the UNG record for saves in a career, recording 248 saves in his four-year stint in between the posts at North Georgia. Tanaskovic was also named to the NSCAA All-Southeast Region team after his sophomore campaign in 2009, a year that he gave up just 17 goals in 14 matches. During his career, he led the Saints to a 30-35-7 record that included three trips to the Peach Belt Conference tournament.