• Jeffrey Mraz
  Bowling 2007

Jeff has been bowling since he was five years old when his mother took him to North Lanes where through her coaching and encouragement, he learned to love the sport. In 1976, as a junior bowler, he won a number of city, state and regional tournaments capping off the year by finishing second at the nationals of the All-American Youth Bowling Championships in San Francisco. Three years later he joined the Professional Bowlers Association, competing in nine stops on the tour. This short experience told him this was not the lifestyle he wanted for his family. But, it didn´t stop him from competing in the area and state where he racked up individual, doubles and team championships in the 1980´s. Teaming with Hall of Famer Chris Neidert, they captured the Stark County Masters Doubles twice and the OTBA doubles crown. His high average during his competitive years was 231. He shot 15 perfect games and eight 800 series, once hitting a three-game set of 854.​

• Joseph "Joe" Yost
  Coach 2007

Coaching must have been in Joe Yost´s blood, because he began right out of high school in 1971, assisting Bill McLain at Ellet He went on to earn his bachelor´s degree in education from the University of Akron. He was a member of Jim Dennison´s coaching staff for the Zips in 1976, before returning to Ellet for the following two years as a defensive coordinator. In 1979 Yost was named head football coach at Ellet and has served in this capacity for the last 28 years---the longest tenure as a head football coach in the history of the Akron Public Schools. Ranked number three in overall wins in the city(165-118-2) and has been named Coach of the Year twice (1992 & 2005). Made the Akron City Series playoffs 10 years in a row , 1981 to 1990 which was the last year for the playoffs and led Ellet to its only Turkey Day victory in 1989, beating Buchtel, 7-6. In 2006, yost was selected by the Beacon Journal for the prestigious Clem Caraboolad Award.

• Dennis Murphy
  Golf 2007

Murphy, a graduate of Hoban High, The University of Akron and Kent State, won his first golf title when he captured the 1955 Firestone Caddy Championship. Murphy played golf at Hoban 1955-57, leading the Knights to an undefeated season in 1957. He lettered four times at Akron, served as teamp captain two years and was named MVP as a senior. With Murphy setting the pace, the Zips won 27 consecutive matches. He competed in the NCAA Div I tournament as a senior, was named Akron Touchdown Club Golfer of the Year in 1959 and 1961 and was inducted into the UA Hall of Fame in 1999. While still in college, Murphy was named to the Akron District Golf Association board and sserved 12 years, his last three as president. Murphy competed in the 1959 Rubber City Open in the tournament´s final year as a PGA tour event, made the cut, and played all four rounds. Murphy won the 1966 ADGA Match Play title, teamed with Tim Edwards to capture the ´66 ADGA District 4-ball crown; teamed with Bill Bosshard to win the 1967 Ohio 4-ball title and won the 1969 ADGA Medal Play crown. Murphy is one of five golfers to have won all the ADGA´s major tournaments. He has won club championships at Firestone and Mayfair Golf Club, carding course records of 62 (Mayfair East) and 64 (Mayfair West). Both low rounds came in 1971

• Thomas "Tom" Conway

Diving 2007

When he entered Florida State University in 1949, Conway knew he could be a champion diver for the Seminoles---and he was right. For the next three years he won letters in his specialities--the 1 and 3-meter dive-- and in 1951 was the Southeastern Conference champion.Diving continued to be a big part of his life after leaving Florida State. He joined the University of Akron as swim coach in 1960 , serving one year. He then continued on for the next five years serving as diving coach under head swim coach, Dick Wells. During his tenure at AU, he coached Pete Boggs who went on to capture the Ohio Athletic Conference championship. He was a major coaching influence for Olympic champion Phil Boggs,(Pete´s younger brother) during his early prep school years, and along with Wells helped Boggs to earn a scholarship at Florida State. For many years he has volunteered to help young people in the area, learning the art of diving.

• Kathryn Graf
  Official 2007

Following in her dad´s footsteps, Kathie Graf has forged a name for herself in the officiating arena. She actually began a lot younger than her dad, attending her first umpiring class at the age of 11. She participated in both basketball and softball during her prep years and also in college at both the University of New Mexico and the University of Akron. After graduation from AU in 1985, Kathie turned her attention to officiating again and began to umpire at the college level in 1986. She officiated games for the Mid American Conference, PSAC , Mid Atlantic Conference Horizon League, along with all levels of Division I, II and III. In 2003, she received her first appointment to umpire a college World Series and in 2006 was named Umpire in Chief in the World Series Division III. Currently, Kathie is the largest recreational umpire/assigner in Northeast Ohio and in 2005 assigned for over 1,000 games for the various communities, free of charge.

• Landon Hackim
  Basketball 2007

This Cuyahoga Falls High School player was one of the best to wear a Black Tigers uniform, setting school records for single game scoring (48) and total points (1973). Landon earned All Metro, All District and All Summit County honors for four straight years. He then took his basketball prowess to Miami University in Oxford, Ohio where he became a four-year performer. His freshman year he became an impact player off the bench for the Redhawks, as he became an excellent shooting guard, canning nearly 42 percent of his three pointers. Miami was the MAC champion, receiving an NIT bid. In the ensueing three years, Landon continued his outstanding performance. The 5´11” guard set his career high game (36) against Toledo in ´94. Upon graduation in 1997, Landon was the third leading scorer in Miami history, racking up 1,493, behind Ron Harper and Eric Newsome. He also is the all-time leader in three point goals with 277.

• Paul Lepley
  Baseball 2007

A native of Clinton, Ohio, and a 1951 graduate of Clinton High School, Lepley played three years of varsity baseball at the University of Michigan, 1952-53-54, playing on the Wolverine´s 1953 National Championship team. Lepley played on a pair of Big Ten championship teams and earned first team All-Big Ten honors while hitting .396 in 1953. He also led the Big Ten in triples and RBI´s .That same year he was named an American Baseball Coaches Assn. All-American(third team). After his junior season at Michigan, Lepley turned pro, signing with the Detroit Tigers organization. He played three years in the minors, returning to Michigan in 1955 to receive his bachelor´s degree.He went on to earn a masters at Penn State and a doctorate at Temple in 1969. He served in education administration and spent 19 years at Northeastern University in Boston. He retired in 1996 as the Dean of Bouve College at Northeastern.

• Norman "Norm" Lingle
  Coach 2007

Norm Lingle coach Mogadore High football from 1974 to 1991, posting a 150-53-1 record. He guided the Wildcats to Portage County League titles nine times. He was named PCL Coach of the Year three times, Summit County Coach of the Year twice, and Ohio High School Football Coach of the Year twice. Prior to launching his coaching career, Lingle, a 1966 Mogadore High graduate, played baseball for one season at Clemson University and followed that with one season at Ken State, graduating in 1971. Lingle also played four seasons in the Akron AA Baseball league. Lingle has been inducted into the Portage County Hall of Fame and the Ohio High School Football Coaches Hall of Fame. Lingle is a physical education teach in the Mogadore school system and serves as athletic director for Wildcat teams.

• Mike Pruitt·

Football 2007

A four-year letterman at Purdue University (1972-76), Pruitt was an All Big Ten selection was named the Boilermakers Most Valuable Player in 1975 after rushing for 899 yards. He was drafted in the first round by the Cleveland Browns and was a solid performer for nine years. He ranks third among Browns all-time leading rushers with 6,540 yards behind Hall of Famer Jim Brown, 12,312 yards and Leroy Kelly, 7,274 yards. He averaged 4.1 yards per carry while scoring 47 touchdowns (also third behind Brown,106 and Kelly,74). Pruitt was named the Brown´s offensive player of the year for 1980 and 1981. He was named to UPI´s All AFC first team in 1979 and was a Pro Bowler in ´79 and ´80. Mike was a key factor in the Browns 1980 Kardiac Kids AFC Central Division championship season.