Winthrop Athletics Hall of Fame adds seven

Winthrop University is inducting six former student-athletes and a former volleyball coach into its Winthrop Athletics Hall of Fame. The 2016 class will be inducted Jan. 29 at a 6 p.m. dinner in the Richardson Ballroom of the DiGiorgio Campus Center.

The Winthrop Hall of Fame will have 73 former players, coaches and administrators. The hall was founded in 2014. Members of the class of 2016 are:

▪ Bob Bowen—Bob Bowen (Class of 1982) was a goalkeeper from 1978 thru 1981 before becoming a hall of fame high school coach in North Carolina. He was named an NAIA All-American and a National Soccer Coaches Association All-Region player in 1981, was voted the 1979 NAIA District 6 Player of the Year, and was a three-time District 6 All-Region performer in 1979, 1980 and 1981. Bowen began his coaching career in Charlotte in 1983. He was the girls head coach at South Mecklenburg High for five years before taking over as boys head coach at Providence High School for 15 years and the girls coach for two years. He was voted North Carolina Boys Coach of the Year in 1992 and 1997. In 2013, he was inducted into the North Carolina Soccer Coaches Hall of Fame.

▪ Daniel Carte—Daniel Carte (Class of 2014) was drafted in the second round of the 2005 MLB Draft as the 52nd pick by the Colorado Rockies. In 2005, he was selected a second team All-American by Baseball America, the American Baseball Coaches Association and the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association. Daniel was named a Second Team All-Region performer in 2004 and a First Team All-Region player in 2005. In 2003, he was a Baseball America Freshman All-American First Team selection and was also named a Collegiate Baseball Freshman All-American and the Big South Rookie of the Year. He played five years in the Rockies organization.

▪ Ronda Cline—Ronda Cline (Class of 1984) was named an NAIA First Team All-American in 1983 and 1984, leading the Winthrop softball team to back-to-back NAIA World Series. She was also an NAIA All-District 6 selection in 1983 and 1984 and was named to the District 6 All-Tournament Team both years. Following graduation, Cline joined the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department where she has served for 30 years and will retire in December.

▪ Joel McCartney—Joel McCartney led Winthrop’s volleyball program to five Big South Conference championships and five NCAA tournament appearances (2002-2006) during six years as head coach. He compiled a 74-10 Big South Conference coaching record and an overall record of 167-49 in six years.McCartney led the Eagles to three consecutive undefeated Big South regular seasons in 2004, 2005 and 2006 with 14-0 records.He currently is head volleyball coach at the University of Sioux Falls in South Dakota.

▪ Paige Nichols—Paige Nichols (Class of 1985) was a two-time NAIA softball First Team All-American in 1984 and 1985, and was named to the 1985 NAIA District 6 All-Tournament Team. She played a key role on the 1985 team that reached a NAIA No. 1 national ranking and advanced four games into the NAIA World Series. She still ranks in Winthrop’s Top 10 in two batting categories and five pitching categories. She also ranks first in fewest earned runs allowed in a career as well as fewest hits allowed.

This story was originally published December 26, 2015 at 4:57 PM with the headline "Winthrop Athletics Hall of Fame adds seven."