Union inducted six outstanding former athletes into its Sports Hall of Fame on April 12 in the Carl Grant Events Center.
Tommy Sadler, director of athletics, began the night by welcoming the athletes, their families and members of the Booster Club.
“It doesn’t matter if you went to school in Lexington or at 1050 Union University [Dr.], you’re a Bulldog,” Sadler said.
Sadler then gave the invocation and introduced Steve Beverly, associate professor of communication arts and long-time Master of Ceremonies for the Hall of Fame ceremony. Beverly gave a synopsis of the players’ careers at Union, and then President Samuel W. “Dub” Oliver presented each athlete with a red plaque engraved with their portrait and name in white.
The 2019 Hall of Fame inductees include:
-Ron Baker, Class of 1966
Baker played three varsity sports during his time at Union: cross country, track and golf. Baker only played one semester of golf then transferred over to running. In 1964, Baker set a school, conference and track record in the 880 meter race with a time of 1:58. Baker’s track teams were conference champions all four years.
Baker recorded multiple top-10 finishes in cross country. He gained the No. 1 spot on Union’s team at the end of 1964.
One of his proudest accomplishments is becoming a preacher. After Union, Baker earned a Master of Divinity from Southwestern Seminary and a Doctor of Ministry from Midwestern Seminary. He is currently on the Trustee Board of the Missouri Baptist Children’s Home and participated in “Bold Mission Taiwan” in 1985.
-Lynde Capogreco, Class of 1999
Capogreco was a pitcher on the softball team and a starter all four years. Capogreco was a member of the first Union softball team. She recorded 960 strikeouts, 176 walks and a 1.34 ERA during her time as a Bulldog. Capogreco set most of the pitching records at Union and still remains in the record books; she holds first place in strikeouts in seven innings at 12 per game. She collected many postseason accolades including NAIA All-American twice, all-conference four times and NAIA Scholar Athlete three times.
Capogreco now works as a medical physicist in Middle Tennessee.
-Mario Cobo, Class of 1999
Cobo played men’s tennis during the most successful time in program history. At one point, Cobo ranked No. 3 in the nation in both singles and doubles. He was named an NAIA All-American four times and led Union to four straight NAIA National Tournament appearances. Cobo and Union collected multiple titles between 1999-2001 such as TranSouth Regular Season Champions, TranSouth Conference Champions, NAIA Region XI Champions and several individual titles for Cobo.
After assistant coaching at Union and working as a tennis professional, Cobo accepted a job as the Director for Residence Life at Union. He was among the first to begin searching through the rubble after the 2008 tornado.
-Dave Gray, Class of 1968
Like Baker, Gray played three varsity sports: basketball, track and golf. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame for his accomplishments in basketball. Gray’s field goal percentage of .660 stood for 27 years; it was the third best in the nation in 1967, the year the Union record was set. You can still find his name in the Union record books at second in FG% and fourth in FT%.
Gray taught physical education/health at the high school level for 33 years in Illinois after graduating from Union. He coached several sports and held the title of athletic director throughout his career. Gray is also in the Illinois Basketball Coaches Hall of Fame. His children and grandchildren have carried on his legacy by attending Union.
-Karen McWherter, Class of 1981
McWherter was on the inaugural women’s tennis team during the 1977-78 season. She played all four years and received the program’s first full scholarship. She helped lead her team to a NAIA National Tournament berth in 1981. McWherter advanced to the Volunteer State Athletic Conference (VSAC) and was named to the All-VSAC tournament three times.
McWherter stays active in the sport she loves, playing competitively at the local and state levels. She has worked in IT at Union since graduating in 1981.
-Wilfredo “Cano” Velez, Class of 1988
Velez played baseball at Union for two years. During his career at Union, he set a record of 14 consecutive wins; this record still stands. He ranks third in season winning percentage at Union with .909. He led Union to two Tennessee Collegiate Athletic Conference (TCAC) titles. He was named an NAIA All-American both seasons.
Velez has played in multiple international contests, including the Olympics, where he led Puerto Rico to a third place finish in 1988. In 1991, his team defeated Team USA to finish with a Silver Medal in the Pan American Games. Velez is a hero in his country, making his way into several hall of fames in Puerto Rico.
Oliver commended the athletes once again on their achievements in his closing remarks.
“The excellence that each of you has demonstrated is what we seek to live out every single day at Union,” Oliver said. “We talk a lot about our core values being excellence-driven, Christ-centered, people-focused and future-directed, and I have to be really honest with you. I hear all of that in everything that each of you said tonight.”
