​From teaching at-risk students math skills, to helping middle schoolers make sense of history, to leading an entire community’s educational efforts, this year’s inductees into the York College Athletic Hall of Fame have more than sports in common--they all share a passion for touching the lives of young people. 

​Dave Hawley ’72, Laura (Hastings) Hawley ’98, and Jeremy Hogan ’00 were the 2018 class of Athletic Hall of Fame honorees. Each has had a decorated career in education, which was recognized along with their lives of service and athletic excellence during an event at Homecoming.

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Leading a school trip to Washington D.C. prevented Laura Hawley from attending the induction event. Her sister Emily (Hastings) Skelton ’08, also a former YC volleyball player, accepted the award on her behalf and read a statement for her: “I am proud to be part of York College's Heritage. It is hard to put into words how meaningful and transformative my time at York College was. York is the place where I learned independence, grew in my faith, met my husband Lance, and became equipped to serve as a teacher...God used York College to shape my heart for his mission.” *

Laura Hawley helped lead the Panthers to the National Small College Athletic Association Championship game where the Panthers beat No. 1 seed Dominican College in 1997. Currently Hawley is a middle school math teacher at Harding Academy in Memphis, Tennessee. She also taught for 12 years in Oregon Public Schools in Oregon, Wisconsin. In 2013, Oregon Public Schools recognized her with the Making a Difference Award for her work with at-risk and special needs students.

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Steve Hawley ’75 introduced his brother Dave at the induction event. The sons of longtime East Hill Church of Christ minister Roger Hawley, Steve and Dave recalled growing up next to the York College campus and falling in love with athletics as they copied their college heroes.

“From a young age, Dave always had a ball in his hands...The rest is history. Dave is the winningest high school tennis coach in the United States,” said Steve. In total, Dave’s teams have won the state title 52 times.

Dave Hawley reminisced about the “funny turns” life takes. He left college with an education degree and no desire to coach, however the only teaching jobs he could find included coaching. He started his career and discovered his calling. “I love coaching. It’s something I think I was born to do. It’s not always easy...but there’s so much enjoyment that comes out of it,” said Hawley. Hawley also teaches seventh grade history, and has been recognized many times for his skill in the classroom as well as in coaching.

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Former YC men’s basketball coach Brett McDaniel waxed poetic about the athletic prowess of one of his standout players, Jeremy Hogan. Hogan’s greatest strength, however, was his attitude and leadership skills, said McDaniel. His laid back demeanor and easy confidence was a contrast to McDaniel’s frenzied coaching style. “Our team took on Jeremy’s personality...they all followed his lead,” he said.

Today Hogan is the superintendent of schools for Miami, Oklahoma, a role he says he could never have achieved without his years at York. A struggling student, Hogan says basketball was his only reason for going to college. Mentors at YC helped him find his direction and set him on the path to success.

Hogan’s two children have heart defects that have necessitated multiple surgeries and his wife has overcome cancer twice. “Life’s been challenging at times. We’ve been able to share our testimony with a lot of people. Hopefully that will have a positive impact on their lives,” he said. 

At the conclusion of the induction event, the impact of the family’s testimony was evident: men’s basketball players and head coach Tree Burks presented the family with pre-game warm-up jerseys the team will be wearing throughout the season--the slogan “Fight Like a Hogan” is in bold letters across the chest. “We know there’s going to be times in the season where we’re going to be down, and we can remember this family and everything they’ve been through, and we can always give everything we have, regardless of score...we’ll just keep on fighting,” said Burks.

Nominations are now open for the 2019 Athletic Hall of Fame inductees.
Full details and nomination form