SALISBURY, N.C. — The Catawba College Sports Hall of Fame will add eight alumni to its membership this fall as part of the Class of 2026, it was announced Tuesday afternoon.
The class includes eight former Catawba student-athletes – six men, two women – representing six programs. The inductees are Will Albertson '17 (baseball), Brian Carter '03 (basketball), Michele Hancock '92 (tennis), Nick Lomascolo '13 (baseball), Daniel Lynch '05 (football), Craig Morton '92 (soccer), Michael Robinson '99 (football) and Carley Tysinger '16 (softball).
The Class of 2026 will be inducted on Saturday, Nov. 14, prior to Catawba's football game against rival Lenoir-Rhyne. The induction ceremony sponsored by the Chiefs Club will be held at Peeler Crystal Lounge and Keppel Auditorium from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. During the football game, which kicks off at 6 p.m., the inductees will be recognized on the field at halftime.
Will Albertson (Baseball, 2015-16)
Albertson was a unanimous All-American in both seasons at Catawba, highlighted by being named the National Player of the Year by all awarding bodies in 2015. He performed when the lights shined brightest, exhibited by his Southeast Regional MVP selection that postseason. His heroics at the dish were complemented by excellence in the field as he snagged Gold Glove Awards at both the conference and national levels. Albertson helped the Catawba Indians win back-to-back South Atlantic Conference titles as well as the 2016 SAC Tournament in which he was named MVP. The slugger's legacy is upheld by his appearances atop the program's career batting average, slugging and on-base percentage lists, as well as the single-season hits, RBIs, home runs and total bases standings. Albertson was taken in the 21st round of the 2016 MLB draft by the San Francisco Giants before a three-year career in the minors.
Brian Carter (Men's Basketball, 1999-03)
Carter was the men's basketball program's third All-Region honoree – succeeding two Hall of Famers – and a three-time All-SAC selection, twice earning first team placements. The Alexandria, Va., native keyed the Catawba Indians to a sweep of the SAC regular-season and tournament crowns in 2001; that campaign featured a 15-point victory over No. 3 Wingate, which remains the highest-ranked opponent Catawba has toppled. In the program record book, Carter stands fifth in career blocks and 10th in career field goals made with the 19th spot on the all-time scoring list.
Michele Hancock (Women's Tennis, 1989-92)
Hancock blazed a new trail at Catawba with accomplishments and marks on the court that continue to be chased. She helped the 1992 squad to a runner-up finish at the NAIA District 26 Tournament, winning SAC Player of the Year and Tournament MVP honors. It took over 30 years for the program to boast another winner of either award, and Hancock remains the only Catawba Indian to win both accolades in the same season regardless of gender. Her All-SAC selection in 1990 was also a program first while her 51 career singles wins is fifth on the all-time list.
Nick Lomascolo (Baseball, 2010-13)
Lomascolo was one of the most potent pitchers that Newman Park has ever held, helping drive the Catawba Indians to three consecutive seasons with at least 21 conference wins and two regular-season titles. The hurler out of Mooresville, N.C., pocketed three All-Region awards, twice landing on the first team. Lomascolo was a two-time SAC Pitcher of the Year and earned All-SAC distinction three times during a run of three straight NCAA Regional appearances, highlighted by winning the regional crown in 2012. He is first all-time in career games started, strikeouts, innings and wins. Lomascolo was drafted by the St. Louis Cardinals in Round 34 of the 2013 MLB draft.
Daniel Lynch (Football, 2001-04)
Lynch anchored the offensive line sector of a dominant Catawba football program in the early 2000s that kept up a streak of winning campaigns at the turn of the century. The Catawba Indians went 35-11 with two SAC championships and three trips to the NCAA Division II playoffs with Lynch on the squad. He was named a Second Team All-American by d2football.com in 2004, voted to the All-Region team twice and made the All-SAC list three times. Lynch also blocked for 2017 Catawba Hall of Famer Luke Samples during the quarterback's SAC Player of the Year campaign in 2003. Following his career as a Catawba Indian, Lynch earned multiple pro camp invites and signed with the Cincinnati Bengals.
Craig Morton (Men's Soccer, 1988-91)
Morton enjoyed a remarkable four-year career on the soccer field, culminating in a storybook 1991 season that pushed him to the pinnacle of the program's all-time lists. In Morton's senior campaign, he garnered First Team All-SAC and All-SAC Tournament honors before being named First Team All-Region and a First Team All-American. Morton broke the single-season goals record with 21 strikes and tallied 49 points, enough to place second in Catawba history. Career-wise, he stands second in goals and sixth in points with the No. 1 spots for games played and started. Morton's efforts led to four consecutive conference titles, two NAIA District 26 championships, one SAC Tournament crown and two appearances in the NAIA National Tournament.
Michael Robinson (Football, 1995-98)
Robinson played a vital role in pulling the football program out of mediocrity and into the spotlight in the 1990s. Coming off a 2-9 record in 1994, Robinson helped Catawba post a 30-12 ledger in Hall of Fame coach David Bennett's first four years at the helm. As a sophomore, he was a member of the program's second SAC title – the first in eight seasons. Robinson earned his first of three All-SAC selections that year and went on to be named the SAC Defensive Player of the Year as a senior. His presence was felt outside the conference as well, shown by back-to-back All-Region picks in 1997 and 1998. Robinson racked up more than his fair share of stops behind the line of scrimmage as his 60 tackles for loss and 22 sacks rank sixth and eighth, respectively, among Catawba careers.
Carley Tysinger (Softball, 2013-16)
Tysinger's name appears in both the Catawba and NCAA Division II record books in multiple locations, reflecting the career of a player that posed a threat as soon as she toed the rubber. She was a four-time All-American and four-time First Team All-Region selection with Region Pitcher of the Year honors in her freshman year. In the SAC, Tysinger was named the 2015-16 Athlete of the Year following three Pitcher of the Year picks, two Tournament MVP laurels and the 2013 Freshman of the Year award. She went a perfect 4-for-4 with All-SAC and All-SAC Tournament selections, earning recognition each year she suited up. Her academics were strong as well, echoed by being three-time Academic All-District, two-time Academic All-America and the 2016 CoSIDA Academic All-America of the Year. Tysinger is the program record holder in wins, shutouts, complete games, ERA and strikeouts with two career no-hitters. Her 27 strikeouts against Lenoir-Rhyne (4/24/2014) rank No. 2 in DII history, while her 1,355 career punchouts mark is good for ninth.
