CANTON, Ohio – Malone University is proud to announce the 2025 Class of inductees into the Athletics Hall of Fame. The six individual members and one team award winner will be introduced at the Hall of Fame Program as a part of Malone University's Homecoming & Family Weekend on October 10-11.
The Class of 2025 into the Malone University Athletics Hall of Fame includes:
2000 NAIA National Champion Men's Golf Team –
Pioneer Championship Award
Ken Bair '93 (Men's Cross County/Track & Field) –
Pioneer Legacy Award
Jennifer (Wollam) Butcher '02 (Women's Cross Country/Track & Field)
Lori (Ickes) Gale '11 (Volleyball/Women's Track & Field)
Tyler Light '14 (Men's Golf)
Nik Schweikert '10 (Men's Cross County/Track & Field)
Jackie (Schwamberger) Stine '13 (Volleyball)
The Hall of Fame festivities kick-off at 8:00 A.M. on Saturday, October 11 with the Athletic Hall of Fame Breakfast, followed by the Athletic Hall of Fame Program at 9:00 A.M. Those two events each take place inside the Johnson Center. The Hall of Fame members will also be recognized on the field prior to the start of the Malone University women's soccer game versus Walsh University at 1:00 P.M.
For tickets and more information regarding the
2025 MALONE UNIVERSITY HOMECOMING AND FAMILY WEEKEND, click the link provided. For more information regarding the
MALONE UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS HALL OF FAME, click the link or reach out to
Matthew Kennell, Malone University Sports Information Director, via email.
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First established in 1985, the Malone University Athletics Hall of Fame recognizes individuals who have distinguished themselves in athletics while at the University. To qualify, athlete inductees must be graduates of Malone, must have graduated at least ten years prior to selection, must exemplify the highest ideals of intercollegiate athletics, and must have earned two letters in one or more sports. As a coach, they must have served the University athletics department five or more years (current coaches ten or more years). In 2007, a provision was established to allow athletics administrators or other support personnel to become eligible, with a minimum of 10 years of athletics service to the University.
2025 Inductees:
2000 NAIA National Champion Men's Golf Team - Pioneer Championship Award
The 2000 Malone University men's golf team won the third NAIA National Championship in school history. It was the first national championship for the men's golf program after the 1972 men's cross country and 1999 women's cross country teams claimed NAIA titles for the Pioneers. The 2000 Malone men's golf team is the third to be inducted into the Malone University Athletics Hall of Fame under the Pioneer Championship Award.
The event took place on May 23-26 at the Isleta Eagle Golf Course in Albuquerque, New Mexico. 28-year head coach Ken Hyland led the fourth-ranked Pioneers to a wire-to-wire four-round championship with a score of 1-under 1151. Before Malone, the last northern team to win the NAIA men's golf championship was in 1968. Coach Hyland was named the NAIA National Coach of the Year as well.
The national championship team consisted of sophomore Jeff Jackson, sophomore Ed Snyder, junior Josh Anderson, sophomore Adam Creasap and freshman Lee Foster. The squad finished 12th, 15th, 24th, 44th and 45th as individuals. Jackson and Snyder were tabbed as NAIA All-Americans at 1-under par 287 and even-par 288.
An incredible second round led the team to the national championship. A team score of 281 marked a new school record at the time and an amazing 10-under par. It was truly a team effort with each player having at least three of their rounds scored in the 72-hole event.
Other highlights for the team that season were a NAIA District IX title, an American Mideast Conference championship with a conference record score of 886, an NCCAA national championship in the fall of 1999 and ten total tournaments won with a 101-1 record.
Ken Bair '93 (Men's Cross County/Track & Field) – Pioneer Legacy Award
Ken Bair, a 1993 graduate of the Malone University cross country and track & field programs, is being inducted into the 2025 Malone University Athletics Hall of Fame under the distinction of the Pioneer Legacy Award.
Bair is by far one of the toughest individuals to roam the halls of Malone University. He successfully overcame several disabilities to be able to perform at a high level collegiately, the most notable of which was being legally blind since birth. Despite that, he was a fierce competitor for the Pioneers and had noteworthy achievements upon graduation with a degree in business administration as well.
As a Pioneer, Bair was a part of three NAIA District 22 championships in track & field and four in cross country. Malone also swept the NCCAA National titles in cross country in the four years Bair was in school. He was also a part of the NCCAA National Championship squad in outdoor track & field during the spring of 1991.
Bair had the opportunity to carry the Olympic torch during the opening ceremonies of the 1996 world games held in Atlanta, Georgia. That wonderful opportunity helped prepare him to be on the world stage in numerous competitions throughout his adult life.
Bair won a silver medal at the 1998 World Blind Marathon Championships in Japan. He also competed in the 2000 Paralympics in Sydney, Australia as a marathon runner for the United States of America.
From the world stage, to right here in Canton, Ohio, Bair calls the Hall of Fame city his home. He currently works for the Cleveland Sight Center as a remote customer service representative. Bair enjoys watching live sports to this day whether in person or on TV, and likes to listen to music and watch movies.
Jennifer (Wollam) Butcher '02 (Women's Cross Country/Track & Field)
Jennifer (Wollam) Butcher is being inducted into the Malone University Athletics Hall of Fame Class of 2025 for her efforts in cross country and track & field.
Butcher graduated from Malone in 2002 and played a major role in the program's success at the turn of the century. She was named NAIA All-American in both the 1998 and 2001 cross country seasons and is a five-time All-American in total for her career with two awards while running track & field.
In her freshman cross country season, Butcher began her Pioneer career strong with an American Mideast Conference Championship, an NCCAA National Championship and an All-American effort at the NAIA National Championship meet. Butcher was the individual champion at the NCCAA meet.
The next year, she helped lead Malone to an NAIA national title, the second in school history and first for the women's cross country program. Butcher finished fifth for the Pioneers at the NAIA National Championship meet. In her senior season, Butcher was once again tabbed NAIA All-American and her career-best time of 17:48 is good for ninth all-time.
In track & field, Butcher was named NAIA All-American in the indoor 5,000-meter run and outdoor 10,000-meter run in 1998 as well as in the indoor 5,000-meter run in 2001. She was a key member to the program's four AMC Championships and four NCCAA Outdoor National Championships during her tenure and NCCAA indoor national championships in 1999, 2001 and 2002.
Butcher and her husband Jason, a 2003 graduate of Malone, have been married for 23 years and reside in Alliance, Ohio. The pair have seven children and Butcher serves as a stay at home mom. She still enjoys running, being active and watching her children participate in athletics.
Lori (Ickes) Gale '11 (Volleyball/Women's Track & Field)
Lori (Ickes) Gale is the definition of an athlete with experience for the Malone Pioneers in volleyball and track & field. The combination of her skills lands her in the Malone University Athletics Hall of Fame Class of 2025.
Starting with her efforts in volleyball, Gale is ranked fifth in most aces, fifth in digs, ninth in kills and ninth in points in program history. At the time, the 2011 graduate was the fourth volleyball player to reach the 2,000-dig mark and finished her career with 2,007. Her durability led her to the third-most sets played in over 50 years of Malone volleyball as well.
Ickes tied the school record with seven aces in a three-set match and has two of the top six single-season ace totals. She has the fourth-best reception percentage in program history with a .962 in 2010.
In her senior season, Ickes helped lead the Pioneers to their lone American Mideast Conference championship and NAIA Tournament appearance. The team qualified for the NCCAA national tournament in 2009 during Ickes' time with the program. Malone had a 111-53 record with Ickes on the roster.
Ickes was a four-time All-Conference player with two Second Team awards and two Honorable Mentions. She had three NCCAA East Region selections as well, with two appearances on the First Team in 2007 and 2009. In the classroom, Ickes was a Scholar-Athlete in the NAIA, NCCAA and AMC in 2010.
In track & field, Ickes collected an NCCAA National Championship in the javelin during the 2008 outdoor season. She was also the 2009 AMC Outdoor champion in the javelin. Ickes is inside the top ten list for Malone in four different events. She has the third-best indoor javelin throw, fifth-best outdoor discus throw, seventh-best indoor high jump and eighth-best outdoor heptathlon score in program history.
After graduation, she taught special education for seven years and was as assistant volleyball and track coach at Smithville High School. She married her husband Jon in 2010 and have three children, Noah, Lana and Judah. She is currently a stay-at-home mom where she is homeschooling her children and is very involved at the West Hill Baptist Church in Wooster. Gale continues to enjoy an active lifestyle by playing with her kids, playing volleyball, gardening, going on bike rides, and participating in CrossFit.
Tyler Light '14 (Men's Golf)
Tyler Light, a 2014 graduate from Malone University was a standout for the program as it made the transition to NCAA Division II. Light helped lead the Malone men's golf team to their only NCAA Tournament appearance by way of winning the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference title and NCAA Super Regional. The Pioneers reached the 2014 NCAA Semifinal Round during the match play event.
Light laid claim to Third Team All-American honors that season and was named the GLIAC's co-player of the year with his teammate, Nathan Tarter, and was First Team All-Conference. Prior to the university joining NCAA Division II, Light was named Ohio Independent Conference All-American in 2012, Third Team NAIA All-American in 2011 and All-American Mideast Conference in 2011.
Light's name is plastered all over the record book in Malone men's golf history. He competed on the team that has the lowest four-man score in program history at 272 in 2010 at the Muskingum Spring Invitational. Light was a part of seven of the top ten lowest 18-hole team scores as well as the top two lowest 36-hole team scores in team history.
His individual career-low score of 66 came at the 2013 Malone Fall Classic and is tied for the third-lowest score in Malone men's golf history. Light has five career rounds of 68 or lower and has the ninth-lowest career scoring average at 72.8.
After graduation, Light began golfing professionally. He was a part of the PGA Tour Canada for two years, and qualified and made the cut at the 2017 U.S. Open. He began working for Carter Lumber in 2020 as an outside salesman and continues to do that to this day. He and his wife were married in 2018 and now have a three-month old child.
Nik Schweikert '10 (Men's Cross County/Track & Field)
Nik Schweikert is a 2010 Malone University graduate who competed for the cross country and track & field teams for the Pioneers. He enters the Malone University Athletics Hall of Fame as a seven-time team national champion, eight-time All-American and three school records.
Schweikert helped lead Malone to NAIA cross country national titles in 2007 and 2008 and NCCAA national championships in all four fall seasons from 2005 to 2008. In track & field, he was a part of the 2007 Outdoor Track & Field NCCAA national championship squad as well.
In his senior year at Malone, Schweikert won four All-American awards in total. He was second in the 2008 NAIA national championship meet individually with a time of 24:03, a mark that is tied for fourth in program history to this day. He was also All-American in the Indoor 5,000-meter run, Outdoor 5,000-meter run and Outdoor 10,000-meter run during the 2009 track & field seasons. Earlier in his career, Schweikert was NAIA All-American in cross country in 2007, a member of the NCCAA National Champion 4x800-meter relay team in 2007 and NCCAA All-American in cross country in 2005 and 2006.
Along with his fourth-fastest 8k time in Malone's cross country program's history, Schweikert is also a holder of three school records in track & field. He holds the best mark for the Pioneers in the Indoor 5,000-meter run at 14:06.43 and is a part of the school record 4x800-meter relay teams for both the indoor and outdoor seasons.
His success at the national level came from dominance at the conference level. The Pioneers won four consecutive American Mideast Conference titles in cross country during his tenure and an AMC Outdoor Track & Field title in 2008. He was the AMC champion in the 5,000-meter run in 2009 and a two-time AMC Cross country individual champion in 2005 and 2008.
Schweikert's efforts on the race course were backed up by incredible work in the classroom. He was named an NAIA Scholar Athlete in 2007, 2008 and 2009 and was an NCCAA Scholar Athlete in 2007.
Jackie (Schwamberger) Stine '13 (Volleyball)
Jackie (Schwamberger) Stine helped pace an elite offense for the Pioneer volleyball program at the setter position to solidify her place in the Malone University Athletics Hall of Fame Class of 2025.
Stine was a 2013 graduate from Malone and has the second-most assists in program history with 5,512 and the third-best average at 9.65 assists per set. She also holds the second-highest career assist percentage at .386 from 2009 through 2012. Her 2012 assist percentage of .455 is a school record for highest in a single season. Stine had 62 assists in a match to tie her for the school record and has the most assists in a three-set match in school history with 47.
Stine helped the team crossover from the NAIA ranks to NCAA Division II and despite just one season played, her name appears numerous times in the program's NCAA Division II Era record book. Her 2012 season with 1,247 assists is still to this day the most in Malone history since joining Division II.
Stine led the program to a 116-48 record across her four seasons of competition under Head Coach Tanya Hockman. In 2010, the team won the American Mideast Conference Tournament for the first time in school history and qualified for the NAIA National Tournament. Malone repeated as NCCAA East Region Champions in 2011 and 2012 and made an appearance in the NCCAA Tournament in 2009, 2011 and 2012.
Stine is a two-time NCCAA All-American in her junior and senior seasons. She also collected three NCCAA All-East Region selections; two of those were First Team honors. At the conference level, Stine was a Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Honorable Mention in 2012, First Team All-AMC in 2010 and was a member of the All-AMC Freshman Team in 2009.
In the classroom, Stine was a two-time NCCAA Scholar-Athlete and was named to the GLIAC Academic Excellence Team in 2012. She majored in Business, with a minor in Marketing & Art.
Stine currently lives in Powell, Ohio with her husband, Aaron. They are blessed with two children, Asher and Wren, and a silver lab named Lucy. She works for an insurance agency as the head of Operations. Stine enjoys traveling, spending time with family & friends and are actively involved in our local church, Lifepoint.
