COLUMBIA, Mo. - The Cougar Athletic Department is proud to announce the inductees of the 23rd class of the Columbia College Athletic Hall of Fame. This year's induction ceremony is scheduled for Friday, Oct. 3, in Dulany Hall and will feature Morgan Brandt '19 (Women's Basketball), Molly Carter '19 (Softball) and the 2017 national runner-up Men's Cross Country Team.
"This year's Hall of Fame class is another example of excellence personified," says Drew Grzella, associate director of Athletics. "The fact that Morgan, Molly and the 2017 Men's Cross Country Team were all on campus at the same time will make this event one to remember. I am excited that these stars will be back in October to be celebrated for all their successes!"
Tickets for the Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony are on sale now; please visit ColumbiaCougars.com/Tickets and click on "Special Events" for more details and to register.
Meet the CC Athletic Hall of Fame Class of 2025:
Morgan Brandt, a 2019 graduate from Loose Creek, Missouri, starred as one of the most decorated and impactful players in the history of Columbia College Women's Basketball. Her consistency, leadership and all-around skill made her a force to be reckoned with.
Morgan finished her career with 1,418 points (eighth all-time) and 1,011 rebounds (first all-time). Her 229 steals (seventh all-time) and 248 assists (11th all-time) demonstrated her abilities on both ends of the floor. She led the team in rebounding each of her final three seasons as a Cougar and is the only basketball player (male or female) in school history to have both 1,000 points and 1,000 rebounds in their career. Morgan recorded 26 career double-doubles (points & rebounds) and pulled down at least 10 rebounds in nearly 25% of her games played. She missed only two games during her four-year stint, starting 130 of the 131 games she played in – a true testament to her durability as an athlete. Morgan was named to the American Midwest Conference all-conference team three times and to the academic all-conference list all four seasons.
During her junior season, the 2017-18 team set the program record with 22 consecutive victories, going nearly three months between losses. That year, the Cougars secured both the AMC regular season and tournament championships. During her senior campaign, Morgan led the Cougars in scoring (12.8 points per game) and rebounding (9 rebounds per game) while helping guide the squad to a 29-5 overall record. The team was ranked in the top five nationally throughout the season. On Feb. 12, 2019, the CC women were ranked No. 1 in the country following a victory over previously top-ranked Freed-Hardeman in Southwell. This marked the first No. 1 national ranking in program history.
Morgan was recognized as an NAIA All-American during her sophomore (honorable mention), junior (second team) and senior seasons (third team). She is one of five players in program history to be a three-time All-American. Morgan's four-year record with the Cougars was an astounding 110-24, winning 64 of the 68 games she played in Southwell. Her teams qualified for the NAIA National Tournament in each of her four seasons.
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Molly Carter, a 2019 graduate from Columbia, Missouri, left a lasting impression as one of the most dominant softball players in Columbia College history. She was dangerous at the plate, elite on defense and impactful in the circle. Her versatility helped the Cougars to multiple postseason runs, including two NAIA World Series appearances.
Molly started 49 games during her freshman season and led the team in batting average, hits, doubles, home runs and RBIs. Her .466 batting average was the second-best mark in the American Midwest Conference and the 17th-best in the NAIA. She was named AMC Freshman of the Year, AMC First Team and NFCA All-Region. She was recognized as an NFCA Second-Team All-American and an NAIA Honorable Mention All-American.
During the 2017 season, Molly once again was dominant at the plate. She led the team in doubles, home runs, walks and RBIs. Her 14 home runs set a program record and were the 13th-most in the NAIA. Molly's 87 RBIs not only set a program record that still stands today, but were the most in the NAIA that season. Her individual success helped the Cougars to a 48-7 record and a program-best fourth-place finish at the NAIA World Series. Following the season, she was recognized as the AMC Player of the Year. She was also honored as an NFCA and NAIA First-Team All-American.
Molly's junior season would prove to be more of the same at the plate. She batted .407 and again led the team in doubles, home runs and RBIs. She ranked seventh in the NAIA in home runs per game. She excelled in the circle, pitching in 71 innings with a team-best 1.72 ERA. Despite a challenging schedule, the Cougars found their way back to the NAIA World Series where the Cougars would finish as the national runner-up. Molly was again named to the AMC First Team, NFCA First-Team All-Region and was a member of the 2018 NAIA All-World Series Team.
Molly's final season in navy and silver was another dominant one. The senior captain led the team in hits, triples, home runs, runs scored, walks and RBIs. In the circle, she posted a 12-2 record with a 1.95 ERA in 89 innings. Molly was recognized as the 2019 AMC Player of the Year, the second such honor of her career. She was named to the AMC First Team and NFCA All-Region for the fourth consecutive season. She was also honored as an NFCA All-American and a NAIA First-Team All-American. Molly is one of five players in program history to be named All-American at least three times during their career. She finished her career with a .435 batting average, batting over .400 in each of her four seasons.
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Even after three straight trips to the NAIA Championships, the 2017 Columbia College Men's Cross Country Team started the season with something to prove.
Buoyed by a roster of returning runners and a few fresh faces, the 25th-ranked Cougars began with a third-place finish at the SBU Bearcat Invitational. Seth Schenck led the way with a fifth-place individual finish in an event that featured several NCAA Division II and NAIA schools. The squad followed up that performance with a win at the Bradley Intercollegiate. The No. 15 Cougars won the non-Division I portion of the competition. Sophomore Grant Uthlaut was the top performer for CC with a 41st-place finish and a time of 27:50. Freshman Tristan Baze finished right behind Uthlaut in 42nd place with a time of 28:04.
Next the Cougars set their eyes on performing well at the Greater Louisville Classic, one of the premier events in collegiate cross country racing. The 14th-ranked Cougars finished seventh out of 25 teams and third among non-NCAA schools. Senior Tommy Skyosky paced CC with a seventh-place individual finish, recording a 25:27 time in the 8K. Schenck, Malik Homan and Tyler Lawson each finished in the top 35 to help the Cougars secure a top three team finish. Because of their finishes at Bradley and Louisville, CC was starting to get more national recognition among coaches. The Cougars jumped eight spots, from 14th to sixth, marking the highest national ranking in program history.
The Cougars traveled to Cedar Rapids, Iowa, for the NAIA pre-national event at the Seminole Volley Cross Country Course. Facing off against some of the best NAIA schools in the country, the Cougars once again proved their might. Behind Holman's strong sixth-place individual showing and three other runners finishing in the top 12, CC finished second out of 29 teams.
The team carried that momentum and confidence into the 2017 AMC Championships in Elsah, Illinois. The sixth-ranked Cougars fired on all cylinders and won the event by 10 points over Park University. Skosky finished second in the race with an 8K time of 25:28. CC registered five runners in the top 10 (Lawson – fourth, Schenck – fifth, Holman – seventh and Carter Brocato – 10th), with each earning All-AMC honors. Brocato was named AMC Freshman of the Year, and Tracy Jex and Daniel Radkowiec were named AMC Coaches of the Year. With the win, the Cougars earned an automatic bid to the NAIA National Championships in Vancouver, Washington, marking their fifth team appearance in six years.
Even though the program had been to the NAIA Championships before, the 2017 squad was determined to set a new standard – and they did just that. Skosky paced CC with a 22nd-place time of 25:16, his fastest performance of the season. Running mates Schenck and Lawson finished 41st and 42nd, respectively. Alex Thompson (51st) and Holman (62nd) each proved invaluable. The Cougars scored 168 points, finishing the race as the NAIA national runner-up. By placing inside the top 30, Skosky was recognized as an NAIA All-American, the first such award for a CC men's cross country runner.
Following the season, Schenck was named to the First-Team Google Cloud Academic All-America Team and a Daktronics NAIA Scholar-Athlete for his commitment to academic success. The team would eventually earn the inaugural NAIA Men's Cross Country Male Scholar Team of the Year award, which went to the highest team finisher at the NAIA Championships that posted at least a 3.0 team GPA.
Skosky's performances at the Greater Louisville Classic (25:27), AMC Championships (25:28) and NAIA National Championships (25:16) in the 2017 season are still among top 13 times ever recorded in men's program history.
Team members included: Tristan Baze, Carter Brocato, Malik Holman, Ben Huskey, Jacob Jenkins, Alex Krieg, Tyler Lawson, Travis Line, Justin Morris, Noah Payne, Seth Schenck, Tommy Skosky, Noah Strawn, Alex Thompson, Grant Uthlaut and Dylan White. The team was led by head coach Tracy Jex and assistant coach Daniel Radkowiec.
