Badin High set for Athletic Hall of Fame event

Badin Athletic Hall of Fame class of 2022 includes Drew Thieken, Shannon Roberto Brown, Tom and Linda Von Hagen Pate, Chuck McKinney, Keith Harring and Jenni Horvath Grzebin. CONTRIBUTED

Badin Athletic Hall of Fame class of 2022 includes Drew Thieken, Shannon Roberto Brown, Tom and Linda Von Hagen Pate, Chuck McKinney, Keith Harring and Jenni Horvath Grzebin. CONTRIBUTED

HAMILTON — The Athletic Hall of Fame at Badin High School will resume its annual induction event this year after a two-year pandemic hiatus.

The ceremony will be April 23 at Badin’s Pfirman Family Activity Center.

“We’re really looking forward to the evening,” said Dean Wright, chair of the Hall of Fame committee. “Our inductees have been patient for the past two years and have truly earned this prestigious recognition. This is always a memorable event.”

The Induction class includes:

• Chuck McKinney ‘78 was an outstanding three-sport athlete at Badin in football, basketball and baseball. He was drafted as a pitcher by the Cincinnati Reds in the 8th round of the Major League Baseball draft in 1978, but an injury ended his career. He has been an assistant baseball coach with Badin for the past 23 years.

• Shannon Roberto Brown ‘99 was a starting defender for four seasons on the Badin girls soccer team, finishing as a state runner-up three times. She then started four years at the University of North Carolina/Charlotte, was named the top defender on the squad, played in the NCAA tournament and was selected to the Conference USA all-league team.

• Drew Thieken ‘02 was a two-sport standout at Badin, in football and baseball. He was part of head football coach Terry Malone’s 350th win, and helped lead Badin to a 16-10 football win over Hamilton High in 2000, the last time the two schools played. Named the Rams’ most valuable offensive player in baseball, he then went on to play both football and baseball at St. Joseph’s (Ind.) College.

• Jenni Horvath Grzebin ‘04 was a standout volleyball and basketball player, a second-team all-Ohio selection after helping Badin to the 2004 Division II state runner-up finish in basketball. She was a four-year volleyball player at Xavier University and captained the team to its first NCAA appearance. She is now the head women’s volleyball coach at Bellarmine University, a D-1 program in Louisville, Ky.

• Keith Harring guided Badin to exceptional success during his eight years as head girls soccer coach from 2002 through 2009. The Rams went 101-43-23, won five consecutive district championships from 2005-09, played in the state championship game in 2005, ‘06 and ‘07 and captured the D-II Ohio title in 2005. His teams were always well- coached, well-disciplined and well-prepared.

• Tom and Linda Von Hagen Pate ‘67 were members of Badin’s first graduating class, Tom playing football and basketball and Linda a cheerleader and member of Student Council. Tom Pate started Pate Electric Service in 1967 and the Pates have nine children, all Badin grads, and 24 grandchildren.

Four Badin High School members of the Class of 2023 will receive the Terry and Betty Malone Scholarship as well.

Reservations are $35 and are available via the Badin website, BadinHS.org. The evening will include refreshments at 6 p.m., dinner at 7 p.m. and the program at 7:45 p.m.

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