In January, four new athletes, one administrator and one community member will join the Grove City High School (GCHS) Hall of Fame.
Athletes Chuck Davis, Andrea (Line) Larick, Jessica (Saunders) Tollett and Lee Struck; administrator Jim Weber; and graduate Gregg Nibert will all be honored at halftime during a GCHS women’s basketball game Jan. 19 followed by the Hall of Fame dinner.
“These folks are under that general theme of people who have excelled and set themselves apart,” says Steve Carr, GCHS Hall of Fame chairman. “It’s excellence, achievement and all of them are winners.”
The Hall of Fame began in 2015 and serves to recognize not just former GCHS athletes, but coaches, administrators and supporters of GCHS athletics as well. Community members are invited to nominate those that fit the criteria of quality both in and out of uniform, in both their personal and professional lives, with the input of a 12-person Hall of Fame committee. The committee looks for those values particularly in the Career/Lifetime Achievement award recipient, which will be awarded to Jim Weber.
“With that award, we’re kind of pointing out former athletes who have become real role models. I think most of us on the committee believe that athletics is the other half of education,” says Carr. “People who have won that award before have learned their lessons well on the field of play and have gone on to do some great things in their community and profession.”
Grove City High School Athletic Hall of Fame Class of 2018
Chuck Davis, Athlete
Part of the GCHS class of 1975, Davis showed his skill on the mat when he became the wrestling state champion during his senior year, completing the journey after becoming state runner-up the previous year. His junior year, he helped lead the team to a third-place finish in the state wrestling meet, which was the highest in school history. After high school, Davis went on to become an NCAA Division I All-American wrestler at the University of Colorado.
Andrea (Line) Larick, Athlete
Larick, a decorated 1991 GCHS graduate, was a first team All-State softball pitcher and Central District and Ohio Capital Conference (OCC) Player of the Year – twice each. She was also named first team All-Central District and All-OCC three times. She ushered the Greyhounds to three Central District championships as a starting pitcher as well as a state runner-up and two regional runner-up finishes. She went on to play softball at The Ohio State University.
Jessica (Saunders) Tollett, Athlete
Before graduating in 2007, Tollett was a two-time All-Ohio gymnast and qualified for the state gymnastics meet four times. A two-time Central District vault champion, OCC bars and floor exercise champion and four-time OCC all-around and vault champion, she led the Greyhounds to two OCC team championships her junior and senior year. She also finished fourth in the state meet her senior year, which was the highest finish in school history.
Lee Struck, Athlete
Struck, a 1992 graduate, excelled in not one but two sports. He was All-State senior year in football and twice All-OCC in both baseball and football. As a varsity football player, Struck enjoyed three undefeated OCC championship seasons, three state playoff appearances and he and his teammates boast a 29-4 record over the course of his varsity career. He went on to play football at the University of Toledo.
Jim Weber, Administrator (posthumous)
As both a 1952 graduate and dedicated administrator of GCHS, Weber has a storied history in the community. He served as GCHS athletic director for 22 years, head football coach for four seasons and spent several years as head track coach. He oversaw the largest expansion of athletic programs and facilities in GCHS history during his time as athletic director, guiding GCHS into the Central Ohio League and Ohio Capital Conference. He was inducted into the OCC Hall of Fame in 2001.
During his time as a student at GCHS, Weber was All-Mid Six League in football in both 1950 and ’51, and went on to play football at Miami University of Ohio.
Gregg Nibert, Career/Lifetime Achievement Honoree
Nibert and his wife, Peggy, have an incredible story. So incredible, in fact, it’s been recognized by the NCAA. He graduated in 1975 having played football, basketball and baseball at GCHS. He was head basketball coach at Presbyterian College in South Carolina for 28 seasons and successfully petitioned for Presbyterian to become a Division I school. He is also a cancer survivor. However, that’s not the story picked up by the NCAA; as of 2015, he and Peggy had fostered 37 children over the course of seven years, and Nibert has become a strong advocate for neglected babies and children.
Amanda DePerro is an editor. Feedback welcome at adeperro@cityscenemediagroup.com.
