YOUNG HARRIS, Ga. | Young Harris College Director of Athletics Jennifer Rushton has announced the 2022 class for the Athletics Hall of Fame.

Lewis Hilton '15 (men's soccer), Sterling Smith (men's soccer),  and Sydnee Weaver '15 (women's soccer) ill be inducted into the YHC Athletics Hall of Fame Dec, 10 during a luncheon in the Suber Banquet Hall inside the Rollins Campus Center at 11:30 a.m. The 1997 men's soccer team will be honored as a Team of Distinction.

Established in 2013, Young Harris College's Athletics Hall of Fame recognizes individuals for outstanding athletics achievements and distinguished service to YHC and the greater community. 

Tickets are available for $40 per person. To purchase tickets, click here by Dec. 1.

Lewis Hilton '15

• Hilton played men's soccer for the Mountain Lions from 2012-15.
• In four seasons, he played in 80 matches patrolling the Young Harris midfield and finished with 25 goals and 30 assists for 80 points.
• Hilton is currently ranked first in the YHC record book in the Division II era in matches played (80), second in assists (30), sixth in points (80) and seventh in goals (25).
• Hilton was named the Peach Belt Conference Freshman of the Year in 2012.
• Hilton is one of 11 men's soccer players in the history of the conference to be named to the All-PBC team four times in his career.
• Hilton was named to the National Soccer Coaches Association of America NCAA Division II All-America team in 2014 and 2015. 
• Hilton was named to the CoSIDA Academic All-America® Division II Men's Soccer Second Team and named to the NSCAA NCAA Division I and II Scholar All-America team in 2015.
• Hilton was the fifth YHC soccer player to go professional when he signed with the Charlotte Independence. He also played with the St. Louis Football Club and now plays for the Tampa Bay Rowdies.
• Hilton graduated from YHC with his bachelor's degree in business and public policy.

Sterling Smith 

• Smith played men's soccer for the Mountain Lions from 1995-97.
• Smith's play and leadership was key in Young Harris' rise to a perennial national top-20 program in the National Junior College Athletic Association.
• Smith had 36 career goals in his two seasons as a Mountain Lion.
• In 1995, Smith was YHC's leading scorer and was named to the NJCAA Division I All-America first team becoming the first YHC men's soccer All-American. He was also named to the All-Region 17 and All-South first team.
• Smith despite being injured for a good portion of the 1996 season was named team captain and was the leading goal scorer. He was again named to the All-Region 17 and All-South first team.
• After his career in the Enchanted Valley, he continued his soccer career at then NCAA Division II power Southern Connecticut State University.
• In two seasons wih SCSU, the Owls went 41-3-2. Southern Connecticut State finished as national semifinalist in 1997 before capturing the 1998 NCAA Division II National Championship with a 1-0 decision over the University of South Carolina-Spartanburg (now USC Upstate).
• Smith graduated from SCSU with a bachelor's degree in recreation and leisure studies.

Sydnee Weaver '15

• Weaver played softball for the Mountain Lions from 2012-15.
• Weaver played in 195 career games for the Mountain Lions and had a .386 career batting average. She also had 32 doubles and nine triples to go along with 78 stolen bases in 92 attempts. She scored 139 runs and drove in 55.
• Weaver is first in the YHC (Division II era) with a .386 batting average and stolen bases (78), second in hits (226) and triples (9), third in on-base percentage (.436) and runs scored (139), seventh in doubles (32), and ninth in slugging percentage (.471).
• She was named to the All-Peach Belt team in 2014 and 2015 and was named to the National Fastpitch Coaches Association's All-Southeast Region first team in 2015.
• She was named to the CoSIDA Academic All-America® Division II All-America team in both 2014 and 2015 and was the first YHC student-athlete to be named the Academic All-America® Team Member of the Year for a sport in 2015.
• Weaver received the PBC Elite 15 Award in 2015. The award honored the student-athlete at the PBC Tournament with the highest grade-point average (4.0).
• Weaver received as YHC's Luke Rushton '42 Scholar-Athlete Award, which is awarded to the senior student-athlete with the highest GPA. She also received the Outstanding Biology Senior Academic Award and Senior Research Award at Young Harris.
• Weaver graduated from Young Harris with a bachelor's degree in biology with minors in chemistry and psychology.

1997 Men's Soccer Team

• The Mountain Lions went 15-5-3 en route to the program's first-ever state title (Region 17) and they advanced to the District playoffs. They were also nationally ranked during the season.
• Kevin Knights was named the 1997 Region 17 Most Valuable Player and Player of the Year, while Jim Thomas was named the Region 17 Coach of the Year.
• Ten players were selected for Region All-Star Honors, including five that were named to the All-Region 17 first team.
• Members of the 1997 team were Will McKenzie, Maurice Loregnard, Jason Brown, Andrew Pourchier, Kevin Knights, Kyle Mixon, Roger Kennedy, Anthony Smither, Anthony Leao, Rayshawn Mars,  Lesley Roberts, Gavin Rains, Justin Mitnick, Orson Millet, Curt Sanchez, Todd Morillo, Dominic Sheppard, Walner Nelson, Josh Hix, Andrew Morris, Geordie Johnston, Gerald Louis, Ryan Pulaski, Caleb Smith, Brad Fullilove, Jason Rafinski, Chris Peters, Alex McLean, Saula Raiyawa, Stephen Russel, Bennett Reed, Jefferson Mimy and coach Jim Thomas. 

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