FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – The Nova Southeastern University Athletics Hall of Fame Committee proudly announced the NSU Athletics Hall of Fame Class of 2014, as five former student-athletes headline the honorees.
Rower Taylor Liput will be joined by golfer Greg O'Mahony, baseball player J.D. Martinez, soccer player Stephanie Quinones and tennis player Ulia Talalenko in the eighth NSU Athletics Hall of Fame Class. The Class of 2014 will be inducted into the NSU Athletics Hall of Fame in a gala banquet ceremony on Wednesday, Nov. 12, 2014 in the NSU Arena at the Don Taft University Center.
"The Class of 2014 helped to establish the tradition of NSU Athletics and the high level of athletic achievement that continues today," said
Michael Mominey, NSU Director of Athletics. "They exemplified the commitment, drive and character that are necessary to succeed on the field of play and in life. We welcome the new class into the Hall of Fame."
Tickets for the event go on sale Sept. 15. Tickets cost $60 each and must be purchased by Oct. 31. NSU faculty, staff and students will receive a discounted ticket price of $40. Please contact
Kim Carbo, Assistant Athletic Director for Marketing, Development & Fundraising at 954-262-8254 for more information.
The following is the Class of 2014:
Taylor Liput (Rowing, 2004-2007)Taylor Liput rowed for Nova Southeastern from the program's inaugural season in 2004 until 2007 and helped lay a foundation for the program's culture of success on the water and in the classroom. Liput began her collegiate career by earning 2004 CRCA National Scholar Athlete honors. By the time she graduated in 2007, she replicated that achievement to become the program's first repeat Scholar All-American. She made four consecutive trips to the NCAA Women's Rowing Championships, while also being named to the Sunshine State Conference Commissioner's Honor Roll List from 2004-07.
During the early portion of her career, Liput competed in the varsity-4 boat and led the team by example. As a sophomore, Liput received the 2005 Flo Hyman award for community service efforts, as well as, serving as a Leadership Roundtable Scholar, secretary for the Psi Chi Psychology Honors Society and vice president of the Psychology Club. Additionally, she was awarded a Stuey Award for Female Athlete of the Year. In 2006, she captured the Lightweight Varsity 4 Cups at SIRA and Dad Vails, highlighting an undefeated season. She captured a second Stuey Award in 2006 for Undergraduate Student of the Year, while also receiving the 2006 Young Women Leader's Award. As a senior in 2007, Liput solidified herself as a member of the varsity-8 crew and led the Sharks to their first ever Sunshine State Conference and SIRA Championships. She finished her career by earning the Rowing Coach's Award at the 2007 NSU Athletic Banquet. Liput graduated with a bachelor of science in psychology in 2006 and a masters of arts in cross-disciplinary studies in 2008.
Greg O'Mahony (Golf, 2006-2009)Greg O'Mahony laid the foundation in what has become an extensive line of premier men's golfers. He helped lead the Sharks to two Sunshine State Conference Championships in 2007 and 2009 and was instrumental in qualifying the Sharks for their first NCAA Division II National Championship in program history in 2008. From 2006-09, he was honored three times as an NCAA All-American and was the program's first Sunshine State Conference Men's Golfer of the Year, following his 2009 senior season. He also finished his final year ranked No. 15 in the nation.
At the time of his graduation, he held the men's records for season scoring average (72.87), season par or better rounds (14), birdies in a season (121), eagles in a season (8), career scoring average (72.97), career par or better rounds (43), career birdies (296), career eagles (14) and a single-round score, twice shooting a 65. His 285 at the 2008 NCAA Championship still stands as the record for the low 72-hole total. Greg graduated from NSU with a bachelor's degree in business in 2009 and is currently playing on multiple professional golf tours.
J.D. Martinez (Baseball, 2007-2009)J.D. Martinez was a phenomenal student-athlete in his time at Nova Southeastern and has also become a trailblazer for future Sharks, becoming the first NSU alum to ever play in Major League Baseball. While at NSU, Martinez posted numbers that rewrote the record books. As of 2014, Martinez is the program's all-time career home run leader at 32. He also ranks second with a career batting average of .394, third in career RBI with 142, and fourth with a career slugging percentage of .691. In 2009, Martinez had one of the best statistical years for any player ever at NSU with a .428 batting average, 15 home runs and a program-record 73 runs scored. That year, highly decorated, he took home Rawlings/ABCA and Daktronics, Inc. All-South Region and All-American honors. He was also recognized for the second straight year on the All-SSC squad and as a member of the All-South Region team by the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association.
After his collegiate career, Martinez thrived as a professional baseball player and rapidly advanced through the minor league system. He was selected in the 20th round of the 2009 MLB Draft by the Houston Astros, and in 2010, he was the organization's Minor League Player of the Year. After hitting .340 with 13 home runs during the 2011 season with Double-A Corpus Christi, Martinez became the program's first Major Leaguer on July 29. He took to the majors quickly and led the Astros in RBI his first month in the big leagues. In 2014, Martinez transitioned to the Detroit Tigers, where he became a starter on a World Series-contending team.
Stephanie Quinones (Soccer, 2005-2009)Stephanie Quinones has a long ledger of awards from her time with the Sharks' women's soccer program. She earned All-Sunshine State Conference honors from 2005-2009, including a first-team nod in 2006-07. She was named to the NSCAA South Region First Team in 2006 and 2007, and Second Team in 2008. She also took home Daktronics South Region Second Team honors in 2006 and 2007. She earned All-American honors in 2006 and 2007, establishing herself as the only two-time NCAA All-American in the team's history.
She received CoSIDA Academic All-District honors in 2007and was the recipient of the Arthur Ashe, Jr. Scholar Award in the same year. Today, she still ranks among the program's leaders in both career assists (15) and career points (35). Stephanie graduated from NSU with a bachelor's degree in business administration, and would go on to earn her Juris Doctorate degree from Florida State University in 2012.
Ulia Talalenko (Tennis, 2006-2009)Ulia Talalenko was a key player for the Nova Southeastern tennis team during an era when the Sharks were a national contender from 2006-09. She finished her career as the program's first three time All-American and also earned All-Sunshine State Conference honors from her sophomore to senior seasons. At the time her career ended, Talalenko held school records with 69 singles victories, an .831 singles winning percentage and 68 career doubles wins.
As a freshman, Talalenko made an immediate impact and teamed with Alexa Korotkevich to form NSU's first All-American doubles team, going 21-6 on the season, and was also named a Scholar All-American. During her sophomore campaign, she established herself as an All-American singles player by going 18-2 on the year. From then on, Talalenko would not lose more than three singles matches in a season and at times was ranked as the No. 1 player in the South Region. She was named the team's Most Valuable Player her final two seasons. Over the course of her dominant career, Talalenko would earn 26 perfect 6-0 sets and finished with an overall singles record of 69-14. She earned a bachelor's of science in biology and went on to graduate from the NSU College of Dental Medicine in 2013.
For the latest NSU news and results, be sure to visit
www.NSUSharks.com. To have results sent directly to your cell phone via text message, sign up for SMS text message delivery by
clicking here. For the latest news, be sure to sign up for the Shark Alert E-newsletter by
clicking here.
