CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – The Parkland Cobras proudly inducted their 16th and 17th Classes into the Athletic Hall of Fame on Saturday, February 17. The 2023 and 2024 classes include 12 individual inductees and the 2014-15 women's basketball team, the winningest basketball team in Parkland Cobras history (35-2). Dating back to the inaugural class of 2007, the Parkland Hall of Fame now features 110 inductees who range from players and teams to coaches and administrators. The ceremony took place at halftime of the No. 4 ranked Parkland men's basketball game versus John Wood Community College, a 59-55 Cobra win at the Donald C. Dodds Jr. Athletic Complex.

"The Parkland College Athletic Hall of Fame Induction classes of 2023 and 2024 are both loaded with incredibly talented individuals," Parkland College Athletic Director Brendan McHale said. "These induction classes will greatly complement the existing and impressive Hall of Fame Classes, and we are so proud and honored to celebrate the individual and the team inductees."

To see the full list of Hall of Famers, click here.
 
CLASS OF 2023
Dana Dunson (Men's Basketball, 80-81)
            Dana played basketball for the Cobras from 1980-1981, earning NJCAA DII All-American Honorable Mention recognition following the 1981 season. Dunson was named MVP of three different tournaments Parkland appeared in that season, leading the team in scoring, rebounding and assists, and helped the Cobras upset No. 1 Kankakee Community College, the program's first win over a top-ranked team.
 
Dunson now coaches basketball, serving as the women's basketball head coach at Centenary College for two seasons, 2021-2023, before being announced as the new women's basketball head coach at the Indiana University of Columbus prior to this season.
 
Erin (James) Paulson (Softball, 01-03)
            Erin played softball for Parkland College from 2001 to 2003, leading the Cobras to back-to-back NJCAA Division II National semifinal appearances. As the leadoff batter, Erin's sophomore year was nothing short of spectacular, boasting a .520 batting average alongside 44 stolen bases and 85 runs, and producing a flawless fielding percentage, earning her Defensive Player of the Year honors. She was named an NJCAA Second Team All-American, NFCA First Team All-American, and the NJCAA Region 24 Offensive Player of the Year. She was also honored as the Collegiate Conference of Central Illinois Player of the Year and secured a spot on the News Gazette's JUCO All-Decade Team. Among Erin's cherished memories at Parkland College was her pivotal performance in the quarterfinals of the National Tournament, where she propelled the Cobras to victory with a triple in extra innings, ultimately sending them to the Championship Game.
 
Following her time at Parkland College, Erin graduated with a 4.0 from the University of Illinois with a degree in Recreation, Sport, and Tourism Management. After graduation, she moved to Utah to work in Sports Marketing for Brigham Young University and later became the Director of Athletic Marketing at Utah Valley University. She now teaches in the Academy of Finance at the Granite Technical Institute and helps students start businesses as the facilitator for the Granite CEO program.
 
Sarah Gray-Belcon (Softball, 09-11)
            Sarah played softball for the Cobras from 2010-2011, earning national recognition for both seasons, and etching her name in the Parkland College record books. In 2010, she earned a slew of accolades including NJCAA 1st Team All-American, MWAC Conference Freshman of the Year, and Region 24 Player of the Year. Notably, she was instrumental in leading her team to success, earning recognition as the Parkland College Female Athlete of the Year. The following year, Sarah continued her dominance, earning another NJCAA 1st Team All-American honor and solidifying her status as one of the top players in the nation. She is the Cobras all-time leader in runs (155), stolen bases (97), doubles (43), and triples (22), and her 12 triples in 2010 ranks 8th all-time in NJCAA single-season history. Continuing her softball journey at the University of Illinois at Springfield in 2012, Sarah was recognized as a 1st Team ALL-GLVC West Division player in her one healthy season in Springfield.
 
Sam (Inman) Cockrell (Softball, 09-11)
            Samantha played softball at Parkland from 2009-2011, offering consistent high-level play at centerfield for the Cobras. She earned M-WAC All-Conference and NJCAA Region 24 All-Region honors in both 2010 and 2011, and her exceptional performance led to back-to-back All-American selections. In 2010, Samantha led the team in RBIs (65) and home runs (13), while also ranking third in hits (82) and runs (62). The following year, she continued to shine, leading the team in RBIs (53) and home runs (7), while placing second in hits (62) and runs (40). Her 20 career home runs and 10 triples rank third all-time in program history, while her 119 RBI rank fourth all-time. Following her tenure at Parkland College, Samantha continued her softball career at the University of Illinois-Springfield (UIS) from Fall 2011 to Spring 2013. She is a member of the UIS Athletic Hall of Fame as a member of their historic 2012 softball team.
 
David Keenan (Golf, 11-13)
            David played golf at Parkland from 2011-2013, coached by the late Zach McNabney in his last years with the Cobras. Keenan achieved notable success, earning a place on the NJCAA All-Region 24 team and the M-WAC All-Conference First Team both years. In 2013, Keenan was named an NJCAA First Team All-American after winning the NJCAA Division II Individual National Championship. Keenan continued his golf career on scholarship at Chicago State University, where he was a two-time WAC Academic All-Conference recipient. After college, Keenan qualified in the USGA Mid-Amateur in 2021 and 2022, and he is the three-time reigning Champaign Twin-City Golf Tournament Champion.
 
Women's Basketball National Runners Up (2014-2015)
            The 2014-2015 Parkland Women's Basketball team set the program record for wins and winning percentage with a 35-2 record as the Cobras achieved a program-best second place finish at the NJCAA Division II National Championship. The Cobras won the M-WAC Conference championship for the seventh consecutive season, and the NJCAA Region 24 Title for the second time in as many years for head coach Mike Lindemann. Assisted by Jeff Turner, Dave Ellars, and Bill Dobrik, Lindemann's squad went 14-0 at home and 10-0 in conference play in 2014-2015, losing only its first game of the season and final game of the season in the NJCAA DII National Championship Game. The Cobras boasted two NJCAA First Team All-Americans, Laura Litchfield and 2014-2015 NJCAA Division II National Player of the Year Hannah Wascher, and head coach Mike Lindemann was named the NJCAA National Coach of the Year.
 
Members of the 2014-15 team include: Chelsea Cross, Morgan Eichelberger, Kassidy Jaynes, Laura Litchfield, Lauren Moses, Ashley Nevins, Haley Toohill, Bailey Trimble, Kennedy Truex, Nadine Vaughn, Hannah Wascher, and Josie Zerresen.
 
 
CLASS OF 2024
Bill Elliott (Baseball, 80-81)
            Bill played baseball for Parkland College from 1980-1981, following a stint in the Cincinnati Reds minor league organization as a relief pitcher in 1979. After college, Elliot dedicated 17 years to Thomasboro in the Eastern Illinois League, serving as both a first baseman and pitcher. As a player, Bill excelled at the plate, clinching the triple crown in 1982, setting a single-season home run record in 1983 with 13 homers, and recording a single-season record 40 RBI in 1984, both records that still stand today. In retirement, Bill continued to impact young athletes, generously sharing his expertise as a volunteer coach with Champaign Little League and Pony League teams, leaving an indelible mark on generations of local baseball players.
 
Davin Harris (Men's Basketball 90-91)
            Davis played basketball for one season at Parkland College in 1990-1991, leading the Cobras to a 20-11 record. After getting his associate's degree, Harris continued his academic and athletic career at the University of Illinois, playing one season there and earning his bachelor's degree in Communications. A Class of 2018 Bloomington High School Hall of Famer, Harris is now a licensed real estate sales agent, associate broker, and builder, located in Atlanta.
 
Cy Lystila (Tennis, 97-98)
            Cy played Tennis for the Cobras in 1997 and 1998, winning the individual conference championship with Parkland in 1997. He played singles and doubles for the Cobras, suffering only seven losses over two seasons, earning All-Conference honors in 1997 and 1998. Lystila made the Parkland College Dean's List both years, continuing his athletic and academic career at McKendree University in Lebanon, Illinois, and Lindenwood University in Saint Charles, Missouri. After college, Lystila competed on the east coast in tour-level tournaments before beginning a 20+ year career teaching and coaching Tennis in Peoria, Illinois. He has coached State Champions and Medalists at the high school level and adult amateur champions at the state, regional and national level.
 
Alexis Braghini (Volleyball, 2010)
            Alexis played volleyball at Parkland in 2010, leading the team to the NJCAA DII National Tournament for a second year in a row, while being selected to the M-WAC All-Conference First Team, the NJCAA Region 24 First Team, and the NJCAA All-American First Team in her one year as a Cobra. The 2010 NJCAA Region 24 Player of the Year, Braghini recorded 736 kills, 375 digs, 113 blocks and 56 aces, producing a hitting percentage of 37% and ranking 2nd in the county in kills per set (4.75). Following her season at Parkland, the Champaign native walked onto the SIU-Carbondale Volleyball team before deciding to focus on education, graduating with a degree in Aviation Management and a Private Pilot's License. As an Aeronautical Analyst for the National Geo-Spatial Intelligence Agency, Braghini will be deploying on February 19 to Qatar to offer forward support to our troops.
 
"My single amazing season at Parkland College reinvigorated my love for the game of volleyball," Braghini said. "I thank Cliff and Ron Hastings, Gia Lewis-Smallwood and Heather Horn for supporting and pushing me into having an amazing season with an amazing team."
 
Melanie (Moore) Rodriguez (Volleyball, 10-11)
            Melanie played volleyball at Parkland from 2010-2011, leading the team in aces both years. The setter from Champaign compiled multiple accolades following her 2011 season, including NJCAA Region 24 Player of the Year and M-WAC Conference Player of the Year honors, being named to the NJCAA Division II All-American First Team and the Parkland College Female Athlete of the Year. She led the Cobras to a fourth consecutive NJCAA National Tournament appearance, where they finished 9th.
 
After graduating from Parkland College with an Associate's degree in science, Melanie pursued higher education at Illinois State University, earning Bachelor's and Master's degrees in Communication while playing club volleyball. She excelled in roles at Wolfram Research before becoming a Project Manager at the National Center for Supercomputing Applications at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Melanie and her husband Matt are expecting their first child in March of 2024.
 
Kelsey (Kniepmann) Bentlage (Softball, 12-14)
            Kelsey played softball for the Cobras from 2011-2013, leading off and playing second base under head coach Chuck Clutts. Kelsey hit the ground running for Parkland College, earning NJCAA Division II All-American Second Team honors in her freshman year, propelling the Cobras to a Third-Place Finish at the NJCAA National Tournament and receiving NJCAA DII All-Tournament Team recognition. She received M-WAC All-Conference First Team nods both seasons she played in Champaign.
 
Following her time at Parkland, Kelsey finished her bachelor's degree in Nutrition and Dietetics at St. Louis University before getting her master's degree in Nutrition Education from Eastern Illinois University. Following post-graduate work, Kelsey and her husband Christopher Bentlage welcomed their first son Trace, and she currently works for the St. Louis District Dairy Council as a Nutrition Educator.
 
Seamus Reilly (Coach/Admin, 1999-2018)
            Seamus worked at Parkland College from 1999-2018, serving as head men's soccer coach from 2000-2006, winning one conference championship, and as head women's coach for one season (2004). Reilly remained active in coaching club soccer following a move into athletic administration at Parkland, working for the Illinois Youth Soccer Olympic Development Program through 2018. Many of those players he coached have gone on to successful college careers, including at Parkland. Reilly's own sons, Aidan and Diarmuid, also attended and played soccer for Parkland College.
 
As an administrator at Parkland College, Reilly was a strong advocate and supporter of all the athletic programs and improvements to the facilities. He secured support from the Illinois Futbol Club to purchase equipment for the soccer program and oversaw the creation and construction of the Parkland College Soccer Field from start to finish. Reilly was also instrumental in hiring fellow Centennial High School soccer coach Mark Sikora to grow the Cobra men's soccer program into one of the best in the nation. Reilly left Parkland College in 2018 to become the president of Carl Sandburg College in Galesburg.
 
"I am grateful for the support of Rod Lovett, who was athletic director when I was hired as coach, Brendan McHale, who was athletic trainer and is now athletic director, the assistant coaches who worked with me, all the faculty and administration who supported me as coach, and the many student athletes whom I coached and had in my classes."
 
"Community college athletics creates opportunities for our students and enhances the community college experience for all students and our communities. I am humbled by this honor, and express my thanks to the Hall of Fame committee, the Parkland College Foundation, the trustees, president, administration, faculty, and staff at Parkland College for their nomination and support."