Bowling Green State University Athletics
BGSU Athletics Announces 2020 Hall Of Fame Class
December 10, 2020 | Football, General, Women's Soccer, Women's Track and Field, Volleyball, Hall of Fame
Bowling Green, Ohio – The Bowling Green State University Athletics Department has announced that four individuals will be inducted into the Athletics Hall of Fame this fall. Freddie Barnes '10, Kristy Coppes '05, Stephanie Heldt-Sheller '01, and Denise Van De Walle will make up the 53rd class in school history.
2020 Inductees YouTube Playlist
Complete Listing of Hall of Famers
2018 Hall of Fame Induction Class
2018 YouTube Video Playlist
The four inductees bring membership in the Athletics Hall of Fame to 244 individuals. Two teams (the 1983-84 national championship hockey team and the 1959 national championship football Falcons) are also in the Hall of Fame.
"Congratulations to Freddie, Kristy, Stephanie and Denise," BGSU Director of Athletics Bob Moosbrugger said. "Induction into the BGSU Athletics Hall of Fame is often the culmination of an individual's BGSU experience and the perseverance and grit that these four exhibited are the models of what we continue to teach our student-athletes, staff and coaches today. We appreciate their contributions to the history of BGSU Athletics. I would also like to thank and congratulate the Hall of Fame selection committee for these excellent selections, as well as all those who submitted nominations during the public process."
Full biographies of each of the four inductees will follow throughout the winter and spring leading up to an official induction ceremony. Due to ongoing challenges related to the COVID-19 pandemic, date selection and information related to public access to the induction ceremony are still to be determined. Details will be announced at a later date.
Barnes (2005-09) was a dynamic wide receiver for the Falcons, breaking the NCAA's FBS record with 155 receptions in 2009, adding a school-record 1,770 receiving yards and 19 receiving touchdowns. He was a Biletnikoff Finalist, earning recognition as one of the top three wide receivers in the country that season. Barnes broke Randy Moss' MAC record for receiving yards in a season and also came up one reception shy of the NCAA record for a single game when he has 22 catches for 278 yards against Kent State. He is BGSU's career leader with 297 receptions, 65 more than any other player in school history, and second with 3,290 receiving yards.
Coppes (2001-04) is the first inductee in the BGSU Athletics Hall of Fame from the women's soccer program. Her 111 career points are the most in school history by 38 points. She had 52 goals during her career and a single-season career-high of 18 as a senior. Her 52 career goals are almost double the second-most (28) in program history and she holds the school record for most consecutive matches played with 87. She scored six goals in one match (vs. Duquesne on 8/27/04) and her 14 career match-winning goals are the most in program history. She was the 2001 MAC Freshman of the Year and led the team to the NCAA Tournament in 2004.
Heldt-Sheller (1996-01) is a three-time All-American and school record holder in the indoor high jump (6-feet). She also shares the outdoor high jump school record (5-feet-11.5). Heldt-Sheller was the 1999 MAC Champion in the high jump during the outdoor track & field season, and placed seventh at the NCAA Outdoor Track & Field National Championships in 2001, earning first team All-American status. She was a second-team All-American by finishing 11th in the high jump during outdoor season in 1999, as well as placing 15th during indoor in 2001. Until Aliyah Gustafson qualified for the indoor national championships in the shot put in 2018, Heldt-Sheller was the last BGSU representative at that meet.
Van De Walle is the second-longest tenured head coach and second-winningest coach in BGSU history, serving as the volleyball coach for the Falcons from 1983-2011. At the time of her retirement, she was the winningest volleyball coach in MAC history. She was a four-time MAC Coach of the Year (1986, 1987, 1989 and 1992), winning the MAC regular season and tournament titles in 1991. In 1989, she won her initial MAC regular season title and finished with three regular season crowns and two more divisional championships. Van De Walle was also president of the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) in 2001 and sat on the board of directors for USA Volleyball. She coached Athletes in Action teams multiple times, leading teams that toured the Far East, Bolivia and South Africa. A longtime supporter of Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA), Van De Walle was inducted into the Northwest Ohio chapter of the FCA Hall of Champions in 2010.
2020 Inductees YouTube Playlist
Complete Listing of Hall of Famers
2018 Hall of Fame Induction Class
2018 YouTube Video Playlist
The four inductees bring membership in the Athletics Hall of Fame to 244 individuals. Two teams (the 1983-84 national championship hockey team and the 1959 national championship football Falcons) are also in the Hall of Fame.
"Congratulations to Freddie, Kristy, Stephanie and Denise," BGSU Director of Athletics Bob Moosbrugger said. "Induction into the BGSU Athletics Hall of Fame is often the culmination of an individual's BGSU experience and the perseverance and grit that these four exhibited are the models of what we continue to teach our student-athletes, staff and coaches today. We appreciate their contributions to the history of BGSU Athletics. I would also like to thank and congratulate the Hall of Fame selection committee for these excellent selections, as well as all those who submitted nominations during the public process."
Full biographies of each of the four inductees will follow throughout the winter and spring leading up to an official induction ceremony. Due to ongoing challenges related to the COVID-19 pandemic, date selection and information related to public access to the induction ceremony are still to be determined. Details will be announced at a later date.
Barnes (2005-09) was a dynamic wide receiver for the Falcons, breaking the NCAA's FBS record with 155 receptions in 2009, adding a school-record 1,770 receiving yards and 19 receiving touchdowns. He was a Biletnikoff Finalist, earning recognition as one of the top three wide receivers in the country that season. Barnes broke Randy Moss' MAC record for receiving yards in a season and also came up one reception shy of the NCAA record for a single game when he has 22 catches for 278 yards against Kent State. He is BGSU's career leader with 297 receptions, 65 more than any other player in school history, and second with 3,290 receiving yards.
Coppes (2001-04) is the first inductee in the BGSU Athletics Hall of Fame from the women's soccer program. Her 111 career points are the most in school history by 38 points. She had 52 goals during her career and a single-season career-high of 18 as a senior. Her 52 career goals are almost double the second-most (28) in program history and she holds the school record for most consecutive matches played with 87. She scored six goals in one match (vs. Duquesne on 8/27/04) and her 14 career match-winning goals are the most in program history. She was the 2001 MAC Freshman of the Year and led the team to the NCAA Tournament in 2004.
Heldt-Sheller (1996-01) is a three-time All-American and school record holder in the indoor high jump (6-feet). She also shares the outdoor high jump school record (5-feet-11.5). Heldt-Sheller was the 1999 MAC Champion in the high jump during the outdoor track & field season, and placed seventh at the NCAA Outdoor Track & Field National Championships in 2001, earning first team All-American status. She was a second-team All-American by finishing 11th in the high jump during outdoor season in 1999, as well as placing 15th during indoor in 2001. Until Aliyah Gustafson qualified for the indoor national championships in the shot put in 2018, Heldt-Sheller was the last BGSU representative at that meet.
Van De Walle is the second-longest tenured head coach and second-winningest coach in BGSU history, serving as the volleyball coach for the Falcons from 1983-2011. At the time of her retirement, she was the winningest volleyball coach in MAC history. She was a four-time MAC Coach of the Year (1986, 1987, 1989 and 1992), winning the MAC regular season and tournament titles in 1991. In 1989, she won her initial MAC regular season title and finished with three regular season crowns and two more divisional championships. Van De Walle was also president of the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) in 2001 and sat on the board of directors for USA Volleyball. She coached Athletes in Action teams multiple times, leading teams that toured the Far East, Bolivia and South Africa. A longtime supporter of Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA), Van De Walle was inducted into the Northwest Ohio chapter of the FCA Hall of Champions in 2010.
Players Mentioned
Throws
/ Women's Track and Field2020 BG Hall of Fame : Kristy Coppes Interview
Wednesday, May 19
2020 BG Hall of Fame : Denise Van De Walle Interview
Wednesday, May 19
2020 BG Hall of Fame : Stephanie Heldt-Sheller Interview
Wednesday, May 19
2020 BG Hall of Fame : Freddie Barnes Interview
Wednesday, May 19