Dec. 14, 2007
Contact: Brian McCann
CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Teammates on one of the most successful softball teams in school history, a standout hitter from the early 1980's and a coach/administrator for 27 years at CSU comprise the 33rd class of inductees into the Cleveland State Athletics Hall of Fame.
Joining the CSU Athletics Hall of Fame are Alice Khol (coach/administrator, 1981-2007), Amy Kyler (softball/volleyball, 1992-97), Tim Miller (baseball, 1980-81) and Tenille Whiteside (softball/volleyball, 1993-97).
The class will be enshrined at a 3:00 p.m. ceremony on Saturday, February 9 on the fourth floor of the Wolstein Center. The group will then be honored later that day at halftime of the Cleveland State men's basketball game against Detroit. Admission to the ceremony is free but there is a $15 charge for admission to a post-ceremony reception. Reservations can be made by contacting the CSU Varsity "C" Club at (216) 875-9692.
Khol, a native of Cleveland and graduate of John Adams High School and Kent State, worked as a coach and administrator for the Vikings from 1980 until her retirement last summer. She joined the CSU staff in October of 1980 as the head women's basketball coach and coordinator of women's athletics and immediately helped the athletic program make the move to the NCAA level. She also served as the head softball coach for two seasons (1982-83).
The winningest coach in CSU women's basketball history, Khol compiled a 115-187 record in 11 seasons before giving up coaching in 1991 to become an Associate Athletic Director.
Khol served on the volleyball games management staff at the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta and played an instrumental role in bringing the NCAA Women's Volleyball Championships to the Wolstein Center in 1996, serving as Tournament Director. Most recently, she was one of the driving forces behind bringing the NCAA Division I Women's Basketball Final Four to Cleveland, serving as tournament manager of both the 2006 regional and 2007 Final Four.
Kyler is the most dominent pitcher in CSU softball history, owning school career records for wins (68), winning percentage (68-41, .624), ERA (1.35), innings pitched (728.1), strikeouts (909) and appearances (121).
A native of Clinton, Ohio, Kyler saved her best season for last, earning Midwestern Collegiate Conference Pitcher of the Year honors after setting CSU season records for wins (24), ERA (0.56), games started (27), appearances (33), shutouts (15), strikeouts (325) and innings pitched (210.2) as a senior in 1997. She helped the Vikings to a 36-11 record and earn the program its only NCAA bid.
A standout in volleyball as well, Kyler was named the Varsity "C" Club Player of the Year as a junior in 1994.
After graduating cum laude in 1997 with a degree in social work and psychology, she served as an assistant coach at Bowling Green (1998-01) before returning to CSU as an assistant coach from 2002-05.
Miller, a native of Strongsville, made the most out of his two seasons at Cleveland State, becoming the first player in program history to earn Varsity "C" Club Player of the Year honors in back-to-back seasons. He hit .302 as a junior in 1980, setting school records for runs scored (65), walks (43) and stolen bases (24). He also set marks for games played (52), doubles (16) and triples (4), each of which has since been broken.
Miller came back to hit a team-best .367 as a senior in 1981, also leading the squad in slugging percentage (.562), runs scored (46) and stolen bases (21). He finished his career as the CSU career record holder for runs scored (111), doubles (33), triples (9), stolen bases (45) and attempts (51) with both stolen base marks still standing almost three decades later.
A 1981 graduate with a degree in history, Miller played briefly in the Cleveland Indians minor league system.
Whiteside left CSU as one of the top hitters in school history, teaming with Kyler in 1997 to lead the Vikings to the NCAA Championship.
A native of Marion, Ohio, she currently holds the school career record for batting average (.355) while ranking second in hits (209), at-bats (589), runs scored (109), RBI (94) and doubles (36) and was third in games played (196).
Whiteside led the offensive charge to the NCAA's in 1997, hitting .417 with 58 hits to earn Midwestern Collegiate Conference Player of the Year honors.
A four-year letterwinner in volleyball as well, Whiteside led the Vikings in kills in each of her final three seasons, earning second team all-league honors as both a junior and senior.
A first team GTE Academic All-District selection in softball as a senior, she graduated in 1988 with a degree in marketing.
The addition of the 2008 class brings the membership in the CSU Athletics Hall of Fame to 112. Kyler and Whiteside are the fourth and fifth softball players and ninth and 10th volleyball players voted into the hall. Miller is the 11th baseball honoree and Khol is the 13th coach or administrator being recognized.