Two national track and field champions, a two-time national wrestling finalist, a key member of three national women’s soccer playoff teams, one of the top punters in Wildcat history, and the winningest men’s basketball coach will be honored at Baker University’s Athletic Hall of Fame induction ceremony at 7 p.m., Sept. 20, at Rice Auditorium on the Baldwin City campus. The event is free and open to the public.
Here’s a look at Baker’s 2024 Hall of Fame class:
Jordan Dolbin, ’13
Jordan Dolbin joined Baker’s women’s soccer team in the fall 2010 after transferring from Cal State Fullerton following a recommendation from a teammate who transferred to BU the previous year.
“Honestly, it was a leap of faith because I didn’t know much about Baker or Kansas prior to making the move,” Dolbin said. “Maggie (Dupes) Taylor and I played together our freshman year at Cal State Fullerton. She transferred to Baker after that year, and I followed her after my sophomore season. I’m endlessly grateful to coaches Nate Houser and Davy Phillips for taking a chance on me, because transferring to Baker turned out to be one of the best decisions of my life.”
In three seasons at Baker, she recorded 31 goals and 30 assists.
“My three years at Baker and being a member of the Baker women’s soccer team is still one of the best periods of my life,” Dolbin said. “To be recognized for what I was able to accomplish on the field alongside my teammates is really special.”
Dolbin was a key to Baker’s three consecutive national tournament appearances, including the program’s first trip to the national tournament and NAIA Fab Four appearance in 2010.
“It was incredible,” Dolbin said of the postseason success. “Going into every season knowing that our team had the talent and potential to compete for a national championship made the experience that much better and more fulfilling. So few college athletes get to play in a final four, so I feel lucky to have had that chance.”
Dolbin was a two-time NAIA All-American and a three-time Heart of America All-Conference honoree, including earning first-team honors in 2011 and 2012. She was a two-time NAIA Scholar-Athlete and a CoSIDA Academic All-American and was named to the NAIA National Tournament All-Tournament team in 2010.
Following her graduation from Baker in spring 2013, Dolbin attended the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, where she earned her master’s in mass communication. In 2015, she began her career at the National Football League in Los Angeles, where she spent eight years working in the social marketing department. In June 2023, she returned to her first love, soccer, joining the National Women’s Soccer League as the head of social and influencer marketing.
Jeremy Gathright, ’14
Jeremy Gathright was elated when notified he would be joining the 2014 Hall of Fame class.
“When I received the letter I was almost brought to tears,” Gathright said. “So much hard work, on and off the track, and so much help from coaches, family, and teammates all made this possible. I’m still in a bit of shock and honored to be in the same breath as the hall of famers that I spent so much time reading about in Collins gym for four years.”
After spending one year at Saddleback Community College in Mission Viejo, California, Gathright was recruited in 2010 to Baker by Zach Kindler. His career showed great promise as a freshman when he qualified for Indoor Nationals in the triple jump at the first meet of the year, going on to win the triple jump at both Heart indoor and outdoor meets that season before finishing as one the most decorated track and field athletes at Baker.
In 2013, he won the 400 meters at the NAIA National Championship in 46.62 seconds, becoming Baker’s first men’s national champion in 60 years.
“I’ll always remember the feeling at the starting line of the 400,” Gathright recalled. “Whenever I stepped on the track at any meet, I was ready to win, but for this race, while I was still ready to win, the nerves were really getting to me. There are pictures of me where people say I looked focused and determined, but little did they know how nervous I was.”
By the end of his career, his resume included seven-time Heart triple jump champion, four-time Heart 400-meter champion, four-time Heart long jump champion, and three-time Heart 200-meter champion. Gathright earned multiple All-Conference awards, including four-time Heart Most Points Earned (2012 Outdoor, 2013 Indoor and Outdoor, 2014 Indoor), four-time Heart MVP (2012 Indoor and Outdoor, 2013 Outdoor, 2014 Indoor). Gathright qualified for Nationals in every year at Baker, becoming a seven-time NAIA national qualifier. He was a six-time NAIA All-American and finished runner-up in the men’s triple jump in 2013.
“I was blessed to not only have the talent to do multiple events, but also with good health and good coaches,” Gathright said. “Multiple rounds of multiple events are tough on the body, and it’s not uncommon to see athletes get injured because of it. My coaches really made sure I not only had the training to handle such a heavy workload, but also the amount of rest needed for my body to handle it. That mixed with my mentality toward winning and doing my best. Every meet I was trying to attain a new PR, a mark that would shock people. I really hated losing more than I liked winning.”
After graduating from Baker in 2014, Gathright served as a graduate assistant at Kansas Wesleyan University. After receiving his MBA from KWU in 2016, Gathright landed in the front offices of MLB’s Los Angeles Angels and the NBA’s Atlanta Hawks. During the pandemic, Gathright used his skills learned from working in professional sports to pivot his career into tech. Gathright then returned to coaching, volunteering at Laney College to help coach the women’s track and field team.
Brandon Gebhardt, ’13
The first wrestler to be inducted into Baker’s Hall of Fame, Brandon Gebhardt, joined the Wildcat program soon after it was formed in 2008, coming from Sparks, Nevada, and trusting BU coach Jimmy May, a coaching legend in Nevada before building the Wildcat program.
“Jimmy was an easy man to trust for me and my family. We got along great from the first time we met, and I knew a lot of the same people back in Nevada,” Gebhardt said. “When we were first considering Baker, we talked with a good friend and coach that knew Jimmy from back in the day, and the first thing he said was, ‘He knows how to build a program.’ And I think he proved that with us. I’ve trusted Jimmy and the program that he put together from day one and was never disappointed.”
Gebhardt was a four-time national qualifier and a two-time All-American and two-time NAIA national runner-up in 2012 and 2013. Gebhardt was the first Baker wrestler to participate in a National finals match and Baker’s first two-time finalist. He was named a Baker athlete of the year in both his 2012 and 2013 seasons.
“I have to attribute my success to the coaching staff and my drill partners and long runs on the dirt roads around Baldwin City that built up my endurance,” Gebhardt said. “Jimmy’s coaching style works well for me and getting to train every day with Levi Calhoun who was my teammate and then my coach—they were able to push me and the rest of the team hard and still maintain a high level of mutual trust and respect. We had a good attitude in the practice room. We all supported each other inside the room and outside. The coaching staff was key to helping build that culture, and they recruited wrestlers who would mesh well with each other.”
Gebhardt graduated with a bachelor’s degree in art history in 2013. He will cherish returning to campus for the induction ceremony.
“My time at Baker gave so much to me, so to be recognized in the Hall of Fame is such an honor and a credit to everyone that helped me get there,” he said. “I’ve wandered through the Hall of Fame a few times looking at the photos and the stats of past athletes. To know that I’m a big enough part of Baker’s history to be recognized in this way is huge for me.”
Darin Liston, ’87
Darin Liston, an All-Conference performer at punter all four years as a Wildcat, waited nearly 40 years to receive his Hall of Fame notification.
“It has been a long time since I roamed the Baker campus,” Liston said. “I knew it was an uphill battle, since as a specialty player like a punter, you only get in a few plays a game. Not many role players get into a Hall of Fame. When the letter came, it was a very humbling experience.”
Liston received honorable mention for the NAIA team in 1985 and 1986 and was an Academic All-American his senior year. The university presented him with “The Greatest Punter in Baker History” due to his precision corner kicks.
Liston attributes his success to always trying to improve and to adapting to the team and knowing his role.
“I had the good luck to play on a great football team that had a really good offense and outstanding defense,” Liston said. “What that meant to a punter is that you can’t just focus on punting the ball as far as you can. You need to place the ball, limit the ability of the other team to return it, and put your defense in the best possible position. That is how a punter can provide the greatest impact to the team, even only being in for three to five plays a game.”
Playing in the 1986 title game will always be among his fondest memories.
“I have told many kids as they go through their high school sports career that it doesn’t matter what level you are at in college,” Liston said. “Getting to play for a national championship is something very few people get to do. Find a good program that fits your level of athletic ability, and you might get lucky enough to play for a national championship. There is nothing like it.”
After graduating from Baker in 1987, Liston worked for Sprint and T-Mobile. He earned a Master of Business Administration degree from Baker in 1997.
Stephanie Nelson, ’14
Stephanie Nelson, the recipient of Baker’s Outstanding Senior Award in 2014, has the distinction of being Baker’s first female national champion, winning the NAIA javelin title her sophomore year at Baker.
“It’s a moment to cherish and to remember and appreciate the journey that I had to get there,” Nelson said of reaching the pinnacle of her athletic career. “Everything happens for a reason, and this moment will define my legacy.”
Nelson was a national runner-up in the javelin in 2013 as well as earning All-American status in the shot put in indoor track and field. She was a two-time first-team All-Conference honoree and in 2014 was named the Heart Most Valuable Athlete and the Women’s High Point Athlete, while winning the Outdoor Track and Field Champions of Character Award on her way to earning All-American status in the javelin.
“Although focusing on the goal of being a great athlete takes discipline, mental health awareness, and confidence, it’s also important to enjoy the sport,” Nelson said. “My passion for track and field is beyond the game. For me it’s the enjoyment of the atmosphere and experiences that come along the journey.”
Nelson graduated in 2014 with a Bachelor of Science degree in exercise science. In 2014, she continued her education as a graduate assistant track and field coach at St. Ambrose University and received her Master of Business Administration degree in 2016. That year she moved back to Kansas City to begin a career with Target, where she is a property management business partner.
“I’m overwhelmed to be able to see my journey getting placed in school history,” Nelson said. “I’m happy to be selected for a very prestigious award.”
Rick Weaver, coach of men’s basketball and golf
Rick Weaver arrived on the Baldwin City campus as the Collins Center was about to be completed in time for the 1985-86 basketball season. The new facility factored in Weaver’s decision to pursue the head coaching position.
“The new facility, Baldwin’s location near Lawrence and Kansas City, and the HAAC having a number of close conference opponents,” were among the reasons Weaver noted for accepting the job. “I felt comfortable in a small town, and Baker had a strong academic reputation. I felt there were a number of similarities to the college [Morningside in Sioux City, Iowa] I attended. The people I met during the interview process were solid.”
Weaver went on to coach 25 years with the Wildcats, recording 337 victories with seven 20-win seasons and a school record of 25 wins in a season. Weaver has coached Baker’s only First Team All-American. He was named the Heart of America Men’s Basketball Coach of the Year three times and won a Heart Championship in 1989 and qualified for the District Playoffs in the same season. He then helped the Wildcats qualify for the NAIA Division II National Tournament in the 1995-96 season.
As BU’s golf coach from 1985 to 2005, Weaver was named the Heart of America Men’s Golf Coach of the Year four times, winning Heart of America Conference Championships in 1987, 1990, 1995, and 1996.
“A highlight for me is following former players, including a number that have coached at the high school and college level,” Weaver said.
After his career at Baker, Weaver continued to coach local sports teams and stay involved with local educational fundraisers. In 2001, he was awarded the Community Partnership Award and in 2007 was awarded the USD 348 Appreciation Award. From 2020 to 2024, Weaver was the executive director for the Baldwin Education Foundation.
Written by Steve Rottinghaus, ’14 MSM
