The Roanoke College Athletics Department will induct four members into the school Sports Hall of Fame in conjunction with Alumni Weekend Friday. Included in this year’s class are Marc Dinkel, Class of 2015 for men’s soccer, Chris Gordon, a lacrosse goalie from the Class of 1997, Kellie Higbie, a softball pitcher and 2015 grad, and Harrison Toney, a cross country and track athlete who graduated in 2016.
Dinkel made his impact on the Roanoke men’s soccer program in only two years with the program. After an injury kept him out for part of the 2013 season, Dinkel was outstanding in the 2014 campaign. His efforts earned him NSCAA Second Team All-American, First Team All-South Atlantic Region, ODAC Player of the Year, and First Team All-ODAC honors.
Dinkel also led the ODAC in goals, points, and assists and was second in game-winning goals. Those marks ranked him sixth in DIII in assists (13) and seventh in assists per game (.65) in 2014. At his time of induction, Marc is third in program history in single season assists, tied for third in single-season points (37, 2014), tied for eighth in career assists (19), and tied for 13th in singles season goals (12, 2014).
Gordon was a steady force between the pipes during his four years at Roanoke. After taking over the starting goalkeeper role his sophomore season, Gordon helped lead the Maroons to three straight ODAC Championships and two NCAA tournament appearances. Chris picked up multiple recognitions over his career including Second Team All-American (1997), Honorable Mention All-American (1996), 1997 ODAC Player of the Year, and First Team All-ODAC (1996 & 1997).
At the time of his induction, Gordon is fifth in all-time goals against average (9.09), sixth in saves per game (11.3) and wins (34), eight in all-time saves (554), and 12th in save percentage (.602) in the Roanoke record books.
Higbie was a workhorse for the Maroon softball team over her four years, stepping up when the team needed her most. As a freshman, she led RC all the way to the NCAA DIII Championship Semifinals and picked up All-Tournament Team honors. Additionally that year, Higbie was named the Most Outstanding Player of the ODAC and NCAA DIII Newport News Regional Tournaments, All-ODAC and All-Region, ODAC Co-Rookie of the Year, and the VaSID College Division Rookie of the Year.
Kelly continued her success with the Maroons over her final three years and picked up First Team All-ODAC as well as Roanoke Female Athlete of the Year accolades after her senior season. Higbie still ranks atop many of the RC pitching records at her time of induction. Her mark in the record books include first in innings pitched (712.3), pitching starts (111), complete games (87), and single season wins (30), tied for first in wins (68), second in strikeouts (385) and single season strikeouts (141), and tied for sixth in saves (6) to name a few.
Toney was a standout distance runner for the RC track & field squad during his time in Salem. In cross country he was an All-American his senior year after finishing 35th at the NCAA Championships, placing second at regionals, and taking the ODAC crown. Toney was also a four-time All-ODAC and All-Region recipient as well as the 2015 ODAC Athlete of the Year in the fall season.
Harrison consistently carried his cross-country successes into the track seasons, becoming a four-time ODAC champion and 10-time All-ODAC honoree between the 3000, 5000, and steeplechase events. He qualified for the 2016 NCAA Outdoor Championships in the steeplechase, making it to the finals and placing 10th. Toney still holds the Roanoke program records in the indoor 3000m, outdoor 3000m steeplechase, and both the indoor and outdoor 5000m events.
