Hall of Fame

List of 17 items.

• Morris Brown (1937), Basketball Coach, 1945-1954

  Coached Boys and Girls Basketball and drove the bus.  Led the 1947 boys team to the state semi-finals.  From those who knew him:  “He was a wise man;” “He was a great man.”

• Oscar Cook (1955-1971), Basketball Coach

  Coached the boys and girls and left coaching to become the principal at Rabun Gap Community School after the 1971 season.  From former players:  “…the greatest coach I ever played for;”  “He was tough but fair and always cared about us as individuals.”

• Don Arbitter (1958-1993), Tennis and Basketball Coach

  Brought tennis to Rabun Gap in the mid- 60’s and led several outstanding teams; coached basketball.  The Rabun Gap tennis courts are named after him.  From a former player:  “Before Mr. Arbitter arrived, we didn’t know that there was another sport besides basketball.”

• Jack Acree (1938-1941), Athletic Director and Coach

  Served as athletic director, dean of students, and coach from 1938 until he left to serve his country as a CPO in the Navy during WWII.  He hated baseball but agreed to start a team when pressured by the students.

• Joe Grist (1947), Basketball

  Led the 1947 team to the state semifinals before losing 33-28 to Montezuma.  Played two seasons at ABAC before accepting a full scholarship to the University of Miami. J oe also played on the professional traveling team, House of David for one season in which the team lost just one game.  An incredible scorer and by most accounts the best basketball player that northeast Georgia has ever produced, Joe acknowledged that he needed teammates to pass the ball to him.

• Dennis Spruell (1962), Basketball

  Believed to be Rabun Gap-Nacoochee School’s all-time leading scorer with 1420 points and the last player to dunk in the old gym, and the first person to dunk in the new gym.  Dennis continued to play basketball at Truett-McConnell College.

• 1985 State Championship Cross Country Team

  Eric Willis ‘87, Stephen Arbitter ‘86, Matt Hughes ‘86, Geoffrey Ives ‘86, Claude Dillard ‘86, Billy Banks ‘87, Kelly Wilson ‘88. Coaches Mark Coleman & Bob Bennett. Eric Willis:  “What made our team special was our synergy.  Anyone of us could win a meet at anytime.  We worked extremely hard and never ran less than 5K at any practice.”  Bob Bennett would drive the bus to North Carolina and drop the players off to run back.  "How far are we going to run today?", asked one of the runners.  Coach Bennett would respond, "One mile further than we were going to run before you asked that question."

• Barbara Cope Passmore (1962), Basketball

  Played guard on the 1558-59 region championship team that traveled to Roswell for the state tournament. Known by many as one of the nicest students at Rabun Gap, she was also a fierce competitor on the court. In 2008 (49 years later), Passmore was in the Ritchie Gymnasium once again to watch two of her granddaughters, Maleah and Mariah Cousineau lead Rabun Gap to their first conference championship since 1959

• Sam Kelly (1947), Basketball

  Started at guard for the 1947 boys basketball team that advanced to the state semifinals in Montezuma.  Remembered by his teammate Joe Grist as a great passer and defender.  Joe also remembered a humorous moment in a game at Clayton.  Although he was teased by his teammates for not taking many shots against Clayton, Sam took one shot in the first half and made it easily.  When asked about this in the locker room at halftime, Joe remembers Sam saying, “I just felt it come on.”  Although practice ended around 9pm on most evenings, Coach Morris Brown would leave the gym open for the boys to shoot. Sometimes they would stay until late in the evenings and had to walk home.  Joe said that Sam would walk home with him at times, even though the walk to the Grist farm took him twice as far away from home.  “He could have walked home thru the bottoms, but I guess he just wanted to walk and talk with me a little bit.  He was a good friend and teammate”

• Jean Kelly Lindstedt (1970), Basketball

  Famous for her deadly accurate two-handed set shot, Jean was a standout player during one of the most successful periods of girls basketball in Rabun Gap history.  Jean led the 1970 team to a 15-7 record and a third place finish in the sub-region tournament.  Jean continued her basketball career at Valdosta State University.

• Maxine Hollifield Rogers (1948), Basketball

  Maxine and her twin sister Alline joined Rabun Gap while they were in the 5th grade and their classmates could not tell them apart until they were in the 7th grade.  They were known to change places in class often.  They would answer the roll and questions for each other.  The class would laugh, but the teachers never knew why.  They would also change jerseys in basketball games, especially if one of them got in foul trouble.  They both went on to play basketball for 4 years at Rabun Gap for Coach Morris Brown.  On May 21 & 22, 1948, Maxine was in the senior play "Dora Dean" under the direction of Miss Irene Hackney.  Her senior class had 23 graduates. On May 6, 1948 her senior class went on a trip to Mammoth Cave, Kentucky.  In the Who's Who, Maxine was Most Athletic.  She was offered a scholarship to Piedmont College to play basketball but turned it down.  Maxine, Alline, and her brother Roy were recruited to play basketball and offered a job at Coats & Clark in Toccoa.  All three went on to play basketball there.  During this time the cotton mills had teams and they were paid to play basketball.  They saved their money, went in together and bought their parents a home with one hundred acres in Stephens County.  Most of the property is still owned by family.

• Gail Hamby Coleman (1972), Basketball

  Gail participated in both basketball and tennis at Rabun Gap and excelled in both.  In tennis, Gail and her doubles partner won the region championship and went on to the state tournament in Macon.  After graduation, Gail went on to play tennis at Young Harris College where she won state championships in both singles and doubles.  After Young Harris College, Gail went on to North Georgia College in Dahlonega where she was named Most Valuable Player on her tennis team.  Gail’s basketball teammate at Rabun Gap and 2010 Athletic Hall of Fame inductee Jean Kelly Lindstedt had this to say about Gail and her basketball talents:  “She was a great all-around player, good both offensively and defensively.  She gave 100% in practice and games and was a team player.  Her strength was having such an eye for the whole court – either making a perfect pass for a team player or taking the open shot herself and always having a positive attitude!”

• Billy Kelly (1955), Basketball

  Bill is remembered by those who played basketball with him as one of the finest players Rabun Gap-Nacoochee School ever produced.  Bill was also a terrific teammate and leader as the teams of the early 1950’s were some of the best in the region.  The 1955 team captured the district “C” championship.
  
  

  In gathering folks reflections on Bill, it became apparent that he was just as well-known for his fast driving.  One person mentioned that when the new speed bumps were placed on campus during his senior year, Bill announced to his classmates that you only felt them if you drove over them at speeds of less than 55 MPH.
  
  

  Bill served as coach for numerous alumni basketball teams during the January homecoming games and never lost one of those games.

• Claude Rickman (1973), Basketball

  Claude attended Rabun Gap from 1969-1973 and his basketball career began in 8th grade.  He played on varsity from grades 9-12 and was always team oriented and a quick point guard.  The 1973 team placed 2nd in the region and secured a spot in state playoffs.  After graduation, Claude attended Berry College in Rome, Georgia where he continued his basketball career for three years.  When talking to Claude's teammates, a common theme is evident -- he was a team player.  Claude's peers have many good things to say, including:  “Claude has always liked a challenge...He worked hard to be a good athlete...In basketball, he liked to play against folks who would help him elevate his game.”
  
  

  Claude is married to Ann Rickman and his daughter Anna Cole (class of 2013).  He is a deacon at the First Baptist Church, Clayton, Ga. and serves on the Board of Directors at Rabun County Bank, the Humane Shelter, and the Sid Weber Fund. 

• Micah Seehorn (2005), Baseball

  Micah attended Rabun Gap from 1998-2005 and participated in soccer, basketball and baseball. Micah was a four-year starter in soccer and was named to the all-conference soccer team following his senior season which also included the Rabun Gap soccer team’s first state playoff appearance in eight years.  Micah earned three letters in basketball and started at guard during his junior and senior seasons. 
  
  

  But it was on the baseball field that Micah earned the most distinction.  As a four-year starter, Micah captained both the 2004 and 2005 teams and was a central figure in our ascension from a fledgling program to one of the most successful baseball programs in the area.  Micah was named to the GHSA Region 8A all region teams following his sophomore and junior seasons, was named the conference player of the year in our first season in the Carolinas Athletic Association, and made the NCISAA 2A all-state team as a shortstop.  The 2005 baseball team made it to the 2A state quarterfinals.  Micah still holds several baseball records at Rabun Gap and as of this writing (Jun 11, 2012) is still the only Eagle to record 100 career hits. 
  
  

  Micah went on to play baseball at Oglethorpe University following graduation from Rabun Gap.  A former teammate had this to say about Micah:  “He was a leader both on and off the field and set the tone with his heart and intensity.  Despite being the best player on the team, Micah remained humble and was always willing to help the younger players grow as athletes.”
  
  

  Micah and his wife Melissa reside in Lawrenceville, GA where Micah is a project manager at Connect Healthcare.

• Barry Cook (1973), Basketball, Basketball Coach

  Barry Cook graduated from Rabun Gap in 1973 and played varsity basketball for four years. Barry was a dynamic guard who teamed with fellow hall of famer Claude Rickman to lead the 1973 team to the state playoffs after finishing runner-up in the region. Claude had the following to say about playing basketball with Barry. “Barry played with a passion that was unique for a high school player. He made his teammates better by showing us areas that we could work on and improve. He was a tremendous player and more importantly a great teammate.” Barry continued his basketball career at both Truett-McConnell College and Piedmont College. Barry returned to RGNS in the early 1990’s to teach history and coach basketball. Under Coach Cook’s direction the 1999 boys basketball team won nineteen games and earned a share of the sub region championship. Mykal Hodge, a member of that team, had the following to share about Coach Cook. “Coach Cook was an amazing coach and mentor who knew how to get the best out of his players as well as help players realize their true potential on and off the court. I will forever be grateful and privileged for having had the opportunity to play under such an amazing coach, man and teacher.”

• Brian Vollmer (2007), Baseball, Soccer, Swimming

  Brian Vollmer graduated from RGNS in 2007 and competed in swimming, soccer, and baseball. A well rounded athlete, Brian was a four year starting forward on the soccer team and helped lead the team to two conference championships and four trips to the state playoffs. As a baseball player, Brian was a four year starter both on the mound and in centerfield and helped lead the team to three consecutive state playoff appearances and twice to the state quarterfinals. A fierce competitor, Brian received all conference recognition following his sophomore, junior, and senior seasons and all-state recognition as a junior and senior. Upon graduation Brian left a trail of broken records and still holds school records for wins (24), earned run average (0.83), innings pitched (74), and strikeouts (108). Brian continued his baseball career at Gardner Webb University and College of Charleston and graduated last spring with a degree in marketing. Brian’s RGNS teammate and fellow hall of famer Micah Seehorn had the following to say about Brian. “Brian was always a guy you could depend on to deliver. He definitely gave the younger guys a model to look up to in terms of how the game was played. One of Brian's biggest assets was that he was willing and eager to learn, and he could execute once he had learned and practiced enough.”