University of North Carolina Athletics
Ackley To Be Inducted Into Omaha Hall Of Fame
June 24, 2014 | Baseball
CHICAGO --- Four of the greatest players ever to play college baseball will be inducted into the Omaha College Baseball Hall of Fame July 3 in Omaha, Neb. Dustin Ackley (North Carolina), Steve Arlin (Ohio State), Will Clark (Mississippi State) and Mark Kotsay (Cal State Fullerton) comprise the Omaha College Baseball Hall of Fame Class of 2014. These four individuals will be recognized in front of fans at the TD Ameritrade College Home Run Derby at TD Ameritrade Park Omaha on July 3. The players will be featured in ESPN's live broadcast of the TD Ameritrade College Home Run Derby, which begins at 7:30 p.m. CDT.
Established in 2013 to celebrate college baseball's rich history, the Omaha College Baseball Hall of Fame honors the game's legends that have made their mark in Omaha. Inductees were selected because of their outstanding contributions to college baseball, specifically through extraordinary performance on the game's grandest stage: in Omaha. Finalists and winners were selected by a committee of former college baseball players and coaches as well as members of the media.
Last year's inaugural Omaha College Baseball Hall of Fame class included Rod Dedeaux (USC coach), Augie Garrido (Texas coach), Bob Horner (Arizona State), Brooks Kieschnick (Texas), Robin Ventura (Oklahoma State) and Dave Winfield (Minnesota).
Dustin Ackley
One of the best hitters in Atlantic Coast Conference history, Dustin Ackley holds the College World Series career record with 28 hits and the sweet-swinging lefthander tallied a .412 batting average (28-for-68) in his career in Omaha. The first player ever to be named to the CWS All-Tournament Team on three occasions, Ackley was the first three-time All-American in University of North Carolina history. A first baseman for the Tar Heels from 2007-09, Ackley, who helped UNC to College World Series appearances in 2007, 2008 and 2009, including a runner-up finish in 2007, closed out his collegiate career as the school's all-time leader in batting average (.412), hits (346), runs (227) and total bases (544). In 2010, he was selected to the College World Series Legends Team. The No. 2 overall pick in the 2009 Major League Baseball Draft, Ackley is currently a starting outfielder for the Seattle Mariners.
Steve Arlin
The greatest pitcher ever to wear the Scarlet and Gray for The Ohio State University, Steve Arlin posted a remarkable 24-3 record in only two seasons with the Buckeyes. A two-time member of the College World Series All-Tournament Team, the righthander led Ohio State to a runner-up finish in 1965 and was named Most Valuable Player of the 1966 CWS as the Buckeyes won their only national title. A two-time All-American and a member of the CWS Legends Team, Arlin posted a 0.96 ERA and 57 strikeouts, while allowing only 16 hits in 47 innings in his CWS career. At the 1965 CWS, he fanned a staggering 20 batters in 15 innings in a game against Washington State. In 2008, he was inducted into the College Baseball Hall of Fame and also had his No. 22 jersey retired by Ohio State. The No. 13 overall selection in the 1966 Major League Baseball Draft, Arlin enjoyed a six-year career in MLB, which included stints with the San Diego Padres and Cleveland Indians.
Will Clark
A two-time All-American and the 1985 Golden Spikes Award winner, Will Clark was one of the best pure hitters ever to come out of the Southeastern Conference. During his three-year collegiate career at Mississippi State University, he helped the program to a 137-46 (.749) overall record and totaled 61 home runs to go with 199 RBI's and 209 hits. In 1985, the left-handed hitting Clark hit .420 with 25 home runs and 77 RBI's to help lead the Bulldogs to a third-place finish at the College World Series, a 50-15 overall record, and a No. 3 final ranking in the Baseball America Poll. At the 1985 CWS, he batted .467 (8-for-15) with a pair of home runs, a double, a triple, five RBI's and six runs scored. Mississippi State's career leader with a .391 batting average, Clark is a member of both the CWS Legends Team and the College Baseball Hall of Fame. The No. 2 overall pick of the San Francisco Giants in the 1985 Major League Baseball Draft, Clark was a six-time All-Star and totaled 2,176 hits, 284 home runs, 1,205 RBI's and a .303 average in his 15-year professional career. In his first Major League at-bat, Clark homered off of future Hall of Famer Nolan Ryan to kick off a storied professional career. He also helped Team USA to a second-place finish at the 1984 Olympic Games in Los Angeles.
Mark Kotsay
Mark Kotsay, who was a two-time member of the College World Series All-Tournament Team, was the Most Outstanding Player at the 1995 CWS after helping Cal State Fullerton to the NCAA title. In addition to hitting a pair of home runs and driving in five, the lefthander pitched the final five outs in the 1995 national championship game. The recipient of the Golden Spikes Award in 1995, the outfielder/pitcher batted .404 with 45 home runs and 216 RBI's in his three-year career at Cal State Fullerton (1994-96). A member of the College World Series Legends Team, Kotsay holds CWS records for highest batting average (.517) and slugging percentage (1.103) in a career and his 18 RBI's and five sacrifice hits rank second all-time. During his dominating 1995 campaign, the two-time First Team All-American hit .422 with 21 home runs, 90 RBI's and 15 stolen bases, while also going 2-1 with a microscopic 0.31 earned-run average, 11 saves and 27 strikeouts in 29 innings pitched. He is the only player to hit more than one grand slam in CWS history and was named College Player of the Decade (1990s) by Baseball America. The No. 9 overall pick in the 1996 Major League Baseball Draft, Kotsay retired last season following a 17-year career in which he hit .276, rolled up 1,784 hits, and won a World Series ring with the Florida Marlins in his rookie season in 1997. He also earned a bronze medal as a member of Team USA at the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta.
Established in 2013 to celebrate college baseball's rich history, the Omaha College Baseball Hall of Fame honors the game's legends that have made their mark in Omaha. Inductees were selected because of their outstanding contributions to college baseball, specifically through extraordinary performance on the game's grandest stage: in Omaha. Finalists and winners were selected by a committee of former college baseball players and coaches as well as members of the media.
Last year's inaugural Omaha College Baseball Hall of Fame class included Rod Dedeaux (USC coach), Augie Garrido (Texas coach), Bob Horner (Arizona State), Brooks Kieschnick (Texas), Robin Ventura (Oklahoma State) and Dave Winfield (Minnesota).
Dustin Ackley
One of the best hitters in Atlantic Coast Conference history, Dustin Ackley holds the College World Series career record with 28 hits and the sweet-swinging lefthander tallied a .412 batting average (28-for-68) in his career in Omaha. The first player ever to be named to the CWS All-Tournament Team on three occasions, Ackley was the first three-time All-American in University of North Carolina history. A first baseman for the Tar Heels from 2007-09, Ackley, who helped UNC to College World Series appearances in 2007, 2008 and 2009, including a runner-up finish in 2007, closed out his collegiate career as the school's all-time leader in batting average (.412), hits (346), runs (227) and total bases (544). In 2010, he was selected to the College World Series Legends Team. The No. 2 overall pick in the 2009 Major League Baseball Draft, Ackley is currently a starting outfielder for the Seattle Mariners.
Steve Arlin
The greatest pitcher ever to wear the Scarlet and Gray for The Ohio State University, Steve Arlin posted a remarkable 24-3 record in only two seasons with the Buckeyes. A two-time member of the College World Series All-Tournament Team, the righthander led Ohio State to a runner-up finish in 1965 and was named Most Valuable Player of the 1966 CWS as the Buckeyes won their only national title. A two-time All-American and a member of the CWS Legends Team, Arlin posted a 0.96 ERA and 57 strikeouts, while allowing only 16 hits in 47 innings in his CWS career. At the 1965 CWS, he fanned a staggering 20 batters in 15 innings in a game against Washington State. In 2008, he was inducted into the College Baseball Hall of Fame and also had his No. 22 jersey retired by Ohio State. The No. 13 overall selection in the 1966 Major League Baseball Draft, Arlin enjoyed a six-year career in MLB, which included stints with the San Diego Padres and Cleveland Indians.
Will Clark
A two-time All-American and the 1985 Golden Spikes Award winner, Will Clark was one of the best pure hitters ever to come out of the Southeastern Conference. During his three-year collegiate career at Mississippi State University, he helped the program to a 137-46 (.749) overall record and totaled 61 home runs to go with 199 RBI's and 209 hits. In 1985, the left-handed hitting Clark hit .420 with 25 home runs and 77 RBI's to help lead the Bulldogs to a third-place finish at the College World Series, a 50-15 overall record, and a No. 3 final ranking in the Baseball America Poll. At the 1985 CWS, he batted .467 (8-for-15) with a pair of home runs, a double, a triple, five RBI's and six runs scored. Mississippi State's career leader with a .391 batting average, Clark is a member of both the CWS Legends Team and the College Baseball Hall of Fame. The No. 2 overall pick of the San Francisco Giants in the 1985 Major League Baseball Draft, Clark was a six-time All-Star and totaled 2,176 hits, 284 home runs, 1,205 RBI's and a .303 average in his 15-year professional career. In his first Major League at-bat, Clark homered off of future Hall of Famer Nolan Ryan to kick off a storied professional career. He also helped Team USA to a second-place finish at the 1984 Olympic Games in Los Angeles.
Mark Kotsay
Mark Kotsay, who was a two-time member of the College World Series All-Tournament Team, was the Most Outstanding Player at the 1995 CWS after helping Cal State Fullerton to the NCAA title. In addition to hitting a pair of home runs and driving in five, the lefthander pitched the final five outs in the 1995 national championship game. The recipient of the Golden Spikes Award in 1995, the outfielder/pitcher batted .404 with 45 home runs and 216 RBI's in his three-year career at Cal State Fullerton (1994-96). A member of the College World Series Legends Team, Kotsay holds CWS records for highest batting average (.517) and slugging percentage (1.103) in a career and his 18 RBI's and five sacrifice hits rank second all-time. During his dominating 1995 campaign, the two-time First Team All-American hit .422 with 21 home runs, 90 RBI's and 15 stolen bases, while also going 2-1 with a microscopic 0.31 earned-run average, 11 saves and 27 strikeouts in 29 innings pitched. He is the only player to hit more than one grand slam in CWS history and was named College Player of the Decade (1990s) by Baseball America. The No. 9 overall pick in the 1996 Major League Baseball Draft, Kotsay retired last season following a 17-year career in which he hit .276, rolled up 1,784 hits, and won a World Series ring with the Florida Marlins in his rookie season in 1997. He also earned a bronze medal as a member of Team USA at the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta.
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