NASHVILLE – Ten individuals representing championship teams, national honors, record-setting careers, coaching excellence, and decades of service to Trevecca Nazarene University make up the largest class in the history of the Trevecca Athletic Hall of Fame.
Gary Van Atta, Ben Tyree, Ernie Reynolds, Sam Harris, Steve Harris, Bob Amity, Crissie Cunha Lima, Calvin da Cunha, Chris Lowe and Byron Sanford are members of the 2026 Trevecca Athletic Hall of Fame Class.
The 10-member class is scheduled to be inducted during Trevecca's Homecoming Weekend, Nov. 6-7, as part of the university's 125th anniversary celebration.
The formal induction ceremony is scheduled for Saturday, Nov. 7, at 9:00 AM in the Boone Convocation Center on the Trevecca campus.
The 2026-27 school year marks the 125th anniversary of Trevecca's founding in 1901, adding significance to a Hall of Fame class connected to multiple eras, programs, and generations of Trevecca Athletics history.
The 2026 Trevecca Athletic Hall of Fame Class is the largest single class in Trevecca Athletics history.
The class includes five head coaches, one of which is being inducted as a Meritorious Service honoree, and five former Trojan student-athletes representing baseball, volleyball, men's soccer, and men's basketball.
Together, the 10 inductees connect the early years of Trevecca Athletics with the NAIA national stage, the transition to NCAA Division II and the continued development of Trojan Athletics.
GARY VAN ATTA
Gary Van Atta is the winningest coach in Trevecca women's basketball history and the only coach to lead a Trevecca team to a national championship game.
A Trevecca graduate and former Trojan men's basketball co-captain under Ron Bargatze, Van Atta returned to the university in 2005 and led the women's basketball program for 11 seasons. He finished with a 216-120 overall record and a 116-50 conference record.
Van Atta led Trevecca to seven NAIA National Tournament appearances, three Elite Eight runs and the 2008 NAIA National Championship game. The title game remains Trevecca's only national championship game appearance in any sport.
His tenure also included a school-record 31-5 season, six 20-win seasons and the program's transition to NCAA Division II and the Great Midwest Athletic Conference.
Van Atta completed a coaching career with more than 700 victories across the high school, junior college, NAIA, NCAA Division I, and NCAA Division II levels.
BEN TYREE
Ben Tyree is the all-time wins leader and longest-tenured head coach in Trevecca softball history. He is also the first active coach elected to the Trevecca Athletic Hall of Fame.
Through 18 seasons, Tyree owns a 597-269-2 overall record, a 283-105-1 conference record, and a 62-35 postseason record. His teams have produced 18 winning seasons, 11 30-win seasons, five 40-win seasons, nine regular-season conference championships, and six postseason conference tournament championships.
Tyree led Trevecca to two NAIA National Championships, two NCCAA National Championships, two NAIA Elite Eight finishes, and a third-place finish at the 2012 NCCAA National Championships.
In the NCAA Division II era, he guided Trevecca to multiple Midwest Region appearances and the 2024 NCAA Division II Midwest Regional championship.
In 2026, Tyree led the No. 8 seed Trojans to the Gulf South Conference Championship Game after defeating top seed West Florida twice.
ERNIE REYNOLDS
Ernie Reynolds produced one of the most successful four-year coaching runs in Trevecca Athletics history.
Reynolds finished 196-44 overall, 83-15 in conference play and 32-15 in the postseason. His .808 overall winning percentage and .847 conference winning percentage are the best in Trevecca softball coaching history.
He led Trevecca to four consecutive TranSouth regular season championships, three consecutive TranSouth Tournament championships, and three consecutive NAIA Region XI Tournament championships.
Reynolds guided the program to its first three NAIA National Tournament appearances. All three teams reached the Final Eight, and two advanced to the Final Five.
His 2007 and 2008 teams remain the only 50-win teams in program history.
SAM HARRIS
Sam Harris led the Trevecca men's basketball program for 25 seasons and completed his career as the program's all-time wins leader with 376 victories.
Harris guided four teams to the NAIA National Championships and another to the NCCAA National Championships. His teams reached three NAIA Sweet 16s, won two TranSouth regular season championships, and produced six 20-win seasons.
He also led Trevecca to the 2011-12 NCCAA Mid-East Region Championship, the first Great Midwest Championship game in program history in 2012-13, and another Great Midwest title game appearance in 2015-16.
Harris coached six All-Americans, eight NAIA honorable mention All-Americans, NCCAA National Player of the Year Michael France, and three conference players of the year.
Six of his former players are members of the Trevecca Athletic Hall of Fame.
STEVE HARRIS
Steve Harris enters the Hall of Fame in the Meritorious Service category after serving Trevecca Nazarene University for 39 years as an administrator, head coach, and assistant coach.
As Associate Provost and Dean of Student Development, Harris oversaw the entire athletic program, with the athletic director reporting directly to him. His work connected athletics to the larger student development mission of the university.
Harris helped lead Trevecca Athletics through the transition from the NAIA to NCAA Division II and membership in the Great Midwest Athletic Conference.
His coaching service included five seasons as the women's tennis head coach, the 1979 season as volleyball head coach, and several years as a men's basketball assistant coach under Frank Wilson.
His 1979 volleyball team finished 18-12, placed second in the VSAC Tournament and matched the program's season wins record at the time.
BOB AMITY
Bob Amity earned NAIA All-America honors in 1982 and completed his Trevecca baseball career as one of the leading offensive players of the program's NAIA Era.
Amity finished with a .382 career batting average, 115 hits, 85 runs scored, 21 doubles, 13 home runs, and 84 RBI.
At the time of his graduation, his .382 career batting average was the highest in Trevecca baseball history. He also ranked seventh in career runs and hits, fifth in doubles and home runs, and fourth in RBI.
A two-time all-conference selection, Amity completed his career with an All-American season in 1982, batting .397 with 45 runs scored and 40 RBI.
The .397 average was the fourth-highest single-season mark in program history at the time.
CRISSIE CUNHA LIMA
Crissie Cunha Lima became one of the most decorated volleyball players of her Trevecca era during two seasons with the Trojans.
A junior college All-American before transferring to Trevecca, Cunha Lima earned NAIA All-American Honorable Mention and NAIA Academic All-American honors in 2003.
She was a two-time NAIA Region XI First Team selection, two-time TranSouth First Team selection, two-time TranSouth Scholar-Athlete, and the 2002 TranSouth Newcomer of the Year.
Cunha Lima established Trevecca single-season records with 619 kills, 106 service aces, and 155 games played in 2002.
Her two Trevecca teams combined for 65 victories. The 2002 team finished 31-15 and reached NAIA No. 27, the highest national ranking in program history at the time. The 2003 Trojans finished 34-8, setting a program record for victories, and reached the semifinals of the NAIA Regional.
CALVIN da CUNHA
Calvin da Cunha earned national, regional, and conference recognition while helping establish the foundation of the Trevecca men's soccer program.
Da Cunha earned NAIA All-American Honorable Mention honors in 2005 and later added NAIA All-Region XI recognition.
He earned TranSouth First Team honors twice, TranSouth Second Team recognition, and TranSouth Scholar-Athlete honors during his four-year career.
Da Cunha helped the Trojans record 26 victories during his career and was part of Trevecca's first winning men's soccer season, a 9-2-2 campaign in 2008.
His service to Trevecca continued after his playing career through coaching and athletic department roles. Da Cunha received the Trevecca Athletics Assistant of the Year Award in 2017 and continued serving the university in logistics planning and athletic department responsibilities.
CHRIS LOWE
Chris Lowe earned all-conference recognition in each of his four Trevecca baseball seasons and completed his career as an NAIA All-American Honorable Mention selection.
Lowe played 233 career games and batted .376 with 326 hits, 215 runs scored, 48 doubles, 17 triples, 11 home runs, 186 RBI, and 67 stolen bases.
He earned NAIA All-Region XI honors in 2007 and 2008 and TranSouth First Team recognition in each of his final three seasons after earning TranSouth Second Team honors as a freshman.
Lowe ranked No. 4 in the NAIA with 95 hits and No. 8 with 63 runs scored in 2007.
He completed his career in 2009 by earning NAIA All-American Honorable Mention, Rawlings TranSouth Gold Glove and TranSouth First Team honors.
Lowe was also an NAIA Scholar-Athlete and a three-time TranSouth Scholar-Athlete.
BYRON SANFORD
Byron Sanford developed into one of the most complete players of Trevecca men's basketball's early NCAA Division II era. He completed his career as the 2016 Great Midwest Player of the Year.
Sanford scored 1,379 points in 85 games and added 550 rebounds, 330 assists and 182 steals while shooting 48.5 percent from the field.
He finished his career ranked No. 2 in Great Midwest history in scoring, tied for No. 1 in field goals made, No. 3 in rebounds, and as the conference's all-time assists leader.
Sanford earned Great Midwest All-Conference Second Team honors in 2015 before being selected Great Midwest Player of the Year and First Team in 2016.
During his final season, Sanford led Trevecca in points, rebounds, assists, and steals.
His career connected scoring, rebounding, passing, and defense with historical conference rankings, establishing his place among the leading players of Trevecca's Great Midwest era.
THE LARGEST CLASS IN TREVECCA HISTORY
The 2026 Class brings together careers representing different generations and different forms of impact on Trevecca Athletics.
Van Atta led Trevecca to the university's only national championship game. Tyree delivered the first NCAA Division II regional championship in Trevecca softball history. Reynolds established Trevecca softball as an NAIA national contender. Sam Harris became the winningest coach in Trevecca men's basketball history. Steve Harris helped guide the athletic program's place within the university and its transition to NCAA Division II.
Amity earned NAIA All-America honors while establishing offensive standards for Trevecca baseball. Cunha Lima helped take Trevecca volleyball to new levels of victories, national ranking, and individual production. Da Cunha helped build the foundation of Trevecca men's soccer and later continued serving the athletic department. Lowe produced four years of all-conference baseball and completed his career as an All-American. Sanford became a conference player of the year and established Great Midwest career marks that remain central to his Trevecca legacy.
Together, the 10 members of the Class of 2026 represent championships, national tournaments, All-America recognition, school and conference records, academic achievement, administrative leadership and service across decades of Trevecca Athletics.
Their induction during Trevecca's 125th anniversary celebration provides a fitting connection between the university's history and the coaches, leaders, and student-athletes who helped build the tradition of Trojan Athletics.
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