Taylor Athletics Announces 2017 Hall of Fame Class
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UPLAND, Ind. – The Taylor University Athletics Department will induct three new members into its Hall of Fame on Saturday, October 7, as part of its 2017 Homecoming and Family Weekend celebration. The 2017 Hall of Fame Class consists of Felipe Bedon, Michael Kraynak and Kelsey Pritchard Bawel.
Bedon is a 2011 graduate and posted an overall record of 129-40 on the courts for the Trojans during his four-year career, helping TU to an overall clip of 47-19, a 26-3 league mark and the program’s l6th league title in 2007. During his time in Upland, Bedon played atop the TU lineup each season and was a four-time All-MCC performer, while going 72-15 in singles play and 57-25 in doubles action. Bedon’s career highlights included an NAIA Honorable Mention All-American nod as a senior, two MCC No. 1 singles championships, one MCC doubles title and a seventh-place finish at the ITA Small College National Championships after claiming the ITA Midwest Regional Championship.
Kraynak is a 2010 graduate of Taylor and one of the most decorated players to come through the TU baseball program. In Kraynak’s final two years on the diamond, Taylor won a pair of MCC Championships, made back-to-back trips to the NAIA National Tournament for the first time in program history and posted 38 wins in each of those two years for what was the single-season wins record at the time. For his part, Kraynak was named NAIA Honorable Mention All-American, MCC Player of the Year and MCC Gold Glove winner in both seasons and was voted as TU’s Gates Howard Award recipient as a senior, after closing his career as Taylor’s all-time hits (273) and saves (16) leader.
Pritchard Bawel is a 2012 graduate of TU and helped the Trojans to a mark of 135-32 with a 49-1 league clip, four MCC Championships and three NAIA National Tournament appearances during her career. Pritchard Bawel earned a trio of NAIA All-American honors, was a two-time MCC Player of the Year and a two-time Natalie Steele Award winner. Pritchard Bawel still ranks third in the Taylor record books with 2,310 career kills and is the program’s career points leader since the start of rally scoring with 2,492.5. In addition to the on-court dominance, Pritchard Bawel was also voted as a CoSIDA First-Team Academic All-American following her senior season.
In addition to the three inductees, TU Athletics will also be recognizing the Taylor men’s tennis teams of 1965 through 1969 and the Taylor men’s golf teams of 1976 and 1977 during the Hall of Fame celebration. George Glass, a 1977 TU Athletics Hall of Fame inductee, will also be honored with the Presidential Medallion during the ceremony.
