Athletics Hall of Fame Class of 2025

Introducing the sixth class of the Athletics Hall of Fame: six athletes, two contributors, and two teams whose accomplishments showcase the legacy of this historic school’s successful athletic programs in Nashville and the State of Tennessee. These exceptional athletes and leaders represent classes from 1954 to 2004.

Athletes

These individuals have been selected for the 2025 class of the Father Ryan Athletics Hall of Fame in recognition of their performance while at Father Ryan, as well as their service to the community ever since. Athletes selected have been graduated from Father Ryan for 10 or more years. Click on each person's name to learn more about their accomplishments.

Frank Baltz '69

Frank Baltz '69

Football, Wrestling.

Frank’s passion to “finish practice on empty” inspired his teammates throughout his career. He was a four-year starter in Wrestling, winning an individual State Championship (167-pound class) as a junior in 1968 and fueling the team’s State Title in 1969. In addition, he started for three years on the Football Team, recognized with Second-Team All-NIL honors during his senior season. Frank was a man of few words, leading by example; so, when he spoke, his teammates listened. Shedding the disappointment of losing in the semifinals of the 1969 Wrestling State Tournament, Frank realized that Father Ryan was still in contention to win the State Championship as a team. Frank emphatically motivated his teammates in the third-place matches, imploring them to give every ounce of effort; as a result, Father Ryan secured its first Wrestling State Championship in school history because of that third-place success.

Joe McEwen '54

Joe McEwen '54

Golf.

Joe was nearly unstoppable on the course, posting a 39-3 record — including 27 consecutive wins — in individual matches. Joe posted the team’s lowest score in the Irish’s 1953 State Golf Team Championship, qualified twice for the National Junior Golf Tournament (1953 and 1954), and his victory in the 1954 Nashville Interscholastic League Championship capped off his sterling golf career at Father Ryan. He maintained his golf success after graduation as he enlisted in the United States Navy and won several more tournaments. After his discharge, he returned to Nashville and served our community with the Metro Nashville Police Department, retiring with Honors as a Lieutenant Detective in 1990. In 2002, Joe was honored with a Purple Heart Award for injuries sustained in the line of duty, and he was awarded the Theodore Roosevelt Association Police Award in 2011.

Rick Reilly '92

Rick Reilly '92

Basketball, Football.

A starter on the Football and Basketball Teams at Father Ryan, Rick made his mark on the hardwood, scoring more than 1,100 points during his career and earning the Leo Long Award as a senior as the Boys Basketball Team’s most valuable player. In his final season, he was named to the 1992 All-Metro Team. Rick went on to Middle Tennessee State University, where he served as a manager for the Blue Raiders’ men’s basketball team. He remains connected to the Irish, having served as an assistant coach for the Boys Basketball Team during their 2002 State Championship and operating the clock for football games at Giacosa Stadium. He also displays a willingness to develop the Junior Irish in our community through his roles as a coach for Nashville Catholic football and parochial league basketball teams.

Jenn Sims '00

Jenn Sims '00

Track & Field.

Jenn won four individual State Championships in Girls Track & Field, the only female athlete — in any sport — in Father Ryan history to do so. In 1999, Jenn won State Titles in the 400-Meter Dash (0:57.35) and 100-Meter High Hurdles (0:15.25), which she followed with two more State Championships in the 100-Meter High Hurdles (0:15.04) and 300-Meter Low Hurdles in 2000. After competing at Hampton University, where she was the Female Athlete of the Year — across all sports — in 2001 and 2004, she went on to earn her masters from Vanderbilt and her PhD from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Jenn has published three books on social justice, most recently The Fallacies of Racism in 2024. Jenn was the recipient of the 2020 Stanford M. Lyman Distinguished Book Award and the 2021 Distinguished Contributions to Teaching Award, both from the Southern Sociological Society.

John Sneed '81

John Sneed '81

Basketball.

The first Father Ryan basketball player to be named Nashville's Basketball MVP (1980-81), John’s leadership on the court and in the locker room was key in leading the Irish to the District 11 title, two wins over eventual State Champion Pearl High School, and a #3 ranking in the State his senior year. His play earned All-District and All-State honors in one of the best seasons in school history. At Bethel University, John tied a school record with 20 assists in a single game, and he holds two of the nine best single-season free throw percentages in school history. After coaching at Father Ryan from 1999 to 2003, he returned in 2008 to serve as Assistant Coach for the Girls Basketball Team and Assistant Athletic Director — including a two-year tenure as Interim Director of Athletics — in addition to his role as the Chair of the Wellness Department.

Philip Stack '98

Philip Stack '98

Football, Soccer.

One of the area’s top athletes ever on the soccer pitch, Philip was a two-time All-American (1996 and 1998) and the Tennessee Gatorade Player of the Year as a junior in 1997, leading the Irish to the 1998 Boys Soccer State Title. It wasn’t his only championship. His leg strength made him a key member of the 1997 State Champion Football Team. After graduating from Father Ryan, he continued on to Vanderbilt and played soccer for the Commodores, his final two seasons as the Captain. During his senior season at Vanderbilt in 2001, a special ceremony was held during halftime of a Father Ryan basketball game to recognize his many accomplishments and to retire his #2 soccer jersey. He also shared his soccer wisdom with youth throughout the community as he gave his time as a volunteer trainer and coach in the Williamson County Soccer Association.

Contributors

These individuals have given to Father Ryan Athletics off the field in a variety of facets, and they have made immeasurable contributions which forever shaped the program. Click on each contributor's name to learn more about their accomplishments.

Joe Coode '79

Joe Coode '79

Joe Coode’s love for Father Ryan was visible in his around-the-clock presence on campus; when he wasn’t an assistant coach for Football, Basketball, Softball, or Baseball, he was painting the lines on the fields, cleaning the gym floor, loading uniforms into the laundry, or running the All-Sports Camp each summer. He wanted every student-athlete and every Irish family to feel his support and love, and generations of Father Ryan students and coaches have certainly felt it. Epitomizing the ideals of dedication to Father Ryan athletics, Joe’s life celebrated Irish sports. After his graduation from Father Ryan in 1979, he worked until 1986 as the lead student equipment manager at Middle Tennessee State University, which aligned with the tenure of Head Coach Boots Donnelly, who is quick to remind others how important Coach Coode was to his football program at MTSU.

Jim McIntyre

Jim McIntyre

The champion of Father Ryan's first Athletics Hall of Fame, Jim McIntyre left a lasting impact on Father Ryan over his 17-year tenure as Father Ryan’s head of school and first-ever President. He led the capital campaign and design team for the Jim Carell Alumni Athletic Complex, creating the first on-campus stadium and athletic complex in the school's history, one that embraced the broader community as the host for Relay For Life, Special Olympics, and Parochial League games. Later, he led the development of the Jim Carell Fitness Center, which brought new locker rooms, an expanded weight and fitness room, a wrestling room, and trophy displays. In addition, Jim renamed the Christmas basketball and wrestling tournaments in alumni's names, including the Willie Brown '65 Memorial Basketball Tournament in celebration of the TSSAA’s first Black athlete. He did all of this while supporting both the academic and extra-curricular experience — from athletics to arts to leadership and more — of every Father Ryan student during his tenure.

Teams

The following teams will be inducted into the Father Ryan Hall of Fame for their trailblazing and record-setting accomplishments. They are the embodiment of teamwork, sportsmanship, and the Irish spirit. Click on the team names to learn more about their accomplishments.

1986 Girls Golf Team

1986 Girls Golf Team

The trio of Stephanie Gentry '87, Chris Dacri '88, and Angie Davidson '87 not only won the 1986 State Championship — the first State Title for any girls’ sport at Father Ryan — they ruled the sport that season. After a three-year stretch (1984, 1985, and 1986 seasons) of undefeated play in District and Regional competition, this golf threesome claimed the 1986 State Tournament by a remarkable 27-stroke margin. Coach Eddie Krenson '72 (a 2021 Hall of Fame inductee) said after the season: “These girls really are the most dominating golf team Nashville has ever had.” Chris won the individual State Title in 1987, and both she and Stephanie earned college golf scholarships to the University of Mississippi, where each earned Academic All-SEC honors. Both have since shared their wisdom as teachers and golf coaches at local diocesan schools.

2002 Boys Basketball Team

2002 Boys Basketball Team

One of the most successful teams in Father Ryan’s athletics history, the 2002 Boys Basketball team compiled a 30-2 record — undefeated in Division II play — with 14 wins coming by 20 or more points. The 2002 team marched through the regular season and then took down BGA and MBA to claim the Region Championship. The State Title followed, with the Irish defeating Notre Dame by 16 points and Baylor by 18 en route to Father Ryan’s fourth State Championship in Boys Basketball. Coached by Doug Bontrager ’81, John Sneed ’81, Greg Thompson, and Rick Reilly ’92, the team was led by seniors Sesean Bridges, Chris Chauvin, “Mr. Basketball 2002” Billy May, Andrew Ritter, and Jason Roberson, along with juniors Everett Bills, Brent Carney, Dylan Lynch, and Joe Thompson. They delivered a memorable season for Ryan Nation.

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