GREEN BAY, Wis. (GreenBayPhoenix.com) --- Green Bay Athletics has announced that four individuals will be inducted into the Athletics Hall of Fame on January 27, 2018, for the 20th induction class in its history. The 2018 class includes men's soccer player JC Banks '12, women's basketball standout Nicole Soulis '07, women's soccer player and coach Dr. Kim Trader (Woldt) '01 and a posthumous induction of men's basketball player Ray Willis '71. The four inductees will be recognized for their athletic achievements, contributions and accomplishments during their time at Green Bay.
This year's class of inductees brings membership in the Athletics Hall of Fame to 76 honorees. A complete list of the current Hall of Fame members can be found online here. The most recent induction class came in 2016, when Jessie Jorgenson (Theys), Connie Scheidt (Koceja) and the 1993-94 men's basketball team were inducted.
The official induction ceremony will take place on Saturday, January 27, at 5-7:30 p.m. in the Phoenix Rooms on UW-Green Bay's campus. Tickets for the ceremony can be purchased at $25 for Phoenix Fund, season ticket holders and Varsity GB members and $35 for the general public. Those planning to attend are required to RSVP by emailing pouliotn@uwgb.edu. Business attire encouraged. Deadline to RSVP is Jan. 19.
Tickets will include a heavy hors d'oeuvres reception, cash bar and induction ceremony program. The reception will open at 5 p.m. and the induction will begin at approximately 6:30 p.m. The class will also be recognized during the women's basketball game on Jan. 26 versus UIC and the men's basketball game versus Youngstown State on Jan. 27.
Biographical sketches on the 2018 inductees can be found below:
JC Banks, Men's Soccer player, 2007-10
Banks, a native of Milwaukee, was the MVP of the 2009 GB men's soccer team that won the Horizon League Tournament and qualified for the only NCAA Division I Tournament appearance in program history. Banks led that team in multiple categories, including points (36), goals (13) and assists (10), on his way to earning All-America honors by College Soccer News, Goal.com and Top Drawer Soccer.
The athletic attacker was named Horizon League Player of the Year and Offensive Player of the Year in 2009, and is a three-time member of the First Team All-Horizon League, All-Newcomer Team and two-time member of the HL All-Tournament Team. Banks' efforts helped the 2009 team win 14 games (tied for most in D1 program history) and the 2010 team win another 13, while leading the team in goals and assists in three of his four seasons in Green Bay.
Banks is the first men's soccer player at GB to be inducted into the Hall of Fame since Josh Lynk in 2009, and is the 16th men's soccer inductee overall.
Nicole Soulis, Women's Basketball player, 2003-07
Soulis, a native of Green Bay, is widely recognized as one of the greatest women's basketball players in the illustrious program history. She ranks second all-time in scoring (1,921) and owns the second-highest scoring average in program history with 15.4 PPG. Soulis is tied for the program lead in field goals made (740) and ranks in the top 10 in free throws made, total rebounds and blocks.
While consistently filling up the stat sheet, Soulis also helped lead the Phoenix to 3 NCAA Tournament appearances in her four seasons, capturing 4 Horizon League regular season championships and 3 Horizon League Tournament championships. She was twice named Horizon League Player of the Year and was a part of the All-Horizon League Team in all four seasons of her collegiate career, also being named the 2004 Newcomer of the Year. Soulis is a three-time member of the HL All-Tournament Team.
Soulis is the 16th Green Bay women's basketball player to be inducted. Â
Dr. Kim Trader (Woldt), Women's Soccer player and coach, 1997-00
Woldt, a native of Menasha, is fourth all-time in goals scored (32) in program history and fourth all-time in points with 81. She was a three-time member of the Midwestern Collegiate All-Conference Team and was named to the 1997 MCC All-Newcomer Team. Woldt was also named Team MVP in 1999 and 2000, and was known as a gritty, determined forward, who also earned the team's 100% award in 2000 and the most competitive player award in 1999.
Upon her graduation, Woldt returned to the program as an assistant coach, adding a passionate and calming touch to a program in need of such stability. In the classroom, she also excelled, earning All-Academic District honors in 1998, 1999 and 2000, while also receiving Academic All-Conference Honors in 1999 and 2000.
Woldt is the first women's soccer player to be inducted into the Green Bay Athletics Hall of Fame.
Raymond Willis (posthumously), Men's Basketball player, 1969-71
Willis, a native of Chicago, was the most dominant player on the first-ever team in Green Bay basketball history, which started in 1969. He holds the record for most points in a season with 802 in the 1970-71 campaign, averaging 28.6 PPG, which is also the highest individual average in a season in program history. Willis also averaged 24.5 PPG in the program's first year in 1969-70. Willis' standout senior season is nearly 150 points more than the next closest season, which was 655 points scored by both Jeff Nordgaard and Tony Bennett. The impending post presence also holds the record for most points in a single game with 45 on Feb. 9, 1971, and was said to have stated, "scoring is too easy."
The late Raymond L. Willis passed away in 2011 and will be inducted with a speech written by his brother, William Ted Willis, to be read by his niece, Ché Willis.
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