Amaral and 2011 Men’s Soccer Team to be Inducted into Coker Athletics Hall of Fame

HARTSVILLE, S.C. - Coker College will induct Don Amaral and the 2011 men's soccer team into the Coker College Athletics Hall of Fame in February 2019.

In a unanimous decision by the Coker Hall of Fame selection committee, Armarel, former Coker Board of Trustee member and volunteer assistant baseball coach, becomes the sixth member of the Coker faculty or staff to be inducted into the hall of fame. The 2011 Coker men's soccer team, led by Paul Leese, is the fifth Coker athletic team to be inducted into the hall of fame.

The induction will take place during Coker's 2019 Homecoming weekend, Feb. 1-3. The induction dinner and ceremony is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 2 in the DeLoach Center.

"We are especially honored to induct Don Amaral and the 2011 Coker Men's Soccer Team into the Athletics Hall of Fame" said vice president for athletics and athletic facilities Dr. Lynn Griffin.  "Don has been a guiding force within the athletics department as the former chair of the Athletics Committee of the Board of Trustees and as a coach within the department. His contributions to the growth of Coker Athletics are evident across the country".

Amaral served on Coker's Board of Trustees from 2008-14 and was chairman of the Boards Athletic Committee from 2008-13 when Coker added women's lacrosse, men's lacrosse, men's and women's track & field, men's volleyball, women's golf, and wrestling. Additionally, Amaral served as a volunteer assistant baseball coach during Coker's historic College World Series run in the 2013 season. Amaral is chairman of TriCo Bancshare's audit committee, member of their compensation and management succession committee, and their nominating and corporate governance committee. He was chairman and chief executive officer of Coram Healthcare Corporation, a home infusion therapy company, from 1995 to 1999. Amaral has a bachelor's degree in business with a minor in accounting and an MBA degree. Retired since 1999, he served as chief executive officer and chief financial officer of various companies for over 25 years.

Serving as volunteer assistant baseball coach for the Cobras, Amaral played a role in Coker's historic College World Series run in 2013. During the 2013 season, the Navy and Gold defied all odds to capture the Conference Carolinas Tournament title, earned the team's first-ever postseason bid, won the NCAA Southeast Regional, and advanced to the NCAA DII Baseball National Championship. They finished the year with a record of 38-16, the third best season in school history, and were ranked as high as No. 3 in the nation according to the Collegiate Baseball Newspaper.

"The 2011 Coker men's soccer team highlighted a successful year that ended with us hosting the NCAA Regional Tournament" said Griffin.  "This team was exciting to watch as they played hard and led Coker to a number five national ranking".

 The 2011 Coker men's soccer team captured their second Conference Carolinas Tournament title in a three year span and their first regular season championship in 2011. They advanced to and hosted the NCAA Southeast Regional, a first on both accounts at Coker. They finished the year with a record of 18-3 overall and 10-1 in conference play. The Navy and Gold finished the season ranked No. 18 in the nation, but they were ranked has high as No. 5 during the season.

The Cobras cleaned house at the Conference Carolinas awards ceremony, as seven players received All-Conference honors. Juniors Carlos Recinos, Rommel Fondin and James Sweeney, along with sophomore Atticus Lum and freshman Fernando Bedoya were named first team all-conference. Sophomore Stephen Scrivens was a second team all-conference selection and Carlos Recinos was named Conference Carolinas Player of the Year and head coach Paul Leese was named Coach of the Year.Juniors Alan Cuevas and Noah Lascell, along with sophomores Niko Tirkonen, Tyler Staub and Brendan McCarron were named to the Conference Carolinas All-Tournament Team and Lascell was the tournament's most valuable player.In addition to their conference accolades, several players received regional and national recognition. Recinos, Bedoya and Sweeney were named to the Daktronics All-Southeast Region first team. Recinos, Bedoya, Sweeney, along with Fondin and Lum were named to the NSCAA All-Southeast Region first team.Bedoya was also selected as an NSCAA/Continental Tire Third Team All-American. In addition to their on field accolades, the Cobras were scholars in the classroom. Sweeney, Staub, Lascell and David Pent were academic all-conference selections. Sweeney and Staub were also named to the Capital One Academic All-District Team, and Sweeney was named to the Capital One Academic All-American First Team and was named the Conference Carolinas Men's Soccer Scholar Athlete of the Year.

The 2019 Coker Athletics Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony will be held on Saturday, Feb. 2 at 7:30 p.m. in the Harris E. & Louise H. DeLoach Center. The ceremony, which includes dinner and drinks, will cost $25 per person or $200 for a table of eight. Tickets can be purchased online at www.cokercobras.com/halloffame.