NEWBERRY — The Newberry College Lettermen’s Club has announced the election of six former student-athletes into the Athletics Hall of Fame Class of 2024. Jason Brink (Women’s Basketball Coach 2003-08), Carissa Bull (Softball & Volleyball, 2000), Damone Leaphart (Football, 1980), Hunter Mengel (Men’s Golf, 2007), Edmond Robinson (Football, 2015) and Corey Seawell (Football, 2007) will be inducted and recognized Saturday, September 7th.
Jason Brink, Women’s Basketball Head Coach, 2003-08
Jason Brink engineered an impressive bounce back to put the Newberry women’s basketball program on the map.
After posting a 5-23 mark in his first season in 2003-04, Brink’s second team went 18-12. This was the program’s first winning season since 1990-91, and it was the best record for the team since 1987-88. Coach Brink also led the team to the NCAA Division 2 Tournament for the first time in program history.
Brink followed up his remarkable 2004-05 campaign with a 2005-06 team that won 18 games again and made a second consecutive trip to the NCAA Tournament. En route to the national tournament, Newberry won the South Atlantic Conference Tournament with wins over Mars Hill (72-67), Wingate (70-55), and Tusculum (57-50).
In Coach Brink’s fourth year, he put together one of the best teams in program history. The 2006-07 team set a school record for wins in a season with 24, won the SAC Tournament, and advanced to their third consecutive NCAA Tournament.
His final team posted an 18-11 record, capping off an historic four-year stretch that saw the program post a combined record of 78-43, with three NCAA Tournament appearances and a winning percentage of nearly 65%. Brink also coached three first team All-SAC first selections, two SAC Tournament MVPs, and three Newberry College Hall of Fame inductees.
Carissa Bull, Softball & Volleyball, Newberry ‘00
Carissa Bull (Cantrell) was a two-sport star during her time as a student-athlete at Newberry College. She played softball and volleyball from 1996-2000.
Bull was an elite two-sport athlete, with speed being her greatest attribute. In between the chalk on the softball diamond, Bull stole 62 bases while donning the Scarlet & Grey. This included multiple seasons of 20 or more stolen bases. These seasons included her 24 bags she swiped in 1997 and 21 in 1998 which still stand sixth and ninth respectively in school history.
Bull also used her speed to get around the bases out of the batter’s box as well, ranking sixth in program history with nine career triples. Bull also stepped in the box her fair share of times, as she is still ninth in the Newberry record books with 574 career at-bats.
Carissa was also an elite run producer during her time at Newberry College. She is still third all-time in single season runs scored with 44. This also was put on display during the entirety of her career, as Bull is ninth in program history in career runs scored with 107.
In 1997, she was awarded one of the most prestigious honors any Newberry College student-athlete can be bestowed: the Billy Douglas Community Player Award. This award is given to a student-athlete that achieves exemplary work with the Newberry community.
Edmond Robinson, Football, Newberry ‘15
Edmond Robinson is one of the most accomplished football players in the history of Newberry College.
As a sophomore in 2012, he earned SAC Player of the Week honors for the first time and the following season he was named the Newberry Defensive MVP and was an All-SAC first team selection. He also received regional recognition after being named to the Daktronics All-Region first team.
As a senior, Robinson repeated as team Defensive MVP and added another All-SAC first team and a Daktronics All-Region first team selection to his trophy case. After receiving all these prestigious awards for a second straight year, he started to garner the national attention of many. He was the only Division 2 player to participate in both the 2015 East/West Shrine Game, as well as the 2015 NFL Scouting Combine.
Edmond was selected in the seventh round of the 2015 NFL Draft by the Minnesota Vikings. He went onto enjoy an eight-year professional career that spanned over four leagues and nine organizations.
Hunter Mengel, Men’s Golf, Newberry ‘07
Hunter Mengel was one of the first outstanding players in the history of the Newberry men’s golf program. His excellence in the mid-2000s helped set the groundwork for the present-day program.
Mengel started to make history early on in his career, becoming the first golfer in program history to win a college tournament. He accomplished this feat in 2005 at the Mid-Carolina Invitational. The Stone Mountain, Ga., native played 36 holes in the one-day tournament as he shot a 70 in his first 18 and par in the second round to clinch the individual tournament crown. He finished one stroke better than the two competitors that were tied for second.
Mengel went on to string a full season of success in 2005, receiving his first of two Newberry College Men’s Golf MVP awards. The following season in 2006, was a first team All-SAC selection.
In 2007, Hunter continued his consistent path of play. He was again a first team All-SAC selection and finished his college career being named the Newberry Team MVP for his second time.
Damone Leaphart, Football, Newberry ‘80
Damone Leaphart was not only a well decorated football player during his time in Newberry, but the true definition of a student-athlete.
Leaphart stood out among his peers in the late 1970s as a four-year letterwinner and a member of the Dean’s List all four years during his time at Newberry College.
His best season was in 1978 as he was named to the All-SAC team, All-NAIA District 6 team, and an NAIA All-American. As he did all four years, Damone matched his on-field achievements with those in the classroom, as he was also honored in 1978 as an All-Lutheran Academic team selection.
Damone was an active participant in on-campus activities. This was best exhibited by his duty as the Sports Editor of The Indian, the weekly school newspaper at that time.
After his time in Newberry, Leaphart continued to be part of history. He became just the seventh ever high school athletic trainer in the state of South Carolina.
Corey Seawell, Football, Newberry ‘07
Corey Seawell had elite hands and a knack for the big moment. These two attributes lead to personal and team success for him during his time at Newberry College.
His clutch play became apparent early on in his career at Newberry. As a sophomore in 2004, he had one of the biggest catches in program history as he hauled in the game-winning touchdown against Presbyterian College in the Bronze Derby game. The final score of 28-25 was the closest outcome in the matchup in 14 years. Seawell’s sure hands also broke a six-year losing streak for Newberry in the rivalry.
Two years later in 2006, Seawell was again ready for the big moments. He not only led the team in receiving yards with 719, but also led them to the SAC Championship. He also shined in the postseason. In a playoff game against North Alabama, Corey racked up 184 receiving yards that still stands as the fifth most in a single game in program history.
Seawell is still eighth all-time in career receptions per game with 11.