XENIA — The class of 2022 for the Xenia Athletic Hall of Fame has been unveiled.
Two teams and 11 individuals make up the newest class and will be recognized for their athletic, coaching, and community contributions. The inductees include the 1958-59 and 1960-61 Xenia High School boys basketball teams, as well as Evan Adkins, Norm Aukerman, Lance Aukerman, Taylor Greene, Bernie Hutson, Ted and Karen Lowry, Andy Miller, Kenneth “Hubba” Phoenix, Hank Siefert, and Luke Trubee.
Xenia will recognize the 2022 inductees after the reserve boys basketball game and prior to the start of the varsity contest on Dec. 9 against Piqua, which is slated to begin at 7:30 p.m. The same evening will be the official renaming of the Phil Anderson Gymnasium. An induction ceremony for the class of 2022 will take place at 5:30 p.m. on Dec. 10 at the Xenia Adult and Recreation Services Center.
The Xenia Athletic Hall of Fame was established in 2010 in order to honor the greatest athletes, coaches, community contributors, and teams from the rich traditions of Xenia East High School, Xenia Central High School, Spring Valley High School, and Xenia High School, per its website.
For more information on the XAHOF and attending the induction ceremony, contact Gregg Cross at 937-477-2255 or visit xeniaathletichalloffame.com.
Evan Adkins
Bowling — XHS 2017
A three-time All-GWOC first team selection, as well as being a two-time GWOC athlete of the year, Adkins also twice was named first team All-Ohio as well as being a 12-time all-tournament selection. He was the state runner-up as an individual in the 2013-14 state tournament after bowling a 709 series for a 236 average. Adkins later won the state championship for the 2015-16 season, setting the all-divisions state record with an 805 series and 268 average. His first game of 296 is the sixth highest score ever bowled at the state tournament. He also holds the Xenia school record for an individual series with his performance, as well as the two-game series record of 577. Adkins set a GWOC game average record during his senior season with a 252.
Lance Aukerman
Football, basketball, baseball — XHS 1988
A three-sport star earning six varsity letters. Aukerman earned the extremely rare accomplishment of being named the most valuable player in all three varsity sports in addition to gathering All-WOL honors in all three. He was an All-Southwest District special mention player in football, throwing for 2,003 yards and 20 touchdowns in 1987. As a senior in baseball, he produced a batting average of .408 and had a career average of .367. He received team scholastic honors for football and basketball. Aukerman received a football scholarship to Ball State University after finishing in the top five percent of the class of 1988.
Norm Aukerman
Assistant football coach, teacher, administrator — XHS 1959-98
The rare transformative figure who was a primary force while ushering in the “golden decade” of Xenia football in the 1960s. He established a weight and nutrition program which led to the development of numerous All-Ohio and All-American players. Previously inducted into the Eaton High School Hall of Fame and the Preble County Athletic Hall of Fame, he was an All-Ohio athlete and three-year football letterman at the University of Cincinnati. Aukerman was inducted into the Xenia Hall of Honor in 2000 after having served more than 20,000 students. He served in the U.S. Army as a first lieutenant. “Coach” leaves a legacy of discipline, fairness, and unselfish service.
Taylor Greene
Soccer — XHS 2014
A four-year varsity starter and letter winner, she was twice named first team All-GWOC and three-time first team All-Miami Valley selection. Greene also played for Kings Hammer, which was ranked as the No. 1 U-17 girls team in the country. She received a scholarship to Northern Kentucky University in 2014. Greene also competed for Urbana University in 2015, where she was named a second team All-Mountain East and second team All-Ohio player. Greene later helped lead the University of Cincinnati Clermont to its first national championship in 2018, where she was named first team Division II and an All-American. She was chosen as the United State Collegiate Athletic Association Division II Women’s National Player of the Year.
Bernie Hutson
Football, basketball, baseball — XHS 1959
Hutson earned 10 varsity letters and was a three-year starter in football, basketball, and baseball. He was the defensive most valuable player in football for Xenia and was All-MVL. In basketball he was All-MVL as a junior and as a senior co-captain, earned All-MVL and All-Ohio honorable mention honors. He played on two MVL league championship teams and one district championship team. Hutson received a scholarship to Central State University and was a four-year letterman in basketball and later was named a co-captain. He went on to coach basketball at Cedarville, Wilbur Wright, and Meadowdale, where he was part of five Dayton City League championships and coached the 1979 district champions.
Ted and Karen Lowry
Community and athletic contributors — 2022
As Xenia High School graduates, Ted and Karen have devoted themselves selflessly for more than 35 years in organizing, promoting, and aiding the operation of Xenia sports and its facilities. Karen was secretary of the first “All-Sports Booster” organization from 1987-90. She also worked in and scheduled workers for the concessions as well as selling tickets, working parking, and fundraising for all sports while working for seven athletic directors. Ted was not only involved in much of the aforementioned but also worked as security as well. He finished fourth in floor exercise at the state gymnastics competition in 1967. Ted is a Vietnam veteran and served in the U.S. Army from 1969-71.
Andy Miller
Golf — XHS 2003
An All-GWOC golfer in 2001 and player of the year in 2002, Miller was the first Xenia golfer to qualify for the state championships in 44 years when he did so in 2002. At Otterbein College, he won national freshman player of the year in Division III in 2004 and was the national player of the year for D-III in 2007. He set the Otterbein record with 11 career tournament victories and was a two-time Ohio Athletic Conference champion and received numerous Academic All-American honors. He was inducted into the Otterbein Hall of Fame in 2012.
Kenneth “Hubba” Phoenix
Community and athletic contributor — 2022
As a 1964 XHS graduate and athlete, Phoenix devoted himself selflessly for more than 29 years in the Wee Bucs program and as head coach of the Shawnee Braves. His teams reached the championship game 15 times and won nine titles. More importantly, Phoenix was a role model on and off the field for more than 2,000 aspiring young athletes who have succeeded immensely in their professional lives. He received his BS from Central State University and his MS from Central Michigan University. He served not only as a contracting officer at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base but also is a Vietnam veteran in the 25th Infantry Division and received the Purple Heart and Bronze Star. Phoenix and his wife, Joanne Scott Phoenix, were married for 49 years.
Hank Siefert
Swimming — XHS 2017
Arguably the greatest swimmer in XHS history, he was a four-time first team All-GWOC selection and GWOC swimmer of the year. He also was named All-Ohio on four occasions and twice a NISCA All-American. He set the YMCA national record in the 400-meter free in 2015 and qualified for the Olympic Trials in 2016 and 2020. He placed eight different times at the OHSAA state swimming championships after multiple first place finishes at the GWOC championships. He holds 10 swimming records at XHS and received a scholarship to swim at the University of Kentucky. At UK, he scored in 11 events at the SEC championships and holds the 200 and 400 LCM free records. He was an honor roll student at both XHS and UK.
Luke Trubee
Baseball, football, basketball, soccer — XHS 2002
Trubee earned seven varsity letters in four sports at Xenia. He was an All-GWOC quarterback pick on a co-championship team, as well as a captain and team MVP. In baseball, he was the No. 1 starter for three seasons in the XHS rotation and received All-WOL honors as a junior and All-GWOC as a senior while being listed as a top-100 player in Ohio. He received academic and baseball scholarships to the University of Dayton where he earned a degree in civil engineering. At UD, he was a four-year letter winner, two-time team captain, and two-time All-Atlantic 10 pitcher. He is UD’s single season and career leader in wins. He was drafted by the New York Yankees in 2006. He graduated from XHS seventh in his class with a 4.5 GPA and was the class vice president.
1958-59 XHS basketball team
MVL champion, Dayton district champion, 22 wins, 2 Losses
One of four teams from 1958-62 which had a combined record of 84-7 and won three MVL championships to set the standard of basketball excellence in the 1960s. This team finished the MVL with a 7-0 record, defeated its league opponents by an average of 26 points, and also won the Dayton district tournament. The team was led by All-MVL players Ted Day and Bernie Hutson, as well as All-MVL honorable mention selections Mike Muterspaw and Ronnie Randall. Day garnered third team All-Ohio honors and Hutson was honorable mention All-Ohio. The head coach was XHS Athletic Hall of Fame inductee Bill Kaylor.
1960-61 XHS basketball team
MVL champion, 20 wins, 2 losses
One of four teams from 1958-62 which had a combined record of 84-7 and won three MVL championships to set the standard of basketball excellence in the 1960s. This team finished the MVL with a 7-0 record and defeated its league opponents by an average of 19 points. Barry Clemens and John Thomas were All-MVL picks. Clemens, a future draft selection of the New York Knicks and 11-year NBA veteran, was named a second team All-Ohio player. The head coach was XHS Athletic Hall of Fame inductee Bill Kaylor.
