Ottumwa, IA – Indian Hills Community College has announced the newest inductees into the Indian Hills Athletics Hall of Fame. Two individuals and one national championship team will be inducted with an official ceremony on Saturday, January 21.
The class of 2023 features former Warrior softball standout Toni Orr, the 2000 Indian Hills Men's Golf National Championship team, and former baseball standout Rafael Carmona who will be inducted posthumously.
This year's class will be recognized at halftime of the Indian Hills Men's Basketball game at the Hellyer Center on Saturday, January 21 with a reception to follow afterwards.
Toni Orr- Softball, 2000-2001
Toni Orr was a part of the most dominant era in Warrior softball history, winning 128 games over two seasons while making back-to-back national tournament appearances in 2000 and 2001 under head coach Jeff Kelley. Orr's 2001 season ranks as one of the most remarkable in program history, a year that saw the Warriors win a program record 66 games.
As a sophomore in 2001, Orr led the team in on-base percentage, hits, runs, stolen bases, walks, and triples on her way to earning National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) and National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) First-Team All-American honors. Orr was named Team Co-MVP while earning NJCAA Region XI First-Team honors for the second consecutive season.
Following Orr's Indian Hills career, the outfielder moved on to Morehead State University where she left the program as the school's all-time leader in on-base percentage and posted the fourth-highest career batting average. Orr was named First-Team All-Ohio Valley Conference, just the second individual in program history to earn the honor and also earned Academic All-American University Division honors.
A native of Fort Madison, IA, Orr becomes the 16th individual from the Warrior softball program to be inducted into the Indian Hills Hall of Fame.
Men's Golf – 2000 National Championship Team
The first of six Indian Hills Men's Golf National Championship squads in program history, the 2000 squad became the first junior college from the state of Iowa to win a National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) Men's Golf Championship. Competing at the Texas A&M Golf Course in College Station, TX, head coach Brad Stracke led the Warriors to a four-stroke victory with a team score of 875.
The national championship squad was led by four individual All-Americans, the most in school history at the time. Reeve Krikke, the top placer for the Warriors with a 219, finished sixth while Shad Muth, Pat Stolpe, and Tim Moody each placed in the top 15 to earn prestigious individual honors. Nate Topp finished just outside of the top-15 to contribute to the Warriors' national championship performance.
The induction is the fourth team to earn a spot in the Indian Hills Hall of Fame, joining the three national championship basketball programs (1996-1999).
Rafael Carmona – Baseball, 1993
One of the most accomplished professional alums in Indian Hills history, Rafael Carmona used a remarkable season in Centerville as a springboard to Major League Baseball. As a member of the then-Falcons baseball program, Carmona posted a 2-0 record with 13 saves in 1993 to help the program reach the JUCO World Series. Carmona's 13 saves are the second-most in a single season in school history.
Following his time at Indian Hills, Carmona was selected in the 13th round of the 1993 MLB Amateur Draft by the Seattle Mariners and made his big league debut on May 18, 1995. Carmona made 81 appearances throughout his career, earning 11 victories to go along with 17 wins in the minor leagues with 33 saves.
Following his playing career, Carmona spent time coaching in his native Puerto Rico, including stints with the Puerto Rican National Baseball Team before passing away in 2021 at the age of 48.
Carmona becomes the 15th member of the Indian Hills Baseball program inducted into the Indian Hills Hall of Fame
Fans can purchase tickets to the men's basketball game on January 21 for the official Hall of Fame induction here: INDIAN HILLS ATHLETICS TICKETS
To view past Hall of Fame inductees, visit: Indian Hills Athletics Hall of Fame