Four former athletes from Utica High School will be inducted into the Utica Athletic Hall of Fame on January 31. The inductees, Dave Gunn, Tara (Tharp) Koski, Rachel Londot, and Jeremy Jenkins, were selected after four rounds of voting by the Hall of Fame Committee chaired by Michael Sandman.
Dave Gunn, a member of the Class of 1979, is recognized for his basketball skills. He played under coaches Lew Speece and Denzil Hale and was noted for his shooting accuracy. Gunn finished his senior year as the sixth-leading scorer in both the league and area before the introduction of the 3-point line. His accolades include First Team All-Licking County League honors and Associated Press Second Team Central District. After retiring from teaching at Northridge Local School District, he resides in Florida with his wife.
Tara Tharp Koski, Class of 1994, continues her family's legacy in athletics. Her grandfather Floyd Tharp is also a Hall of Fame member. Tara excelled in volleyball, basketball, and softball. She scored 406 points in basketball and led her team to significant victories during the 1992-93 season. In softball, she was named to the All-Ohio team and received several awards including Best Hitter and Most Valuable Player. She currently lives in Nashport with her family.
Jeremy Jenkins from the Class of 2012 is honored for his baseball achievements. He earned Player of the Year honors in the Mid Buckeye Conference (MBC) and was named first-team All-MBC during his junior and senior years. Jenkins set a school record with nine complete games as a pitcher and finished with a career record of 20-9. He now owns Elite Technical Security and resides in Utica with his family.
Rachel Londot, Class of 2015, follows her family's athletic tradition as well. Her late grandfather Jack Londot and brothers Todd and Ted are previous inductees. Rachel excelled in basketball and volleyball; she scored 927 points in basketball ranking ninth all-time at her school. She was named Licking County League Player of the Year in volleyball among other honors. Currently, she serves as a special agent with the U.S. Army’s Criminal Investigation Division.
The induction ceremony will occur on January 31 at Utica High School Cafeteria starting at 5:00 p.m., followed by speeches at 6:00 p.m., before a boys’ basketball game against Johnstown. This year's additions bring total individual Hall of Fame members to 175 along with 15 athletic teams.
