Hall of Fame Nominee Bios
Candidates are listed in alphabetical order.
Nominee: Will Adams
Years with Mason Rec: 2010-2014 Positions: Intramural Supervisor and Official |
Impact on Mason Rec: Will Adams is a former Mason Recreation Intramural Sports official and Intramural Sports Supervisor. In his time with Mason, he was a skilled sports official who officiated for a variety of sports, including football, basketball, handball, volleyball, soccer, and dodgeball. As a student supervisor, he was involved with organizing and leading trainings for student officials, coaching meetings, and was responsible for coordinating staff for the Intramural events.
By far his biggest area of impact on the team was his devotion to cultivating our student officials. His passion for student development and ability to plan, lead and execute team trainings made him an instrumental member of Competitive Sports team.
In the NIRSA world, he was involved with Mason Recreation’s opportunity to host the VRSA State Basketball championships, where he also served as a member of the operations team. He was also selected to attend multiple NIRSA Flag Football Regional Tournaments while at Mason.
After Mason, he moved on to serve as a Graduate Assistant for Competitive Sports at the University of Albany, where he was selected to be an official at the NIRSA National Flag Football Tournament and more.
Impact on Mason Rec: Marycruz Garcia began working for the department the summer after her Freshman year. That summer she became at staple at the Aquatic and Fitness Center and quickly found herself working her way up through the leadership ladder. She attended multiple conferences, served on the Operations Hiring Committee and a Search Committee for a Professional Staff position. She was a regular nominee by her peers for Employee of the Month and became a primary trainer for newly hired staff. She created and developed weekly newsletters that communicated updates and reminders to her peers and was an integral part of planning and leading the annual Spring hiring events for Customer Service Assistants. Marycruz’s dedication was apparent when as a senior she continued her commitment to work as a Program Assistant and MOD while completing 500 clinical hours for her athletic training program. She also realized that her passion for recreation had grown and was a finalist for a Graduate Assistant position with JMU before accepting a Graduate Assistant position with Old Dominion University as a Certified Athletic Trainer. Marycruz finished her career with us with a nomination as Employee of the Year and was the recipient for Employee of the Semester. As she worked on her Master’s Degree, she would spend most of her breaks with us continuing to train and mentor the new staff that had been hired. Marycruz is currently a Certified Athletic Trainer at Christopher Newport University where she works with Men’s and Women’s Soccer and Men’s Lacrosse.
Nominee: Jeremy Hans
Years with Mason Rec: 2013-2017 Position: Coordinator of Intramurals |
Responsible for preparing 5 students who went on to accept GA positions in Campus Recreation. Helped created the Mason Summer camp program from scratch. Was actively involved in the NIRSA community, serving on various regional basketball and flag football committees. Was the Tournament Director for the VRSA State Basketball Tournament when it was at George Mason University in 2017.
Nominee: Lacrosse Club Team
Year: 1994 |
The George Mason Men’s Lacrosse club team from 1994 won the the NCLL D-2 National Championship. This extraordinary accomplishment showcases their significant contributions as a club sport and their outstanding success. The team exhibited remarkable dedication, teamwork, and passion, resulting in their historic victory. This achievement not only brought pride to the University but also demonstrated their unwavering commitment to excellence. Despite the unique challenges faced by club sports, they excelled and set a standard for dedication, resilience, and success within the University’s club sports community. Their contribution extended well beyond the championship win. The team symbolizes the potential and impact of club sports at George Mason University. Recognizing their contributions and championship win would celebrate their remarkable achievements and serve as an inspiration to future club athletes.
Nominee: John Linn
Positions held: numerous, most notably the Trap and Skeet Club Coach |
Impact on Mason Rec:
John Linn served in many Recreation and Athletics roles during his 22 years as an employee at Mason. Most notably he served as the Trap and Skeet Club coach from the mid-1980s through the early 1990s, a period which saw the club win an unprecedented seven consecutive national championship titles. A successful shooter in his own right, Linn was regarded as one of the best trap shooters in Virginia and was recognized nationally. He served as an advisor to the 1980 Venezuelan Olympic shotgun team and a coach for the US Junior Olympic team. Following his passing in 1992, the club went on to win four more national championships on the solid foundation that Linn had built. “He was the type of guy who if you knew him for five minutes, your life was better for it,” said Scott Petito, a former athlete of Linn’s.
Linn held the post of head basketball coach at Mason on a part-time basis from 1970-1980. He was instrumental in the transition of the basketball program to NCAA Division I status with a significantly increased budget and a full-time coaching staff. Linn also coached cross country and baseball, and he served in administrative roles as Intramural Director and Assistant Athletic Director. Linn was a tenured Assistant Professor of Physical Education and co-authored the clay target training guidebook Finding the Extra Target in 1989.
The John R. Linn Memorial Gymnasium was dedicated to Coach Linn on April 25, 1993 in recognition of his services as a teacher, mentor, and leader.
Nominee: Maurice and Sandy Scherrens
Positions: Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, Vice President of University Life |
Impact on Mason Rec: Dr. Maurice Scherrens is the former Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of George Mason. Dr. Scherrens had oversight of Athletics and at that time Mason Rec fell under Athletics. Dr. Scherrens was a true believer in recreation and the benefits it provided the students. He was an advocate for the need for more recreational opportunities to meet the increasing enrollment. He was a strong supporter during the massive growth the department went through from 2007-2009 with the 2007 AFC renovation, the addition of Skyline Fitness Center in 2008, and the RAC (formally the PE building) renovation of 2009. Sandy Scherrens was the Vice President of University Life when talk emerged of Recreation being moved from under Athletics to University Life. This proposal was due to how our department would align so closely with the purpose of University Life and their role in serving our students. Sandy was excited to see this happen and with her efforts the decision was made to move Rec under University Life beginning July of 2012. With Sandy’s wonderful sense of adventure and desire to be connected to the departments under University Life, she readily agreed to be featured in a Mason Rec campaign featuring Mr. C. Her desire to see recreation get to the Arlington campus was an important initiative for her and one tasked to Mason Rec to do a study to see if this was possible. Though it wasn’t feasible to do so Mason Rec continued these efforts even after Sandy left the University. Each of them held a long-standing membership with Mason Rec and were seen there on numerous occasions by Rec staff. Their presence showed their true feelings and passion for collegiate recreation and more specifically for Mason Recreation. Without their support and understanding of recreation we would not be where we are today.
Nominee: Chris Topping
Position: Operations Manager, RAC Years at Mason: 2009-2014 |
Impact on Mason Rec: Chris was hired as the first Operations Manager of the RAC in 2009, after interning with Senior Associate Athletic Director, Mickey McDade from January-May, 2009. During his internship, Chris was involved with the later process of the renovation of the PE Building which became the Recreation Athletic Complex (RAC). Chris developed and implemented the operational staffing structure for the RAC; he created job descriptions, the staffing work schedules and pay structures. He not only worked with the Customer Service Assistants and Managers on Duty but also worked with the fitness attendants. He was a contributor in developing policies and procedures for all recreational spaces to include Emergency Action Plans and implementation of staff radios. Chris was also involved in setting up and purchasing furniture and fixtures for offices. Chris was one of the most active and critical pieces of the puzzle when opening the RAC and establishing Mason Recreation as the department it is today.
Nominee: Aidan Walter
Years with Mason Rec: 2015-2019 Positions:Manager on Duty and Outdoor Supervisor |
Impact on Mason Rec: Aidan Walter’s primary position within Mason Recreation were as a Manager on Duty (MOD) and Outdoor Supervisor, but his impact was felt all across the department. He wore many hats in his time – he also served as a CSA, CSA 2, Program Assistant for Facilities, Program Assistant for Outdoor Venues, and Event Supervisor. He was on the Search Committee that hired many new student employees, as a member of a search committee that hired a Pro Staff member, and he worked in other areas of Mason Rec. He was an incredibly knowledgeable and capable employee, who trained and supported many of our staff. His support and mentorship continued even after his graduation and departure from the department. Aidan was a member of Recreation Involvement Committee (RIC) for much of his time in Mason Recreation, and served as the Senior Advisor/ Chair of that committee during his senior year. He contributed greatly to the success of the RIC, most notably in building up the involvement and significance of the committee. He was a staunch advocate for student employees in their personal and professional development. Aidan currently lives in North Carolina, working for the Wake Forest Recreation Department, and is a very active member of the Mason Recreation Alumni community.