MARIETTA, Ohio — When Marietta College honors the 40th class of inductees into the Athletic Hall of Fame it will include a special — and well-deserved — twist.
 
The eight-member class, which is the largest group of inductees since the inaugural class of eight in 1984, all are 2012 graduates. The class will be inducted as part of the annual Winter Weekend festivities slated for February 10-12, 2023.
 
"In the 150-plus years that Marietta College has played intercollegiate athletics, the graduating class of 2012 may be the best collection of athletes in school history. This group of inductees represent five different sports and every member of the class earned All-American honors," assistant athletic director and Hall of Fame co-chair Jeff Schaly said. "The Hall of Fame Committee recognized the opportunity to celebrate this special class on the 40th anniversary of the Marietta College Athletic Hall of Fame and decided to expand the class from five to eight members."
 
The 2023 class of inductees includes women's rower Kelli Barnette, women's track and field athlete Ashley (Bault) Williams, baseball players Austin Blaski, Brian Gasser and Tim Saunders, men's basketball players Trevor Halter and Kevin Knab, and men's track and field athlete Ryan Householder.
 
The Hall of Fame ceremony begins with a reception at 6 p.m. and the banquet begins at 6:30 p.m., Saturday, February 11, in the Dyson Baudo Recreation Center. The Pioneer men's and women's basketball teams will also be in action against OAC rival Wilmington College. The men play at 1 p.m. followed by the women's game at 3 p.m.
 
Tickets for the ceremony and dinner are $25 and can be purchased HERE or through the Department of Athletics by contacting Mirya Hanes at (740) 376-4665 or mlh007@marietta.edu. Here is more on the Hall of Fame Class of 2023:
 
Kelli Barnette '12 — Rowing
Barnette earned four varsity letters in women's rowing and was a member of the Pioneers' 2011 and 2012 NCAA Championship qualifying crews. The 2012 varsity eight finished fifth in the Grand Final.
 
Barnette earned Pocock first team All-America honors in 2011 and 2012 to go along with her All-Mid-Atlantic Rowing Conference accolades. She was named the 2012 Lindamood Award winner as Marietta's Outstanding Oarsman/Oarswoman and earned a spot on the College's Top-100 Athlete list.
 
During Barnette's career in the varsity eight shell the Pioneers captured Dad Vail gold in 2011 and 2012, MARC gold in 2011 and 2012, MARC silver in 2010, and won the MARC overall points trophy in 2011 and 1012.
 
Barnette graduated Cum Laude with a degree in Communication Studies.
 
Ashley (Bault) Williams '12 — Track and Field
Williams, the 2012 Cleland-Lazorik Award winner, earned four varsity letters in indoor track and four in outdoor track. She was named the Great Lakes Region Field Athlete of the Year on three occasions and twice earned Ohio Athletic Conference Field Athlete of the Year.
 
Williams qualified for the NCAA national championship 14 times in her career including twice for the indoor high jump, long jump and pentathlon, once for indoor triple jump, three times for outdoor long jump, and twice for outdoor triple jump and heptathlon. Her senior year she finished as the National Runner-Up in the pentathlon and took third place in the heptathlon.
 
The most decorated athlete in the program history, Williams earned All-America honors seven times in her career including three times for the long jump, twice in the pentathlon and twice in the heptathlon. She left her mark on the Marietta College record book breaking 12 school marks in her career.
 
Williams graduated Cum Laude with a degree in Middle Childhood Education.
 
Austin Blaski '12 — Baseball
Blaski earned four varsity letters for the Etta Express and was selected in the 21st round of the 2012 Major League Baseball draft by the Milwaukee Brewers. He was named an All-Star in the Midwest League in 2013.
 
Blaski helped lead the Pioneers to back-to-back NCAA Division III National Championships in 2011 and 2012 as the Etta Express swept the OAC regular season and tournament titles, as well as the NCAA Regional crown.
 
The 2012 NCAA National Pitcher of the Year, Blaksi's list of honors is quite extensive including twice being named the OAC Kent Tekulve Pitcher of the Year, three-time first team All-OAC, two-time All-Region and earning All-America recognition from the American Baseball Coaches Associate (ABCA) and D3baseball.com in both 2011 and 2012.
 
Blaski graduated with a degree in Sport Management.
 
Brian Gasser '12 — Baseball
Gasser earned four varsity letters in baseball helping the Etta Express to the 2011 and 2012 NCAA Division III National Championships. He finished his career in the pinstripes ranked third in program history in career wins and innings pitched.
 
Gasser is a four-time All-OAC honoree including first team honors in his final two seasons. In 2011 he was named the OAC Kent Tekulve Pitcher of the Year, NCAA Regional and National Pitcher of the Year, and the NCAA National Co-Player of the Year. Gasser earned first team All-America honors from the ABCA and D3baseball.com his junior year.
 
In addition to the pair of National Championships, the Pioneers won OAC regular season and tournament titles, as well as NCAA Regional crowns in both 2011 and 2012. Gasser was at his best in the post season earning All-Tournament Team honors twice in the OAC Tournament, twice in the NCAA Regional Tournament and in the 2012 NCAA World Series.
 
Gasser graduated with a degree in Finance and Sport Management.
 
Trevor Halter '12 — Basketball
Halter earned four varsity letters in basketball helping Coach Jon VanderWal establish the Pioneers as one of the top programs in the nation. The Pioneers exploded onto the scene winning the 2010-11 OAC regular season and tournament championships earning Marietta it's first NCAA Tournament appearance since 1975.
 
Halter earned All-OAC honors in each of his four seasons including first team recognition in 2010-11. He was selected at the OAC Player of the Year that same year. A back injury hampered Halter his senior year, but he still managed to earn honorable mention All-OAC accolades. He is currently 13th on Marietta's all-time scoring list with 1,326 career points.
 
During the magical 2010-11 season, Halter was named first team All-Region by the National Association of Basketball Coaches and D3hoops.com.  He earned second team All-America honors from the NABC and fourth team from D3hoops.com. The Pioneers advanced to the Sweet 16 and set the school record for wins at the time with 27.
 
Halter graduated with a degree in Management.
 
Ryan Householder '12 — Track and Field
Householder earned eight varsity letters including four in indoor track and four in outdoor track. He was named the OAC Sprinter of the Year for outdoor track in 2011.
 
Householder earned All-America honors three times in his career in outdoor track; once each in the 100-meter dash, 200-meter dash and the 4x100m relay. He earned All-OAC honors 10 times in his career.
 
Householder broke seven school records for the Pioneers including the indoor 200m dash, 4x200m relay and 4x400m relay, and the outdoor 100m dash, 4x100m relay and 4x400m relay.
 
Householder graduated with a degree in Marketing.
 
Kevin Knab '12 — Basketball
Knab earned four varsity letters in basketball and currently ranks fifth on Marietta's all-time scoring list with 1,536 career points. He capped his career by winning the 2012 OAC Clyde Lamb Award and sharing the Way-Weigelt Award with Saunders.
 
Knab was a four-time All-OAC player earning honorable mention as a freshman, second team as a sophomore and first team in each of his final two seasons. He was named a preseason All-American by D3hoops in 2011-12. Knab garnered All-Region honors from both the NABC and D3hoops in both 2010-11 and 2011-12.
 
A three-time team captain, Knab helped lead the 2010-11 Pioneers to the OAC regular season and tournaments championships earning Marietta a trip to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 1975. The Pioneers advanced to the Sweet 16 before bowing out and set the school record for wins with 27.
 
Perhaps the best shooter in program history, Knab holds the school record for field goal percentage in a game, season, and career.
 
Knab graduated with a degree in Finance.
 
Tim Saunders '12 — Baseball
Saunders earned four varsity letters in baseball and was selected in the 32nd round of the 2012 Major League Baseball draft by the Chicago Cubs. He was named the Short-Season Player of the Year in 2012 and the Cubs' top minor league prospect in 2013.
 
The 2012 Way-Weigelt Award winner, Saunders was a key piece of the Pioneers' back-to-back NCAA Division III National Championships in 2011 and 2012. During the championship run in 2012, Saunders was named the OAC, Mideast Regional and National Player of the Year as he led Division III in runs scored.
 
Saunders earned All-OAC honors three times in his career including honorable mention as a sophomore and first team recognition his junior and senior seasons. He was named first team All-Region and first team All-America by both the ABCA and D3baseball in 2011 and 2012. At his best in the post season, he earned All-Tournament Team honors in the OAC, NCAA Regional and NCAA World Series in both 2011 and 2012, including Most Valuable Player accolades for the 2012 OAC Tournament and World Series.
 
Saunders graduated with a degree in Sport Management.