Marietta College will induct the 43rd class of Pioneer greats into the Athletic Hall of Fame as part of the annual Winter Weekend festivities slated for February 13-16, 2026.
 
The Class of 2026 inductees include All-Ohio Athletic Conference cross country and track and field standout Liisa Nichols '88, All-American baseball player Tim McConnell '91, all-region football player TC Couhig '98, all-region softball catcher Ris McDaniel '13, and All-OAC soccer player Wes Riley '15.
 
In addition to the five former Pioneers, the 1981, 1983, and 1986 NCAA Division III National Championship baseball teams will be inducted.
 
The Hall of Fame ceremony begins with a reception at 6 p.m. and the banquet begins at 6:30 p.m., Saturday, February 15, in the Dyson Baudo Recreation Center. The Pioneer men's and women's basketball teams will also be in action against OAC rival Heidelberg University. The women play at 1 p.m. followed by the men's game at 3 p.m.
 
Tickets for the ceremony and dinner are $50 and can be purchased through the Department of Athletics by contacting Mirya Hanes at (740) 376-4665 or mlh007@marietta.edu. Online registration is also available at: https://www.marietta.edu/2026-hall-fame-dinner-reception.
 
Here is more on the Hall of Fame Class of 2026:
 
Liisa Nichols '88 — Cross Country/Track and Field
Nichols was the inaugural winner of the Cleland-Lazorik Award in 1988. She earned four varsity letters in cross country and track and field as women's track did not become a varsity sport at Marietta until her junior year.
 
Nichols earned second team All-Ohio Athletic Conference honors in cross country her senior season. On the track, she was a two-time All-OAC honoree indoors in the 500-meter and 800-meter events. Outdoors she won the OAC championship and All-OAC honors in the 400-meter hurdles setting the Marietta College and OAC record in that event. While her hurdles record has been surpassed, Nichols is still in the Pioneer Records as a member of the school's fastest Outdoor Distance Medley Relay Team. A record that was set in 1986 and still stands.
 
Nichols graduated from Marietta College in 1988 with a degree in Accounting. She is currently employed as the Director of Financial Planning and Analysis at Cengage Learning and resides in Pacific Grove, California.
 
Tim McConnell '91 — Baseball
McConnell transferred to Marietta College from McComb Community College and played two seasons in the Pinstripes for Coach Don Schaly. McConnell earned two varsity letters in baseball and served as the Pioneers' team captain his senior season.
 
McConnell was named a first team All-American as a senior and earned All-Region honors both his junior and senior seasons. He helped the Etta Express to OAC Tournament Championships in 1990 and 1991 earning OAC Tournament Most Valuable Player honors both years. McConnell was also named to the NCAA Mideast Region All-Tournament Team both seasons and led the Pioneers to a Regional title and fifth place World Series finish in 1991.
 
After graduating from Marietta, McConnell played professionally in the Detroit Tiger organization advancing to double-A before ending his career. McConnell graduated from Marietta College in 1991 and is currently employed as an Operating Engineer in Casco, Michigan. McConnell and his wife, Jamie, have two children: Madison and Morgan.
 
TC Couhig '98 — Football
Couhig earned four varsity letters as an offensive lineman on the football team playing for Coach Gene Epley. He served as a team captain his senior season and was named the Way-Weigelt Award winner in 1998. 
 
Couhig was a two-time All-Region player earning third team recognition in 1996 and second team honors in 1997. He was named first team All-OAC in each of his final three seasons in the Navy Blue and White and earned Academic All-OAC honors in 1996 and 1997.
 
A member of Marietta's 8-1-1 team in 1995, Couhig was a part of the offensive line that cleared the way for All-American and NCAA Record Holder Dante' Brown. He went on to earn an NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship becoming just the second Pioneer to ever receive the honor.
 
Couhig graduated from Marietta College in 1998 with a double major in History and English. He went to earn his Juris Doctorate from the University of Notre Dame in 2002. Couhig is currently the Commissioner of the Central Buckeye League and varsity boys golf coach at St. Francis DeSales High School. Couhig and his wife Stephanie reside in Blacklick, Ohio and are the parents of Samuel and Joseph Couhig.
 
Ris McDaniel '13 — Softball
McDaniel earned four varsity letters as a catcher on the Pioneer softball team under Hall of Fame coach Jeanne Arbuckle. She served as a team captain her senior season and was a member of the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee.
 
McDaniel earned second team All-Region honors in 2011. A three-time second team All-OAC honoree, McDaniel led the Pioneers to the OAC Tournament in 2013. She currently ranks eighth on Marietta's career list for runs batted in and for walks drawn.
 
McDaniel graduated from Marietta College in 2013 with a degree in Sport Management. She is currently the head softball coach at Washington and Jefferson College. McDaniel and her husband Nicholas are the parents of son Raymond and reside in Washington, Pennsylvania.
 
Wes Riley '15 — Soccer
Riley earned four varsity letters in men's soccer playing two seasons each for head coach Stephen Rose and Joe Bergin. He was named Marietta's male recipient of the OAC Clyde Lamb Award in 2015.
 
Riley was named first team All-OAC in each of his final three seasons. A dangerous scoring threat, he led the Pioneers in scoring his last three seasons and was second on the team in scoring as a freshman. Riley was named third team All-Ohio in 2013 and second team in 2014.
 
Riley scored a hat trick against Penn State Beaver in 20212 becoming the first Pioneer to do so in seven years. He is fourth on Marietta's career lists in goals (34) and points (80). Riley was named to Marietta's All-Decade Team (2010-2019) as a striker.
 
Riley graduated from Marietta College in 2015 with a degree in petroleum Engineering. He is currently employed as a Work Planning and Forecasting Manager for NiSource and resides in Columbus, Ohio.
 
1981 Baseball Team
Under the direction of National, Regional, and OAC Coach of the Year Don Schaly, the Etta Express finished with a 59-5 overall record and went 24-2 in the OAC. The Pioneers won the OAC, Mideast Regional and the school's first NCAA National Championship.
 
After falling to Ithaca College in the 1980 World Series Championship, the Pioneers got a measure of revenge beating the Bombers 14-12 in 12 innings to claim the 1981 title. Steve Riley, father of inductee Wes Riley, drove in two runs with a single in the top of the 12th inning to give Marietta the victory.
 
John Schaly was named the Most valuable Player and joined Dale Hurst, Ken Lisko, Jon Shuler, and Tom Mohl on the World Series All-Tournment Team.
 
1983 Baseball Team
Despite missing out on the OAC Tournament, the Etta Express went undefeated in the Mideast Regional and captured the school's second National Championship finishing with a 49-9 overall record and 16-4 OAC record. Head Coach Don Schaly was again named Regional and National Coach of the Year.
 
After going 1-2 against Otterbein in the regular season, the Pioneers opened the World Series with a 5-4 loss to the Cardinals. Marietta battled back through the loser's bracket and faced off against Otterbein in the championship game. The Pioneers left no doubt who was the better team beating the Cardinals 36-8 for the National Championship.
 
Jim Pancher was named the Most Valuable Player and joined Steve Riley, John Hefner, Mark Talarico, and Jim Kennedy on the World Series All-Tournament Team.
 
1986 Baseball Team
After coming through the loser's bracket to win both the OAC and Mideast Regional Tournaments, the Pioneers lost to Ithaca in their second game of the World Series and were faced with a journey through the loser's bracket yet again. The Etta Express won four straight games to claim the programs' third National Championship finishing with a 48-13-2 overall record and 16-5 OAC mark.
 
Trailing 6-1 going into the sixth inning of the championship game against Ithaca, the Etta Express scored 10 runs over the final four innings, including five runs in the eighth inning, to beat the Bombers 11-6.
 
Mike Brandts was named to World Series Most valuable Player and joined Jim Katschke, Sean Risley, and Drew Witouski on the World Series All-Tournament Team.