Brescia University Inducting Four New Members Into Their Kentucky Legend Athletic Hall of Fame

Brescia University is inducting four new members into the Kentucky Legend Athletic Hall of Fame. Brescia University student athletes will also be recognized for their work on and off the field of play as well as in the classroom.  The Kentucky Legend Hall of Fame honors student-athletes, coaches, and other individuals who have contributed to the promotion, development, and success of Brescia University’s athletic program.  Members of the Hall of Fame exemplify what it means to be a Brescia Bearcat.

The 2022 Kentucky Legend Athletic Hall of Fame inductees who will be honored at the Athletic Hall of Fame Banquet on Saturday, April 30th at 6:30 pm at the Moore Center. This year’s inductees are Julie Whitfill Nixon ’16, Hank Stewart ’15, John Benson ’08, and Olivia Warren ‘15.

Julie Whitfill Nixon was a member of the women’s basketball and golf teams from 2012-2016. As a member of the golf team, Nixon was a Top-10 finisher in the 2016 conference tournament, and helped lead the Bearcats to a 2015 KIAC Conference Championship and NAIA National Tournament berth the same year. On the basketball court, Nixon made history on several fronts. She became Brescia’s all-time leading scorer in basketball – men’s and women’s- with a career tally of 2,444 points. She also set school records for points in a game (51) and three pointers in a season (117). In addition to setting school records, Nixon also set NAIA national records in three pointers made in a game (14) and three pointers attempted in a game (31). Nixon was named KIAC All-Conference three times and was named NAIA Second Team All-American in 2016.

Hank Stewart was a member of the baseball team from 2011-2014. During his time as Brescia, Stewart became one of the most decorated athletes in the history of Brescia baseball. His stellar 2014 season resulted in numerous accolades and national rankings, leading the Bearcats to a school-best record of 35-22 and a 14-6 conference record. During this season, Stewart led the KIAC in batting average (.447), on base percentage (.537), slugging percentage (.807), total bases (121), runs batted in (68), and home runs (12).  He was named KIAC First Team All-Conference in 2014 and was named 2014 KIAC Baseball Player of the Year. Also in 2014, Stewart was named NAIA Second Team All-American.

John Benson was a member of the men’s soccer team from 2003-2006. During his time at Brescia, Benson played in 82 games for the Bearcats and totaled 36 goals. His career mark of 86 assists set a school record, and he also owns the single-game assist record with 6. Benson was a three time selection to the KIAC All-Conference team and two time NAIA All-Region. In 2004 and 2005, he led the NAIA in assists and was voted NAIA National Player of the Week in September 2005. In 2006, Benson was selected as an NAIA All-American Honorable Mention.

Olivia Warren was a member of the women’s cross country and track & field teams from 2010-2015. During her time at Brescia, Warren set multiple school records for the then relatively new cross country and track & field programs. She was selected to the KIAC All-Conference teams four times from 2011-2014 and was a five time KIAC conference champion between 2012 and 2015. From 2011-2013, Warren was a three time NAIA national qualifier in cross country. In 2015, she became the first female in school history to be a NAIA national qualifier in outdoor track.