Rhodes Athletics, in partnership with Rhodes Alumni Relations, is pleased to announce seven new members to the Rhodes Athletics Hall of Fame.
Established in 1996, the Hall of Fame was created to honor and memorialize those whose athletic excellence, dedication, and perseverance brought distinction to Rhodes College. Over the years, inductees have included influential coaches, teams, and standout student-athletes whose accomplishments left an indelible mark on the college's athletic tradition.
"We are honored to celebrate the 2025 Athletic Hall of Fame inductees," said Jim Duncan, Rhodes Director of Athletics. "The accomplishments of the inductees on and off the field represent the culture of Rhodes and Rhodes Athletics."
Below are the inductees of the class of 2025 and their career accomplishments.
Daniel Brunner, 2006, Football
A four-year starter at defensive end, Brunner was named first-team all-conference for two consecutive years. Brunner led the Lynx in tackles for loss and quarterback sacks for three seasons and ranked nationally in both categories.
A leader in every sense, Brunner served as a team captain and was a four-year member of the football team council.
After graduating from Rhodes, Brunner entered the coaching profession and currently serves as the Head Football Coach at Walton High School in Marietta, GA.
Hunter Chandler, 2011, Baseball
Hunter was a dominant relief pitcher during his Lynx career, in addition to being an outstanding student.
While holding numerous records and accomplishments at Rhodes, his singular outstanding moment came in the 2011 SCAC Tournament as he threw 10.2 innings and allowed one run in a thrilling win against Oglethorpe.
Hunter holds the all-time single-season record for the lowest ERA at 1.48. He was named to the All-SCAC and All-Tournament teams in 2011, and to the 2nd team All-South Region.
In the classroom, Hunter also excelled, being named Phi Beta Kappa while graduating with a 3.96 GPA. His academic accomplishments were honored by the NCAA as he won a prestigious post-graduate scholarship.
Bill Cochran, Head Men's Golf Coach
Bill Cochran was the Men's Head Golf Coach for nineteen years at Rhodes and built the program into a nationally recognized golf brand. The men's golf team was ranked in the top-25 NCAA Division III National Rankings for 15 years during Cochran's tenure and participated in the NCAA Championship in 2006, finishing eighth, 2007, sixth, 2014, 13th, 2015, 20th, 2016, ninth, 2017, eighth, and 2018, 17th. Cochran was selected as the Southern Collegiate Athletic Association (SCAA) Coach of the Year for that 2006-07 season, and the Southern Athletic Association (SAA) Coach of the Year for the 2016-17 and 2017-18 seasons.
Josh Cockerham, 2000, Men's Basketball
A four-year starter and two-time captain for the Lynx, Cockerham also scored 1,292 career points, which put him in the top ten in school history upon graduation.
One of the most prolific three-point shooters in Lynx history, he is first in Rhodes history with 235 career made three-point field goals. Cockerham remains 9th in SCAC history in this category.
Cockerham was also a tremendous defender, leading the team in steals in 97-98 on a Lynx squad that led the nation in field goal percentage, a season record that remains 2nd in the SCAC record books.
Cockerham was a three-time all-conference selection.
Jessica Brown Harris, 2014, Softball
The outstanding Rhodes career of Jessica Brown Harris includes being named an NFHCA All-American in 2013, as well as holding multiple school records that still stand. Harris combined her exceptional skill on the field with an excellent academic career.
In Rhodes softball history, Harris currently ranks 1st in career home runs, 4th in doubles, 4th in hits, 3rd in RBI, and 4th in slugging percentage. She was all-conference twice, all-region once, and was a three-time all-conference scholar-athlete.
Post-graduation, she attended the University of Georgia and earned a PharmD degree.
Brad Jenkins, 1992, Football and Baseball
A decorated two-sport athlete, Jenkins excelled in the classroom and on the football and baseball fields. Jenkins won the coveted Seidman award in his senior season, signifying the most outstanding senior student-athlete.
During his football career, Jenkins started for three years, earning pre-season All-American honors for two consecutive years and first-team all-conference recognition for two years.
His accomplishments in baseball mirrored his football success, as he was first-team all-conference for three years, and was the team MVP in 1992.
After Rhodes, Brad attended the University of Arkansas Medical School.
Lauren Avant Sumski, 2014, Women's Basketball
Lauren Avant Sumski is the most decorated athlete in Rhodes Women's Basketball history. After spending her first year at the University of Tennessee, where she played for legendary Head Coach Pat Summit, Sumski transferred to Rhodes, continuing her academic and athletic career for the next three years.
During those three years, Sumski led the Lynx to two SAA regular-season and postseason titles and appeared in four NCAA Tournament games. She was a two-time WBCA All-American, a National Player of the Year finalist, SAA Player of the Year, and two-time SAA Tournament MVP.
A career 1.373-point scorer, Sumski set school records in points in a season (692), free throws made (180), and single-season points per game average (25.6).
Lauren returned to Rhodes as the Women's Basketball Head Coach, and under her guidance, the Lynx won an SAA title and appeared in an NCAA Tournament.
The Class of 2025 will be formally inducted at a special ceremony on campus later this year.
