Adena HS Grad Jerry Smith Headed to Rio Grande Hall of Fame

Article Presented By The Outdoor Drama “Tecumseh!”

(Rio Grande) – The University of Rio Grande will add a trio of members to its Athletic Hall of Fame this weekend. Michaela (Criner) Haley, Jeff Brown and Jerry Smith comprise the Class of 2025 and will be formally inducted as part of the school’s Hall of Fame Luncheon on Saturday, Nov. 22, at noon, in the Rio Alumni Heritage Room of Davis University Center.

The banquet is scheduled in conjunction with the final day of the annual Bevo Francis Classic, which is slated for Friday and Saturday, November 21-22, at the Newt Oliver Arena. The Class of 2025 – and all other Hall of Fame members in attendance – will be recognized immediately following the Rio Grande women’s game on the 22nd at approximately 4:30pm.

Jerry Smith was an integral part of the Rio Grande men’s track and field program as both a long jumper and sprinter from 1991-95. A two-time All-American, Smith earned eight all-conference honors and was named to six all-district teams over the course of his career. The Frankfort, Ohio product set the school’s outdoor long jump record of 24’1″ in 1995, remains part of the foursome to set the indoor distance medley relay record in 1994 and formerly held the school indoor record in both the 55- and 60-meter dashes.

Smith, who has had a lengthy career as the head track and field coach at Adena High School, was also named the District Coach of the Year for the Southern Ohio Conference in 2021.

Michaela Haley, a native of Bremen, Ohio, was a standout for the RedStorm softball program from 2017-2019. She was a three-time All-River States Conference First Team selection and was named the league’s Player of the Year in both 2018 and 2019, leading Rio to NAIA national tournament appearances in each of her three seasons.

Haley was a two-time NAIA and National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) All-American and was a three-time NFCA All-Great Lakes Region selection. Haley finished her Rio career with a .470 batting average to go along with 26 home runs, 30 doubles, 19 triples and 115 runs batted in. She also had a .759 slugging percentage and a .517 on-base percentage for her career. As a sophomore, Haley batted a staggering .534 with 13 home runs and 49 RBI. She had 10 homers, 11 doubles and 10 triples during her senior campaign.

Jeff Brown was a member of the Rio Grande men’s basketball program from 1989-93 and part of the school’s national tournament team during the 1990-91 campaign. The Newark, Ohio native was a four-year starter for the then-Redmen and ranked among the team’s top three leaders in scoring, rebounding and assists in each of his collegiate seasons.

Brown led the Mid-Ohio Conference in rebounds as a freshman and helped Rio win more than 100 games over his four-year stint at the school. He ranks 10th on Rio’s all-time scoring list with 1,958 points and is among the top 20 in three-point goals made. Brown also dished out 213 assists over the first two years of his career, but his exactly career total is not know due to incomplete records over his final two seasons.