The Glynn County Sports Hall of Fame is pleased to recognize the outstanding student-athletes who make up the 2020 Ambassadors from their respective schools.
These graduating seniors from Brunswick High, Glynn Academy and Frederica Academy represent the seventh group the Hall of Fame has recognized as part of its Ambassadors program which began in 2014.
Each spring, the Hall of Fame works in conjunction with the three local high schools to identify senior athletes from their schools who have excelled both academically and athletically while participating in sports at their individual schools.
Since the inception of the Ambassadors program, the Hall of Fame has honored nearly 150 student-athletes from the three local schools.
In 2015, a scholarship component was added to the Ambassadors program. With the help of sponsors, the Hall of Fame has now awarded scholarships to 24 students during that time totalling almost $20,000.
When the Hall of Fame first introduced the program, the student-athletes were honored during the Hall of Fame’s annual Induction Banquet. When the Hall elected to start holding its induction ceremony every other year following the 2016 banquet, the Board of Directors chose to start holding a separate ceremony each year to honor the Ambassadors.
Last spring, the Hall of Fame held the Ambassadors ceremony at the Brunswick High Auditorium with Seth Greenberg, a former college head basketball coach and current ESPN basketball analyst, serving as the featured speaker. Eight student-athletes from each school were recognized while six student athletes - one boy and one girl - from each school were awarded the scholarships.
This year, the Hall of Fame was unable to hold a ceremony due to public health guidelines restricting large gatherings during the coronavirus pandemic. However, the board of directors still wanted to honor members of 2020 graduating class and give them their earned recognition.
Eight student-athletes from each high school are thus announced below in list form with the scholarship recipients from each school also noted in parenthesis. Each of the six scholarship recipients will receive a $500 award to help offset college expenses.
Also, biographical sketches of each Ambassador are included below by school.
Hall of Fame president Kevin Price lauded the accomplishments of the 2020 Ambassadors.
“We are disappointed that we weren’t able to hold a ceremony for these student-athletes and their families this spring, but we are very excited to honor another outstanding group of athletes from our local schools and congratulate them on their outstanding accomplishments throughout their high school careers.
“Once again, I want to thank Glynn Academy, Brunswick High and Frederica Academy for helping us and supporting this program,” Price said. “This year, the schools also went the extra mile to help us generate funding for the scholarships and we are very appreciative of their efforts in that regard. I especially want to thank Carl Nash at Frederica Academy, Matthew Blackstone and Jeff Parker at Glynn and Slade Turner and Joseph Lanham at Brunswick for helping us put this together this year in what has been a trying spring for everyone on numerous levels.
“Again, we are recognizing another great group of Ambassadors. I know their families are proud of them along with their respective schools and our Board of Directors is proud of their accomplishments as well. We wish them all the best as they move on and enter the next phase of their lives.”
The 2020 Ambassadors (Listed Alphabetically by last name and school)
Brunswick High
Kwameeri Brown
Jaden Dunham (Scholarship Recipient)
Hunter Goff
Marquesia Heidt (Scholarship Recipient)
Jalia Hubbard
Jalyn Morgan
Anthony Mountain
Mason Palmer
Glynn Academy
La’Trinity Best (Scholarship Recipient)
Chase Gabriel (Scholarship Recipient)
Talia Hamilton
Paul Hegeman
Joel Preston
Zoesha Smith
Jordan Swain
Haley Williams
Frederica Academy
Denver Anthony (Scholarship Recipient)
William Brock
Blake Counts
Josie Leavy
Colton Myers
Isabelle Slapikas
Kaitlyn Todd (Scholarship Recipient)
Gracie Veal
The Bios of the 2020 Ambassadors (Listed Alphabetically by last name and school)
Brunswick High
Kwameeri Brown
Brown is a top basketball and volleyball player at Brunswick High.
In basketball, she was an All-Region and Honorable-Mention All-Region pick while receiving the Lady Pirates’ Unsung Hero award. She was also co-captain of the junior varsity team.
In volleyball, she led BHS as the co-captain of the team this past fall.
Brown is a member of the Future Business Leaders of America, Delta gems, Blue Crew, Anchor Club and Beta Club. She actively volunteers in the community with Building Bridges Foundation, Police Cadet Camp, Southeast Georgia Health System and the Senior Care Health System.
She has a 3.6 GPA and will graduate with Honors. Brown will be attending Fort Valley State University.
Jaden Dunham
Dunham is a standout member of the Brunswick High basketball team, playing all four years of high school with the Pirates.
This past season, Dunham helped the Pirates to the Region 2-AAAAAA regular-season championship. He was named Region Player of the Year and also MVP of the Coastal Georgia All-Area Team. He also was named MVP of the 2019 Memorial Health Holiday Classic and was a two-time selection to the McDonalds All- Invitational Team while winning MVP honors in 2019.
Dunham was also selected for the North-South All-Star Game while also winning Player of the Game honors this past season in the second Brunswick-Glynn Academy game. He was chosen for the Class AAAAAA All-State team after the season.
Dunham holds a 3.4 GPA and will attend Savannah State University.
Hunter Goff
Goff is a standout baseball player at Brunswick High.
A four-year starter for the Pirates, Goff was recently chosen as the 912 Sports Player of the Year in Baseball. He was also voted to the 2018 All-Region team as a third baseman and the 2019 All-Region team as a utility player.
He was voted the 2019 Offensive Player of the Year and is a past recipient of the Charles Skipper Award. Goff was also a member of two GRPA state championship teams.
Goff is a member of the Beta Club and is a 2020 Honor Graduate. He holds a 3.39 GPA and has signed a baseball scholarship to South Georgia State College.
Marquesia Heidt
Heidt was a top member of the Brunswick High basketball team and also played softball.
In basketball, she earned All-Region honors twice, making second-team in 2019 and honorable-mention in 2020 while helping the Brunswick girls to the state tournament.
Heidt is a member of the National Honor Society and will graduate with Honors. She holds a 3.88 GPA and has taken dual enrollment classes at the College of Coastal Georgia.
She is currently undecided on a college choice.
Jalia Hubbard
Hubbard is a standout player for the Brunswick High softball team, playing all four years of high school for the Lady Pirates.
Hubbard said the following: “The past four years of being a student at Brunswick High and playing softball has shaped me into the person and athlete I am today. I’ve created lifelong friendships and met incredible coaches along the way. One of my favorite things about playing softball was constantly being challenged by my coaches mentally and physically. However winning the City Championship with my team my senior year will never be forgotten.”
Hubbard holds a 3.92 GPA and has signed with Jackson State University.
Jalyn Morgan
Morgan is a member of the Brunswick High basketball and soccer teams and played both sports all four years of high school.
In soccer, she was a member of the varsity team since her freshman season. As a freshman, she also was captain of the junior varsity team and also named team MVP. As a sophomore and junior, she was named Brunswick’s Best Offensive Player. As a junior, she also played in the Georgia all-star game.
This season, she was voted team captain for the Lady Pirates.
Morgan is a member of the National Honor Society and Beta Club. She carries a 4.25 GPA, and through dual enrollment courses, has already earned enough college credits for an associates degree.
Anthony Mountain
Mountain was a top performer for the Brunswick High football team, playing his final two high school seasons for the Pirates.
He overcome a torn ACL as a junior to be a steady leader as the starting quarterback and captain for the Pirates in the 2019 season. Mountain helped lead the Pirates to a winning season and their first state-playoff victory in 10 seasons this past fall. He earned Honorable-Mention All-Region recognition after the season.
Mountain has signed to play at Valdosta State University.
Mason Palmer
Palmer is a standout player on the Brunswick High soccer team, playing for the Pirates all four years of high school.
Palmer is a three-year captain for the Pirates and led the team in goals scored and assists the past two seasons. This year, he was one of three BHS players named to the All-Region team.
He also ran cross country for the Pirates and has played travel soccer.
Palmer is a member of the Blue Crew and National Honor Society. He holds a 3.75 GPA and will graduate with Honors. He plans to attend Kennesaw State University.
Glynn Academy
La ’Trinity Best
Best is a standout member of the Glynn Academy girls basketball and track team, competing for the Lady Terrors all four years of high school. In basketball, she helped the Lady Terrors to a second straight Region 2-AAAAAA championship this past season and a berth in the Class AAAAAA state championship game.
After the season, Best was named to the All-Region team a third straight time and was also named to the Coastal Georgia All-Area team. She averaged 9.1 points and 5.1 rebounds per game as a senior after averaging 10.5 points and 7.3 boards her junior season.
Best was lauded by her coaches for her hard work and leadership. She has a 3.3 GPA and will be attending Francis Marion University on a basketball scholarship. She plans to major in business.
Chase Gabriel
Gabriel is a standout kicker and punter for the Glynn Academy football team and also a top performer for the Red Terrors soccer team.
This past season, Gabriel averaged 41.5 yards per punt, was a perfect 36-for-36 on PATS and was 13-for-15 on field-goal attempts. He kicked the game-winning field goal for the Terrors in the City Championship Game against Brunswick and kicked two field goals over 50 yards while also scoring a touchdown on a fake field-goal play against Bradwell Institute.
Gabriel was named All-Region the last two years. He was voted All-State as a junior and senior by the Georgia Athletic Coaches Association and All-State as a senior by the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. He also was named the 912 Sports Special Teams Player of the Year for the 2019 season.
In soccer, Gabriel was recently voted to the All-Region team for a second straight season after helping Glynn to an 8-0-1 record prior to the season being stopped.
Gabriel holds a 4.1 GPA and will attend Florida International University on a football scholarship.
Talia Hamilton
Hamilton was a top player for the Glynn Academy girls basketball team this past year after transferring to Glynn from Fernandina Beach High School.
Hamilton averaged 11.7 points, 4.4 rebounds. 2.7 steals and 1.9 assists per game while helping solidify the starting unit for the Lady Terrors at the point guard position. Hamilton helped Glynn to a second straight Region 2-AAAAAA title and an appearance in the Class AAAAAA state championship game. She was named to the All-Region team and also the Coastal Georgia All-Area team following the season.
Hamilton holds a 3.4 GPA and will attend East Georgia State College on a basketball scholarship. She plans to major in business.
Paul Hegeman
Hegeman is standout baseball and football player for Glynn Academy. He was batting .333 for the Red Terrors who were off to a solid start when the 2020 baseball season was stopped in mid-March.
Hegeman figured to be headed for a fourth straight All-Region selection. He was named All-Region in each of his first three seasons at three different positions including first base, catcher and pitcher. As a freshman, Hegeman helped the Terrors to their first region championship in 19 seasons.
A preseason All-State selection by the Georgia Dugout Club, Hegeman won the Glynn County Sports Hall of Fame Player of the Series for the City Championship series against Brunswick as a freshman and sophomore.
He was a four-year letterman for the Glynn football team and played on three region championship teams.
Hegeman has a 3.8 GPA and has a baseball scholarship at Chattahoochee Valley Community College in Phoenix City, Ala.
Joel Preston
Preston is a standout soccer player for Glynn Academy which was undefeated when the 2020 season was stopped in mid-March. Longtime GA coach Bobby Brockman lauded Preston’s skills and abilities as a midfielder who can help control a game.
In addition to playing at Glynn, Preston has played at an elite level in the club ranks. He started out with the Golden Isles Soccer Association before also playing for the Jacksonville FC, Savannah United and the Tormenta FC which won a state championship in South Carolina while also competing in the National Premier League against teams from South and North Carolina, Alabama, Georgia and Florida. He has trained in the Olympic Development Program in Georgia and South Carolina and also has been in the pre-development program for the USL League Two, a high-level amateur soccer organization.
Preston has been lauded for his leadership skills on the field and in the classroom where he has tutored both high school and elementary school students. He currently has a 4.39 GPA and will graduate with Highest Honors this month. He was presented the Certificate of Merit by the University of Georgia and recognized as a Presbyterian College Junior Fellow Honor. He is an AP Scholar with Distinction, a member of the National Honor Society, National Beta Club and a Zell Miller Hope Scholar. He is currently taking his ninth AP class and will have completed seven college courses through College of Coastal Georgia upon graduation.
He is now set to attend the University of North Carolina – Asheville on an academic and athletic scholarship.
Zoesha Smith
Smith is a standout member of the Glynn Academy girls basketball team and also a top track performer for the Lady Terrors.
This past season, Smith averaged 21.2 points and 12.8 rebounds while leading Glynn to a second straight Region 2-AAAAAA championship and an appearance in the Class AAAAAA state championship game. She earned many accolades following the season including Player of the Year by the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Class AAAAAA Player of the Year by the Georgia Athletic Coaches Association and 912 Sports Student-Athlete of the Year for Girls Basketball. She also won a second straight Region Player of the Year honor.
Also, she was named MVP for the Coastal Georgia All-Area Team and was named Class AAAAAA Best Scorer by Sandy Spiel. Smith has received invites to the GACA North-South All-Star Game and the 2020 Dirty 24 All-Star Game. She joined Glynn’s 1,000-Point Club this season and served as the team captain.
Smith has a 3.3 GPA and has signed a basketball scholarship with the University of Georgia. She plans to major in sports medicine.
Jordan Swain
Swain is a outstanding player for the Glynn Academy football team. He was a captain for the Red Terrors the past two seasons and led the team by example.
Swain helped the Terrors to three City Championships and three region titles. As a junior, he earned All-Region Honorable-Mention and was invited to the Georgia Elite All-Star Classic. This past season, he was named First-Team All-Region and All-State Honorable-Mention.
He has been on the A-Honor Roll all four years of high school while taking AP courses. He is a member of the National Honor Society and Beta Club and was invited to join the George-Mason University Environmental Conservation Program and Congress of Future Medical Leaders.
Swain has a 3.8 GPA and will attend Mercer University on a football scholarship.
Haley Williams
Williams was a top performer for the Glynn Academy girls soccer team as a four-year starter for the Lady Terrors and captain of the 2020 team.
She helped Glynn to region championships each of her first three seasons and a berth in the state finals as a sophomore. Glynn had only lost one game when the 2020 season was suspended in mid-March. Williams was recently voted to the All-Region team a fourth straight time and was also voted the Region Player of the Year a second straight season by the league coaches. She also was recently named the 912 Sports Student-Athlete of the Year for Girls Soccer for the second year in a row.
Williams has played club soccer for Jacksonville Armada for several years. Her current team was nationally-ranked and won the conference championship in its league organization which includes teams from Florida, Georgia, Alabama and South Carolina. The team competed in the national playoffs.
Williams is a member of the National Honor Society and has taken several dual-enrollment classes through College of Coastal Georgia. She was recruited by several NCAA Division I programs before committing to Lipscomb University in Nashville,Tenn., as a sophomore and signing with the team prior to her senior season.
Frederica Academy
Denver Anthony
Anthony has played football, basketball and baseball and also competed in track during his time at Frederica Academy.
This past football season, Anthony served as team captain and was an All-State, All-Region and All-Area selection for the Knights while also making the GISA All-Star team. In basketball, he also was Frederica’s team captain and was named to the All-Region and All-Area teams.
As a sophomore, Anthony was named All-Region and All-Area in football. He helped the baseball team to a state runner-up finish and was a member of the Frederica 4x100 relay team that won a state championship.
As a junior, Anthony helped the Frederica football team to a state championship while earning All-Region, All-State and All-Area honors. He also made All-Region in basketball and again helped the Knights 4x100 relay team to another state championship.
Anthony has served as a Student Ambassador at Frederica and has a football scholarship to Gardner Webb University. He also has received the Dean Scholarship from Gardner Webb. Anthony plans to major in business.
William Brock
Brock plays football and soccer at Frederica and also runs cross country for the Knights.
A four-year player for the FA football team, he was the starting kicker on the GISA state championship team as a junior. He had the top academic average on the team as a junior and senior. He was a Top Student-Athlete by In the Game Magazine and also was awarded Special Teams Player of the Year.
Brock has played soccer at Frederica since his sixth-grade year and was the Knights’ team captain as a junior. He ran cross country this past fall and was voted to the All-Region team.
Brock has received the Head of School Award for his academics throughout middle school and high school and has made the A-Honor Roll every semester. He is a member of the National Honor Society while earning distinction as an AP Scholar with Honors and being named a Furman Scholar.
He also has received the President of the United States Volunteer Service Award, Wolfson Children’s Hospital Academic Scholar-Athlete Award and the Hugh O’Brien Youth Leadership Award.
Brock plans to attend the University of Georgia and major in biology/biological sciences.
Blake Counts
Counts has been a member of the Frederica Academy baseball team all four years of high school.
Voted team captain for this season, Counts was a pitcher and outfielder for the Knights and helped the team to a runner-up finish in the GISA state tournament as a sophomore.
An A-Honor Roll student, Counts has received the Head of School honor from Frederica. He is a member of the National Honor Society and also the High Point University Junior Scholars program. He also is a member of the Frederica Math Team.
Counts is a devoted volunteer for the Very Special Arts Festival and the Under the Oaks Run and helped with clean-up efforts following Hurricane Matthew and Irma.
Counts will attend Oglethorpe University where he will play baseball. He plans to major in physics and pre-engineering.
Josie Leavy
Leavy is a standout member of the Frederica cross country and track teams.
She competed in both cross country and track every year since sixth grade. This past fall, she was captain of the Lady Knights cross country team, helping the team to a second-place finish in the state meet while earning All-Region honors as well as making the Altamaha All-Area second team.
As a junior, she helped the cross country team to a region title and a third-place finish at state while earning Altamaha All-Area second-team honors. In track, she finished among the top three in region and qualified for the state meet in the 1,600-meter run.
Leavy is the salutatorian of the Frederica senior class. She has received the Head of School Award and has made the A-Honor Roll every semester of high school. She is also a member of the National Honor Society and the National Society of High School Scholars.
Her academic accolades also include being named an AP Scholar with Distinction and Furman Scholar. She has received the Georgia Certificate of Merit and Certificate of Merit in AP Comparative Government, AP U.S. History and AP Biology. Leavy has volunteered for the Humane Society, Southeast Georgia Health System, Burroughs-Molette Elementary and the RSM Classic.
She will attend the University of Georgia to continue her education.
Colton Myers
Myers is a standout soccer player at Frederica Academy. He made the All-Region Team as a freshman and sophomore and was voted to the GISA All-State First-Team as a sophomore.
Myers played soccer for a development academy in North Carolina as a junior, and upon his return to Frederica for his senior season which was cancelled, he was voted team captain.
He also played club soccer for the Jacksonville Armada, Carolina Rapids, Southern Soccer Academy and Golden Isles Soccer Association.
Myers has received the Head of School Award and is a member of the National Honor Society. He is a member of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes and Student Leadership Team at St. Simons Community Church.
He will attend Stetson University on a soccer scholarship and plans to major in business.
Isabelle Slapikas
Slapikas is a top performer for the Frederica Academy soccer and competitive cheer teams. She was a cheerleader and member of the school’s competitive cheer team for four years while cheering for the state champion football team as a junior.
She has played soccer at Frederica since sixth grade, making the All-Region and All-State teams in both her sophomore and junior seasons. She was voted team captain for the Lady Knights for both her junior and senior seasons. She also plays club soccer for the Southern Soccer Academy.
Slapikas is a member of the National Honor Society and Pirates of the Spanish Main.
She will attend Georgia Southern University and plans to pursue a degree in nursing.
Kaitlyn Todd
Todd is a outstanding player for the Frederica Academy basketball and soccer teams.
She played basketball all four years of high school, being named team captain and starting at point guard as a senior. She also played soccer for four years and was the starting goalkeeper as both a junior and senior for the Lady Knights. She was voted team captain for the 2020 season.
Todd made the A-Honor Roll every semester at Frederica and earned the Head of School Award three times. She is a member of the National Honor Society, Debate Club, Cultural Awareness Club, Humane Society Teen Board and the Fellowship of Christian Athletes.
Todd plans to attend Kennesaw State University while pursuing a degree in criminal justice.
Gracie Veal
Veal is a member of the Frederica Academy competitive cheer, basketball and track teams. She was a member of the cheerleading squad every year since seventh grade, serving as team captain as a junior and senior. She was named a UCA All-American Cheerleader three different times.
In basketball, Veal was voted to the All-Region team as a sophomore and senior. She also was the Lady Knights’ team captain this past season. In track, she was named All-Region in the shot put and discus events as a junior while qualifying for state. Frederica’s senior season was cancelled.
Veal is a member of the National Honor Society, Stem Club and Fellowship of Christian Athletes. She received the National History Award and National Spanish Exam Award. She was voted Frederica’s Homecoming Queen this fall, participates in Pirates of the Spanish Main and volunteers for childcare services at her church.
She will attend Auburn University and plans to major in biomedical sciences.