NEWPORT NEWS, Va. -- The Christopher Newport Department of Athletics announced the Hall of Fame Class of 2026 today as the Captains prepare to enshrine four new members this Fall.
The Carl & Denise Farris Hall of Fame Class of 2026 includes legendary players from baseball, football, men's golf, and longtime athletics administrator Jon Waters, who earned his spot among the program's elite after decades of dedicated service to the department. One of the top defensive players in CNU Athletics history gets the nod as Ian Vincent, a defensive lineman during the early stages of the football program, earned a spot in the Hall of Fame. On the golf course, lefty David Rabil established himself as an unforgettable Captain while the final nominee, Seth Woodard, reaches the Hall after making his mark on the diamond after two of the most impressive seasons by a CNU baseball player ever.
Along with the 2026 Hall of Fame Inductees, the committee has also announced the second annual TEAM OF HONOR as part of the Hall of Fame festivities this year. Celebrating their 40th anniversary this year, the 1986 Men's Soccer Team has been named the 2026 TEAM OF HONOR after posting one of the most impressive wins in CNU history and becoming the first men's soccer team to reach the NCAA Tournament.
Following today's announcement, the four Captains will be officially inducted and the Team of Honor recognized in a special Hall of Fame ceremony during Homecoming Weekend. The group will also be recognized during the football game against William Paterson University on October 3 at 1:00 p.m.
About the Inductees:
David Rabil
Men's Golf (2015-19)
A sensational sophomore season highlighted a Hall of Fame career for southpaw David Rabil as he became just the fourth player in program history to earn First Team All-America honors. One of only nine Division III first team All-Americans in 2017, Rabil was one of only two sophomores to earn the prestigious acclaim. The 2017 Capital Athletic Conference Player of the Year won half of the tournaments he played and shattered the program record for single-season scoring average with a 72.47 mark in his second year. He finished as a semifinalist for the Division III Jack Nicklaus National Player of the Year Award and was a first team All-Conference pick.
Rabil was a two-time PING All-Region selection, a three-time VaSID All-State pick, and a four-time All-Conference honoree. At the conclusion of his career, he set the program record for scoring among players with at least 40 rounds of tournament action with a 74.86 stroke average. He still ranks in the top-five to this day and also boasts two of the top-ten single season marks in program lore. His four tournament wins in 2016-17 stand third most in CNU history and he still holds the program 36-hole scoring record with an 11-under par 133 at the 2016 VSGA Collegiate Championship. Additionally, Rabil set the program single-round scoring record in relation to par when he fired a seven-under 64 in the second round of the 2016 Golfweek Invitational.
Jon Waters
Athletics Administrator (1991-2014)
As student-athletes, coaches, and fans make their way to games on the campus of Christopher Newport University, there may be no single person who had a greater impact on the development and construction of some of the finest Division III facilities in the country than Jon Waters. During a transformational period for CNU Athletics, Waters helped usher in a new era of success and overall excellence with responsibilities including, but not limited to, budget coordination, facilities and operations, human resources, sport supervision, and coordination of NCAA postseason bids and tournament management. He worked closely with the CNU Development staff to increase revenue streams including sponsorships, licensing, and facility rentals, while he also assisted with new media initiatives including the expansion of live streaming in both quality and quantity. His impact on CNU Athletics can be seen and felt in virtually every program.
Waters started his CNU career as a student-athlete playing as part of one of the most successful teams in program history when the 1990-91 men's basketball team advanced to the Sweet 16 for the first time in school history. After his playing days, Waters joined the basketball staff as an assistant coach and spent 19 seasons assisting Woollum on the CNU bench. The Captains posted an overall record of 379-145 during that span and Waters played or coached in 13 NCAA Tournaments with five Sweet 16 appearances and one Elite Eight showing. He also took the reins as Interim Head Women's Basketball Coach in 2011-12 where he led the Captains to a 22-6 overall record and a regular season conference championship. The longtime Captain served as the Senior Associate Director of Athletics from 2010-14 and served as interim Director of Athletics for the 2012-13 academic year.
Ian Vincent
Football (2001-04)
The pioneers of CNU Football included one of the finest defensive players in program history in Lorton, Virginia native Ian Vincent. An imposing 6-2, 205-pound lineman made his impact felt immediately on the gritty record-setting startup football program in Newport News. The Captains became the first NCAA program at any level of football to win a conference title and advance to the national playoffs in its very first year of existence. A big part of that success included Vincent, who would help lift the Captains to NCAA Tournament appearances in each of his three seasons playing at CNU as Christopher Newport established itself as one of the top defensive teams in the region and across the nation.
With fellow Hall of Famer Tommy Fitzgerald, Vincent became the first player in program history to haul in second team All-Region accolades when the duo were picked by the Football Gazette in 2004. A two-time All-Conference pick, Vincent left a stamp on the program that has lasted over two-and-a-half decades. His 166 yards from tackles for a loss still rank as the most in program history while his 31.5 tackles for a loss is tied for the fifth most. He ranks second all-time in quarterback sacks, with 17.0, and has two of the top-ten single season marks with 7.5 in 2004 and 7.0 in 2003. His finest single-game performance came against Averett in 2003 when he piled up 4.0 sacks, 5.0 tackles for a loss, and 7 total tackles in the game.
Seth Woodard
Baseball (2017-19)
Despite playing only two seasons for head coach John Harvell and the Christopher Newport baseball team, Seth Woodard made an indelible mark on the program as one of the finest offensive weapons in CNU history. In his first year, Woodard earned first team All-America plaudits from the ABCA and was a third-team All-American according to D3baseball.com. He was named the Conference Player of the Year and State Player of the Year after posting one of the finest single season performances in program history. He slashed .386/.511/.705 while driving in 65 runs and scoring 57 times while reaching base in all 47 games played to mark the second longest run in program history.
Showcasing one of the nation's most disciplined eyes in his second year, he reached base at an even higher clip, .523, courtesy of his program record 59 walks to lead the country and rank in the top-ten all-time in Division III. He became just the second player in CNU baseball history to earn multiple All-American certificates after tying the chart-topping mark for runs scored with 64 while ranking third in the country. He also tied for fifth nationally in RBI by driving in 61 runs, becoming just the second player in program lore to post a pair of 60+ RBI seasons. In just two years, Woodard moved up to second in career walks (95), fourth in career home runs (24), and eighth in career RBI (126). He also is one of only two Captains to ever register a .500 or better career OBP with a .517 mark that ranks second all-time behind only fellow Hall of Famer Tab Pabst.
2026 TEAM OF HONOR
1986 Men's Soccer
After averaging less than five wins per season over the first ten years of the program, head coach Seth Roland and the Christopher Newport men's soccer team used an exceptional recruiting class to build one of the most successful units in the early era of Christopher Newport athletics with an unforgettable 1986 campaign. Featuring three Hall of Famers amongst a veteran senior class of nine, the 1986 squad registered arguably the most memorable victory in any sport over the first several decades of Christopher Newport competition to capture the program's first NCAA Tournament appearance.
Bolstered by the veteran portion of the roster, the 1986 Captains got off to a fantastic start with five shutouts in the first eight games. Christopher Newport climbed to 13th in the national coaches' poll and had an opportunity to solidify its stature with a showdown against UNC Greensboro, a national heavyweight that would win five of the six national championships between 1982 and 1987. On September 27, 1986, the Captains toppled the top-ranked Spartans, 2-1, during a Dixie Conference clash in Newport News to register the biggest win in the first two decades of the Christopher Newport men's soccer program.
Chris Frazier buried a 15-yard rocket in the 88th minute to seal the victory as the Captains collected its first triumph over a top-ranked opponent and helped carry the Captains into the national playoffs for the first time in program history. Facing a 1-0 deficit against the imposing foe, the Captains equalized on a Lui Fiscella tap-in after Chris Frazier found Bill Dittmar on a corner kick. Anchored by All-American Gerard Mosley, the defense kept the top-ranked Spartans off the board while Hall of Fame goalkeeper Rick Longobardi snared four saves. Frazier's game-winning goal found the back of the net after a pass into the box from rookie Will Sullivan.
While the 1986 squad helped usher in the end of UNC Greensboro's dynasty, it was equally important in putting Christopher Newport on the map. The Captains ended the regular season on a 10-game winning streak and earned the program's first bid to the NCAA Tournament. Eventually finishing with an 18-5-0 record, the squad wrapped up the year ranked 10th in the national coaches poll. Mosley earned first team All-American honors while Longobardi, Frazier, and Fiscella joined him on the All-Region squad. Dittmar and Junior Carter were also All-League picks while Roland was named the Dixie Conference Coach of the Year. He would go on to become the first coach in collegiate history to lead a team from all three levels of the NCAA to a top-15 ranking with success at Division II Bridgeport and Division I Fairleigh Dickinson. Mosley was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1993 and followed shortly by Frazier in 1996 and Longobardi in 1997, making Roland's initial recruiting class one of the most successful and celebrated groups of student-athletes in school history.
