Note: Hatter Fun Facts is an ongoing series that shares curiosities about Stetson to the Stetson Community with the help of our archivist, Elizabeth Maycumber. All images are courtesy of the duPont-Ball Library Archives and Special Collections.

This summer, as the world’s most elite athletes competed for glory at the 2024 Paris Olympics, perhaps you’ve wondered if Stetson has had any olympians, or ties to the Olympic Games, in its storied past. The answer is a most definitive yes!

Stetson’s former star baseball catcher Nick Rickles ’11 was the first Hatter to compete as an Olympian as part of Israel’s national baseball team at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. Although Israel did not ultimately medal that summer, Rickles played a decisive role in defeating Mexico 12-5, marking the first time Israel ever won an Olympic baseball game.

This is hardly surprising because as a Hatter, Rickles was a standout catcher, earning kudos such as Freshman All-America Honors in 2009, recognition on the Johnny Bench Award watch list in 2010 and All-America Honors in 2011. During his Junior year, he led Stetson to 43 wins, an Atlantic Sun Conference regular season championship and a trip to the NCAA regional in Columbia, S.C., before being drafted by Oakland Athletics in June 2011. Rickles spent seven years in the minor leagues, playing for 12 different teams.

Double Hatter Sara Staff Jernigan ’35, ’37 MA — a Stetson University Professor Emerita — was the first woman to be named an honorary member of the International Olympics Committee, an accolade bestowed after years of dedicated service to the International Olympics and the cause of women’s physical education.

Jernigan, a former Women’s Athletic Director, was on Stetson’s faculty for forty years until her retirement in 1977. She was chairman of the women’s board of the U.S. Olympic Development Committee from 1961 until 1969. An active member of the National Association for Physical Education of College Women, she also served on its governing board and as president of its southern affiliate.

In 1987, Jernigan received the prestigious R. Tait McKenzie Award from the American Alliance for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance, in honor of her lifetime achievements. As an honorary life member of the International Olympic Academy, Jernigan lectured at the academy and attended many torch lighting ceremonies as well as many Olympic Games all around the world.

On another note, Stetson alumni have even left their mark in Olympics design and music.

Ret Turner ’50, was one of the principal designers of the uniforms and costumes worn during the opening and closing ceremonies of the 1984 Olympics in Los Angeles. A Theater major at Stetson, Turner had a legendary career as a Hollywood costume designer, being nominated for twenty-three Emmy Awards and ultimately winning five for Costume Design. Turner also was honored with a 2002 Career Achievement Award from the Costume Designers Guild. 

David J. Roselle ’66 and a senior technical associate for AT&T in Atlanta, was an associate envoy to the delegation from Zaire during the 1996 Centennial Olympics, and designed and maintained an Olympics webpage that hosted more than 1.5 million online visitors.

Gerard K. Marino ’98, is a voice actor and award-winning composer for video games and film who scored the music for a commercial for NBC’s 2006 Winter Olympics. Known for a prolific body of work including his score for the Greek mythology-based Sony Playstation game God of War, Marino was the recipient of Stetson’s 2004 Outstanding Young Alumni Award.

Three cheers for these Stetson legends, and for all of our Hatters constantly striving for gold!

– Elizabeth Maycumber, Archivist