Kevin Cooney helped start FAU Hall of Fame, now will join it on Feb. 24
By Marcus Nelson
What’s news on Thursday…
There are probably many out there who didn’t know Florida Atlantic has a Hall of Fame for athletics, but it does.
And one of the biggest reasons there is a Hall of Fame is because of former FAU baseball coach Kevin Cooney, who will be inducted into that same Hall of Fame on Feb. 24 at a ceremony.
Here’s some background.
You see Cooney, who coached at FAU for more than 20 seasons, cared deeply for FAU and suggested for many years that it should have a Hall of Fame to honor the student-athletes, coaches and administrators who made it a special place.
But for a myriad of reasons, FAU seemed to be taking its time to establishing a Hall of Fame. Fed-up with the process, Cooney launched his own and the FAU Baseball Hall of Fame announced its first class in 2005.
Well, wouldn’t you know it, a year later FAU finally got around to establishing a Hall of Fame for the entire athletics department in 2006 - the year after Cooney's FAU Baseball Hall of Fame was started.
Would the FAU Hall of Fame exist if Cooney hadn’t started his own? Oh, I’m sure it would have come around eventually. Perhaps it just took Cooney’s vision and energy in establishing one for the successful baseball program to give the decision-makers a little nudge.
Hey, maybe those improvements for the baseball stadium that seem to be moving at the same pace FAU’s Hall of Fame was for a while could use a nydge as well.
Cooney will be inducted along with women’s basketball standout Shontavia Williams.
Here is the prerequisite background on Cooney and Williams and how to attend the ceremony to be held at 6 p.m. on Feb. 24 - just 30 minutes before the baseball home opener vs. Manhattan that same night.
Congratulations to both for making the FAU Hall of Fame.
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