CSU Announces 2010 Athletic Hall of Fame Class

Columbus, Ga. -- Columbus State University Hall of Fame President Scott Miller has announced the members of the 2010 class of inductees. Three former Cougar greats - two athletes and one coach - will be inducted in April. 

Former baseball player Phillip Montpas, former golfer Diego Ventureira, and Larry Kees, the founding coach for the CSU women's fastpitch softball program are the 2010 inductees.

"This year's class is really outstanding," said Miller. "We have athletes who earned All-American honors and won National Championships, and a coach who started one of our programs and laid the foundation for its future success. I'm excited about the opportunity to welcome them into the CSU Athletic Hall of Fame Family."

Montpas was a 1st Team All-American in 1984, leading the Cougars to their first-ever Division II College World Series appearance. He hit .368 with 18 doubles, 13 homeruns and drove in 76 runs. Those numbers also earned him 1st Team All South Atlantic Region honors. His RBI total stood as a single-season record at CSU for a time, as did his career batting average of .382.  In 1983, Montpas batted .411 with 13 doubles, six homers and 38 RBI, earning 1st Team All South Atlantic Region honors.

A two-time 1st Team All-American, Ventureira won the NCAA Division II individual title as he led CSU to the National Championship. In 1991, he led the Cougars to a runner-up finish at the national tournament and was named a 3rd Team All-American. In 1990 - his first year in Columbus, he helped lead CSU to another runner-up finish and was a 1st Team All-American.

Kees, employed at the time as CSU Student Activities Director, became the second head softball coach at CSU in 1982. The program was participating in slow-pitch softball at the time and had posted a mark of 5-60 in the previous two seasons. In his first season, Kees posted a 26-21 slate and went on to a four-year record of 142-55 in slow pitch. During that span his squads won three state championships and two conference titles. In 1986, CSU and the NCAA switched over to fastpitch softball competition and, over the next seven years, Kees guided the program to a mark of 150-113. That gave him a combined mark of 292-168 in 11 seasons at the helm of the program. His teams one a conference championship in 1990 and lost in the first-ever Peach Belt Conference Championship game in 1992. After leaving coaching, Kees stayed active as he helped institute PBC championship competitions for cheerleading, dance, and pep band. He also initiated the formation of the dance team and pep bands at CSU through his work in the Student Affairs department and later retired as Vice President for Student Affairs.

The trio of inductees will be honored at the annual induction ceremony which will take place on Thursday, April 8, 2010, in the President's Club suite at the Lumpkin Center.