GREENVILLE – The Greenville Athletic Hall of Fame added three to its long list of outstanding athletes with its 33rd annual induction ceremony.
Macie Blinn, Nick Hiller and Abbie Shell were recognized on Saturday afternoon at a luncheon held at the Greenville Elks Lodge, and then again that night they were introduced to the audience prior to the Coldwater-Greenville varsity boys basketball gym.
Blinn, a 2008 Greenville graduate, was a three-sport star for the Wave earning 11 varsity letters in volleyball, basketball and softball. In volleyball, Blinn helped lead the Lady Wave to a Mid-Miami League championship her junior season and she was named to the first team All-District as a senior. She recorded career totals of more than 500 kills and digs and served at a rate of more than 96 percent for the Lady Wave. On the softball diamond, Blinn was a four-year starter where she played center field and helped lead Greenville to the 2007 Division II state championship. For her career, she had more than 100 hits, collected more than 100 RBIs and scored more than 100 runs as her teams went 109-19 in four seasons.
Greenville softball coach Jerrod Newland called Blinn “one of the best outfielders” he has ever coached. “She is a true gamer who made some huge plays and had some clutch hits during our title run. She is a Lady Wave softball legend.”
On the basketball court, Blinn also was a four-year starter averaging 18.7 points per game for her career. She also shot 80 percent from the foul line in her career. In her senior season alone, Blinn shot better than 40 percent from 3-point range, averaged 22.5 points per game and established Lady Wave records for most points in a game (42), a season (450) and a career (1,511), which is second in school history only to Clay Guillozet’s 1,583 points which he established upon his graduation in 2016.
“This really means a lot,” Blinn said. “All the hard work that I put into it and all the driving my parents did it really means everything to my family and I just want to thank the community for always being there and cheering us on. It really means a lot to us. It was a special time in my life that 10 years later is still special to me. I wish I was back there, so it just means a lot.”
Hiller, a 2001 graduate, played football and wrestled for the Green Wave. In football, Hiller was named to the third team All-Ohio as a middle linebacker and fullback, but it was on the wrestling mat where he shine the most. Hiller was the Darke County Wrestler of the Year, as well as the GMVC and sectional champion, district runner-up and a two-time Division I state qualifier in his weight class. Hiller reached the podium in fifth place for his highest placement at the state tournament.
Hiller’s wrestling career continued at the junior college level after high school where he was a two-time National Junior College Athletic Association national qualifier, an NJCAA All-American (4th place) and was the Bruce Traphagen Award winner for most falls in the NJCAA National Tournament. His achievements led to a full scholarship at Kent State University his final two years.
“It is a great honor to me personally,” Hiller said. “Mainly because I know what it would have meant to my late father . He was such a big influence in me and my brothers’ lives with athletics. His life revolved around us and our athletics so it would be a huge honor for him if he was here today.
“It is a really special time,” he continued. “It is the first time I’ve been able to bring my wife (Blair) back to my hometown, so to bring her back for the first time and allow here to see this part of my past and what athletics meant to me and my family it is very special. She has heard the all the ‘fishing stories’ and now she gets to hear the reality too so it is special for us to come back to town together for the first time for something like this.”
Shell, a 2007 graduate, was an outstanding Lady Wave softball player. She was a four-year starter for Coach Newland accumulating 72 wins as a pitcher and 140 career hits. Shell had a stellar pitching record of 26-4 in her senior year of 2007, the year the Lady Wave won the Division II state championship. She was named all-league three years, and was an All-Ohio selection three times. Shell also was named softball’s Miss Ohio in 2007.
“For me I wouldn’t be here without my parents, my coaches and my team,” Shell said. “I was lucky enough to be on a really good team with a lot of really good athletes, but it is definitely nice to be recognized by your community and the school that you represented. It is just amazing.
“It also is very special to be able to go in to the Hall with a teammate,” she continued. “Like we said Macie and I played together since we were 7 years old so looking back then to now it is amazing. A lot of special memories. We played all different sports together growing up so it is really cool to see her get recognized too. She is such a great athlete. She could do anything. To see us 10-11 years later we are here together that is just very special.”
The addition of Blinn, Hiller and Shell brings the Hall’s total membership to 109 players and coaches.
“They are all well deserving people and it was great to be able to recognize them here today,” said Ty House, chairman of the Greenville Athletic Hall of Fame committee. “It is really good group of athletes and it is an honor for us to make that presentation here today.
“We are at 109 members now and everyone of them represents an outstanding athlete as well as a scholar athlete,” he continued. “We are very fortunate at Greenville to have a fine community and a fine system that raises good and responsible athletes and members of society.”