2020 Athletic Hall of Fame Inductees

Jane, together with her late husband, Frank Batten, Sr., founder and retired chairman of Landmark Communications, has played a major role in redefining the cultural, educational, and athletic landscape of Virginia Wesleyan University. Named for the University's Trustee Emerita, the Jane P. Batten Student Center is the high-traffic hotspot of student activity, recreation, and public events in the heart of campus.

Used year-round, the area hosts convocations, college and career fairs, and a score of recreational activities and sports. Known as the hub of athletics, the Batten Student Center houses the natatorium for men's and women's swimming, training rooms, the recently renovated donor-funded men's and women's locker rooms, an indoor track, and the athletics administrative suite.

Every athlete, every student-athlete, faculty and staff member, and countless residents of the Coastal Virginia community have benefitted from this facility. Recognized as a state-of-the-art facility when it opened, it remains so today. We are grateful for Jane's significant contributions and service to athletics and recognize that the true scope of that service touches every member of the University community.

George and Sue Birdsong and the Birdsong families have been special friends to the University dating back to its inception in 1961. At the inaugural Founders Day in 2016, George delivered the keynote speech about how this old cornfield, previously called Smith Farm, went from growing corn to growing fine graduates.

The Birdsongs have supported many notable projects across multiple areas of the University — academics, student life, community service, and intercollegiate athletics. Birdsong Field, dedicated in 2015, is a capstone facility for intercollegiate sports, housing men's and women's lacrosse, and field hockey. Its iconic structure sets the tone for the athletics complexes throughout the University.

Jessica Gosnell was a key contributor in her four years as a Marlin, helping the squad post a 66-15-6 record. Working as a forward, Gosnell is No. 2 in career assists (34), posting a Virginia Wesleyan best with 14 assists during the 2011 season. She also ranks No. 6 in total goals (38) and No. 4 in total points (110).

During her tenure, Gosnell was named an All-Conference member all four years and was crowned the conference's Scholar-Athlete of the Year in 2012. She became just the second player in program history to be tabbed an All-American twice. Gosnell lives in Chesapeake, Virginia, with her husband and two dogs. She is a Practice Lead with Aerotek, a recruiting and staffing agency.

Tori Higginbotham-Abbey is one of the most decorated athletes to ever don a Marlin uniform. The outfielder was a four-year starter, doing most of her damage at the plate. She tops the VWU record books in career batting average (.449), career hits (245), hits in a season (70), career runs scored (209), and ranks No. 2 in home runs (31).

Over her career, she was tabbed an All-ODAC Player all four years and was the only player in conference history to be named Player of the Year three times. She was a four-time All-Region Player and a three-time All-American, and excelled in the classroom as an Academic All-American in 2014. Higginbotham-Abbey works for Anthem, Inc., and lives with her husband, David, in Glen Allen, Virginia.

Nancy Moore was an anomaly among the collegiate athletics world, excelling in not one but two different sports. A four-year starter on the basketball team, Moore finished her career No. 5 in total points (1,323) and No. 2 in career made 3-pointers (241). She was also in the starting lineup as shortstop all four years in softball, ranking No. 3 in career assists (330) and No. 5 in runs scored (147).

Perhaps her most impressive feat was earning All-Conference accolades all four years in both basketball and softball. In basketball, she held records for most field goals in a season by a first-year player (149), most 3-point field goals in a season (50), and most assists in a game (15). She received honorable mention once, was a First Teamer three years, and was named First Team All-Region in 2000. Moore is a Senior Analyst in Digital Marketing for Lewis Media Partners and resides with her family in New Kent, Virginia.

Chris Yeager was voted the Blue Marlins' Rookie of the Year in 1990, top Defender in 1992, and Most Valuable Player in 1993. Also in 1993, he was named VWU's Best Male Athlete. Yeager started all 85 games during his collegiate career and was named to the NCAA Division III All-South Atlantic Region team in 1992 and 1993.

Yeager served as an assistant coach for the Marlins from 1994–1999, during which time the team compiled a 77-21-5 overall record, won three ODAC championships and appeared in the NCAA Division III National Tournament four times. Yeager lives in Lynchburg, Virginia, with his family and is the Head Men's Soccer Coach at the University of Lynchburg.