New Sports Hall of Fame Members to be Inducted

Lester Ratcliff of the great Class of 1984 owned the Rockhurst High School track & field record board during the 1980s as a three-year varsity sprinter. In his senior season, Lester was All-State in both the 100 and 200 meters, running 10.98 for 6th place and 22.58 for 7th place, respectively. By graduation, he held school records in the 60, 100, 200, and 400 meter sprints, as well as being a member of the 4x100 and 4x200 relay records. Lester also utilized his speed and athleticism on the football field and basketball court, where he was a two-year letterman in each. He was selected as an All-Metro Honorable Mention cornerback on the 1983 State Championship football team.

 

Justin Dro of the great Class of 1997 was a name recognized throughout the state in both football and track & field. Justin became a starter on the football team as just a sophomore, eventually working his way to being an All-District, All-Metro, and 1st Team All-State offensive lineman as a senior. He also won Rockhurst’s Bukaty Award, the top recognition within the program, as well as the KC Star Scholar-Athlete for Rockhurst. In shot put, Justin was the State runner-up as both a junior and a senior, throwing further than 56-feet in both meets.

 

Jon Lecuyer of the great Class of 2001 became the fourth-ever Rockhurst lacrosse player to be inducted into the Sports Hall of Fame. A four-year starting defender and two-time captain, Jon helped lead The Rock to four straight State Final Four appearances, including the first State Finals berth in program history in 2001, as the Hawklets took home 2nd place. Jon earned 1st Team All-Conference and All-State honors three times, and was named to the US Lacrosse National All-Star Game. Jon still holds the career groundballs record, and his single season mark of 98 groundballs is 3rd most for a defender, and 9th most overall.

 

Ryan Reid of the great Class of 2003 was a four-time All-State doubles player and two-time doubles State Champ. He made an immediate impact on the storied Rockhurst Tennis program as just a freshman, despite the team having already won four consecutive State Championships and having plenty of talent at every level. He earned a spot on varsity and played on the 6th Place doubles team at State while helping Rockhurst win its fifth straight team title. Ryan would be part of Rockhurst team championships each of the next three years as well. In his sophomore and junior seasons, Ryan won doubles State Titles with two different teammates, and then was doubles runner-up in 2003, only beaten by another Rockhurst duo.

 

Allan Smith of the great Class of 2005 remains as one of the greatest defensive linemen to play for the Football Hawklets. Only a sophomore, Allan led Rockhurst in sacks on the undefeated 2002 State Championship team that allowed just 10 points per game over the historic 13-game season. As an upperclassman, Allan was the focal point of the defense as he received 1st Team All-State defensive honors as both a junior and senior. He recorded 13 sacks and 85 tackles in only 11 games as a senior and won the 2004 Buck Buchanan Award, given to the best linebacker, defensive or offensive lineman in Kansas City. He remains the program’s career leader in sacks with 26 over three seasons, where the Hawklets allowed just 11 points per game while Allan was on the field, and combined for a career win/loss record of 30-5. For his work, Allan was named a PrepStar and SuperPrep All-American in 2004.

 

Phillip Strozier of the great Class of 2006 made winning plays to lead Rockhurst on the field and on the court. An eight-time varsity letterman in football, basketball, and track, Phillip chose to focus on football and basketball. At his defensive back position, he was twice selected 1st Team All-State as the Hawklets went a combined 19-4 record over his junior and senior seasons. Phillip was then named the 2005 KC Metro Defensive Player of the Year, while also Rockhurst’s leading wideout in receptions, yards, and touchdowns. As a versatile guard, he set the tone on offensive and defense as he earned All-Metro and 2nd Team All-State basketball honors. Phillip helped guide the Hawklets to the Final Four in his last two seasons as The Rock went 48-14, and no play was bigger than his game-winning putback at the buzzer against Lee’s Summit North in the 2006 State Quarterfinals, sending Rockhurst back to Columbia. That season, he averaged 8 points, 5 rebounds, and 6 assists per game.

 

Coach Mark Nusbaum - Basketball, Golf

Coach Mark Nusbaum was born and raised in Iowa, but he has a special place in Rockhurst High School history. He joined The Rock in 1999 and immediately got to work. In his first season leading the Basketball Hawklets, the team made its first Final Four appearance since 1989. In Coach Nusbaum’s 14 years as head coach, Rockhurst made the State Final Four five times, notching two 3rd Place finishes, a State Runner-Up, and a State Championship in his final season in 2013. He owns the most wins in program history with 284 after averaging over 20 wins per season, and was inducted into the Missouri Basketball Coaches Association Hall of Fame in 2013. Coach Nusbaum was called back to lead the Hawklets again in 2014, but this time on the links. He has since served as the head golf coach for eight seasons (didn’t coach in 2016, and 2020 season was canceled), helping win two State Titles, two Runners-Up, and three 3rd Place finishes to go along with coaching two individual State Champions.

Learn more about Rockhurst's Hall of Fame here.