WASHINGTON – Longtime administrator Athena Argyropoulos, two-time All-American wrestler Kyle Borshoff and two-time Patriot League men's basketball champions Garrison Carr and Derrick Mercer comprise the Class of 2023 for the Stafford H. "Pop" Cassell Hall of Fame. The four will be inducted during a ceremony at AU's Washington College of Law on Saturday, Feb. 18.

Argyropoulos gave 19 years to American University Athletics as an administrator, four as a student-athlete, and 18 more in the School of Public Affairs.

"I am so excited for Athena to be inducted into the Stafford H. "Pop" Cassell Hall of Fame, Class of 2023, on the fiftieth anniversary of the passage of Title IX," said Director of Athletics and Recreation Dr. Billy Walker. "Athena made an unbelievable impact on the lives of countless student-athletes with her deep compassion and genuine interest in every student-athlete with whom she had contact. She is a shining light of enthusiasm and optimism that is a lesson for us all. Whether it be in our department, in the Patriot League or at the NCAA level, Athena made a difference wherever she was. I can think of no better person to be inducted as an administrator than Athena Argyropoulos."
 
The three student-athletes have a total of seven NCAA Championships appearances between them. Carr and Mercer were teammates from 2005-09 who led men's basketball to Patriot League titles in both 2008 and 2009, garnering numerous conference and national honors along the way. Borshoff was a three-time NCAA qualifier for wrestling who placed in the top eight as both a junior and senior to earn All-American honors.
 
"These three champions are absolutely deserving of Hall of Fame status, and we are thrilled to welcome them back to campus to honor their amazing accomplishments," said Walker. "Their talent and hard work helped make the early 2000s one of the most memorable periods in the history of AU Athletics. We look forward to celebrating the induction Class of 2023 and welcoming all alumni and friends to join us for this memorable event."

Timeline:
2:00 p.m. Men's Basketball vs. Lehigh @ Bender Arena

• All Hall of Fame members in attendance will be recognized at halftime

4:30 p.m. Cocktail Reception (Hors d'Oeuvres and open bar) @ Claudio Grossman Hall at Washington College of Law
6:00 p.m. Dinner and Induction Ceremony @ Claudio Grossman Hall at Washington College of Law

Registration Information:
$90 per person (includes ticket to basketball game)
For questions, or to purchase a table (7 seats), please contact Michael Gardner at mtg@american.edu or 202-885-3144
Registration closes on February 11, 2023, or when event sells out. Early registration is recommended.

How To Register
aueagles.com/HallofFame2023

Bios of the inductees follow: 

ATHENA ARGYROPOULOS, ADMINISTRATOR (2001-20)
With 19 years of service to American University Athletics as an administrator, Athena Argyropoulos retired from her longtime career in 2020. She had spent the previous five years as the Senior Associate Director of Athletics/Senior Woman Administrator after being promoted in 2015. Argyropoulos was responsible for overseeing the daily operations of the athletics department, while also serving as American's liaison with various NCAA and Patriot League committees. She had administrative oversight of men's and women's basketball, field hockey, cross country, track & field, wrestling, sports medicine and student-athlete welfare. In 2008, Argyropoulos was the recipient of the NACWAA Division I National Administrator of the Year award. In 2022, she was named one of the Patriot League's "Trailblazers of Distinction" as the league celebrates 50 years of Title IX. She is a 1978 graduate of American with a bachelor's degree in Administration of Justice. She has also completed graduate coursework in the Health Fitness Management program at American. A student-athlete during her undergraduate years, Argyropoulos lettered in field hockey and basketball for the Eagles. She went on to serve as an NCAA Division I women's basketball official for 18 years, working a number of NCAA tournament games. She was also a member of the U.S. National Staff and officiated a number of national team trials, the women's opener of the 1996 Olympics and the Junior Olympics.

KYLE BORSHOFF, WRESTLING (2007-10)
One of six American wrestlers to earn multiple All-American honors, Kyle Borshoff was a top-eight finisher twice at the NCAA Championships for the Eagles. He placed seventh as a junior in 2009 and eighth as a senior in 2010, earning two All-American honors at 149 pounds. Borshoff was a two-time Midlands Championships placewinner and four-time EIWA placewinner, finishing as high as third in 2009 and taking fourth in 2007 to qualify for the NCAA Championships a total of three times. His 102 wins are tied for the seventh-most in school history, with his 53 dual wins ranking fourth. After graduating from the Kogod School of Business in 2010, Borshoff spent five years as an assistant coach for the Eagels including four as the head assistant. He then moved on to coach at Binghamton University where he has served as the head coach since 2017 for a program that has produced eight NCAA qualifiers in his tenure.

GARRISON CARR, BASKETBALL (2005-09)
Standout guard Garrison Carr, the best three-point shooter to ever come through the men's basketball program, led the Eagles to back-to-back Patriot League titles in 2008 and 2009. The PL Tournament MVP in both seasons, Carr was also named to the All-Patriot League First Team in each of those years and was named to the NABC All-District First Team as a senior in 2008-09. Carr sank 302 three-pointers as an Eagle which still ranks first all-time, and he holds the top two spots for three-pointers made in a season with 135 in 2007-08 and 114 in 2008-09. Carr's career three-point percentage of .409 ranks ninth in the record books, and his 119 career games played ranks in a tie for sixth. He finished his career with 1,412 points which now ranks 14th all-time, with his 606 points in 2007-08 ranking eighth all-time in a single season. In 2015, Carr was named to the Patriot League's 25th Anniversary Team along with teammate and fellow inductee Derrick Mercer. Carr graduated from American with a bachelor's degree in marketing from the Kogod School of Business in 2009, and has been employed by Amazon Web Services for nearly nine years.

DERRICK MERCER, BASKETBALL (2005-09)
One of just two in men's basketball program history to earn Associated Press honorable mention All-America honors, Derrick Mercer was also the 2009 Patriot League Player of the Year. He led the Eagles to back-to-back Patriot League titles in 2008 and 2009, and was an All-PL First Team selection as a senior after earning second team honors as a junior. Mercer was a standout from the beginning, and was named the Patriot League's Rookie of the Year as a freshman in 2006. He ranks 23rd all-time in program history with 1,285 career points, and second in career assists with 524. Mercer's 44.6 percent three-point shooting accuracy ranks fifth on the season list, his 124 games played is still tied for third all-time and his 122 career starts ranks second all-time. In 2015, Mercer was named to the Patriot League's 25th Anniversary Team along with teammate and fellow inductee Garrison Carr. Mercer graduated with a bachelor's degree in audio production from the College of Arts and Sciences in 2009, and his professional basketball career included getting drafted by the Harlem Globetrotters. He now works for Jersey City Public Schools and serves as the head coach for the Jersey City AAU Heat.

Pop Cassell Hall of Fame