A curling legend will take her rightful place in the Nova Scotia Sports Hall of Fame.
Six-time national champion Colleen Jones of Halifax is part of the Class of 2025.
She also won two World championships, and is a member of Canada’s Sports Hall of Fame.
Jones was voted the second greatest athlete in Nova Scotia, behind only Sidney Crosby.
Other inductees include boxer Ralph Hollett, the 1979 Saint Mary’s Huskies men’s basketball team, the 1982 Red Fox Senior Women’s Basketball team, and builders Bev Greenlaw and Mike MacKay.
The induction ceremony will be held in November.
Read more about the inductees here:
Athletes/Teams
Colleen Jones, Curling, Halifax: One of the greatest curlers in the history of the sport, Colleen Jones is a six-time national champion and 2-time world champion. She is also a 2-time Canadian mixed champion and a national/world senior champion. Jones is a member of Canada’s Sport Hall of Fame and in 2022 was appointed to the Order of Canada. In 2017, she was voted the 2nd greatest athlete in Nova Scotia history, behind Sidney Crosby and ahead of Al MacInnis.
Ralph Hollett, Boxing, Halifax: A three-time Canadian Middleweight Champion, Ralph Hollett had a career record of 19 wins, 10 losses, and 1 draw. During his three prime years, however, he was undefeated in 13 fights. He won his first Canadian title in 1980, scoring a huge upset win over champion Fernand Marcotte at the Halifax Metro Centre (now Scotiabank Centre). Perhaps his most famous fight was a 2nd round knockout of Chris Clarke in December of 1980, also at a sold-out Halifax Metro Centre. Ralph Hollett died of brain cancer in 2012. He was 59 years old.
Saint Mary’s Huskies, Basketball, Halifax: Considered one of the finest teams in the history of University Men’s basketball, the SMU Huskies of 1979 defeated the University of Victoria Vikings in the national championship game. The win capped a season where the Huskies compiled a remarkable won-loss record of 32-and 2. Particularly memorable about the 79 Huskies was the individual talent: captain Mickey Fox was a first-team All-Canadian and MVP of the national championship tournament, point guard Kevin Wood was conference MVP and first-team All-Canadian, forward Percy Davis was named first-team all-conference and a national championship all star, and forwards Ross Quackenbush and Tom Kappos were both members of the 1980 Canadian Olympic team. Other team members included Rick Plato, Derrick Lewis, and Jeff Gourlay. Brian Heaney was Head Coach of the 1979 Huskies, assisted by Jim Collins and Willie Follette, Alex McLellan was trainer, and John Landry, Paul Baxter, and Alan Wentworth were team managers.
1982 Red Fox Senior Women’s Basketball Team: The 1982 Red Fox Senior Women are the only women’s basketball team in the history of the province to win a national title. At the senior national championship in 1982 (held in Fredericton), the team went undefeated in five games, defeating Alberta 65-64 in the semi-final and BC in the final. The team was founded in 1981 by the late Jimmy Naugler and was comprised of Captain Elizabeth (Hampden) McKenna, Captain Patti (Langille) Hutchison, Anne Murray, Carol Rosenthall (tournament all-star), Erica Weatherbie, Jodan Hayes, Donna Hobin, Debbie Wright, Jill Tasker (tournament all-star), Caritha Greeley, and Kathy MacPherson. Bruce and Scott MacCulloch sponsored the team, Alan Waye and Jimmy Naugler shared coaching duties, and Wendy Gardiner managed the team.
Builders
Bev Greenlaw, Basketball, Grand Pre: For over half a century, Bev Greenlaw has coached at every level of basketball in the province. Among his endless list of highlights…he was the coach of the 1987 Men’s Basketball Team that won gold at the Canada Games… coach of Acadia’s Women’s Team 2008-2015… coach of Dalhousie’s Men’s Team 1987-1994… coach of University of King’s College Men’s Basketball 1979-1987… co-builder of the Community YMCA Boy’s Midget Panthers Program…coach of 2012 Under 17 NS Girls’ Provincial team, which won a silver medal at Nationals (highest ever finish for the province). In 2024, Bev Greenlaw was awarded a Doctor of Civil Law by the University of King’s College.
Mike MacKay, Basketball/Football, Truro: Mike MacKay is one of the most successful coaches the province has ever produced. While at Cobequid Education Centre, he coached the girls’ basketball team to 11 provincial finals and 7 championships AND the boys’ football team to 12 finals and 8 titles. He was the head coach of the 1989, 1993, and 1997 Canada Games Women’s Basketball teams. From 2013 to present, he has worked with the Canadian National Women’s team as the manager of high performance. Mike MacKay received the Frank Baldwin Award in 2020, given to the person making a significant, long-term contribution to basketball in Nova Scotia.
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