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PANTHER PRIDE
Legends of BSC sports
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The Birmingham-Southern Sports Hall of Fame gained six more members at the
induction ceremony in October. Pictured (l to r) are Rachel Malmborg Skweres ’05 (volleyball); John Quinn ’05 (men’s
golf); John Cairns, who accepted the honor on behalf of his late father, Buddy Cairns ’26 (football, track and field,
tennis); Joe Nasco ’07 (men’s soccer); and Joe Thigpen ’11 (football). In addition, Alex Lockett, a former volunteer golf
coach for the college, received the 2016 Bob Strain Distinguished Service Award. The award is named after the late
1940 BSC alum who founded the hall of fame in 1981.
A new era for soccer
In the first fall after longtime head men’s coach Preston Goldfarb retired, BSC soccer
had two new head coaches in longtime men’s assistant coach Greg Vinson ’96 and
David DiPiazza ’98, who is leading the women.
Vinson, a 2000 BSC Hall of Fame inductee, closed the 2016 season with a 9-6-1
overall record. He was a three-year captain and All-American on the pitch for BSC and
spent 20 years coaching alongside Goldfarb. His assistant coach, Joe Nasco ’07, played
professionally for four years after his career at BSC.
Under DiPiazza’s leadership, the women finished 2016 with a 7-10 overall record,
3-4 in Southern Athletic Association play. Before returning to the Hilltop, he led
teams to six high school state titles and was a four-time National Federation of State
High School Associations Coach of the Year. As a student, he won two conference
championships and a regional title.
Vinson
DiPiazza