Hall of Honor - Northwest Independent School District

Class of 2025-2026

Using established guidelines for each category, the Northwest ISD Athletic Department has announced the 2025-2026 Hall of Honor class, celebrating student-athletes, coaches and athletic supporters who have made exceptional contributions to school programs.

Since the district’s inception 75 years ago, many high-achieving student-athletes and teams have represented Northwest ISD with distinction. The Hall of Honor was created in 2023 to recognize these individuals and teams as well as the support systems behind them.

Student Athletes

Lexie Basham

Byron Nelson High School - Girls Wrestling

A 2020 graduate from Byron Nelson High School, Lexie competed on the Bobcat wrestling team. At the conclusion of her high school career, she had a record of 202-8, was a four-time state qualifier, and won two UIL State Championships. Upon graduation from Byron Nelson, she went to Texas Wesleyan University on a wrestling scholarship where she was a two-time NAIA National Champion. Lexie went on to compete for the U.S. World Team, earning a spot for the U.S. Olympic Trials. Lexie now serves as a high school wrestling coach in the DFW metroplex.

Image of woman entering a wrestling match

Kim Coffey North

Northwest High School - Volleyball, Basketball, Track

Kim graduated from Northwest High School in 1994 where she competed in volleyball, basketball, and track. She was a four-year letterman for the Lady Texans basketball team, earning 1st team all-district honors as well as making the all-region team. In track, Kim competed in the high jump, 4X200 relay, and 4X400 relay where she was a regional qualifier in all three events. As a member of the Texan volleyball team, she was a two-time district MVP, 4A State Tournament MVP, Star Telegram Player of the Year, Dallas Morning News MVP, and played in the TGCA All Star game. Kim attended the University of North Texas on a volleyball scholarship where she earned 1993-1994 Newcomer of the Year, Southland Conference MVP, and Southland Conference tournament MVP. The following year, she transferred to the University of Oklahoma where she finished her collegiate career.

Image of female with long curly hair posing for volleyball photo

HAYDEN SPRINGER

Byron Nelson High School - Boys Golf

Hayden graduated from Byron Nelson High School in 2015 where he was a four-year letterman for the Bobcat golf team. He is the only male golfer in school history to compete in the district, regional, and state tournaments all four years. He won numerous awards, which included All-Region and All-State his junior and senior year. Hayden won the individual district championship in his senior year and still holds the Byron Nelson scoring record with a round of 64. He continued his golf career at Texas Tech University from 2015-2017. In 2018 he transferred to TCU where he won the Big 12 Individual Championship in 2019. Hayden holds his PGA tour card and is 1 of 5 players in PGA tour history to break 60 in competition, recording a 59 in the first round of the 2024 John Deere Classic.

Coach

Steve Melbourn

Northwest and Byron Nelson high schools - Swimming and Diving

Coach Melbourn served the NISD Swim and Dive program for 29 years. Steve coached the Northwest Texans from 1995-2012 before starting the swim and dive program at Byron Nelson High School in 2009. He led both the Texans and Bobcats for four years, then served as Byron Nelson’s head coach until 2024. During his tenure as head swim coach, Steve won 10 team District Championships, and eight Regional Championships. He coached 91 state qualifiers, nine state medalists, and eight high school All-Americans. He received District Coach of the Year honors 20 times and Regional Coach of the Year 10 times. Coach Melbourn was inducted into the Texas Amateur Athletic Federation Hall of Fame in 2012.

Teams

1975-1976 Northwest High school Baseball

There’s a common phrase in athletics that goes ‘play as hard as you can as long as you can’. Led by head coach Greg Slaughter, that’s exactly what the 1975-1976 Northwest baseball team did. The Texans started the season 4-0 and were confident they could keep the momentum as district games were about to begin. District ended with the Texans claiming the District Championship by going 8-0 and pushing their overall record to 12-0. In the Bi-District round of the playoffs the Texans faced Keller where they won the first two games of the best of three. Northwest advanced to the Regional Finals where they found Midlothian High School as their next opponent. The Texans won game one by a score of 4-0 and game two 2-1. The victory earned the Texans a Regional Championship and ended their season with a perfect record of 16-0. In 1975-1976, class 2A baseball could only advance as far as the Regional Finals.

Image of black and white baseball team photo

2019-2020 Byron Nelson High School Volleyball

The 2019 Bobcat volleyball team began their season with a trip to Hawaii to play in the prestigious Ann Kang Invitational. On the final day of the tournament the Bobcats would play in the championship match where they lost to Redondo Union High School. When the team returned home, they played in the NISD Classic where they went undefeated and were tournament champions. The Bobcats rolled through district play, going 13-1 and claiming the 5-6A Championship. The UIL State Playoffs began with a Bi-District win over Coppell followed by victories over Waxahachie, Flower Mound, El Paso Montwood, and Denton Guyer. The Bobcats advanced to the UIL State Championships where they defeated Schertz Clemons in the semifinals and Plano West in the finals to win the 6A UIL State Championship. They ended the season with a record of 50-2 and became the first volleyball team in NISD history to win a state championship.

Image of volleyball team and coaches posing with trophy

Contributor/Sponsor

Dr. Kerry Donegan

Dr. Kerry Donegan has dedicated more than three decades to the health and wellbeing of Northwest ISD student-athletes, serving as Team Physician for Northwest High School for the past 33 years. Born and raised in Madison, Wisconsin, Dr. Donegan is a proud graduate of Edgewood High School. He continued his education at the University of Wisconsin for both college and medical school, then completed his orthopedic residency and sports medicine fellowship at the University of Texas Health Science Center in San Antonio. In 1992, he partnered with Dr. Pat Peters to co-found North Texas Orthopedics and Spine Center, where he has practiced as an orthopedic surgeon for the past 35 years. Today, the award-winning practice is recognized across the region for its excellence in patient care and community outreach – including annual free physicals for local athletes and ongoing partnerships with nonprofits throughout North Texas. “Being part of these students’ journeys – watching them grow stronger, recover from setbacks, and take the field with confidence – has been one of the greatest honors of my life,” says Dr. Donegan. “Northwest ISD isn’t just a district I serve – it’s a community I’m proud to stand with.”

Class of 2023
Class of 2024

Class of 2023

The Northwest ISD Athletic Department has announced the inaugural class for its new Hall of Honor, celebrating student-athletes, coaches and athletic supporters who have made exceptional contributions to school programs.

Using established guidelines for each category, the Hall of Honor selection committee has chosen members of the program’s Class of 2023. Members of the Northwest ISD Athletics Hall of Honor Class of 2023 include:

Student Athletes

Brittany Barnhill

Northwest High School alumna Brittnay Barnhill led her Texan softball teams to the UIL state tournament in 2005 and 2006, earning numerous awards throughout her career. In 2007, she was named the Texas Gatorade Player of the Year and Texas 5A Player of the Year, and she earned all-state honors in three years. She went on to play for the University of Texas and the University of Mississippi. She currently coaches the Eaton High School varsity softball team.

Marty Green

Northwest High School alumnus Marty Green passed for 5,730 yards during his football career for the Texans, throwing for more than 300 yards in multiple games, a rare accomplishment in the 1970s. He was a four-year starter for the Texans in football, also competing in baseball, basketball, and track and field. He led the baseball team to a 2A regional championship, which at the time was the furthest a 2A school could advance. He earned a full scholarship from Texas A&M University for baseball, though he eventually transferred to Pan-American University and was drafted by the Philadelphia Phillies in the third round, though he returned to PAU and never played in the MLB.

Dustin May

Northwest High School alumnus Dustin May earned numerous accolades throughout his high school baseball career, with the Los Angeles Dodgers drafting the right-handed pitcher in 2016. He has since gone on to win the MLB World Series with the team in 2020. Entering his fifth season playing in the MLB, he is a starting pitcher who has won 12 games with 174 strikeouts and an ERA of 3.10. In 2020, he was the opening day starter for the Dodgers, becoming the youngest player to earn that honor since 1981.

Coaches

Teresa Smith

Teresa Smith supported students and coaches at Northwest ISD for 25 years, beginning as head volleyball coach and assistant track coach at Northwest High School. Her volleyball teams advanced to the playoffs eight times, winning two district titles and multiple top-10 state rankings. Her 1993 volleyball team earned silver medals with a runner-up finish in the UIL 4A State Volleyball Tournament, the same year she earned the Dallas Morning News Coach of the Year. She also served as the Texans’ girls athletic coordinator and the district’s assistant athletic director until her retirement in 2014.

Howard Putter

Howard Putter served as the longtime coach of the Byron Nelson Bobcat boys soccer team, leading the team to its 2014 UIL state championship. He started the school’s soccer program in 2011 before retiring a decade later after amassing more than 500 wins over the course of his 35-year coaching career. His 562-181-67 career record ranked him sixth in all-time boys soccer wins in Texas at the time of his retirement. In 2015, the UIL awarded Coach Putter the top honor of the NFHS State Coach of the Year.

Teams

1972 Northwest High School Boys Basketball

The 1972 Northwest Texan boys basketball team earned one of the most illustrious playoff runs in district history, finishing the season with a record of 33-2 and a trip to the 2A Regional Tournament. The team earned district and bi-district championships and defeated defending state champion Hughes Spring High School in the regional semifinal by a score of 105-82. The Texans played in the regional final just a few hours later and lost to Waco Midway by 2 points. The team was coached by Perry Elkins and included Mike Boaldin, Bobby Henry, Craig Lindsey, David McClary, Chris Moncrief, Mark Schluter, Randy Smith, Bruce Steele, Gary Wallum and Randy Wilson.

2013 Byron Nelson High School Girls Golf

Byron Nelson High School’s girls golf program earned Northwest ISD’s first UIL athletic title when the 2013 varsity team won the UIL 4A Girls Golf State Championship. To win the championship, the Bobcats surpassed Montgomery, which had won 11 of the 12 previous 4A girls state golf titles. Throughout the year, the Bobcats were consistently ranked either first or second in the 4A state poll. Coached by Barry Hawkins, members of the team include Alexandra Batista, Zoey Daneshfar, Aimee Mires, Maty Monzingo and Allyson Springer.

Contributors/Sponsors

Val and Kandy Franklin

Longtime community members Val and Kandy Franklin raised two children who graduated from Northwest High School and have five grandchildren who graduated from Byron Nelson and Eaton high schools. Val served as president of the Northwest Athletic Booster Club for five years, with his wife Kandy serving as an officer. They raised funds for all Texan athletic programs, ran concession stand operations, organized and printed game programs, and much more. Both Val and Kandy also served on the district’s Long-Range Planning Committee that led to the construction of Byron Nelson High School and Northwest ISD Stadium.

Gary Prescott

For more than 28 years, Gary Prescott served the students and staff of Northwest ISD with an unwavering commitment to athletic programs. He began his tenure in 1987 as an assistant football coach at Northwest High School before leading the team for five years, though he is widely known for his work in the athletic department. Coach Prescott retired from Northwest ISD as the district’s director of athletics in 2018 after 39 years in public education.

Class of 2024

Class of 2024-2025

Using established guidelines for each category, the Northwest ISD Athletic Department has announced the 2024-2025 Hall of Honor class, celebrating student-athletes, coaches and athletic supporters who have made exceptional contributions to school programs.

Since the district’s inception 75 years ago, many high-achieving student-athletes and teams have represented Northwest ISD with distinction. The Hall of Honor was created in 2023 to recognize these individuals and teams as well as the support systems behind them.

Student Athletes

Desiree Freier

Northwest High School alumna Desiree Freier earned accolades as a pole vaulter throughout her high school career, setting state and national records. Competing for the Texans, she won three consecutive championships in the UIL Track & Field State Meet, all in the 5A classification. In 2014, her performances earned her the titles of Texas Gatorade Girls Track & Field Athlete of the Year, USA Junior Champion, World Junior Championship Runner-Up and New Balance Indoor and Outdoor National Champion. During her time as a Texan, she set the overall girls state record in the pole vault with a vault of 13 feet, 9 inches, as well as the Junior American record with a vault of 14 feet, 7 inches. She went on to compete collegiately for the Arkansas Razorbacks, qualifying for the NCAA Division I Outdoor Track & Field Championships all four years and becoming a seven-time All-American.

Eric “Duke” Kicinski

Northwest High School alumnus Duke Kicinski excelled in multiple sports for the Texans, but none more so than track and field. Competing for the Texans, Duke earned a silver medal in the 5A classification at the UIL Track & Field State Meet as a senior. Following his high school career, he won the national title in the discus as a sophomore competing for West Texas A&M at the NCAA Division II Outdoor Track & Field Championship in 2016 before subsequently transferring to Texas Tech. As a Red Raider, he capped his collegiate career with a national title in the discus at the NCAA Division I Outdoor Track & Field Championship in 2019. Additionally, his throw helped the Texas Tech men’s program earn the team national title in the sport. In 2021, he competed at the U.S. Olympic Track & Field Trials, finishing ninth in the nation. Outside of his honors in track and field, he earned accolades as four-year varsity letterwinner in football and a two-time letterwinner in powerlifting.

msn in red shorts and shirt throwing discus

Coach

Mike Hatch

Mike Hatch served as the longtime coach of the Northwest Texans boys varsity basketball team, first from 1983 until 1997 and returning to coach from 2008 until 2018. During his time as a Texan, Coach Hatch amassed an overall win-loss record of 469-254 in 22 years; he earned a 614-361 record in 30 years as a head coach overall. Over the course of his tenure, the Texans reached the playoffs 14 times, advancing to the regional tournament four times and the state tournament twice. His time as head coach of the Texans culminated with a runner-up finish in the 2018 5A UIL Boys Basketball State Tournament. He earned District Coach of the Year honors nine times as well as DFW All-Star Coach honors twice.

Team

2018 Eaton High School Baseball

The Eaton High School baseball team earned the school’s first UIL athletic title when the 2018 varsity team won the UIL 5A Baseball State Championship. To win the championship, the Eagles amassed an overall season record of 32-9, surpassing expectations in the school’s first year with a graduating class. The Eagles beat Amarillo High School in a three-game series in the regional final to advance to the state semifinal game, where they defeated Kingwood Park High School by a score of 3-2 in an eight-inning game. In the state championship game, the Eagles defeated Forney High School by a score of 4-1.

Contributor/Sponsor

Marc Santini

For nearly two decades, Marc Santini volunteered to provide support for programs that supported NISD Athletics from his early days at Northwest Pee Wee Association, TCR Youth Football Association, Medlin Middle School, and Byron Nelson High School’s athletic programs including basketball, football, volleyball, and track and field. Over the years, he organized multiple fundraisers to support booster clubs for several athletic student programs. He volunteered countless hours even after all his children graduated from Byron Nelson High School. Paying it forward as a servant leader motivated Marc to volunteer and make a difference for all students in NISD athletics.

Nomination/Induction Criteria