News Detail
Two alumni and one coach join the RE Athletic Hall of Fame
Ransom Everglades welcomed two alumni and one coach into the RE Athletic Hall of Fame during a ceremony at the Pagoda that featured reminiscences, superlatives and quite a few tears. Erin Bakes '18, a lacrosse player at RE, became the youngest member of the hall of fame during the September 18 event, and she was joined by Benjamin Kozyak '98, a cross country and track and field athlete, and Michelle Brenner Mondell, a current RE coach who has coached virtually every sport at RE, including football, soccer and softball.
Former RE lacrosse coach Chazz Woodson introduced Bakes; Enrique Conde '97 introduced his former teammate Kozyak; and Bart Mondell, his wife. All shared stories of their respective star's journey, helping to quantify the excellence in the room and illustrating the power of sports to cement relationships and legacies. Chief Operating Officer David Clark '86 – a member of the RE Hall of Fame – emceed the event along with Upper School Athletic Director Scott Berman. Head of School Rachel Rodriguez attended and congratulated the honorees.
After beginning her career playing boys' baseball and serving as a starting catcher on RE's varsity softball team as a sixth grader, Bakes became one of the most decorated and highly recruited athletes in RE history. She played college lacrosse at the University of Southern California and Georgetown, then helped Team USA's box lacrosse team win the inaugural world title in 2024.
"As long as I've known her, Erin has approached life with a smile, an attitude of gratitude, even when walking through the toughest times," Woodson said. "She's never backed down from a challenge and has always sought to be better tomorrow than she is today. She's quick to lift up others when they're down, and she readily sees opportunities to celebrate the successes of others."
Besides international lacrosse, Bakes has also dabbled in professional lacrosse. Yet her years at RE remain highlights.
"I did not peak in high school," Bakes said. "But if I were to measure success by memories made, lessons learned and lifelong mentors and friends gained, I am eternally grateful to say that I did. Thank you to all of you. Thank you, Ransom Everglades."
Conde commended Kozyak, a state champion in cross country and track and field at RE, for his discipline, leadership and kindness, describing him as one of the most determined, inspiring and nicest people he's known. Kozyak continued his running career at Amherst, then earned his medical degree at the University of Pennsylvania. He is now a pediatric cardiologist at the Cardiac Intensive Care Unit at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia.
"Cross country, running, has really been a core pillar of who I am," Kozyak said. "It has given me a sense of belonging, it defined my life in college ... and I think it impacts the way I interact with people and work with teams, and the way I approach my job and family and so many other things."
Since her arrival to RE in 1995, Mondell has coached swimming, softball, volleyball, basketball, track and field, tennis, soccer and the sport for which she is most known – football. At age 11, she was the first girl in Miami to compete in the NFL Punt, Pass and Kick Championship (she finished second). She went on to play and coach women's soccer at Florida International University. In 1989, while at Palmer Trinity, she began coaching football.
"Michelle has coached more football players at Ransom Everglades than anyone in school history; in fact, she has coached football longer than any female, ever. Anywhere," her husband said. "To Michelle it's never been a big deal, but to others – newspapers, Sports Illustrated, ESPN, even Hollywood – they all wanted her story ... She didn't want to be known as the female football coach. She just wanted to be known as a football coach."
Said Michelle Mondell, RE's middle school JV football coach: "I hope I have made a difference and continue to make a difference. I hope I've given my athletes something to believe in. When all is said and done, they may not remember the record ... but they'll remember the stories, the relationships and how we made them feel."
Several RE Hall of Fame athletes or coaches attended the event: Clark, Cathy Balestra ’90, Doc Crabtree, John Geraghty ’73, Don Kappelman, Penny Matthews, Owen Paris and Lisa Sayfie ’91. Each honoree was surrounded at the event by invited family and friends.
After beginning her career playing boys' baseball and serving as a starting catcher on RE's varsity softball team as a sixth grader, Bakes became one of the most decorated and highly recruited athletes in RE history. She played college lacrosse at the University of Southern California and Georgetown, then helped Team USA's box lacrosse team win the inaugural world title in 2024.
"As long as I've known her, Erin has approached life with a smile, an attitude of gratitude, even when walking through the toughest times," Woodson said. "She's never backed down from a challenge and has always sought to be better tomorrow than she is today. She's quick to lift up others when they're down, and she readily sees opportunities to celebrate the successes of others."
Besides international lacrosse, Bakes has also dabbled in professional lacrosse. Yet her years at RE remain highlights.
"I did not peak in high school," Bakes said. "But if I were to measure success by memories made, lessons learned and lifelong mentors and friends gained, I am eternally grateful to say that I did. Thank you to all of you. Thank you, Ransom Everglades."
Conde commended Kozyak, a state champion in cross country and track and field at RE, for his discipline, leadership and kindness, describing him as one of the most determined, inspiring and nicest people he's known. Kozyak continued his running career at Amherst, then earned his medical degree at the University of Pennsylvania. He is now a pediatric cardiologist at the Cardiac Intensive Care Unit at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia.
"Cross country, running, has really been a core pillar of who I am," Kozyak said. "It has given me a sense of belonging, it defined my life in college ... and I think it impacts the way I interact with people and work with teams, and the way I approach my job and family and so many other things."
Since her arrival to RE in 1995, Mondell has coached swimming, softball, volleyball, basketball, track and field, tennis, soccer and the sport for which she is most known – football. At age 11, she was the first girl in Miami to compete in the NFL Punt, Pass and Kick Championship (she finished second). She went on to play and coach women's soccer at Florida International University. In 1989, while at Palmer Trinity, she began coaching football.
"Michelle has coached more football players at Ransom Everglades than anyone in school history; in fact, she has coached football longer than any female, ever. Anywhere," her husband said. "To Michelle it's never been a big deal, but to others – newspapers, Sports Illustrated, ESPN, even Hollywood – they all wanted her story ... She didn't want to be known as the female football coach. She just wanted to be known as a football coach."
Said Michelle Mondell, RE's middle school JV football coach: "I hope I have made a difference and continue to make a difference. I hope I've given my athletes something to believe in. When all is said and done, they may not remember the record ... but they'll remember the stories, the relationships and how we made them feel."
Several RE Hall of Fame athletes or coaches attended the event: Clark, Cathy Balestra ’90, Doc Crabtree, John Geraghty ’73, Don Kappelman, Penny Matthews, Owen Paris and Lisa Sayfie ’91. Each honoree was surrounded at the event by invited family and friends.
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Founded in 1903, Ransom Everglades School is a coeducational, college preparatory day school for grades 6 - 12 located on two campuses in Coconut Grove, Florida. Ransom Everglades School produces graduates who "believe that they are in the world not so much for what they can get out of it as for what they can put into it." The school provides rigorous college preparation that promotes the student's sense of identity, community, personal integrity and values for a productive and satisfying life, and prepares the student to lead and to contribute to society.
Ransom Everglades School®, The RE Way™, RE Pathways™ and Bowden Fellowships in the Humanities™ are trademarks of Ransom Everglades School.
Ransom Everglades School®, The RE Way™, RE Pathways™ and Bowden Fellowships in the Humanities™ are trademarks of Ransom Everglades School.