FALL 2025 Ransom Everglades LOG 41 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 RE’s 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. 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 in college at the University of Southern California and Georgetown, then helped Team USA’s box lacrosse team win the inaugural world title in 2024. She has never backed down from a challenge, Woodson said. “If I were to measure success by memories made, lessons learned and lifelong mentors and friends gained,” Bakes said, “I am eternally grateful ... Thank you, Ransom Everglades.” Conde commended Kozyak, a state champion runner 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 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,” 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, currently the JV middle school 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.” L-R: Upper School Athletic Director Scott Berman, Chief Operating Officer David Clark ’86, Michelle Mondell, Benjamin Kozyak ’98, Erin Bakes ’18, Head of School Rachel Rodriguez, Middle School Athletic Director Thomas Willis ’04 Benjamin Kozyak ’98 Erin Bakes ’18 Michelle Mondell
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