Five outstanding All-American high school athletes including a pair of soccer-playing sisters are the latest electees into the Buddy LaRosas High School Sports Hall of Fame.The 2024 class also includes a legendary swimming coach and two celebrated high school teams.The 2024 LaRosas Sports Hall of Fame includes: Yancy Gates, Withrow High School, Class of 2008, basketball Amanda Gruber, St. Ursula Academy, Class of 1994, soccer-basketball-softball Annette Gruber, St. Ursula Academy, Class of 1997, soccer-basketball Danny Milligan, St. Xavier High School, Class of 2008, football Kelsey Mitchell, Princeton High School, Class of 2014, basketball Coach Tim Beerman, Ursuline Academy-St. Xavier HS, 1996-2009, 2016-2021, swimming Princeton High School, 1983 football team Ursuline Academy, 2001-2002 swimming teamThe latest additions to the hall of fame will be inducted in ceremonies in the summer of 2025. The Buddy LaRosas High School Sports Hall of Fame is in its 50th year of recognizing outstanding local high school athletes and coaches.The hall of fame has honored 307 athletes and coaches and 16 top teams since its founding in 1975. It is the oldest and one of the only halls of fame of its kind in the country.More information about the 2024 class:Yancy GatesWithrow High SchoolClass of 2008Gates was the most dominating big man in Greater Cincinnati boys basketball over the last 25 years; he went on to become a force for the University of Cincinnati, and later as a professional.Gates averaged a double-double his last two seasons for the Tigers. He scored 19 points and had 10 rebounds per game as a junior, then posted 21.2 points and 11 rebounds as a senior. In those two seasons, he led Withrow to a 40-10 record, two district championships and a regional runners-up finish.He was named to the prestigious Parade Magazine All-America team in 2008 after being named the state player of the year.Gates went on to play collegiately at the University of Cincinnati, where he still ranks as the only player in Bearcats history to lead the team in rebounding for four consecutive seasons. He is one of only six players to score at least 1,400 points and collect more than 900 rebounds in his college career.He went on to enjoy a nine-year professional career overseas, playing on teams in Europe, China and Mexico. Currently, Gates lives with his daughter, Yamari, in Cincinnati and is pursuing various business and possible coaching opportunities.Amanda Gruber CreechSt. Ursula AcademyClass of 1994One of the finest soccer players in St. Ursula Academy history, Gruber earned 10 varsity letters in three different sports. She was named a soccer All-American both in high school and in college at Xavier University. She was the driving force behind two St. Ursula state championships (1991 and 1993) as those two teams finished nationally-ranked Nos. 3 and 4, respectively, by USA Today.She was named Cincinnati Enquirer and Cincinnati Post Player of the Year (1993), Striker of the Year by Soccer Cincinnati magazine. Gruber was a first -team all-state selection and was named to the All-Midwest Regional team. She was voted MVP of the East-West All-Star game in a 4-1 victory in which she scored all four goals.Gruber was also a four-year varsity starter in basketball. She set three school records. She also played two seasons of fast-pitch softball.Gruber took her soccer game to Xavier University where she set many Musketeer and Atlantic-10 records. She still ranks as XUs all-time points (160), goals scored (67) and single-season shots (112) leader. She ranks No. 2 all-time in assists (26) and career shots (339).As a senior in 1997, Gruber set an Atlantic-10 single-season record with 59 points. She was named first-team A-10 for the third straight season and was picked as the A-10 Player of the Year.Gruber joined her father, Jim, in the Xavier University Hall of Fame in 2003.Gruber and her husband, Dan Creech (a hall of fame soccer player at Miami University), have five children Tanner, Macy, Molly, Cody, and Hudson. Annette Gruber BellSt. Ursula AcademyClass of 1997Annette Gruber had a tough act to follow in her older sister Amandas footsteps, but the younger sister set her own pace and posted amazing numbers during her high school and collegiate career. She earned eight varsity letters for the Bulldogs in soccer and basketball.She teamed with sister Amanda in leading St. Ursula to the 1993 Ohio Division I state title and a No. 4 national ranking. Annette went on become a nominee for the Wendys National Heisman Soccer Athlete of the Year.A four-year varsity starter at St. Ursula, Gruber wound up as the schools No. 3 all-time scorer. She was twice named first-team All-City by Soccer Cincinnati magazine and by the Cincinnati Enquirer and Cincinnati Post (1996). She was a three-time academic All-State selection.In basketball, she was a three-year varsity starter, playing all five positions. She led the team in rebounds twice.Annette followed both her father, Jim, and her sister Amanda to Xavier University, where she enjoyed a record-setting career for the Musketeers. She wound up as the schools No. 2 all-time leader in career points and goals scored. She still ranks as the No. 1 all-time leader in single-season assists and career assists. She stands No. 3 overall in career shots.She was selected first-team Atlantic-10 four times in her collegiate career as she joined the family in the Xavier University Hall of Fame in 2008.Annette and her husband, Ricky Bell (2009 LaRosas Hall of Famer), have three children, Jake, Bailey, and Brooklyn. Danny MilliganSt. Xavier High SchoolClass of 2008A football jack-of-all-trades, Milligan left an indelible mark during his storied career at St. Xavier High School. A three-year starter and a football high school All-American, Danny played six different positions for the Bombers and was an integral force on the 2007 undefeated football team. St. Xavier went 15-0 and won the Division I state title.Milligan accounted for 15 of St. Xaviers points in its 27-0 victory over Mentor in the state title game.As a senior, Milligan scored 176 points 9 receiving touchdowns, 5 rushing TDs, kicked 13 field goals and 53 point-after attempts. He had 726 yards receiving on 49 receptions and rushed for 166 yards. Dannys 40 career field goals set the state record at the time and is currently No. 2 all-time in Ohio history.In 2007, he was the Cincinnati Enquirer Player of the Year, the Associated Press Co-Offensive Player of the Year and first-team All-Ohio as a kicker.Milligan, a finalist for Ohios prestigious Mr. Football award, was selected an All-American by Rise Magazine and PrepNation.com. He was the Ohio/U.S. Army Iron Man Player of the Year.He went on to play football at the University of Cincinnati. He and his wife, Kylee, live in Milford with their daughters, Ryann and Avery. He is a project manager for Cintas. Kelsey MitchellPrinceton High SchoolClass of 2014Mitchell is perhaps the finest female basketball player to compete in Greater Cincinnati history. She was a three-time prep All-American and powered the Vikings to the 2014 Division I state championship.Nominated as LaRosas Player of Year as a junior, Mitchell won the award as a senior. She is only the 24th athlete to be inducted into the LaRosas Hall of Fame in her first year of eligibility.Mitchell went on to be a collegiate All-American at Ohio State University, then the No. 2 pick in the 2018 WNBA draft by the Indiana Fever, where she enjoys an outstanding professional career.Mitchell helped to lead Princeton to the Division I state championship with a 30-point performance in the 61-55 victory over North Canton Hoover.Over her four-year career at Princeton, Mitchell set 15 career records, including points, free-throws made, steals and three-point field-goals. She set the Wright State University Nutter Center scoring record with 50 points in a game.She was named Ohio Ms. Basketball in 2014. She was selected to the Parade and McDonalds All-America teams. She was a second-team All-America selection by USA Today.Mitchell went on to play at Ohio State with her twin sister, Chelsea, where she was named National Freshman of the Year (2015), first-team All-America (2016), second-team All-America (2015, 2017, 2018) and Big Ten Player of the Year (2018). She is the Buckeyes No. 2 all-time scorer (3,402 points).Drafted No. 2 in the WNBA draft by the Indiana Fever, Mitchell has had a remarkable career. Kelsey has played 233 games, has scored 3,923 career points, 558 three-point field-goals, 471 rebounds, 649 assists, 178 steals and 33 blocked shots.Coach Tim BeermanUrsuline Academy/St. Xavier 1996-2009/2016-2021The winningest coach in Greater Cincinnati over the last 25 years is swimming coach Beerman, who won state titles at Ursuline Academy and St. Xavier High School. In more than 20 years as head coach, Beermans swimming teams have won 10 Division I state championships and eight national titles (by the National Interscholastic Swim Coaches Association).Beerman began his head coaching career in 1996 at Ursuline Academy and during his 13-year career, he captured four state titles and was Ohio runner-up seven times. His teams at Ursuline Academy produced more than 80 high school swimming All-Americans.Perhaps his finest team was the 2001-02 Ursuline Academy team which featured a host of exceptional talent led by LaRosas Hall of Famer Whitney Myers. The Lions finished that year regarded as the nation's best team by NISCA and No. 3 by Swimming World magazine. Beerman was named the National Swimming Federation Coach of the Year.The entire 2001-02 Ursuline team is being inducted into the LaRosas High School Hall of Fame this year, too.After stepping down from Ursuline as head coach in 2009, Beerman served as assistant coach at St. Xavier High School before taking over the reins in 2016.At St. Xavier, Beerman continued the Aquabombers winning tradition. A member of St. Xs coaching staff for more than 25 years, he captured the Division I state title all six years he was head coach, giving him a grand total of 10 state championships.Beerman was fortunate enough to work with over 112 All-American Award recipients. Beermans teams at St. Xavier were five-time national champions by the NISCA and the 2017 team was regarded by Swimming World as the national champion as well.Having won numerous state and league coach of the year titles, it is no wonder he has been inducted into the Ohio High School Swimming Coaches Association Hall of Fame.Beerman is a campus minister, religious educator and swim coach at St. Xavier.  1983 Princeton footballCoach Pat MancusoDivision I state championTeam Record: 11-2The 1983 Princeton football team was special. It captured the state championship and was ranked the No. 2 team in the nation in USA Todays final season poll.We didnt have superstars, said then-Princeton coach Pat Mancuso, a LaRosas Hall of Fame coach. We had kids who werent afraid of practicing hard. Everyone was committed to the team. Our best team? Its difficult to say. Talented, yes. Hard working, yes. Dedicated, without a doubt.The Vikings, however, did have superstars defensive back Harlon Barnett would go on to star for seven seasons in the NFL before becoming a head college football coach at Michigan State University. Tight end Alex Higdon played four seasons at Ohio State and two years with the Atlanta Falcons. Quarterback Michael Taylor had a record-setting career at the University of Michigan.The team boasted an incredibly gifted squad as nine other players went on to play Division I college football in James Brown (Michigan), William Reice (Michigan State), Bill Franklin (North Carolina), Michael Brown (Iowa State), Vince Munlin (Cincinnati), Shane Curry (Miami), Mark Mitchell (Eastern Kentucky), George Thomas and Curtis Williams (Akron), and John McKinney.I dont care what USA Today says, said Harlon Barnett after the victory. Were still the No. 1 team in the nation. 2001-02 Ursuline Academy swimmingCoach Tim BeermanDivision I state championBehind the coaching of Tim Beerman, the 2001-02 Ursuline Academy swim team winners of two previous state championships showed the tenacity to three-peat behind a true team of individual swimmers. It marked the schools fifth state swimming title.Powered by LaRosas Hall of Famer Whitney Myers and freshman Abby Cooper, the Ursuline Lions compiled a 9-1 dual meet record and captured first place in every invitational during the season.Ursuline powered through the Girls Greater Cincinnati League, as well as the sectional and district championships. Ursuline would go on to qualify 13 team members to the state meet. At the state meet, Myers started it off by setting a state record in the 200-freestyle in the preliminary event, then broke that mark again in the finals with a blistering pace of 1:47.19. She repeated that performance in the 100 butterfly, setting the state mark in 54.08.Team depth proved Ursulines true championship caliber. Team tri-captain Maggie Bulla placed second in her first-ever 100-freestyle event, then fourth in the 100-backstroke.Abby Cooper finished fourth in the 50 freestyle and third in the 100 breaststroke. Other point scorers included: Margy Keefe, Katie Greiner, Meredith French, Kelli Krallman, Kelly Hagen, Tiffany Lipari and Marisa Mackos.Ursuline capped off the meet with a state record 1:35.28 time in the 200-free relay (Bulla, Lipari, Cooper and Myers). Myers was the state female swimmer of the year.The team placed third in the Speedo National Rankings and second in the NICSCA Powerpoint Rankings finishing first in its division for a third consecutive year.SIGN UP: Subscribe to our high school sports newsletter