Athletic Hall of Fame

Mark McKane ’89 enters the Saint Ignatius High School Hall of Fame as a five-time letter winner in football and track. On the gridiron, he was a two-year starter at defensive end and co-captain of the school’s first OHSAA championship football team in 1988. He led one of the most dominating defenses in the Coach Chuck Kyle ’69 era, as the Wildcats held opponents to five points per game and posted six shutouts. McKane earned honors as First Team All-Scholastic, First Team All-District, and AP Second Team All-Ohio Honors. As part of the Wildcats track team, he threw shotput and discus, qualifying for regionals his senior year.  

McKane is humble about being inducted into the Hall of Fame. “While I am the one getting this award, this is really for our entire defense. I just happen to be the co-captain of that crew. We knew we were good as a team,” he says with a smile. “All of those stats are the result of every single one of us on that team. One of my favorite photos that I had on my wall in college was of the defense right before the final snap of the state championship game. You look at that lineup, and all the players were great. And that’s why we won. We were a unit, with a very strong bond. And we knew the class behind us was even better!”  

McKane started playing CYO football for St. Christopher in Rocky River. He competed against many of his future Wildcats teammates. The rivalries with players from other west side Catholic schools, such as St. Mark and St. Brendan, quickly fell away once he started playing freshman football under Coach Karl Ertle ’79. “Saint Ignatius was a fantastic melting pot. I formed bonds with these guys as a freshman, and am still friends with many of them today.” 

He loved that Saint Ignatius drew young men from throughout Northeast Ohio and that he was able to have co-centric groups of friends, some from football, others from Language or Math class, adding, “You got to know folks from across the area who brought a diversity of views while also being focused on Catholic tradition.”

McKane loves that at Saint Ignatius, a young man can flourish in academics and athletics. He also appreciates the opportunities he had to help the community through Sophomore Service, adding that “you know it’s special when you can generate gratitude out of an 18-year-old.” 

McKane shares that Coach Kyle created a very special culture. “It’s hard to explain the impact that Coach Kyle had. He invested in all of us.” He also expresses gratitude to all the assistant coaches, especially his position coach, Dan Corrigan ’78, “He pushed and motivated us to work hard,” along with Strength and Conditioning Coach Marty Eynon, “Marty was new to the program and would find a way to motivate these 15-16-year-old teenage boys.” 

After graduating from Saint Ignatius, McKane attended Yale University, where he was a starter for the Bulldogs for three years. He later attended law school at Northwestern and had the opportunity to clerk for a judge on the Court of Appeals for the 7th Circuit in Chicago. Today McKane is a litigation partner with Kirkland & Ellis LLP. 

Mark and his wife, Kelly, have three sons: Michael, 22, Luke, 20, and Matt, 18, and are members of St. Ignatius Parish in San Francisco.

Watch Mark McKane's video here.

Brett Sterba ’96 is being inducted into the Saint Ignatius Athletic Hall of Fame as a multi-sport athlete. He follows in the footsteps of his grandfather, Bill Young ’36, who was inducted with the inaugural Hall of Fame class in 1986. Sterba was a member of the first Wildcat soccer team to make it to the state final four under the leadership of Coach Mike McLaughlin ’85. As a kicker on the gridiron, he was a part of the 1995 football team that won the Ohio State Championship and the National Championship.

Sterba is humble when assessing his prowess as a Wildcat athlete. He reflects, “I didn’t need to be the superstar, the captain, or front and center. You could count on me to show up and get stuff done. We had an amazing class, which made it very enjoyable. Everyone was very competitive, which made both teams I was a part of even stronger.” 

Coach McLaughlin agrees it was a special time for the program, “It was really the beginning of the modern era of the Saint Ignatius soccer program. Brett and his teammates accomplished the most successful season in Saint Ignatius soccer history up to that date by making it to the state final four. It gave the players, coaches and the entire program the belief that we were a state power and that big things were within our reach. From that moment on, going far in the state tournament became an annual expectation.”

The five-time letter winner is one of the top defenders in soccer program history. He earned First Team All-League honors his senior year in soccer. He played football in his junior and senior years. 

Throughout his Ignatius football career, he made 35 of 43 PATs as the team’s kicker. After high school, he kicked for the College of William and Mary, enjoying All-American honors. To this date, he is one of the top kickers in William and Mary program history and holds school records for career field goal percentage (.807) and season field goal percentage (.895). Sterba also led the nation in field goals per game in 1999 (1.64). After graduation, he signed as a free agent with the Green Bay Packers. 

One of Sterba’s anecdotes about playing in two sports during the same season was the Saint Ignatius football game against Cincinnati Moeller on the University of Cincinnati campus in 1995. At the time, the Wildcats were up three or four touchdowns in the third quarter, and Coach Chuck Kyle ’69 allowed him to leave the game to attend the district final soccer game against Berea. He and his mother hopped on a propeller plane piloted by the father of one of his soccer teammates and made it to the soccer game in time. Sterba ended up scoring a goal, and the Cats later prevailed in penalty kicks.

Sterba was as determined off the field as he was on the field. After his time with the Packers, he followed his dream of working in the sports industry. Although he didn’t initially find the position he was looking for, he didn’t let it deter him. Working with the skills he developed with his degree from William and Mary, he worked his way from the bottom up by volunteering to assist with ShotLink scoring technology used at PGA Tour events. He drove himself to close to a dozen different golf events across the United States, hoping someone from the PGA Tour would hire him. Racking up 20,000 miles on his car and without an income, he utilized his Saint Ignatius network of friends to find housing, occasionally staying with friends of alumni. He initially was hired as an intern for The PGA Tour before moving on to the PGA of America for 10 years and ultimately settling at Augusta National Golf Club. Today, Sterba is the Senior Director of the Masters Tournament. His role is to execute all aspects of the tournament inside and outside the ropes.  

Sterba lives in Georgia with his wife Katie and sons Drew (12) and JP (13).

Watch Brett Sterba's video here.

Dominic Ozanne ’03 is being inducted into the Saint Ignatius High School Athletic Hall of Fame as one of the most accomplished tennis players in the school’s history. A four-time varsity letter winner and the program’s first three-time state qualifier in singles, he led the team to its two most successful seasons during his junior and senior years.

Ozanne was a sectional champion, finished fourth at the state tournament, and earned First Team All-Ohio honors. As a senior and team captain, he repeated as sectional champion, again placed fourth at the state finals, and earned First Team All-Ohio recognition, helping the team achieve the highest single-season win total in school history. He also received the prestigious John Harlow Sportsmanship Award from the Ohio Tennis Coaches Association.

He remains among the top three players in program history for state tournament appearances, singles and overall match victories, overall winning percentage, and career singles winning percentage. He continued his tennis career at The Ohio State University, where he competed for four years at the collegiate level.

Before focusing on tennis, Ozanne also competed in track and baseball. He transitioned to tennis around the age of ten and quickly rose through the junior ranks.

Ozanne speaks fondly of his years as a Wildcat: “The tennis team was a close-knit group. It was my first opportunity to play tennis as a team sport. As a freshman, I was lucky to have teammates like Corey Stewart ’00, George Atta ’01, and Elliott McGrane ’03 who made me feel welcome, not just at practice but in the hallways as well.” He notes that Corey was a mentor to him and someone he admired, adding, “He was an excellent teammate. I was always chasing after him, and my game improved because of that.” One of his cherished memories was during his senior year at the state tournament when Corey’s younger brother Sean ’03 was the last player on the court in a crucial match. “He had been trailing, and we all rallied behind him, cheering and encouraging him. He made an incredible comeback and won, securing a third-place finish for the team.”

Reflecting on his Saint Ignatius experience, Ozanne is grateful for the opportunities he had, noting that the school holds high expectations for students both inside and outside the classroom. “As a young man, you have those expectations that you need to give everything you have, no matter what your endeavor is. That prepared me for college and life.” He also carries with him the motto of being a Man for Others, giving without expecting anything in return, which he witnessed at Saint Ignatius through community engagement and volunteering. “There were many role models to look up to. It was a solid foundation for me.” He added, “As a young man, I had the chance to tutor kids at neighborhood schools; those were valuable experiences for me.”  

After graduating from Saint Ignatius, he earned a degree in Construction Management from Ohio State and later completed a Master’s in Real Estate Development at Tulane University. He began his career in banking and real estate consulting in Chicago before returning to Cleveland to join the family business, Ozanne Construction.

Watch Dominic Ozanne's video here.

The year is 1997. The Saint Ignatius Wildcats are taking on the Canton McKinley Bulldogs in the Akron Rubber Bowl. Among the fans in a sold-out crowd on a brisk November night is a young Brian Hoyer. Right then and there, Brian knew where he wanted to attend high school.

"As a freshman, 14 kids were trying out for quarterback, and Nick Restifo worked with us one-by-one, and I just kept staying the course," says Brian. "I didn't know where it would lead after being named a starter for the freshman, but I knew I was fortunate to be coached by Restifo and Chuck Kyle."

As a gifted athlete, Brian would play baseball in the spring for the Wildcats. He would be an integral part of the program's first State Title as Brian would compile an 8-1 record with a 1.99 ERA as a sophomore, leading the Wildcats to the 2002 Division I State Championship. "That was one of the most thrilling experiences of my high school athletic career."

Brian's varsity football numbers were impressive. He finished with 4,700 yards and 39 touchdown throws, which earned him a scholarship to Michigan State University. "My first recruiting offer was from Michigan State for baseball, and the door always felt open for me to do both," explains Brian. "Football takes precedence, but I will always love baseball."

Brian would go undrafted in the 2009 draft, but the New England Patriots would give him an opportunity to back up Tom Brady. "Tom has a huge Ignatius connection; his college roommate at Michigan was Pat Kratus '95, so when we first met, he already knew who I was and what high school I attended, which we would always joke about."

After his first stint with New England, Brian became a free agent in the summer of 2012. During that time, Brian helped at football practices on Wasmer Field, assisting the scout team's offense and working with quarterbacks and receivers, staying primed for his next opportunity. "We moved back to Cleveland, and I asked Coach Kyle if I could help out, and he welcomed me with open arms. Even after I was signed by the Steelers later that year, I followed along because I felt like I was a part of that team."

Brian became the first alumnus in school history to win a Super Bowl. Brian returned to New England to back up Brady. In 2018, the Patriots defeated the Los Angeles Rams 13-3 in Super Bowl LIII. "Sometimes, as a backup quarterback, you don't feel a part of it, but that week, I had a good understanding of the Rams offense to prepare our defense," Hoyer explains. "What was even more special was that I got to celebrate with my kids, who were old enough to understand the moment."

Brian is humbled at the news of being inducted into the Hall of Fame Class of 2025, joining the great names in the hallowed halls of Saint Ignatius. "I am truly honored to join the likes of guys I grew up watching. It was always a dream, and now it's here."

Brian works with NBC Sports Boston, covering the Patriots and providing expert insight as a former player.

Brian lives in Boston, MA with his wife Lauren, son Garrett (13) and daughter Cameron (11).

Watch Brian Hoyer's video here. 

Jerome Robinson’s ’10 wrestling journey began when he was little, imitating WWF moves on his father. A chance encounter at a Marco’s Pizza in Toledo, Ohio, led to a pivotal moment when a wrestling coach noticed Robinson demonstrating these moves. Impressed by his enthusiasm, the coach encouraged him to train at his wrestling gym, offering a structured environment to develop his skills.

Robinson is being inducted into the Saint Ignatius Athletic Hall of Fame as one of the wrestling program's best, having earned two state championships, three state placements, four state qualifications, and four varsity letters.

Robinson concluded his Saint Ignatius career with an impressive 124-17 record. He secured OHSAA state championships as a senior in the 119 weight class and as a junior in the 112 weight class, having placed third as a freshman. Together with his teammate David Habat ’10 (OHSAA champion 2009), he contributed to the wrestling team's top-five finishes during his junior and senior years. Robinson was honored as the 2009 Super 32 Champion, recognized as one of the most competitive preseason tournaments in the United States, and was a three-time Catholic Invitational Champion, a Brecksville Holiday tournament placer, among numerous other accolades. He wrestled and graduated from Old Dominion University, where he placed in his conference and qualified for the NCAA tournament before suffering an injury.

His journey to wrestle for the Wildcats came by way of his good friend David Habat, whom he met on the national wrestling circuit. Robinson grew up in Toledo and heard about the Wildcats wrestling program from Habat. Robinson and Habat‘s dads collectively encouraged the boys to wrestle for the Wildcats. Having a mother who was a lifelong educator significantly influenced Robinson’s decision to attend the school; after researching the school's academic programs, it became the obvious choice. “My family ultimately chose Saint Ignatius because academics were always at the forefront for us. We knew that academically, Saint Ignatius was the best place for me,” shares Robinson. 

Robinson cherished his years at the school. “I was warmly welcomed into the Saint Ignatius community. As a nervous freshman in a new school and city, everyone embraced me with open arms. I realized that it’s not necessarily about where I came from. They were ready to welcome me, and we are forever brothers,” he says. “While at Saint Ignatius, I learned what it truly meant to be a Man for Others and to build relationships with those around me. I learned how to fight through adversity and manage anything that was thrown in my path. Putting my faith at the forefront and knowing that the men to my left and my right were by my side is something I will always remember,” shares Robinson with a warm smile.   

Robinson speaks animatedly about his years at Saint Ignatius and those who had the biggest influence on him, including retired Head Athletic Trainer Hank Gaughan. “Mr. Gaughan talked to the students about their lives and what we were going through; he taught us life lessons.” Others who had a big impact on him were retired American History teacher Mike Howard Hon. ’19, and retired Science teacher Jerry DeCarlo. 

After graduating from Old Dominion, Robinson attended graduate school and coached wrestling at Grand Canyon University. For the past nine years, he has been a banker with Quicken Loans. 

Robinson expresses deep gratitude to his parents, Jerry and Valarie, for sacrificing so much to provide him with an incredible education and to Mike Gibbons ’70, along with his wife Diane and sons Connor ’10, Ryan ’11, and Michael ’13, for accepting him as a son and brother. With a warm smile, he adds, “Without them in the picture, I would not have become the man that I am today.”

Robinson lives in Delaware with his wife and college sweetheart, Kallie. They have two daughters, Mila, 3, and Margo, 1.  

Watch Jerome Robinson's video here.