ALUMNI AWARDS

Nominations for the 2023 Alumni Awards will open on January 19th.

About the Awards

DISTINGUISHED ALUMNI

The Franklin Road Academy Distinguished Alumni Award was created in 2005 to show appreciation to those individuals who have made significant contributions to FRA. Those chosen to receive the Distinguished Alumni Award have influenced our community through their accomplishments, dedication, and service while at FRA and following graduation.

NOMINATION INFORMATION

ATHLETICS HALL OF FAME

Athletics Hall of Fame was created in 2021 to show appreciation to those individuals or teams who have made significant contributions to FRA athletics. Those chosen for induction into the FRA Athletics Hall of Fame have influenced our community through their ability, dedication, and service to our athletic program while at FRA and following graduation.

NOMINATION INFORMATION

ARTS CIRCLE OF HONOR

Arts Circle of Honor was created in 2021 to show appreciation to those individuals who have made significant contributions to FRA arts program. Those chosen for induction into the Franklin Road Academy Arts Circle of Honor have influenced our community through their talent, dedication, and service to our arts program while at FRA and made an ongoing impact on society through the arts, academics and/or service following graduation.

NOMINATION INFORMATION

2022 Distinguished Alumni

We are thrilled to announce our 2022 Distinguished Alumni award winner who will be honored during the All-Alumni Reunion Party during Homecoming Week.

Chip Campbell '87

Chip Campbell '87

Chip Campbell graduated from Franklin Road Academy in 1987. While attending FRA, he participated in a wide range of activities, including football, basketball, track, rifle team, student government, the upper school spring musical for four years, Latin club, and forensics. After graduating from FRA, Chip received an appointment to the United States Naval Academy, where he earned a degree in Political Science in 1991. He then served for seven years in the United States Marine Corps, primarily in aviation. Chip received his law degree, magna cum laude, from the University of Alabama School of Law in 2001. After many years in private practice, he was nominated in July 2017 to serve as a U.S. District Judge in the Middle District of Tennessee; he was confirmed by the U.S. Senate and began judicial service in January 2018.

Chip’s youngest son, John, is an 8^th grader at FRA. His father served as FRA’s head of school from 1981 to 1992, and his oldest sister graduated from FRA in 1980. He is a member of the Belmont College of Law Advisory Board and serves as a Blue & Gold Officer for the U.S. Naval Academy. In addition to John, Chip is the proud father of Liam, a 12^th grader, and Hannah Britt, a college sophomore.

All Distinguished Alumni

See a list of all FRA Distinguished Alumni award winners below.

Distinguished Alumni award winners

Distinguished Alumni award winners

Dan Crockett '86
William Akin
Brenda Gideon
Nancy Johnson
Sterling Ambrose
Beth Ambrose '84
June Austin
Norma Dodson
Ed Zaborowski
June Barnes
David Tucker
George Weicker
Hal Cato '83
Helen Dale
Carole Pieratt
Captain Greg Johnson '93
Tom Woodard '79
Jack Nunnally
Will Wade '01
Jerry Williams
Mark Campbell '89
Tommy Hodges '96
Chris Hamby '04
Hunter Rogers '07
Paulie Allen '90

*The nomination criteria for the Distinguished Alumni Award were updated in 2022.

Athletics Hall of Fame

Our Alumni Athletics Hall of Fame award winners will be honored during a Homecoming Week ceremony. Read more on the honorees below.

Sterling Ambrose '83

Sterling Ambrose attended the opening day of Franklin Road Academy as a first grader in 1971 and spent the next 40 years on campus in some capacity. As an athlete, he set numerous school records in football and track. Highlighted during the fall of his junior year in 1981, Sterling set all of FRA’s school football records for rushing yards and touchdown records. In the Spring of 1982, he set the school record in the high jump at the height of 6’ 4” and won the Class A TSSAA State Championship title. As team captain in the fall of 1982, he finished his football career with 3,445 yards rushing and 44 touchdowns with a career per rush average of 9.9 yards. FRA only lost two football games in the last 24 games of Sterling’s career. Sterling's postseason football accolades included, two-time team MVP, TSSAA Class A MVP, All-Nashville Team, and being the only FRA football player to be named to the prestigious Sports Writer’s All Classifications All-State team.

Eric Brandon '00

Eric Brandon attended FRA from 1994 to 2000 and was a standout multi-sport athlete competing in football and baseball. During his upper school football career, Eric was named Regional Player of the Year as a sophomore, All-Region his sophomore, junior and senior years, and All-State his senior year. As a member of the varsity baseball team, he was named All-Region, All-State, and District MVP all four years of high school. In his junior and senior years, Eric was named Player of the Year. The baseball team captured the State Championship title his senior year, and Eric was named State Tournament MVP and second-team All-American.

Emily Canady Smeykal '08

Emily attended FRA from 5th through 12th grade. A natural, passionate athlete, she played sports every season they were offered. She was a soccer goalie, basketball post player, and softball catcher. She served as captain of all three teams and competed in the state tournament for every sport. In soccer, she was an All-State goalie with three State Championships. In basketball, she joined the 1,000 Point Club her senior year. During her softball career, she was voted offensive MVP and a member of the All-State team, and she broke hitting records for the team, even hitting a home run over the fence onto I-65.

Tate Rogers '86

Tate Rogers and his family have been a part of the FRA community and athletic programs from the start. Tate’s parents, Sissy and “Big” Tate were actively involved and supportive of the school from its founding. Their passion and athletic backgrounds undoubtedly helped reinforce the School’s focus on supporting and encouraging student participation in athletics and extracurricular activities. For many years, his family lived in the Peach Blossom House, currently known as the Peach Orchard Hill House, located in the heart of campus.

Tate began playing sports at a very early age, and he quickly developed into an accomplished multi-sport athlete, competing in football, basketball, and track. During his junior year football season, he was named All-Metro by the Tennessean, All-State by the Associated Press, and All-Nashville by the Nashville Banner. In his senior year, he was again named All-Metro and was awarded Metro Offensive Player of the Year. In track and field, Tate competed at the State Championships three years in a row in the 800 meters. He finished in sixth place his sophomore year, second place his junior year, and was the State Champion his senior year. In addition, Tate was named All-Metro his senior year basketball season. Tate was also Vice President of the Student Body and a member of the 12-Year Club.

Kristin Garman Salato '05

Kristin Garman was born and raised in Nashville and enrolled at Franklin Road Academy in the 9th grade. Kristin embodied the characteristics of an ideal student-athlete.

Starting her freshman year as a forward, Kristin set single-season goal records during both her freshman and sophomore seasons. After a teammate tore her ACL before Garman's junior season, she was moved to defense and still managed 76 goals and 56 assists in her high school career, setting new FRA records. Garman was a four-year All-District, All-Region, and All-State performer and was named the 2004 Regional Player of the year. In 2003 and 2004, she was distinguished as the District MVP and the Tennessean Player of the Year. Garman led her team to A/AA State Championship titles in 2002 and 2004 and a State Runner-Up performance in 2003. She earned team MVP honors three straight years (2002-2004). Garman competed for the Brentwood Impact in club team play, winning the Tennessee State Title three times. After her high school career, she was named an NSCAA All-American and Gatorade and NSCAA State Player of the Year in 2005. Garman was tabbed as an All-American in both club and high school play.

1984 State Champion Baseball Team

The 1984 FRA baseball team achieved what no other team at FRA in any sport can ever duplicate by winning the first TSSAA State Championship in school history. FRA was still a young school in 1984. The first true home baseball game was played on Mark Salmon Field in the spring of 1983. Before that year, the team used several off-campus fields for practice and designated home games. This team of talented young men had a stated goal to win it all. And win it they did!

All Athletics Hall of Fame Inductees

See a list of all Athletic Hall of Fame award winners below.

Laura Matthews '04

Laura Matthews embodied the characteristics of the ideal student athlete at Franklin Road Academy. As an accomplished three-sport athlete, she helped lead her teams to the State Championships in soccer, basketball, and softball. Laura was an inspiring team leader and an excellent teammate. In soccer, Laura was named to the TSSAA All-District team and the TSSAA All-Region team all four years. During the 2001 season, FRA won the girls soccer State Championship and returned to the State Championship again her senior year. After her senior season, Laura was named by the National Soccer Coaches Association of America to the Adidas Scholar All-America team. In softball, she received numerous awards including Tennessee Softball Writers Association (TSWA) All-State, Middle Tennessee Softball Coaches Association (MTSCA) All-Midstate, All-Academic Team, All-Star Team, TSSAA All-Midstate Third Team, TSSAA District Defensive MCP, and TSSAA All-District. After graduation, she continued her softball career at the University of Dayton where she was named team captain and MVP for both her junior and senior years, named to the Atlantic 10 Academic All-Conference, and still holds numerous University of Dayton team defensive records. Laura is currently the head softball coach at Belmont University.

Dan Crockett '86

Dan Crockett has a long history of making a transformative impact at Franklin Road Academy. During his time as a student-athlete at FRA, he was a member of the football team, baseball team, Civitan Club, outdoor club, and served as treasurer of the senior class. During his senior year football season, he had seven interceptions, caught 30 passes for 458 yards, scored five touchdowns, and earned All-District honors for leading his team to the District 7A Championship with an undefeated record in the district. As a member of the baseball team, Dan received honorable mention in the All-Nashville Baseball Team as an outfielder. After graduation, Dan attended Lambuth University where he was named to the All-America team in both football and baseball. Dan continues to play an important role in the FRA community. His support and encouragement has been instrumental in growing the FRA campus and improving the student experience at Franklin Road Academy. Dan founded Franklin American Mortgage in 1994 and was selected as Entrepreneur of the Year at the Nashville Business Awards in 2003 and 2005.

John L. Ambrose, III ‘83

John Ambrose attended Franklin Road Academy for twelve years. John was a standout three-sport athlete competing in football, wrestling, and track. He served as captain of both the football and wrestling teams. John was a member of the football team all four years where he played offensive guard and was awarded numerous accolades during his time, including being named All-Class A-AA offense second team and earning the Lineman of the Year Award each year. John was also a valuable member of the wrestling team, lettering five years. His teammates elected him captain his senior year and admired him for his courage and consistency on and off the mat. John was an inspiration to his teammates. As a member of the track team, John lettered three years and was part of a school record setting relay team his senior year. John was known on campus for his superb sportsmanship and high-caliber competitiveness. John went on to study business at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. After graduation from UT, John joined the family business, Ambrose Printing Company, where he was named CEO in 1997.

2001 State Champion Cross Country Team

In 2001, the Franklin Road Academy cross country team won both the Region and State Championships. This dominant squad of runners was part of the Franklin Road Academy Cross Country dynasty that would go on to win four consecutive State Championships. Participating varsity team members during the championship race included Austin Weaver (1st), Chris Estopinal (5th), Nelson Brunsting (7th), Joel Kline (12th), Owen Keenan (13th), Steven Wells (16th), and Chris Michael (17th). Under coaches Jamie Cropper and Kevin Floyd the 2001 season continued the reign of Franklin Road Academy’s cross country team with State Championships in 2000, 2001, 2002, and 2003, which remains a state record. The team also won regions those four years and Austin Weaver was the A-AA individual State Champion in 1999, 2000, and 2001 with an average mile time of 5:06:60, and a 2001 individual State Championship with a winning time of 15:19:79. Coach Kevin Floyd reflected on the team, “I can honestly say in 20 years of coaching, I have never witnessed a more complete performance by seven individuals coming together with one heartbeat as I did that November day. I am proud to have been a very small part of this incredible group of guys and will cherish those memories for the rest of my life. Mental:physical as 4:1!”

1991 State Champion Football Team

The 1991 Franklin Road Academy football team was the first district team to have two undefeated seasons in a row with a State Championship in football. The championship game was played at Vanderbilt University on December 14, 1991 before a crowd of 9,500 where FRA defeated Trenton-Peabody with a score of 27-8. Several players received honors for their outstanding season. Todd Jenkins was named the Player of the Year and The Tennessean Metro Defensive Player of the Year. Greg Johnson was the Clinic Bowl MVP after running 152 yards on 14 carries and scoring the first touchdown of the game with a 71-yard scoring run. Brink Fidler, Chris Harwell, and Todd Jenkins were named to the AP All-State Team. Ryan Bachman, Matt Gardner, Jason Tomichek, and Brink Fidler were named first team offense while Ben Baldwin, Jay Beasley, and Chris Harwell were named to first team defense. Ryan Bachman was awarded the Offensive Player of the Year, named to the All-Metro Football Team, and presented the William P. Lawrence Scholar-Athlete Award by the National Football Foundation and Hall of Fame Awards. The coaches of this team were George Weicker, Gary Clarke, Dennis Harrison, David Tucker, Jerry Williams, Sterling Ambrose, and John Ambrose. Coach Weicker was named the Nashville Banner’s Metro Coach of the Year.

2011 State Champion Girls Basketball Team

The 2011 girls basketball team had an unbelievable record of 27-3. Following a State Runner-Up finish in 2010, the 2011 team won the Region Championship and capped the season by winning the Division II-A State Championship, a first for a Franklin Road Academy basketball team. After defeating Harding Academy 51-33 in the state semifinals, the Panthers took down Webb School of Knoxville, 55-52 in a game that went down to the final shot. Seniors Erin Ford and Abby Wharton, as well as junior Mariah Canady, and sophomore Derica Wyatt were all selected as members of the All-State Tournament Team. Derica was chosen as MVP of the State Tournament. While a handful of girls were recognized with awards, the team depended on the leadership of seniors, Ford and Wharton as well as Katie Coben and Taylor White in their quest for their first ever State Championship.

Ann Marie Gideon '05

Ann Marie attended FRA from pre-kindergarten through grade 12 and began her acting career early as Chicken Little in the first grade play. She was hooked! Throughout lower school, her love for performing grew as she continued to have roles in all of the plays and Grandparents’ Day each spring, as well as afterschool dance classes with Ms. Ballew. In high school, she enjoyed several wonderful leading roles in the plays and musicals, Adelaide in Guys & Dolls and Rosemary in How To Succeed in Business being two favorites. She was also an active member in The Vocal Ensemble and pursued any and all opportunities she could find to be on stage – Evening with Arts, Cocoa and Carols, vocal performances in assembly, etc. Ann Marie participated in Governor’s School for the Arts and interned at Chaffin’s Barn Dinner Theatre. The teachers who influenced her time at FRA the most and nurtured her love of music and theatre were Carole Pieratt, Linda Ballew, David Compton and Brenda Jewell; she will forever be grateful to them for their love and encouragement.

Ann Marie continued her pursuit of the theatre and acting at The University of Memphis where she received her BFA and performed in various plays and musicals all four years with notable leading roles in Shakespeare comedies. She had many opportunities at the university including a Study Abroad Scholarship to the Accademia dell'Arte in Arezzo, Italy, an apprenticeship at The Berkshire Theatre Festival and attended Springboard NYC with The American Theatre Wing.

Ann Marie has now been acting professionally for the last seventeen years. She has been in over forty theatrical productions, two national tours, three television shows, two national commercials, and one feature film (so far). She is a proud member of Actors' Equity Association and SAG-AFTRA. She is also an award-winning audiobook narrator and has narrated over two hundred audiobooks including NYTimes and Audible bestsellers.

Ann Marie is so thankful for the wonderful education and support she received at FRA and for all of the opportunities available to her while she was there. It gave her the foundation to believe in herself and pursue a challenging and fulfilling career. Ann Marie currently lives in Atlanta with her husband Joe, also a professional actor and narrator, and her two children, Jack and Liza.

Scott Innis '89

A proud member of the 12-Year Club, Scott’s involvement in the arts was ever-present in his FRA experience. As a student trombonist, Scott attended 17 Honor Bands including two-time principal with the All Mid-State & All State Bands and First Chair in the All State Jazz Band. He was awarded “Best Soloist” at the All State Marching Finals. His senior year, he was chosen to represent Tennessee as a member of the McDonald’s All American Band.

He attended the University of Miami on a full music and academic scholarship and later received his MBA from the University of Central Florida. While at Miami, he was selected to the Disneyland All American College Band launching an entertainment career with The Walt Disney Company. After 27 years at the “Mouse House” Scott has experience as a performer, project manager, leader of leaders, and show producer including parades, stage shows, road shows, dedications, special events, and corporate events.