SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (August 12, 2025) – The Western New England Athletics Department has officially revealed the four members of the Downes Athletic Hall of Fame Class of 2025. The class is comprised of Chris Body '08 (Men's Lacrosse), Jim Maples '10 (Men's Soccer), Grace Kucharski '15 (Women's Volleyball/Softball) and Braxton Obichukwu Anetochukwu Etuka '18 (Football). They will all be recognized on Friday, October 3, 2025, during the Downes Athletic Hall of Fame induction ceremony and dinner, which marks the start of Golden Bear Weekend on campus.

Class of 2025 Inductees:

Chris Body
The two-time USILA Division III All-America Team Honorable Mention lands a spot in the Downes Athletic Hall of Fame Class of 2025 based on his four seasons with the Men's Lacrosse program at WNE. Body began his illustrious career in blue and gold during his freshman year, but it was his sophomore year that saw him emerge as a star. Body ended the season as part of the All-Pilgrim League First Team. Body led the team to a 14-3 record, with the team allowing five goals or less eight times, with Body at the center of that stellar Golden Bear defense.

The goalie hailing from Newtown, Connecticut, followed that up with an even more impressive junior season, receiving national recognition. Body was named to the All-Pilgrim League First team for the second consecutive season and added All-New England Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association (NEILA) Division III First Team to his resume. Body ended the season being named a USILA Division III All-America Team Honorable Mention, becoming just the sixth student-athlete to receive such honors in program history. The junior goalie led his team to a Pilgrim League championship, as well as an NCAA Tournament victory for the first time in program history. The 2007 season saw Body lead the defense to another historic 17-1 record, which included an undefeated regular season. The defense held opposing offenses to five goals or less on seven separate occasions during that season.

Body's final season with the Golden Bears added to the lore that was Chris Body's career in net. The senior goalie was then named to the All-Commonwealth Coast Conference (TCCC) Second Team, the NEILA All-New England Division III Second Team, the USILA Division III Senior North-South All-Star game, and the USILA Division III All-America Team as an honorable mention for the second straight season. Body led the Golden Bears to a 15-5 record, with the opposing team scoring five or fewer goals in ten of those fifteen wins. Body also led the blue and gold to a memorable TCCC Championship, two NCAA Tournament victories, a new program record in a single season, and an NCAA Quarterfinals appearance during that senior season.

Body currently still holds three program records: career wins with 39, career goals against average with 6.61, and most wins in a season with 16 (2007). Body also falls sixth in program history for career saves with 506, fifth for career saves per game with 10.54, and sixth for career save percentage with .645. For single-season records, Body lies fourth and tied for fifth for wins in a season with 12 and 11, respectively.  He is tied for tenth for highest save percentage in a season with .667, and third, fourth, and sixth for lowest goals against averages in a season with 5.68, 6.36, and 7.72, respectively.

Jim Maples
The Pleasant Valley, New York native played at Western New England during one of the heights of Golden Bear Men's Soccer. During Maples' tenure at WNE, the Golden Bears advanced to four consecutive NCAA tournaments and won three conference titles, while boasting a top-notch defense that Maples helped anchor during his three years as a consistent starter in the WNE lineup.

Maples would begin his playing career as a Golden Bear in 2005, when he played seven games for the team as a first-year defender. That year, the team went 21-3 (.875), won two NCAA Tournament games, and got to the NCAA Round of 16 for the first time in program history. In 2006, the defender would play in 23 of the team's 24 games. Maples tallied five goals and five assists to end the season with 15 points. In the GNAC Championship Game, he assisted on the game-tying goal and then had a shot on goal, which ultimately led to the game-winning goal. The 2006 squad repeated the previous year's feat by winning two more NCAA Tournament matches.

During his junior campaign, Maples made the switch to midfield, but still had a hand in a strong Golden Bear defense that recorded 11 shutouts, including all three TCCC Tournament games. He would record two goals and an assist to finish with five points for the season. The team went 15-6-2 during that year and won the TCCC Championship in their first year in the conference. Maples played in 22 of 23 contests. The team advanced to the NCAA Tournament and secured the fifth tournament win during Maples' tenure.

As a senior, Maples and the team only lost one game, going 16-1-6 overall, with Maples playing in 21 games and recording five assists. Maples resumed his role in the midfield while still making his presence felt on defense. The team would win the TCCC Championship for a second consecutive year, allowing only one goal in the TCCC tournament to secure a spot in the NCAA Tournament. Maples was seen as one of the top players in the conference, region, and country during his senior year. Maples earned All-TCCC First Team recognition, National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) New England Division III First Team recognition, a spot on the New England Intercollegiate Soccer League (NEILSL) Division III Senior All-Star Game, and was named part of the NSCAA Division III All-America Second Team, the second WNE Men's Soccer All-American in recorded history. Maples ended his career with seven goals, eleven assists, and 25 total points for the Golden Bears.

Grace Kucharski
Kucharski is one of the best women's volleyball players in program history. The Avon, Connecticut native landed on campus in 2011 and made an immediate impact on the team. She was named to the WNE Invitational All-Tournament Team in September of her first year with the team. After finishing the season with 466 digs and 4.24 digs per set, the first-year standout was named as an honorable mention on the All-Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) Team. Kucharski was not just an immediate threat on the court, but also on the softball field. Kucharski would become a regular in the lineup, starting 19 of 24 games for the blue and gold.

Kucharski continued her excellence on the volleyball court as a sophomore, picking up the WNE Invitational Most Valuable Player award. After finishing the season with 557 digs and 4.68 digs per set, Kucharski was named as an honorable mention to the All-CCC Team once again, was named to the Capital One Academic All-District I First Team, and to the CCC All-Academic Team. She helped lead the team to ten more wins in 2012 compared to 2011. Kucharski's Golden Bears won the 2012 ECAC New England Championship, with only two sets lost during the tournament. The sophomore also continued to shine on the softball field. Kucharski was named to the All-CCC Team as an honorable mention and was named part of the CCC All-Academic Team and National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) Division III Scholar All-America Team. Kucharski played a pivotal role in helping the softball team win an ECAC Playoff game versus Norwich University.

Kucharski's career fully blossomed in year three. Kucharski would have a sensational year on the volleyball court, picking up single-season records for digs and digs per set, which still stand today. Kucharski recorded 607 digs and 5.23 digs per set to set those records. The junior was named to the WNE Invitational All-Tournament Team for a third consecutive season and was the WNE Invitational Most Valuable Player. The Golden Bears won 25 games again to reach 50 wins in two seasons and secure a second consecutive ECAC New England Championship. For her efforts, Kucharski earned multiple awards. The CCC named Kucharski their Libero of the Year and part of the All-CCC First Team. The junior phenom was also named to the Capital One NCAA Division III District 1 Academic First Team, was the Golden Bear Teammate of the Year and earned Western New England's Richard DiRuzza Leadership Award.

Along with being named to the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) Division III All-New England First Team and the ECAC Division III New England First Team, Kucharski became the first and only WNE women's volleyball player to be named to the AVCA Division III All-American Team as an honorable mention. In the spring of 2014, Kucharski was named the Female Coca-Cola Athlete of the Year. Kucharski did not join the softball team in 2014 due to earning and accepting the distinguished opportunity to join the Walt Disney Company College Internship Program.

Kucharski returned to Springfield for her senior season, ready to add to her Hall of Fame resume. At the end of the 2014 women's volleyball season, Kucharski was named to the All-CCC First Team, the CCC Co-Libero of the Year (her second Libero of the Year award), and was the CCC Senior Scholar Athlete of the Year. After concluding the season with 485 digs and 4.08 digs per set, Kucharski was recognized by the AVCA once again. Grace was named to the AVCA All-New England Division III Region First Team, the Capital One NCAA Division III Academic All-America Third Team, the New England Women's Volleyball Association (NEWVA) Senior Classic, and the CCC All-Academic Team. To cap it all off, Kucharski was named an AVCA Division III All-American honorable mention for a second time, becoming the only two-time All-American in program history, which still stands today. By being named both an All-American and Academic All-American in the same season, Grace became one of the only Golden Bear to earn that achievement, and the first since 2007.

Kucharski ended her career as a Golden Bear by rejoining the WNE Softball team for her senior season in 2015. Kucharski immediately got back into the lineup and was named to the All-CCC Second Team and was a member of the NCAA Division III Williamstown Regional All-Tournament Team. Kucharski helped lead the Golden Bears to a CCC Championship versus Endicott College, an NCAA Tournament berth, and a win in the NCAA Tournament. At the end of the academic year, Kucharski was once again named the Female Coca-Cola Athlete of the Year and was named the WNE Female Senior-Scholar Athlete of the Year.
Kucharski received numerous awards during her time at WNE as a member of the women's volleyball and softball teams. Kucharski leads the women's volleyball program in career digs (2,118), career digs per set (4.52), single-season digs (607), and single-season digs per set (5.23). She remains in the top ten in program history for career service aces (249, 5th), career matches played (128, 4th), and career service aces per set (0.53, 7th). She is also on the single-season record board for single-season digs (607, 1st - 2013), (557, 2nd - 2012), (485 4th - 2014), and (466, 6th - 2011). Lastly, Kucharski's single season digs per set with 4.68 (4th), 4.24 (7th), and 4.8 (9th) all still hold in Western New England women's volleyball history today.

Braxton Obichukwu Anetochukwu Etuka
Primarily known as Obi, the four-year cornerback for the Western New England Football team was an anchor of the Golden Bear secondary during the 2013-2016 seasons, which included two conference championships and an NCAA Tournament win in 2016 against Husson University, the first in program history.

Etuka would be a mainstay on the defense his rookie year, but he announced his presence during the 2014 season, his sophomore campaign, when he was named to the All-New England Football Conference (NEFC) First Team, as well as the ECAC Division III All-New England First Team. His success contributed to the overall team's success, as the team improved its record by four wins, going 8-2 overall.

Etuka produced another standout year during his junior campaign as the cornerback from Middletown, Connecticut led the Golden Bears defense to unprecedented numbers. The WNE defense allowed 10 points or fewer in five of its eleven games on the year, and had an undefeated, 10-0, regular season, winning the CCC Championship for the first time since 2011. The Golden Bears would go to the NCAA Tournament that season, returning to the big dance for the first time since the aforementioned 2011 season. Etuka was named NEFC Defensive Player of the Year and was a member of the NEFC First Team, following the announcement of postseason awards. Along with those honors, the cornerback for the Golden Bears was named to the New England Football Writers Division II/III All-Star Team and D3football.com's All-East Region Third Team.

Etuka's senior season was one of the best the program has seen in its history. Etuka helped lead WNE to an 11-1 record, which included another undefeated regular season and an NCAA Tournament win in the first round versus Husson University. The Golden Bear defense held four teams to ten or fewer points on the year. Upon the season's conclusion, Etuka was named to D3football.com's All-East Region First Team and to the New England Football Writers' Association's Division II/Division III All-New England Team. D3football.com named Etuka as an All-American Honorable Mention, and the American Football Coaches Association named him as a Second Team All-American, which made him the seventh All-American in program history. The phenom cornerback ended his career with a program-record 21 interceptions, with those interceptions being returned for a total of 244 yards. After his senior season, Etuka was recognized by the WNE Athletics Department as its 2017 Male Coca-Cola Athlete of the Year.

The Downes Athletic Hall of Fame will now include 126 individuals with the 2025 class being included in October. Five Western New England teams have also received the honor of being inducted into the Downes Athletic Hall of Fame since its inception in 1999. The Downes Athletic Hall of Fame was founded to honor the student-athletes, contributors, coaches, administrators, and teams who have left their mark on Western New England Athletics. They have helped shape the historic legacy that is Western New England Athletics. The Athletics Hall of Fame at Western New England is named after Arthur William 'Red' Downes, who was a part of the coaching staff and faculty at Western New England for 45 years.