KINGS POINT, N.Y. (Aug. 27, 2026) – The U.S. Merchant Marine Academy Alumni Association and Foundation (AAF), in conjunction with USMMA Athletics, is proud to announce the 2026 recipients of its Distinguished Athletic Awards and the two teams that will be inducted into the USMMA Athletics Hall of Fame.
 
Charlie Hill '65 will receive the Acta Non Verba Award, while Connie Buhl '81 will be honored with the George Edward "Skip" Prosser '72 Achievement Award. Additionally, the 1976 football team and 1992 football team will be inducted into the Athletic Hall of Fame as teams of distinction.
 
The four honorees will be celebrated at the 2026 Athletic Awards Dinner on Thursday, Nov. 12, at the U.S. Department of Transportation Headquarters in Washington, D.C., two days before the Secretaries' Cup at Audi Field. Additional information and registration details can be found at this link.
 
The Acta Non Verba Award, established in 1994 and presented biennially, is the highest honor presented by the Department of Athletics and recognizes an individual or organization that has gone far beyond expectations in support of the young men and women of Kings Point Athletics.
 
Hill has embodied that spirit through decades of service to the Academy, particularly the wrestling program. Beginning as a volunteer assistant coach in 1996, he later spearheaded the program's first proactive national recruiting effort, helping bring nationally-ranked wrestlers to Kings Point and contributing to the Mariners' rise on the national stage. His impact has extended beyond wrestling through recruiting assistance for numerous other varsity programs, significant financial support of Kings Point Athletics and longtime service to the USMMA Alumni Association & Foundation.
 
The "Skip" Prosser Achievement Award was established in 2007 to honor the memory and life of George Edward "Skip" Prosser '72. The award is presented biennially to a former Kings Point student-athlete who exemplifies Prosser's qualities of honesty, integrity, dedication, leadership and determination to serve others.
 
Buhl was among the pioneering women at Kings Point and competed as a member of the Academy's first women's basketball team, which was formed in 1981, nearly two decades before the sport began varsity competition at USMMA. She went on to earn an unlimited Chief Engineer license before building a successful career in commercial real estate. She has supported the Academy and its Midshipmen for more than four decades and has devoted much of the past 15 years to the AAF, including serving as Chair of its Board of Directors. Her tireless efforts have included helping restore Sea Year and Academy accreditation, legislative research and advocacy, alumni engagement and significant financial support of Kings Point.
 
Every two years since 2016, at least one entire team has had the distinction of being inducted into the USMMA Athletics Hall of Fame. This year, two memorable football teams separated by 16 years will join that distinguished group.
 
The 1976 football team put together a remarkable 8-1 season that saw the Mariners climb as high as No. 5 in the national polls and second in the ECAC Lambert Bowl standings. Kings Point's success was built around a dominant defense that surrendered just 78 points in nine games, complemented by a talented roster that earned extensive postseason recognition. Nine Mariners received Lambert Bowl honors, while several players earned All-East and Metropolitan Conference accolades. The lasting talent of the group is reflected by five members of the team eventually earning individual induction into the USMMA Athletics Hall of Fame.
 
The 1992 football team authored one of the program's most dramatic turnarounds, rebounding from a 2-6-1 season to finish 8-1-1 and tie the Academy record for victories in Charlie Pravata's second year as head coach. The Mariners rewrote the record book behind an offense that averaged a then-program-record 30.1 points per game, while the defense allowed just 11 points per contest. Kings Point reclaimed the Secretary's Cup with a 42-0 shutout of Coast Guard and capped the season by winning the ECAC Southwest Regional Championship in double overtime at Dickinson.
 
Complete bios for the 2026 Distinguished Athletic Award recipients and team Hall of Fame inductees will be available in the coming weeks.
 
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