CHAPEL HILL- Three Tar Heel student-athletes were inducted into the Order of the Golden Fleece Friday, the University’s oldest honorary society on Friday.

Senior offensive football guard Jonathon Cooper, senior women’s basketball guard Krista Gross, and senor field hockey forward Meghan Lyons were among 29 inductees of the Golden Fleece.

Each member is chosen upon his or her service to Carolina, as revealed in scholarship, motivation, creativity, loyalty, and leadership in academic and extracurricular accomplishments.

Cooper is a communications studies major and will graduate from North Carolina as memorable offensive lineman. He was a senior team captain, he won the 2012 ACC Jacobs Blocking Trophy, he was an Outland Trophy finalist, and his jersey will be honored in Kenan Stadium.

Gross is a biology major and led the basketball team in rebounding this season and was team captain.

Lyons is a business major who participated in four NCAA Championship games, taking home the crown in 2009. She is the president of UNC’s Student-Athlete Advisory Council and is very involved in life on campus. Lyons is the fourth field hockey player to be inducted into the Golden Fleece.

Full citations read at the induction from goheels.com:

Jonathan Cooper

For his leadership of the football team and exceptional service to children in the Chapel Hill community. On the field, Jonathan is one of the most talented offensive linemen in recent memory. He was named a consensus All-American, first-team All-ACC, and voted best offensive lineman on the team. A captain of the team, Jonathan started 43 games in his career, the most of any active offensive lineman in the ACC, and will have his jersey honored in Kenan Stadium. Jonathan, affectionately called “Coop” by his teammates, is widely known to be an exceptional athlete. But friends and coaches attest that he is as humble as he is talented, as kind and gregarious off the field as he is tenacious on the gridiron. With a passion for mentoring children, Jonathan spent every Friday before home games volunteering at the Children’s Hospital. He was often found at multiple community elementary and middle schools reading Dr. Seuss to children, working with football teams, playing at field days, speaking to students about Black History Month, or mentoring a group of boys, discussing leadership, scholarship, and service in a group he calls “The Man Cave.” For this, and many other reasons, the Order of the Golden Fleece proudly taps Jonathan Cooper

Krista Gross

For her dedication to and outstanding leadership of the UNC Women’s Basketball team both on and off the court. Krista Gross has served as a captain of the Women’s basketball team for the last three years. Known for her toughness, exceptional leadership, and resiliency, she is one of the few remaining members of her recruitment class, serving as a thread of continuity for the team during several seasons of transition and loss of key players. Her gifts on the basketball court have earned her opportunities of representing UNC in several games of NCAA tournament play, playing for the Finland national team over the summer, and making appearances at the EuroBasket Tournament and World University Games. Furthermore, Krista is a model student-athlete, finding joy inexcelling in difficult courses leading her to a career as a physician. Highly regarded by her teammates, classmates, and coaches, she is an outstanding scholar and athlete who has made lasting contributions on the basketball court, community, and the classroom. For these and other accomplishments, the Order of the Golden Fleece proudly taps Krista Gross

Meghan Lyons

For her leadership and contagious passion within Carolina Athletics and the greater university community. As a four-year member of the varsity field hockey team and two-time national champion, Meghan has served as a strong leader and ambassador for athletics during her time at Carolina. She served as the two-year president of the Student-Athlete Advisory Council, in which she engaged with policy and decision-making related to UNC student-athletics.
Meghan currently serves as the only student member of the Carolina Strategic Plan Advisory Committee, representing thousands of student athletes in crafting and authoring a strategic plan for Carolina Athletics. While her accomplishments in the athletic realm are beyond impressive, her commitment to the greater good of the university and the community is far-reaching as well. Meghan has worked tirelessly as President of Carolina Dreams, an organization that connects children in treatment at the NC Children’s Hospital with UNC student-athletes. Additionally, she founded the Sun Safety Project to increase awareness of sun safety and skin cancer risks while collecting and providing  sunscreen to the local homeless population. A true scholar-athlete, Meghan’s character, genuine leadership, and humility have earned the respect of fellow student-athletes, coaches, and administrators. For these and other accomplishments, the Order of the Golden Fleece proudly taps Meghan Lyons.