SAN DIEGO - After one of the most successful careers in college baseball history, University of North Florida head baseball coach Dusty Rhodes was immortalized by the American Baseball Coaches Association in its Hall of Fame on Saturday at the organization's national convention.

In 21 years at the helm of the Ospreys, he has guided them from an NAIA startup to an NCAA Division II powerhouse and is now building the program into a rising star in Division I. Rhodes has led UNF to 16 postseason appearances, including five trips to the College World Series (two in NAIA and three in Division II).

He has also pushed the Ospreys to six conference championships and has coached 22 All-Americans while compiling an 856-389 record.

"This honor would have never happened if I wasn't the coach at the University of North Florida," Rhodes said. "I can't thank some of the original members of the Osprey Club (Dottie Dorion, George Dorion, Dave Polovina, Gerry Hurst, Linda Harmon, Doug Harmon) and (former athletic director) Tom Healy enough for taking a chance on me. We've been lucky enough to have a lot of success. This is a great honor because it is voted on by your peers, and the coaches in this hall of fame are legends."

Rhodes cites his involvement with the ABCA as a great opportunity to meet many other coaches and come across new challenges, including coaching stints in the international baseball realm. In 2004, Rhodes was selected as the head coach of the Greek Olympic team at the 2004 Summer Games in Athens.

Rhodes returned to serve as the head coach of the Greek National Team in the 2005 European Championships. He was also an assistant for Greece in 2002 and 2003 and also served as an assistant coach for the 1996 Australian Olympic Team. In 1993, 1994 and 2001, he was an assistant coach for the USA National Team.

"Being able to work with USA Baseball was a great opportunity for me, and it opened the door to coach for Australia and Greece," Rhodes said. "I met (Ohio State head coach) Bob Todd through USA Baseball, who is an inductee this year. Being able to go in the hall with him is a great honor."

Just as impressive as his success on the field is his ability to inspire his student-athletes off field. Countless numbers of his former players have gone on to coach at either the high school or college level, as well as become administrators. Rhodes said all of his success wouldn't have come without outstanding support.

"If it wasn't for excellent assistant coaches and players over the years, I would've never received this honor," he said. "And I can't forget the tremendous professors at UNF. We are selling education first, and we've been fortunate enough to have some great students playing baseball."

One of Rhodes' greatest memories is when the program started from bare bones in NAIA and in the program's third year earned the No. 1 ranking. That, combined with UNF's success in Division II, gives Rhodes a very optimistic outlook for the Ospreys in Division I. He gives credit to former University president Adam Herbert and current University president John Delaney for their vision of the future of UNF Athletics.

"With our program making the jump to Division I, a lot of John's vision for our program is beginning to reveal itself. It's always a major challenge in college athletics, especially in Division I, and to have such great support is a necessity."

Rhodes will continue to enhance his legendary status in 2009 when the Ospreys open their season on Feb. 20 in Starkville, Miss., against Northern Illinois and one of college baseball's all-time great programs, Mississippi State.