With approval from the Board of Trustees, Head of School Melissa Soderberg announced today that Columbus Academy's fieldhouse – which opened in January 2020 – is now named the John Exline ’64 Fieldhouse.
A community-wide celebration will be held on May 9, 2026, to honor Academy's longest-serving faculty member as he approaches retirement, concluding an unprecedented career as an active member of the CA community either as a student or teacher and coach for 62 of the school’s 115 years of existence.
John first came to Columbus Academy as the Freshman Alumni Scholar in the fall of 1959. During his time as a student, he was a stalwart for the baseball team, lettered as a center during his only season on the football squad, was the MVP of the school’s intramural basketball program, served as circulation manager for the student newspaper and was well known for his acting and dancing abilities.
After graduating from Academy in 1964 and earning his bachelor’s degree from Notre Dame, John returned to campus in 1968 as an economics and history teacher, a position he still holds today. In those 57+ years since, he has also been athletic director, head of middle school, director of summer programs and a financial aid administrator.
The fieldhouse, where so many student-athletes train, is a fitting venue to honor John because he has held numerous coaching duties at Academy including football (freshman, JV, varsity assistant/offensive coordinator), basketball (MS boys, MS girls, freshman boys, JV boys, varsity assistant for Coaches Stahl, Scarfpin, MacMullan, Hildreth, Durst & Warstler), baseball (MS, freshman, JV, varsity assistant for Coaches Toffey, Stahl & Asbeck), tennis and golf (both on MS level).
John married his wife Ann in 1977, picked up a master’s degree from Ohio State in 1980, and raised four children: Adam ’97, Elizabeth CSG’00 (who currently serves as Academy's associate director of admissions), Katherine CSG’02 and Andrew ’04. Thanks to his daughters, John now finds enormous pleasure in having four grandchildren at CA: fifth-grader Amy, third-grader Julia, second-grader Maggie and first-grader James.
The fieldhouse is an impressive 24,000-square-foot facility that features three regulation courts with 18 basketball hoops suspended from the ceiling, sport-surface flooring, a rock-climbing wall, dropdown nets for batting practice, a conference room and six offices for coaches and athletics staff. It’s used almost nonstop for everything from PE classes and team practices to fitness training and youth sports.
"You will soon see John’s name installed on and within the fieldhouse to acknowledge its new title honoring a living Academy legend," wrote Melissa to the school's families, alumni and friends. "In the meantime, please join me in congratulating and thanking John for his incredible service to the school and plan to attend the celebration of and for him on May 9th (more details forthcoming) in the Exline Fieldhouse!"