General 12/19/2016 1:44:00 PM by Scott Goode (12/19/16)

Harding To Add 16 to Athletics Hall of Fame

SEARCY – Harold Valentine, the chairman of the Harding University Bison Boosters Hall of Fame committee, announced Monday that 16 new members will be inducted into the Harding Athletics Hall of Fame during a ceremony on Friday, Feb. 3 at 6:30 p.m. in the Heritage Center Founders Room.

The new members include Dr. Karyl Bailey (outstanding coach), Bridget Benson (women's basketball), Justin Cone (baseball), Aaron Farley (men's basketball/golf), Hugh Groover (outstanding coach), Matt Hall (men's basketball/golf), Lori Hendricks (volleyball), Rick Jones (distinguished coach/alumni), Daniel Kirwa (men's track and cross-country), Julius Kosgei (men's track and cross-country), Manuela Nesheva (volleyball), Jimmy Sloan (track and field/football), Gil Truitt (distinguished coach/alumni), Lewis Walker (track and field/football), Kendyl Washburn (women's soccer), and Alicia Williams (women's tennis).

The Hall of Fame induction dinner and ceremony are open to the public. Tickets are $10 each and can be purchased in the Ganus Activities Complex before Friday, Jan. 27.

The Bison Boosters induct new members into the Harding Athletics Hall of Fame every five years, and the 2017 class with be the 11th in the Hall's history. The Hall of Fame currently includes 84 members.

Below are brief bios of the 2017 Harding Athletics Hall of Fame Induction Class:

Dr. Karyl Bailey, outstanding coach

Became Harding's first head volleyball coach in 1983
Compiled a 370-273 record in 16 seasons as head coach
Won five AIC regular-season championships and his 1991 team advanced to the NAIA National Tournament
Won more than 30 matches in a season four times, including a school-record 43 wins in 1989.

Bridget Benson, basketball, 1993-97

Third in career scoring at Harding (1,803 points)
Two-time all-conference and all-region … played two seasons when Harding was not in a conference
Harding's career leader in steals (201), third in blocks (103), fourth in rebounds (878) and fifth in assists (377)

Justin Cone, baseball, 2002-05

Three-time all-conference, 2005 all-region (HU baseball's first all-region player in NCAA)
Harding's career leader in hits (219), home runs (47) and RBIs (198)
Played in 194 games as a Bison with a .363 average, 47 home runs and 198 RBIs … also 9-5 with a 3.60 ERA and six saves in 34 career appearances over 90.0 innings

Aaron Farley, basketball/golf, 2000-03

Three-time all-conference, two-time all-region, 2003 all-American
2003 GSC Player of the Year
Second in career 3-pointers (206), sixth in assists (416), sixth in steals (150) and eighth in points (1,539)
Made a school-record 88 consecutive free throws as a senior
2003 men's golf leader in stroke average

Hugh Groover, outstanding coach

Harding's first men's basketball coach after the program was re-established in 1957 … also coached track and field and tennis at Harding
Coached the Bisons for 12 seasons, including Harding's first winning season in 1963-64
Coached Harding to a then-record 17 victories in 1968-69, his last as head coach
Served as Harding's athletic director from 1969-77

Matt Hall, basketball/golf, 2004-08

Three-time all-conference, three-time all-region, two-time all-American
Three-time conference player of the year … 2005 regional player of the year
Second in career scoring (2,227 points) and scoring average (19.2) at Harding
Holds Harding's career record for free throws made (634)
2007 Academic All-GSC in golf

Lori Hendricks, volleyball, 1992-95

Two-time all-American
Two-time AIC MVP
Harding was 72-28 during her junior and senior seasons

Rick Jones, distinguished coach/alumni

A 1977 Harding graduate
Has won six state championships at Arkansas' Greenwood High School
2012 National Federation of High School Coaches Coach of the Year
Has a 251-65 career record and 121-17 record at Greenwood

Daniel Kirwa, track and field/cross-country, 2008-10

13-time all-American and four-time national champion in track and field
Three-time conference champion and three-time regional champion in cross-country
Twice finished in the top seven of the national cross-country meet

Julius Kosgei, track and field/cross-country, 2004-08

Nine-time all-American and one-time national champion in track and field
Four-time all-conference and all-region, including the 2006 regional champion in cross-country
Twice finished in the top four at the national cross-country meet

Manuela Nesheva, volleyball, 2006-09

Three-time all-conference, three-time all-region, and 2009 1st Team all-American
Harding's career leader in kills and aces
Harding won three regular-season conference championships in her four years and had a 101-34 record

Jimmy Sloan, track and field/football, 1988-92

Four-time all-American in the pole vault, three-time indoors and once outdoors
Holds Harding's indoor pole vault record at 16-6
Won the 1990 AIC pole vault at 15-5
Played 22 football games with 43 receptions for 555 yards and six touchdowns in 1991-92

Gil Truitt, distinguished coach/alumni

A 1956 Harding graduate
Served 33 years as a teacher, principal and basketball coach at Mt. Edgecumbe High School in Sitka, Alaska
Inducted into the Alaska High School Hall of Fame in 2006
Led Mt. Edgecombe to the Class B Championship of the Southeast Conference

Lewis Walker, track and field/football, 1959-62

Harding's starting quarterback for the football team in 1959-61 … also played defense and returned kicks
Won the 1959 220-yard low hurdles at the AIC meet and placed second in the 120-yard high hurdles … second in both events in 1960 AIC meet … second in the 120-yard high hurdles in 1961 … won the low hurdles in 1962 and placed third in the high hurdles

Kendyl Washburn, soccer, 2004-07

Three-time all-conference and one-time all-region
Appeared in Sports Illustrated's Faces in the Crowd
Harding's career leader in goals (48)
2007 Gulf South Conference Player of the Year

Alicia Williams, tennis, 2006-09

Harding's career leader in No. 1 singles wins (70)
Ranks second at Harding in career doubles wins (66)

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Harding To Add 16 to Athletics Hall of Fame