ROCK HILL – Seven former student-athletes, who during their illustrious careers combined to win ten Player of the Year and three Athlete of the Year awards, have been formally inducted into the South Atlantic Conference Hall of Fame.

2003-04 Hall of Fame Inductees (left to right): Steve Campbell, Marvin Moore, Shannon Myers, Heather Randolph, Bret Jones, Leonard Davis, and the parents of Kimberly Hampton. Click on photo for larger size.

The Class of 2003-04 includes Steve Campbell of Mars Hill College, a two-time football Defensive Player of the Year winner; Leonard Davis, Lenoir-Rhyne College, a record-setting running back and 1994 football Offensive Player of the Year; Kimberly Hampton, Presbyterian College, a two-time women’s tennis Player of the Year, 1998 SAC Athlete of the Year, and first female combat pilot shot down and killed in U.S. military aviation history; Bret Jones, Presbyterian College, men’s basketball Player of the Year in 1993 and the only men’s basketball player in conference history to surpass 1,500 points, 800 rebounds, 400 assists and 100 steals in his career; Marvin Moore, Catawba College, men’s basketball Player of the Year in 1999 and the league’s all-time assist leader; Shannon Myers, Lenoir-Rhyne College, who excelled in both football and baseball and was named baseball Player of the Year in 1994; and Heather Randolph, Carson-Newman College, who holds numerous softball records and was chosen softball Player of the Year and SAC Athlete of the Year in 1995 and 1996.

They were inducted into the SAC Hall of Fame as part of the South Atlantic Conference Annual Meeting in Asheville, N.C., on June 10. The banquet was held at the Holiday Inn Sunspree Resort, beginning with a reception, then inductions and dinner.

Steve Campbell receiving his Hall of Fame honor, his remarks, and his family. Click on photos for larger size.

Steve Campbell was a three-time All-SAC defensive back for the Lions and was named Defensive Player of the year in 1979 and 1980. He was selected to All-District, All-State and two All-America teams during his career. His 15 career interceptions still stand as a Mars Hill record. Campbell is currently a successful high school football coach and athletic director at Loris High School in South Carolina.

Leonard Davis making remarks, and his family. Click on photos for larger size.

Leonard Davis was a four-time football all-conference selection and was named Offensive Player of the Year in 1994 after rushing for 1,559 yards, the fourth-highest single season total in SAC history. His 344-yard performance against Gardner-Webb in 1993 remains the top single-game rushing total in league history. He finished his career with 4,853 rushing yards, which ranks second in league history, and averaged nearly six yards per carry. A car accident during Christmas break of his senior year prevented Davis from pursuing a professional football career. He has spent the last nine years as a high school teacher, coach and administrator in Florida. He also serves as a mentor to youth and does motivational speaking in high schools, churches and colleges.

Kimberly Hampton's family receiving her Hall of Fame honor in her memory. Click on photos for larger size.

Kimberly Hampton led the Blue Hose to three straight SAC women’s tennis tournament titles and three consecutive trips to the NCAA Tournament during her career. She was a three-time All-SAC selection, going undefeated in singles play in the conference. She was the SAC’s Women’s Tennis Player of the Year in 1997 and 1998, and earned SAC Female Athlete of the Year honors in 1998. Hampton was also the school’s second female ROTC battalion commander as a senior. After graduation, she was accepted to U.S. Army helicopter Flight School and Officer Basic Course, where she was an honor graduate. She was assigned to the 82nd Aviation Brigade, 82nd Airborne Division at Fort Bragg, N.C. and served in Afghanistan during Operation Enduring Freedom. She was deployed to Iraq in September of 2003 and was killed in action in Iraq on January 2, 2004, while flying a helicopter near the town of Fallujah, west of Baghdad. She was the first female combat casualty from South Carolina in Iraq and the first female combat pilot shot down and killed in U.S. military aviation history.

Bret Jones receiving his Hall of Fame honor, his remarks, and his family. Click on photos for larger size.

Bret Jones was a three-time All-SAC selection, two-time All-Tournament selection and honorable mention NAIA All-American. During his senior year in 1992-93, he led the Blue Hose to the regular season title and set a SAC record for total wins (27) and winning percentage (.843). Individually, Jones ranks in the top five in eight different SAC career statistical categories: rebounding (830, 2nd), offensive rebounds (245, 3rd), free throws made (426, 3rd), free throws attempted (571, 3rd), assists (425, 4th), scoring (1,583, 5th), steals (189, 5th), and field goals made (558, 5th). Jones now teaches social studies and is the head boy’s basketball coach at White Knoll High School in Lexington, S.C.

Marvin Moore receiving his Hall of Fame honor, his remarks, and his family. Click on photos for larger size.

Marvin Moore was another of the league’s all-time standouts in men’s basketball. He was a three-time All-SAC selection, the men’s basketball Player of the Year and Food Lion SAC Tournament MVP in 1999, All-Region and All-American. During his career, he led the Indians to two regular season and two tournament titles. He is the SAC’s career leader in assists with 522 and is second in steals. His 650 points in 1998-99 is the second-highest single season total in league history and he ranks sixth in career total scoring with 1,556 points. After graduating, Moore played professional basketball for two years in Europe with teams in Sweden and France. He now is a physical education teacher in the Rowan-Salisbury school district and an assistant coach for his alma mater.

Shannon Myers is receiving his honor and making remarks. Click on photos for larger size.

Shannon Myers excelled in both football and baseball at Lenoir-Rhyne. He earned First Team All-Conference honors and was named Player of the Year in 1994 after batting .446 and stealing 34 bases. As a football participant, Myers had an outstanding career as a wide receiver as well. He led the SAC in receiving yards and was a First Team selection at wide receiver in 1994 while helping the Bears earn a share of the SAC title. Myers was drafted in 1995 by the Miami Dolphins, but suffered a freak accident during preseason practice that cost him part of a kidney. Not to be denied a professional football career, Myers played in the Canadian Football League for two seasons before returning to the NFL for brief stints with Tampa Bay, Oakland and the New York Jets. In between those efforts, Myers found time to return to Lenoir-Rhyne and finish his degree. While in attendance during the spring 1997 semester, Myers competed in his final season of baseball and earned First Team All-SAC honors for the second time. Myers is currently involved in NASCAR as a tire changer for Dale Earnhardt Enterprises.

Heather Randolph is receiving his honor and making remarks. Click on photos for larger size.

Heather Randolph was one of the most dominating softball pitchers in the history of the SAC. She had a 90-22 record on the mound, and finished with a career earned run average of 0.71. She owns two of the lowest season earned run averages in conference history and holds the SAC record for career strikeouts with 662. She was a two-time softball Player of the Year and became the first student-athlete in conference history to win the league’s Athlete of the Year award for two consecutive years, taking the honor in 1995 and 1996. After leaving Carson-Newman, she has remained active in softball, serving as a clinician and camp instructor, college instructor, and is currently a high school coach in Dalton, Georgia.

The class of 2003-04 joins the 33 current members in the SAC Hall of Fame:

Class of 1999-2000: Dr. Fred Bentley, Mars Hill; Dr. Ronald Christopher, Wingate; W.C. Clary, supervisor of football officials; Cally Gault, Presbyterian; Fred Herren, Newberry; Dr. Paul Jolly, Gardner-Webb; Dr. Robert Knott, Catawba; Dr. Cordell Maddox, Carson-Newman; Sam Moir, Catawba; Dr. Keith Ochs, Lenoir-Rhyne; Dr. Kenneth Orr, Presbyterian; Albert Sloan, Carson-Newman; Harvey Stratton, Catawba; Dr. Bill Walker, Mars Hill; Dr. Alan White, Elon.

Class of 2000-01: Lamont Jones, Mars Hill; Keith Henry, Catawba; Terence Steward, Lenoir-Rhyne; Direne Thomas, Wingate; Dick Williams, Catawba.

Class of 2001-02: Charlie Coles, Newberry; Ann Hancock, Wingate; Bill Morningstar, Elon; Allen Morris, Presbyterian; Tom Parham, Elon; Susie Hopson Shelton, Mars Hill.

Class of 2002-03: Allison Ankerson Makovec, Catawba; Vernon Buck, Wingate; Darren Hayes, Wingate; Todd Collins, Carson-Newman; Cedric Mansell, Mars Hill; Clyde Miller, Newberry and Gardner-Webb; Jimmy Skipper, Newberry.