LEARNING
LEADING
SERVING
FIVE INDUCTED INTO ATHLETIC HALL OF FAME By CSU Sports Information
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ive former Charleston Southern student-athletes were inducted into the CSU Athletic Hall of Fame during Homecoming weekend. The class features three Big South Conference champions in track & field, as well as former All-Big South performers in women’s tennis and women’s soccer. “I was fortunate to see each one compete and remember being impressed by the caliber of their accomplishments,” said athletic director Hank Small. “They distinguished themselves not only at the Big South Conference level but also at the national level.” The inductees in the 2015 CSU Athletic Hall of Fame Class were: Levi Brooks ’10 (Men’s Track and Field, 2006-10) Brooks earned Big South Track and Field Performer of the Year honors in 2009 and was a six-time Big South Champion and a six-time All-Conference selection in both the 200m and 400m. He was a three-time Big South Indoor Track & Field champion in the 400m dash from 2008-10, posting the Big South’s best mark in the race in both 2009 and 2010. He also holds the Big South’s record in the 300m dash, posted in 2009 with a time of 34.47. Brooks is the second member of the 4x400 relay that set the Big South record in 2008. He also won the 400m at the Big South Outdoor Track & Field Championships in both 2009 and 2010, while winning the 200m in 2009. Former CSU Men’s Track & Field head coach Tim Langford on Brooks: “Levi Brooks was a direct product of Rhue’s success and legacy,” said Langford. “Levi came into the program full of energy and talent and he never saw an event that he couldn’t do. He qualified for the NCAA national championships his
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sophomore year, and he carried a dependable, willing and able character about himself throughout his career.” Katie Crona ’07 (Women’s Soccer, 2003-05) Crona was a three-time Big South selection for the Buccaneers at forward and was named the Big South Scholar-Athlete of the Year in the 2004 season. Crona led the Big South in goals (15) and points (34) in 2004 in earning Big South First Team honors during the season. At the time of her graduation, she was fifth all-time in CSU history in goals scored and 10th in career points. Her 2004 season ranks among the highest scoring in CSU history behind current CSU Hall of Fame member Wendy Ennis. She started in 58 of her 59 games with the Bucs. Off the field, Crona was named the Metro Sports Council Scholar-Athlete of the Year in 2004 and was an NSCAA Scholar All-Region selection in 2005. CSU Women’s Soccer head coach and Crona’s coach Eric Terrill: “Katie transferred in and was one of those players we kept an open mind about where she would play.” She came in as a defensive midfielder, but had a brilliant career up top for us at forward. Her mentality and dedication to the program was evident as she single-handedly almost got us to the finals of the Big South in 2004 with a strong performance in the tournament. She had a knack for putting the ball into the back of the net in clutch situations for us and had a great career with the Buccaneers.” Dionne Gibson ’08 (Women’s Track and Field, 2005-09) A two-time All-American, Gibson had a highly decorated career at Charleston Southern including being a five-time Big South Champion and six-time All-Conference selection in the 100m, 200m and 400m. She
was a two-time Big South Outdoor Track & Field Athlete of the Year, earning the accolades in both 2007 and 2008. She was also the 2008 Big South Indoor Track & Field Athlete of the Year. Her career highlights include being a part of the CSU 4x100m relay team that set the Big South record with a time of 44.35 seconds at the 2009 NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championship. She had the Big South Outdoor best times in three events in 2007 (100m, 200m, 4x400m), 2008 (200m, 4x100m, 4x400m) and 2009 (200m, 400m, 4x400m). CSU head women’s track coach and Gibson’s coach Tosha Ansley on Gibson: “Dionne was a great ambassador for our program and conference. Even as a freshman, she was a natural leader, and she continued to lead her teammates throughout her career, from guiding them through warmups and encouraging them at meets, to even being a big sister to them in their times of need. She was the type of athlete that most coaches would love to have in their program. Not only was she great on the track by being a two-time All-American but also she was great in the classroom; earning Academic All-American accolades. Always hard working and so giving of her time to others, Dionne was a tireless worker that took on every workout with the idea that if it made her better she’d push through it. There were times I pushed her to the point of falling out, but she would get up, gather herself and come back to me and say, ‘I’m ready to go again.’ Her determination and grit were amazing... I’m honored to have coached her, and she is deserving of joining CSU’s Athletic Hall of Fame because she was an outstanding athlete, student, and, best of all, an outstanding woman that I’m proud to call a Buccaneer.”
Spring 2016, vol.26 no.1