2023 Springfield Enshrinement Program

WILSON LOGISTICS

CLASS OF 2023

BRET SABERHAGEN

TYLER HANSBROUGH

SEAN WEATHERSPOON

EMILY SCOTT GITHENS

JAN STAHLE

DARYEL GARRISON

DOUG MIDDLETON

TOM RACKERS

DON KNAPP

MIKE MCCLURE

BOB KINLOCH

GREG GARTON

MIKE MACHHOLZ

PEGGY MARTIN

BLUE SPRINGS GIRLS

SWIMMING & DIVING ERAS (1985-96 + 2004-09)

CENTRAL MISSOURI VOLLEYBALL PROGRAM

MISSOURI VALLEY

WRESTLING ERA (1996-2005)

MIZZOU GOLDEN GIRLS DANCE PROGRAM

JOHN Q. HAMMONS

FOUNDER’S AWARD: KOLR 10, FOX 49, KOZL Z27, OZARKSFIRST.COM

PRESIDENT’S AWARDS: BILL TURNER

JOE TURNER

ACE AWARD: BRENT DUNN

ADVERTISING PLUS • BRYAN PROPERTIES • HILAND DAIRY FOODS GREAT SOUTHERN BANK • HILLYARD, INC.

FEBRUARY 5, 2023

February 5, 2023

Dear Missouri Sports Hall of Fame Fans,

On behalf of the Governing Board, please allow me to welcome you to the 2023 Springfield Enshrinement Ceremonies presented by Wilson Logistics and sponsored by Advertising Plus, Bryan Properties, Great Southern Bank, Hiland Dairy Foods and Hillyard, Inc.

Today we gather to celebrate, recognize, and honor the achievements of many individuals, teams and programs whose impact on sports in Missouri make them worthy of induction into the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame. These individuals and teams will take their rightful place alongside over 1,000 previous inductees. This afternoon we will induct 14 individuals, a pair of dominant program eras, and two perennially great programs. In addition, we will bestow the President’s Award on a couple of longtime friends of the Hall of Fame, present the John Q. Hammons Founder’s Award to a longtime corporate partner of the Hall of Fame, and award the second-ever ACE Award for sports-related charitable work. We will also take time to recognize the exploits of many across the state with the annual Special Achievement Awards, as well as remembering and reflecting upon some Hall of Fame members and friends who are no longer with us. I hope that today’s Enshrinement Ceremonies inspire future sports success while we recognize and honor the achievements of the past.

I want to thank each of you for your attendance, support and participation with regard to the Springfield Enshrinement. This Enshrinement is the largest and most beneficial event on the Hall of Fame calendar each year and its success contributes directly to the Hall of Fame’s ability to host other activities and events across the state. Whether it be other Enshrinements, Hall of Fame luncheons, golf tournaments, sporting clays events or even a bass fishing tournament, your support of today’s Enshrinement Ceremonies plays a key role in allowing the Hall of Fame to celebrate sports across the Show Me State.

I would like to call special attention to our new Presenting Sponsor Wilson Logistics, Inc., and its Founder and CEO Darrel Wilson. The Hall of Fame had a need for a Presenting Sponsor for the Enshrinement and Darrel stepped in to fill that void. His generosity is greatly appreciated, and I look forward to a great partnership in the future. Thank you, Darrel!

This will be my first Springfield Enshrinement Ceremonies to preside over and 2023 will mark my first full calendar year as CEO and Executive Director of the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame. I cannot tell you how excited I am for the future of the Hall of Fame! We have so many exciting things happening with our calendar and with the Hall of Fame Museum itself. Stay tuned for more details!

I also would be remiss if I did not publicly recognize and thank Jerald Andrews for his longtime service to the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame. Jerald is retiring after over 27 years at the helm of the Hall of Fame. His vision, dedication and work ethic over the years has transformed the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame and established it as, arguably, the premier state sports hall of fame in the country. Thank you, Jerald, for being a great mentor, leader and friend. Now go play some golf!

Thank you for your support of the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame, and congratulations to the Class of 2023!

Sincerely,

Byron Shive CEO & Executive Director

“Where the Game Lives On”

Saberhagen

Missouri Sports Hall of Fame 2023

Dinner

House Salad with Cheddar Cheese, Red Onion, Cherry Tomatoes, House Buttermilk Ranch or Raspberry Vinaigrette

Flame Grilled Tri-Tip Served with Southern Sweet Green Beans with Bacon, Cheddar Potato Hash and Sweet Rolls New York Cheesecake or Apple Cobbler

Weatherspoon

Missouri Sports Achievement Awards

Bill Roberts, Bolivar

Senior Champion of World Deaf Golf Championships

Louis Chaix, Springfield Rollerblader

Baptist Bible College Men’s Basketball Team

NCCAA Division National Champion

Kenny Anderson, Central Methodist University

HAAC Women’s Track & Field Coach of the Year

Jesse Bank, Central Methodist University

NAIA Soccer First Team All-American

Taylor Bottomley, Central Methodist University

HAAC Men’s Outdoor Track & Field Athlete of the Meet

Callie Henson, University of Central Methodist

HAAC Volleyball Attacker of the Year

Mykala Johnico, Central Methodist University

HAAC Softball Freshman of the Year

Arleighshya McElroy, Central Methodist University

NAIA Basketball First Team All-American

Robbie Merced, Central Methodist University

NAIA Rawlings Baseball First Team All-American

Madison White, Central Methodist University

NAIA Softball First Team All-American

Central Methodist Men’s Soccer Team

HAAC Champion

Central Methodist Softball Team

HAAC Champion

Central Methodist Softball Coaching Staff

NFCA Regional Coaching Staff of the Year

Central Methodist Women’s Indoor Track & Field Team

Karol Ostrowski, Drury University

NCAA D-II Swimming National Champion

Paige Robinson, Drury University

NCAA Division II Basketball First Team All-American

Mikita Tsmyh, Drury University

NCAA D-II Swimming National Champion

Drury University Men’s 200 Medley Swim Relay

NCAA Division II Swimming National Champion

Drury University Women’s Basketball Team

GLVC Champion

Drury University Women’s Swimming & Diving

GLVC Champion

Esube Byoke, Kansas City’s East High School

High School Soccer All-American

Athanie Leeviraphan, Evangel University

NAIA Football First-Team All-American

Tori Lowry, Evangel University

NAIA AVCA First Team All-Region

Viviana Sanchez, Evangel University

AVCA Midwest Region Defender of the Year

Grace Beyer, University of Health Sciences & Pharmacy-St.

Louis

NAIA Basketball First Team All-American

Charlie Dickerson, Jefferson College

NJCAA Soccer First Team All-American

Leo Driscoll, Jefferson College

MCCAC Men’s Soccer Coach of the Year

Jefferson College Softball Team

Jordan Crawford, Missouri Baptist University

NAIA Outdoor Track & Field National Champion

Sara Klunder, Missouri Baptist University

NAIA Volleyball First Team All-American

Charlotte Richards, University of Missouri-St. Louis

NCAA Division II Volleyball First Team All-American

Joel Sylven, University of Missouri-St. Louis

NCAA Division II Men’s Golf National Champion

Mallory Ronshausen, Missouri-St. Louis

GLVC Women’s Basketball Freshman of the Year

Katie Vaughn, Missouri-St. Louis

GLVC Women’s Basketball Coach of the Year

Steve Webb, Missouri-St. Louis

GLVC Men’s Basketball Defensive Player of the Year

Ryan Young, Missouri-St. Louis

GLVC Volleyball Coach of the Year

Missouri-St. Louis Men’s Basketball Team

GLVC Champion

Jason Jorgensen, Missouri Science & Technology

GLVC Men’s Soccer Offensive Player of the Year

Gideon Niboh, Missouri Science & Technology

GLVC Football Special Teams Player of the Year

Cameron Smith, Missouri S&T

GLVC Football Freshman of the Year

Ben Straatman, Missouri Science & Technology

GLVC Football Defensive Player of the Year

Missouri S&T Men’s Outdoor Track & Field Team

GLVC Champion

Mizzou Golden Girls Program

Jackson Cantwell, Nixa High School

MaxPreps Football First Team Freshman All-American

Letycia Bonifacio, Northwest Missouri State University

MIAA Women’s Soccer Co-Defensive Player of the Year

Lilly Ellis, Northwest Missouri State State University

MIAA Women’s Soccer Goalkeeper of the Year

Elijah Green, Northwest Missouri State

MIAA Football Defensive Player of the Year

Trevor Hudgins, Northwest Missouri State University

NCAA D-II Basketball First Team All-American, Bevo Francis Award

Ben McCollum, Northwest Missouri State University

NCAA Division II Coach of the Year

Northwest Missouri State Men’s Basketball Team

NCAA Division II National Champion Julia Alvarez, Park University

HAAC Volleyball Setter of the Year

Malaina Hensley, Park University

NAIA Volleyball First Team All-American Bailey Turner, Park University

HAAC Women’s Outdoor Co-Field Athlete of the Meet

Max Juengermann, Rock Bridge High School

High School Soccer All-American

Bakary Kante, Rockhurst High School

High School Soccer All-American

Greg Herdlick, Rockhurst University

GLVC Women’s Soccer Coach of the Year

Anna Lantz, Rockhurst University

GLVC Women’s Soccer Freshman of the Year

HAAC Champion

Central Methodist Women’s Soccer Team

HAAC Champion

Nija Collier, University of Central Missouri

NCAA Division II Basketball First Team All-American

Lyndsay Edmonds, University of Central Missouri

NCAA D-II Soccer First Team All-American

Christopher Goodwin, University of Central Missouri

NCAA D-II Outdoor Track & Field Long Jump Champion

Julia Kristensen, University of Central Missouri

MIAA & Region Women’s Soccer Player of the Year

Lewis Theobald, University of Central Missouri

MIAA Women’s Soccer Coach of the Year

Brennen van Breusegen, University of Central Missouri

MIAA Baseball Co-Player of the Year

University of Central Missouri Women’s Soccer Team

MIAA Champion

University of Central Missouri Women’s Track & Field Staff

MIAA

Women’s Track & Field Coaching Staff of the Year

Dominic Bartoni, Christian Brothers College High School

High School Soccer All-American

Kristina Bettis, Drury University

NCAA Division II Softball All-American

Domnik Karacic, Drury University

NCAA D-II Swimming National Champion

Jordan Mellott, Drury University

NCAA Division II Basketball Assistant Coach of the Year

MCCAC Champion

Chris Starkey, Jefferson College

MCCAC Softball Coach of the Year

Jefferson College Men’s Soccer Team

MCCAC Conference Champion

Kelly-Ann Beckford, Lincoln University

NCAA D-II Outdoor Track & Field National Champion

Lincoln University Women’s Track 4x400 Relay

NCAA D-II Indoor Track & Field National Champion

Lincoln University Men’s 4x400 Outdoor Track Relay

NCAA D-II Outdoor Track & Field National Champion

Julia Ruzeich, Lindenwood University

GLVC Women’s Basketball Player of the Year

Lindenwood University Men’s Indoor Track & Field Team

GLVC Champion

David Korn, Maryville University

GLVC Men’s Soccer Co-Coach of the Year

Maryville University Men’s Soccer Team

GLVC Champion

Maryville University Women’s Soccer Team

GLVC Champion

Blake Jones, Mineral Area College

Mineral Area College Baseball Team

MCCAC Champion

Mineral Area College Men’s Basketball Team

Keegan O’Toole, University of Missouri

NCAA Division II Wrestling National Champion

Ruth Maneula Bibinbe, Missouri State-West Plains

NJCAA Volleyball First Team All-American

Paula Weidemann, Missouri State-West Plains

MCCAC Volleyball Coach of the Year

Missouri State-West Plains Volleyball Team

MCCAC Champion

Jamie Burnham, Missouri Southern State University

MIAA Men’s Cross Country Coach of the Year

Ronnie Ressel, Missouri Southern State University

MIAA Women’s Basketball Coach of the Year

Lacy Stokes, Missouri Southern State University

MIAA Women’s Basketball Player of the Year

Missouri Southern State University Track & Field Staff

MIAA Men’s Outdoor Track & Field Staff of the Year

Ana Arroyo, Missouri Valley College

HAAC Women’s Basketball Defensive Player of the Year

Sam Green, Missouri Valley College

NAIA Soccer First Team All-American

Giavanna Moore, Missouri Valley College

HAAC Women’s Basketball Freshman of the Year

Indya Green, Moberly Area Community College

NJCAA Basketball First Team All-American

Sincere Parker, Moberly Area Community College

NJCAA Basketball First Team All-American

Pat Smith, Moberly Area Community College

MCCAC Men’s Basketball Coach of the Year

Kadyn Cobb, Missouri Western State University

Elite 90 Award Winner

Greta Seal, Rockhurst University

GLVC Women’s Soccer Defensive Player of the Year

Maureen Reilly, Rockhurst University

GLVC Volleyball Libero of the Year

Lyndsey Heckel, Saint Louis University

NCAA D-I Soccer First Team All-American

Carter Karotka, Southern Boone High School

ABCA/Rawlings High School Gold Glove Winner

Geno Hess, Southeast Missouri State

FCS Football First Team All-American

Quinn Nelson, Southwest Baptist University

GLVC Men’s Basketball Player of the Year

Clark Sheehy, Southwest Baptist University

GLVC & Midwest Region Men’s Basketball Coach of the Year

Frank Gallant, Springfield Catholic High School

NFHS National Girls Golf Coach of the Year

Alex Wiggs, Three Rivers Community College

MCCAC Women’s Basketball Coach of the Year

Three Rivers Community College Women’s Basketball Team MCCAC Champion

Duke Cochran, Truman State University

GLVC Men’s Soccer Co-Coach of the Year

Cade McKnight, Truman State University

NCAA Division II Basketball First Team All-American Gregg Nesbitt, Truman State

GLVC Football Co-Coach of the Year

Githens Rackers

Missouri Sports Hall of Fame 2023 Induction Ceremony

Special

Inductees

Kinloch Machholz

The MISSOURI SPORTS HALL OF FAME is structured as a 501(c)(3) non-profit foundation. The Board of Trustees serves as the governing body. If you have a significant interest in the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame and would like to be considered for service on the Board, please contact one of the Board Officers or a member of the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame staff.

OFFICERS

Chairman ............................................ Kris Conley* ....................................... Springfield, MO

Vice-Chairman ................................... Bryan Magers*.................................... Springfield, MO

Secretary Dan Nelson* Springfield, MO

Treasurer Craig Curry* Springfield, MO

TRUSTEES

Jodie Adams** Springfield, MO

Rick Beaman*................................................... Springfield, MO

Dick Bartow** Kansas City, MO

Charles Brown** Lebanon, MO

Cheryl Burnett**..................................... Kimberling City, MO

Ginny Fuldner*** Monett, MO

David Gibbs** Springfield, MO

Gary Goetz* ..................................................... Springfield, MO

Steve Gore** Springfield, MO

Sam Hamra** Springfield, MO

Gary Hazelrigg** ............................................... St. Joseph, MO

Russell Hinds* Springfield, MO

Brian Jared* Springfield, MO

Jerry Jared** .....................................................Rogersville, MO

Tara Jenkins* Springfield, MO

David Jones** Springfield, MO

Bill Killian** ..................................................... Springfield, MO

Steve Kitrel* ...................................................... Springfield, MO

Martin Mac Donald** Springfield, MO

Rob Marsh* ...................................................... Springfield, MO

David McQueary* ........................................... Springfield, MO

Board of Trustees Staff

Ken Meyer** Springfield, MO

Larry O’Reilly** ............................................... Springfield, MO

Ned Reynolds** Springfield, MO

Robert Roth** St. Joseph, MO

Joe Scott** ....................................................... Poplar Bluff, MO

Jackie Smith*** St. Louis, MO

Scott Smith* Springfield, MO

Donn Sorensen** ................................................. St. Louis, MO

Mark Speight** Springfield, MO

Alan Spencer* Monett, MO

Mike Spruill* .................................................... Springfield, MO

James Sterling** Columbia, MO

Norm Stewart*** Columbia, MO

Joel Thomas* ........................................................Republic, MO

Joe Turner** Springfield, MO

William Turner** Springfield, MO

Don Walsworth** ..............................................Marceline, MO

Roger Wehrli*** ..................................................... Phoenix, AZ

Steve Williams* Springfield, MO

Brad Wyrsch* ................................................... Springfield, MO

*Governing Board Member **Advisory Board Member ***Honorary Board Member

Byron Shive ....................................CEO & Executive Director

Jerald Andrews President Emeritus

Kari Norris Vice President of Marketing

Taylor Fredrich Director of Operations

Kary Booher ................................ Director of Media Relations

Cris Belvin ................................. Director of Communications

Derek Wilson Director of Facility Management

Jack Pitts Administrative Support Specialist

Noah Tucker Social Media Coordinator

Dale Witte ................................................................. Accountant

2023 Enshrinement Ceremony & Banquet Sponsors

Presenting Sponsor

Killian Construction, William F. Killian, President Associate Sponsors

Advertising Plus, Bryan Properties, Great Southern Bank, Hiland Dairy Foods, Hillyard, Inc.

Table Sponsors

Abacus CPAs, LLC.

Advertising Plus

Bass Pro Shops/Cabelas

Blevins Asphalt

Blue Springs High School

Bryan Properties

Central Bank/Central Trust

Chip & Teresa McGeehan / McDonald’s

Citizens Memorial Hospital

CPI Technologies

Family & Friends of Doug

Middleton

Dr. Rick & Jill Seagrave

Dr. Roger & Cindy Holden

Edward Jones, Jasen

Fronabarger & Alicia Dinges, Financial Advisors

Family & Friends of Greg Garton

Family of Greg Garton

Federal Protection, Inc.

First Midwest Bank

FORVIS

Thank

Steve Allen

Gene Bess

Sharon Green

Ted Hall

Dr. Valerie Ivy

Kent Keith

Amanda Linneman

Dr. Joe Parisi

Derrick Parra

Freedom Bank of Southern Missouri

Family & Friends of Jan Stahle

Family & Friends of Tom Rackers

Great Southern Bank

Harry Cooper Supply Company

Hartman Construction

Hiland Dairy Foods

Hillyard, Inc.

Independent Printing

Jack Henry & Associates

Jeff Ehrhardt - State Farm

Jefferson City Helias

Jefferson City News Tribune

Jerald & Giana Andrews

Kansas City Royals

Killian Construction

KOLR 10 / Fox 49 / KOZL Z27 / OzarksFirst.com

Kutak Rock / Dan Nelson

Lake Country Soccer

Landau Pontoons

Leon Combs

Central High School Wrestlers

J.D. Pattillo

Chris Rushin

Coleman Swierc

Cayla Timberlake

Darrell Wilson

Wilson Logistics

Killian Construction

Bryan Properties

Great Southern Bank

Mercy

Med-Pay,Inc.

Family of Michelle Luebbert

Mid-American Safety & Environmental

Miller’s Professional Imaging

Millwood Golf & Racquet Club

Missouri Football Coaches Association

Missouri Southern State University

Missouri State University

Missouri State University Foundation

Missouri Valley College

Missouri Valley Conference

Mizzou Golden Girls

Mizzou TSF

Mnt Vernon Schools

New Stream Enterprises

OakStar Bank

Ozarks Coca-Cola/Dr Pepper Bottling Company

Phoenix Home Care & Hospice

Pinegar

Special Thanks

Hillyard, inc.

Advertising Plus

Hiland Dairy Foods

USA Mortgage- Matt

Soutee

Corey Riggs

MediaCom

Larry & Sherry Nemmers

Ozarks Coca-Cola/Dr

Pepper Bottling Co.

Poplar Bluff High School

Price Cutter

purHEAT

Reilable Superstore

Republic High School

Rick McQueary

Rolla Boosters & Athletics

Rolla Track & Field

SabesWings

Schilling & Sellmeyer

Sechler Electric

Smokehouse BBQ

Special Olympics of Missouri

Spencer Fane

Swim Things

The McQueary Family

University of Central Missouri

University of Central Missouri

Athletics Walker Asset Management

Webster Electric Cooperative

Wendy’s-Sam, June, Mike, Alileen Hamra

Wil Fischer Distributing

Wilson Logistics

Wil Fisher Distributing

Independent Printing inc.

Dr. Mark Adams

Program Advertisers

Program Participants

Video Participants

Reliable Toyota

Schilling, Sellmeyer & Associates

Susan Miiles, Colleen Stone & Champion Athletes of the Ozarks

Volunteers:

Samantha Gerheart

Marcia Mahnken

Gary Hopkins

Lee Kanakis

MSU Entertainment Management Association

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Inquire today about special Membership promotions for friends & inductees of the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame.

Hall of Fame Class 2023!

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2023 Missouri Sports Hall of Fame Achievement Awards

Bill Roberts, Bolivar

Senior Champion of World Deaf Golf Championships

For the second consecutive year, Bolivar’s Bill Roberts won the Senior Division of the World Deaf Golf Championships in October in Hawaii. He fired a 77-7876-81 for a 312 at the Wailua Golf Club.

Louis Chaix, Springfield Rollerblader

A Missouri State University hockey player diagnosed at age 6 with Toxic Epidermal Necrolysis, or TEN, Chaix rollerbladed across the United States in the summer of 2022, covering 13 states and 2,902 miles from Los Angeles to New York. TEN is a life-threatening skin disorder characterized by blistering or peeling of the skin – and had second-degree burns on more than 80 percent. He started in Los Angeles on June 1 and averaged 54 miles a day, gradually building to 100 each day, before reaching New York on July 17.

Baptist Bible College

Men’s Basketball Team

NCCAA Division I National Champion

Baptist Bible College won the National Christian College Athletics Association Division I national title in March, beating Lancaster Bible College 77-70. Coached by Darin Meinders, the team saw Trent McBride score a game-high 25 points and snare eight rebounds. Tre Minton scored 22 points and grabbed 13 rebounds, and was named the tournament’s Most Outstanding Player. The team won the 2021 national title in the Association of Christian College Athletics.

Kenny Anderson, Central Methodist University

Heart of America Athletic Conference

Women’s Track & Field Coach of the Year

Anderson was named the Women’s Indoor Track & Field Coach of the Year after Central Methodist won its first Heart of America Athletic Conference Championship, with 156 points. Anderson is in his second year as head coach.

Jesse Bank, Central Methodist University

NAIA Soccer First Team All-American

A defender from the Netherlands, Bank was named an NAIA First Team All-American by the United Soccer

Coaches and was the Heart of America Athletic Conference Player of the Year. He anchored Central Methodist’s defensive backline to 10 shutout victories, and scored six goals and an assist.

Taylor Bottomley, Central Methodist University

Heart of America Athletic Conference

Men’s Outdoor Track & Field Athlete of the Meet

A senior thrower, Bottomley was the men’s Outdoor Track & Field Athlete of the Meet in the Heart of America Athletic Conference. He had a conference-best 28 points after winning the hammer throw, the shot put and earning runner-up in the discus.

Callie Henson, University of Central Methodist Heart of America Athletic Conference

Volleyball Attacker of the Year

A Jefferson City native, Henson was the Attacker of the Year in volleyball in the Heart of America Athletic Conference. In 30 matches, she was second in the conference in kills per set (3.47), third in kills (364) and fifth in hitting percentage (.309).

Mykala Johnico, Central Methodist University

Heart of America Athletic Conference

Softball Freshman of the Year

Johnico was named the Freshman of the Year in softball in the Heart of America Athletic Conference. A pitcher, she was 16-0 in 17 appearances, finished with a 1.34 earned run average and struck out 170 batters.

Arleighshya McElroy, Central Methodist University

NAIA Basketball First Team All-American

McElroy earned First Team All-American honors in basketball from the NAIA in March 2022, and was the Heart of America Athletic Conference Player of the Year. She averaged 10.5 points a game, along with 5.9 rebounds and 4 assists in a season in which Central Methodist reached the national semifinals. She had 14 20-plus scoring performances, including a career-high 43 points against Missouri Valley on Dec. 13, 2021.

Robbie Merced, Central Methodist University

NAIA Rawlings Baseball First Team All-American

A former Kickapoo High School standout, Merced was a First Team All-American in the NAIA in 2022. Primarily a shortstop, he batted .444 with 76 hits, including 11 doubles, four triples and single-season program record of 24 home runs. He also had 86 RBI, a single-season record.

Madison White, Central Methodist University

NAIA Softball First Team All-American

A sophomore from Columbia, White earned First Team All-American honors in the NAIA. The shortstop led the team in home runs (15), doubles (16), hits (67), RBI (51), batting average (.438) and slugging percentage (.837) in a year when she also earned Heart of America Athletic Conference Player of the Year.

Central Methodist Men’s Soccer Team

Heart of America Athletic Conference Champion

Central Methodist won its fourth consecutive Heart of America Athletic Conference championship in men’s soccer with a 4-0 victory against William Penn. CMSU (16-1-5) reached the second-round of the NAIA Tournament.

Central Methodist Softball Team

Heart of America Athletic Conference Champion

Central Methodist’s softball team won the Heart of America Athletic Conference Tournament, sweeping Mount Mercy, days after winning the conference regular-season title. The team finished 42-7 after reaching the NAIA Tournament.

2023 Missouri Sports Hall of Fame Achievement Awards

Central Methodist Softball Coaching Staff

NFCA Regional Coaching Staff of the Year

The National Fastpitch Coaches Association named Central Methodist the Coaching Staff of the Year afte the team finished 42-7. The staff consisted of head coach Pat Reardon, associate head coach Gene Reardon and assistant Jonathan Lynch. Pat Reardon was the Heart of America Athletic Conference Coach of the Year.

Central Methodist Women’s Indoor Track & Field Team

Heart of America Athletic Conference Champion

The Central Methodist Women’s Indoor Track & Field Team won the Heart of America Athletic Conference, totaling 156 points, thanks to six individual champions, with sprinter Kailey Johnson scoring 36 points. It was the team’s first conference title.

Central Methodist Women’s Soccer Team

Heart of America Athletic Conference Champion

Central Methodist’s women’s soccer team won its fourth consecutive Heart of America Athletic Conference regular-season and tournament championships, beating Mount Mercy 6-0 and Mid-America Nazarene 1-0, respectively. The team (19-3-1) later reached the second round of the NAIA Tournament.

Nija Collier, University of Central Missouri

NCAA Division II Basketball First Team All-American Collier earned First Team All-American honors from the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association in NCAA Division II for the 2021-2022 season. A Roseville, Mich., native, Collier was 13th nationally in rebounding at 11.3 rebounds a game. She also was fifth in D-II with 18 double-doubles. She averaged 18.7 points a game and was second in the MIAA with 1.7 blocks a game, earning MIAA Defensive Player of the Year.

Lyndsay Edmonds, University of Central Missouri

NCAA D-II Soccer First Team All-American

A junior, Edmonds earned First Team All-American honors from the United Soccer coaches in 2022. A defender, she netted four goals while compiling a pair of assists in 23 matches. UCM’s defense pitched 10 shutouts.

Christopher Goodwin, University of Central Missouri

NCAA D-II Outdoor Track & Field

Long Jump Champion

A senior, Goodwin won the men’s long jump national title at the NCAA Division II Outdoor Track & Field Championships. He leaped 26.0 feet.

Julia Kristensen, University of Central Missouri

MIAA & Region Women’s Soccer Player of the Year

A redshirt freshman from St. Charles, Kristensen earned Player of the Year honors from the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association and the Central Region Player of the Year from the D2 Conference Commissioners Association. She led the MIAA and ranked third in all of NCAA Division II with seven game-winning goals. She was second in the MIAA in goals (15) and points (39).

Lewis Theobald, University of Central Missouri

MIAA Women’s Soccer Coach of the Year

Theobald was named the Coach of the Year in women’s soccer in the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association after guiding University of Central Missouri to its third consecutive regular-season title.

Brennen van Breusegen, University of Central Missouri

MIAA Baseball Co-Player of the Year

Van Breusegen, a redshirt sophomore from Columbia, Ill., was the baseball Co-Player of the Year in the MidAmerica Intercollegiate Athletics Association. The center fielder had a league-best .462, slugging percentage (.846) and OPS (1.355) and led UCM to the conference title.

University of Central Missouri

Women’s Soccer Team

MIAA Champion

The Central Missouri women’s soccer team won the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletic Association championship, its sixth overall, in a 4-3 victory against Emporia State. Andree Orcutt’s free-kick on the left side of the box won it in the 87th minute for a team that eventually finished 19-2-2.

University of Central Missouri

Women’s Track & Field Staff

MIAA Women’s Track & Field Coaching Staff of the Year

The Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association awarded the Women’s Outdoor Track & Field Co-Staff of the Year Award to the University of Central Missouri, which finished second in the conference meet. The staff is led by MSHOF Hall of Famers Kip Janvrin and Kirk Pedersen, along with assistants Dan McCarty, Tucker Woolsey, volunteer assistant Guy Mosher and graduate assistants Kevin Gideon and Eric Nehlsen.

Dominic Bartoni, Christian Brothers College High School

High School Soccer All-American

Bartoni led Christian Brothers College High School’s soccer team to a state runner-up finish in Class 4 and then earned First Team All-America honors from the United Soccer Coaches. He also was the Co-Player of the Year in Class 4.

Kristina Bettis, Drury University

NCAA Division II Softball All-American

A pitcher, Bettis became Drury University softball’s first NCAA Division II All-American. She was 24-5 with a 1.05 earned run average and shattered the team’s singleseason strikeout record, fanning 271 batters in 214.2 innings. She had a .140 opponent’s batting and, of the 103 hits she allowed, only 14 went for extra bases. She also was the GLVC Pitcher of the Year.

Domnik Karacic, Drury University

NCAA D-II Swimming National Champion

Karacic won the 100-yard butterfly at the NCAA Division II Swimming & Diving Championships, finishing in 46.30 seconds, or .004 seconds better than the runner-up.

2023 Missouri Sports Hall of Fame Achievement Awards

Jordan Mellott, Drury University

NCAA Division II Basketball Assistant Coach of the Year

In his second season on staff, Mellott earned Assistant Coach of the Year honors in NCAA Division II from the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association. The Lady Panthers finished 32-5, won their sixth consecutive Great Lakes Valley Conference championship and reached the D-II Tournament for the 19th time.

Karol Ostrowski, Drury University

NCAA D-II Swimming National Champion

A sophomore from Poland, Ostrowski won the national championships in the 100 freestyle at the NCAA Division II Swimming & Diving Championships, finishing in 41.91 seconds.

Paige Robinson, Drury University

NCAA Division II Basketball First Team All-American Robinson earned First Team All-American honors in NCAA Division II from the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association and from the D2 Conference Commissioners Association. Despite missing two months, Robinson scored 503 points in the 2021-2022 season, averaging 21 points, as Drury finished 32-5.

Mikita Tsmyh, Drury University

NCAA D-II Swimming National Champion

A sophomore from Belarus, Tsmyh became a national champion at the NCAA Division II Swimming & Diving Championships. He finished in 1 minute, 41.36 seconds.

Drury University

Men’s 200 Medley Swim Relay

NCAA Division II Swimming National Champion

The team of Mikita Tsmyh, Dawid Nowodworski, Dominik Karacic and Alex Bowen combined to win the 200 medley relay at the NCAA Division II Swimming & Diving Championships in 2022. The group finished in 1 minute, 24.87 seconds, or 0.32 seconds better than the runner-up, Queens.

Drury University

Women’s Basketball Team

GLVC Champion

The Drury Lady Panthers women’s basketball team won the Great Lakes Valley Conference Tournament for the sixth consecutive season. Paige Robinson scored 17 points, Payton Richards had 14 and Terrion Moore 14 in a season when Drury finished 32-5.

Drury University

Women’s Swimming & Diving

GLVC Champion

The Drury University women won the Great Lakes Valley Conference Swimming & Diving Championships, leading wire to wire, tallying 1,878.5 points – or 5.5 more than runner-up Indianapolis.

Esube Byoke, Kansas City’s East High School

High School Soccer All-American

Byoke had Kansas City’s East High School on the brink of winning its first soccer state title in school history before Webster Groves outlasted East 3-2 in three overtimes. Still, Byoke earned High School All-American honors from the United Soccer Coaches.

Athanie Leeviraphan, Evangel University

NAIA Football First-Team All-American

A defensive back, Leeviraphan earned NAIA First Team

All-American honors from the NAIA, the Associated Press and the American Football Coaches Association. He tied for the second-most interceptions in the nation (7), and had 52 total tackles and four pass breakups in 10 games, all for an Evangel defense that allowed only 16.4 points a game.

Tori Lowry, Evangel University

NAIA AVCA First Team All-Region

A senior from Bentonville, Ark., Lowry was named an NAIA Midwest Region First Team selection by the America Volleyball Coaches Association. She led the team with 264 kills and had 22 service aces.

Viviana Sanchez, Evangel University

AVCA Midwest Region Defender of the Year

Sanchez not only was the Heart of America Athletic Conference Freshman of the Year but earned the NAIA Midwest Region Defender of the Year award from the American Volleyball Coaches Association. She led the team in blocks (115), with her 1.35 blocks per set good for second in the national and just .10 blocks behind the national leader.

Grace Beyer, University of Health Sciences & Pharmacy-St. Louis

NAIA Basketball First Team All-American

Beyer earned First Team All-American honors in NAIA from the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association, as well as from the NAIA itself. No University of Health Sciences and Pharmacy player had ever earned such an honor, with Beyer averaging a national-best 28.6 points a game.

Charlie Dickerson, Jefferson College

NJCAA Soccer First Team All-American

Dickerson earned NAIA First Team All-American honors from the United Soccer Coaches. A defender, he still scored five goals, including two game-winners.

Leo Driscoll, Jefferson College

MCCAC Men’s Soccer Coach of the Year

Driscoll guided Jefferson College’s men’s soccer team to the Missouri Community College Athletic Conference title. This past season was his first at the college.

Jefferson College Softball Team

MCCAC Champion

Jefferson College’s softball team won the Missouri Community College Athletic Conference with a 15-3 record, and finished 37-13 overall. The team had five first team all-conference selections in Kiersten Nixon, Dani Lindsey, Haile Farris, Tara Haag and Riley Eagan, with Sarah Roth as honorable mention.

Chris Starkey, Jefferson College

MCCAC Softball Coach of the Year

Starkey was in his first season coaching Jefferson College’s softball team and guided the Vikings to a 37-13 record and the Missouri Community College Athletic Conference championship.

2023 Missouri Sports Hall of Fame Achievement Awards

Jefferson College Men’s Soccer Team

MCCAC Conference Champion

The Jefferson College men’s soccer team won the Missouri Community College Athletic Conference, finishing 13-3-2 overall and 4-0 in the conference and were led by Alvarez Cooper, Joao Saraiva and Charlie Dickerson as leading scorers.

Kelly-Ann Beckford, Lincoln University

NCAA D-II Outdoor Track & Field National Champion

A senior, Beckford won the 800-meter run at the NCAA Division II Outdoor Track & Field Championships. She finished in 2 minutes, 5.88 seconds.

Lincoln University

Women’s Track 4x400 Relay

NCAA D-II Indoor Track & Field National Champion

A freshman-sophomore group of Shevanae Thomas, Chrissani May, Maria Diamond and Kelly-Ann Beckford led Lincoln to the 4x400 meter relay national championship at the NCAA Division II Indoor Track & Field Championships. They finished in 3 minutes, 42.03 seconds, winning by .003 seconds over Texas A&MCommerce.

Lincoln University

Men’s 4x400 Outdoor Track Relay

NCAA D-II Outdoor Track & Field National Champion

The team of Kewanie Campbell, Reuben Nichols, Shanthomoi Brown and Troy Whyte led Lincoln University to the national title in the 4x400-meter relay at the NCAA Division II Outdoor Track & Field Championships. The team’s time was 3 minutes, 5.88 seconds.

Julia Ruzeich, Lindenwood University

GLVC Women’s Basketball Player of the Year

A senior, Ruzeich was the women’s basketball Player of the Year in the Great Lakes Valley Conference. She averaged a double-double of 20 points and 11.4 rebounds, and was later named the GLVC Richard F. Scharf Paragon Award winner as the league’s Female Athlete of the Year.

Lindenwood University

Men’s Indoor Track & Field Team

GLVC Champion

Behind four individual conference championship titles, Lindenwood University men won the Great Lakes Valley Conference Indoor Track & Field Championships. The team scored 121 points, besting runner-up Lewis by nine points.

David

Korn,

Maryville University

GLVC Men’s Soccer Co-Coach of the Year

Korn was named the men’s soccer Co-Coach of the Year in the Great Lakes Valley Conference. The Saints won the conference tournament and went on to reach the NCAA Division II quarterfinals, finishing 12-5-5.

Maryville University Men’s Soccer Team

GLVC Champion

Maryville University’s men’s soccer team won the Great Lakes Valley Conference championship, beating Lewis 1-0. The game-winner came from Jimmy Doherty at the 106:24 mark of double overtime. The team (12-5-5) reached the NCAA Division II quarterfinals.

Maryville University Women’s Soccer Team

GLVC Champion

Maryville’s women’s soccer team won its first Great Lakes Valley Conference championship, beating Illinois-Springfield 2-1 thanks to goals from Madison Canoy and Lexi Gentry. The team finished 12-36, reaching the second round of the NCAA Division II Tournament.

Blake Jones, Mineral Area College

Jones coached the Mineral Area Community College baseball team to the Missouri Community College Athletic Conference title, and was named Coach of the Year. The team finished 31-18, bringing Jones’ record to 248-173 in 10 seasons.

Mineral Area College Baseball Team

MCCAC Champion

The Mineral Area Community College baseball team won the Missouri Community College Athletic Conference, beating East Central 15-4 and 12-6. The victories sent the team to the NJCAA Region 16 Tournament as the No. 2 seed, and finished 31-18.

Mineral Area College

Men’s Basketball Team

Mineral Area won the Missouri Community College Athletic Conference, finishing 10-3 in league play and 27-7 overall. Coached by Luke Strege, the team advanced all the way to the NJCAA Region 16 championship game.

Keegan O’Toole, University of Missouri

NCAA Division II Wrestling National Champion

A freshman, O’Toole became the University of Missouri’s ninth national champion by beating returning champion Shane Griffith 6-5 at 165 pounds at the NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships. The Hartland, Wis., native finished 25-0, earning his second All-American honors to go along with Big 12 Wrestler of the Year.

Jordan Crawford, Missouri Baptist University

NAIA Outdoor Track & Field National Champion

A junior, Crawford won the 5,000-meter race walk at the NAIA Outdoor Track & Field Championships in May 2022. He finished in 21 minutes, 49.78 seconds.

Sara Klunder, Missouri Baptist University

NAIA Volleyball First Team All-American

A junior, Klunder earned NAIA Volleyball First Team

All-American honors after averaging a team-bst 3.19 kills and 0.91 blocks per set. She finished with a .36 hitting percentage, ranking Klunder fourth in the NAIA in efficiency. She also led the team to its fifth 30-win season in six years, with 329 kills, 94 blocks and 23 service aces.

2023 Missouri Sports Hall of Fame Achievement Awards

Charlotte Richards, University of Missouri-St. Louis

NCAA Division II Volleyball First Team All-American

A three-time Great Lakes Valley Conference Player of the Year, Richards was named an NCAA Division II First Team All-American in volleyball by the American Volleyball Coaches Association. She led the GLVC in kills (492), kills per set (4.21), service aces (49) and points scored (4.80 per set).

Joel Sylven, University of Missouri-St. Louis

NCAA Division II Men’s Golf National Champion

Sylven won the NCAA Division II Men’s Golf national championship, beating Indianapolis’ Keegan Bronnenberg in a sudden-death playoff. Both finished stroke play with a 54-hole score of 214, and Sylven birdied the first hole while Bronnenberg parred.

Mallory Ronshausen, Missouri-St. Louis

GLVC Women’s Basketball Freshman of the Year

Ronhausen was the women’s basketball Freshman of the Year in the Great Lakes Valley Conference. She averaged 30 minutes a game, nine points and snared 56 rebounds to go along with 21 steals.

Katie Vaughn, Missouri-St. Louis

GLVC Women’s Basketball Coach of the Year

Vaughn earned the women’s basketball Coach of the Year award in the Great Lakes Valley Conference. The team finished 23-6, its best record in program history, after reaching the NCAA Division II Tournament.

Steve Webb, Missouri-St. Louis

GLVC Men’s Basketball Defensive Player of the Year

Webb was the men’s basketball Defensive Player of the Year in the Great Lakes Valley Conference. Following GLVC play, he had 38 steals for a team that eventually reached the NCAA Division II Sweet Sixteen.

Ryan Young, Missouri-St. Louis

GLVC Volleyball Coach of the Year

In his 12th season, Young was the volleyball Coach of the Year in the Great Lakes Valley Conference and in the NCAA Division II Midwest Region. The Tritons finished 25-7, winning 17 of their final 20 matches, and reached the D-II Tournament.

Missouri-St. Louis

Men’s Basketball Team

GLVC Champion

The Missouri-St. Louis men’s basketball team won the Great Lakes Valley Conference Tournament, beating Indianapolis 66-56 in the finals after rallying from an 18-0 deficit. The Tritons (26-7) reached the Sweet Sixteen of NCAA Division II, having won its first tournament game in 34 years.

Jason Jorgensen, Missouri Science & Technology

GLVC Men’s Soccer Offensive Player of the Year

A native of Italy, Jorgensen was the men’s soccer Offensive Player of the Year in the Great Lakes Valley Conference. He posted 22 points on nine goals and four assists, averaging 1.29 pounds a game in S&T’s 17-game season.

Gideon Niboh, Missouri Science & Technology

GLVC Football Special Teams Player of the Year

Noboh was the football Special Teams Player of the Year in the Great Lakes Valley Conference. He averaged 26.6 yards on 14 kickoff returns and 19 yards on 19 punt returns, including two touchdowns.

Cameron Smith, Missouri Science & Technology

GLVC Football Freshman of the Year

Smith was the Freshman of the Year in the Great Lakes Valley Conference. He was fifth in the conference in rushing, with 816 yards and eight touchdowns.

Ben Straatman, Missouri Science & Technology

GLVC Football Defensive Player of the Year

A linebacker, Straatman was the Defensive Player of the Year in football in the Great Lakes Valley Conference. He had 80 tackles, including 44 solo stops and a league-best eight quarterback sacks.

Missouri Science & Technology Men’s Outdoor Track & Field Team

GLVC Champion

Missouri S&T won the Great Lakes Valley Conference Men’s Outdoor Track & Field Championships, accumulating 176.5 points and topping Lewis by 38.5 points. It was the Miners’ six conference title in history.

Ruth Maneula Bibinbe, Missouri State-West Plains

NJCAA Volleyball First Team All-American Bibinbe led Missouri State-West Plains’ volleyball team to a third-place finish in the NJCAA Tournament, and then earned First Team All-American honors from the American Volleyball Coaches Association. Her 367 kills ranked 33d in the NAIA. She also finished with a .335 hitting percentage and 41 solo blocks, the seventh-most in the NJCAA.

Paula Weidemann, Missouri State-West Plains

MCCAC Volleyball Coach of the Year

Weidemann was named the Coach of the Year in the Missouri Community College Athletic Association after Missouri State-West Plains won the conference. The team went on to finish third at the national tournament for a second consecutive year, and finished 27-6.

2023 Missouri Sports Hall of Fame Achievement Awards

Missouri State-West Plains Volleyball Team

MCCAC Champion

Coached by Paula Weidemann, the Missouri State-West Plains volleyball team won the Missouri Community College Athletic Conference. The Grizzlies went on to place third at the national tournament and finished 27-6.

Jamie Burnham, Missouri Southern State University

MIAA Men’s Cross Country Coach of the Year

Burnam earned men’s Cross Country Coach of the Year from the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association after Missouri Southern won the 2022 conference team title.

Ronnie Ressel, Missouri Southern State University

MIAA Women’s Basketball Coach of the Year

Ressell was voted the Coach of the Year in women’s basketball in the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association. He led Missouri Southern to a share of the program’s first conference regular-season title (19-3 record) and earned the top seed in the tournament, before going on to finish as the tournament runner-up.

Lacy Stokes, Missouri Southern State University

MIAA Women’s Basketball Player of the Year

A freshman from Mount Vernon, Stokes made MIAA history by becoming the first women’s basketball player to be named the Player of the Year and the Freshman of the Year. She led Missouri Southern to a share of its first MIAA regular-season title after she led the MIAA with 154 assists, 5.7 assist a game, 86 steals and 3.2 steals a game. Her 19.4 scoring average was third-best.

Missouri Southern State University

Track & Field Staff

MIAA Men’s Outdoor Track & Field Staff of the Year Missouri Southern’s Men’s Outdoor Track & Field coaches earned the MIAA Staff of the Year Award after the team finished as the conference runner-up. The Lions had a league-high six individual champions and 11 All-MIAA performances. The squad is led by Director of Track & Field Brya Schiding, assistants Brian Allen, Jamie Burnham, Jason Francis and volunteer assistant Travis Petersen.

Ana Arroyo, Missouri Valley College

Heart of America Athletic Conference

Women’s Basketball Defensive Player of the Year

Arroyo was the Women’s Basketball Defensive Player of the Year in the Heart of America Athletic Conference. She set a single-season program record for blocks (96), had 244 rebounds, averaged 9.2 poits and 8.4 rebounds a game.

Sam Green, Missouri Valley College

NAIA Soccer First Team All-American

A sophomore forward from England, Green earned

NAIA First Team All-American honors from the United Soccer Coaches, and was the Heart of America Athletic Conference Player of the Year. He led the Heart of America Athletic Conference in goals (17), game-winning goals (8) and points (43). He also was second in the Heart of America Athletic Conference in assists (9) and shots (80).

Giavanna Moore, Missouri Valley College

Heart of America Athletic Conference

Women’s Basketball Freshman of the Year

Moore earned Freshman of the Year honors in women’s basketball in the Heart of America Athletic Conference. She led the team in total points (393), field goals (139), 3-pointers (74) and steals (55).

Indya Green, Moberly Area Community College

NJCAA Basketball First Team All-American

A former Kickapoo High School standout, Green earned First Team All-American honors in the NJCAA from the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association. She averaged 18.9 points and 11.4 rebounds per game. She also ranked first in field goals made, third offensive rebounds, fifth in total points and sixth in total rebounds in the NJCAA while recording 21 double-doubles.

Sincere Parker, Moberly Area Community College

NJCAA Basketball First Team All-American

Parker earned First Team All-American honors from the National Basketball Coaches Association, in Division I of the National Junior College Athletics Association. The former East High school standout from Rockford, Ill., averaged 21.9 points, shot 49 percent from the floor and 30 percent from 3-point range. His 767 points led the NJCAA, before transferring after the season to Saint Louis University.

Pat Smith, Moberly Area Community College

MCCAC Men’s Basketball Coach of the Year Smith guided the Moberly Area men’s college basketball team to the NJCAA Region 16 championship and earned the Gene Bess MCCAC Coach of the Year award.

Kadyn Cobb, Missouri Western State University

Elite 90 Award Winner

A freshman basketball player from Salina, Kan., Cobb became the first Missouri Western athlete to earn the Elite 90 Award. It is presented to athletes with the highest grade-point average, and Cobb’s 4.0 is higher than all other players in the NCAA Division II Championships.

Jackson Cantwell, Nixa High School

MaxPreps Football First Team Freshman All-American Cantwell was named a First Team Freshman AllAmerican in football by MaxPreps. The 6-foot-8, 260-pound Nixa High School freshman moved into the varsity starting lineup midseason and helped the Eagles reach the Class 6 state quarterfinals.

2023 Missouri Sports Hall of Fame Achievement Awards

Letycia Bonifacio, Northwest Missouri State University

MIAA Women’s Soccer Co-Defensive Player of the Year

Bonifacio earned the women’s soccer Co-Defensive Player of the Year Award in the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association. She started all 21 games as a defender, playing a team-best 1,842 minutes, and was part of the back end of a defense that allowed 194 total shots and pitch 13 shutouts.

Lilly Ellis, Northwest Missouri State State University

MIAA Women’s Soccer Goalkeeper of the Year

A freshman from Kearney, Ellis was the women’s soccer Goalkeeper of the Year in the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association. She tied for third in the nation, and second in the region, with 13 shutouts – and allowed only nine goals.

Elijah Green, Northwest Missouri State University

MIAA Football Defensive Player of the Year

A senior defensive tackle, Green earned Defensive Player of the Year in the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association after leading the conference with 21 tackles for loss and 11 total sacks. The Maryville native finished with 49 tackles, including 36 solos and 13 assisted tackles – with 21 tackles for loss sixth-best in NCAA Division II.

Trevor Hudgins, Northwest Missouri State University

NCAA D-II Basketball First Team All-American, Bevo Francis Award

Hudgins earned NCAA Division II First Team AllAmerican honors from the National Basketball Coaches Association in March 2022 after helping the Bearcats win the national championship. He averaged 23 points and 4.3 assists and led all NCAA men’s basketball players in points scored (897), making him one of 15 players in all NCAA divisions to score at least 700 points in a season. He later earned the Bevo Francis Award presented by Small College Basketball.

Ben McCollum, Northwest Missouri State University

NCAA Division II Coach of the Year

McCollum guided Northwest Missouri State to its fourth national title in five seasons in NCAA Division II, and was named the National Coach of the Year by the National Basketball Coaches Association. The team finished 34-5 and shared the MIAA regular-season championship, and then won the MIAA Tournament. The Bearcats are 29-5 all-time in the NCAA D-II Tournament.

Alyssa Rezac, Northwest Missouri State University

MIAA Volleyball Player of the Year

Rezac enjoyed a stellar season that included being named the MIAA Player of the Year. She led the Bearcats in assists (1,209) and service aces (42). She ranked No. 13 in the country in assists per set (10.99). She was a six-time MIAA Setter of the Week in 2022.

Reece Smith, Northwest Missouri State University

NCAA D-II Outdoor Steeplechase National Champion

Smith became only the eighth Bearcat men’s competitor to claim an outdoor national championship and the first to do it on the track. He won the NCAA Division II steeplechase in a record 8:33.64, the fifth-best time ever recorded by a men’s NCAA D-II runner at any meet.

Northwest Missouri State

Men’s Basketball Team

NCAA Division II National Champion

The Bearcats won their third consecutive

NCAA Division II national championship in March 2022, beating Augusta University 67-58 in Evansville, Ind. Junior point guard Trevor Hudgins scored a game-high 31 points, and Northwest Missouri State’s bench outscored August’s bench 19-4. The Bearcats finished 34-5.

Julia Alvarez, Park University

Heart of America Athletic Conference

Volleyball Setter of the Year

Alvarez was the Setter of the Year in volleyball in the Heart of America Athletic Conference. When it was announced, she had 1,055 assists, 210 digs, 59 kills and 29 service aces.

Malaina Hensley, Park University

NAIA Volleyball First Team All-American

A former standout at Oak Park High School, Hensley led the Park University women’s volleyball team to the NAIA national quarterfinals. Along the way, she earned NAIA First Team All-American honors from the American Volleyball Coaches Association after leading the team with 434.5 points and 365 kills. The team finished 29-6.

Bailey Turner, Park University

Heart of America Athletic Conference

Women’s Outdoor Co-Field Athlete of the Meet

A junior, Turner was the Co-Field Athlete of the Meet at the Heart of America Athletic Conference Championships, after winning in the triple jump and long jump. She went 39.17 feet in the triple, and 18.5 feet in the long jump.

Max Juengermann, Rock Bridge High School

High School Soccer All-American

A junior, Juengermann led Rock Bridge boys soccer to the Final Four in the fall of 2022. He was later named a First Team All-American by the United Soccer Coaches.

Bakary Kante, Rockhurst High School

High School Soccer All-American

Kante led Rockhurst to the Class 4 state championship and earned several honors, including First Team AllAmerican from the United Soccer Coaches.

2023 Missouri Sports Hall of Fame Achievement Awards

Greg Herdlick, Rockhurst University

GLVC Women’s Soccer Coach of the Year

Herdlick was voted as the women’s soccer Coach of the Year in the Great Lakes Valley Conference. Rockhurst finished 11-3-3, including 10-1-1 in the conference, and he earned his 250th victory in October.

Anna Lantz, Rockhurst University

GLVC Women’s Soccer Freshman of the Year

Lantz was the women’s soccer Freshman of the Year in the Great Lakes Valley Conference. She led the Hawks with nine goals and 21 points.

Greta Seal, Rockhurst University

GLVC Women’s Soccer Defensive Player of the Year

Seal was the women’s soccer Defensive Player of the Year and a D2 Conference Commissioner’s Association AllRegion First Team selection. She was third on the team in minutes played (1,391) and helped the defense hold opponents to 0.76 goals per game.

Maureen Reilly, Rockhurst University

GLVC Volleyball Libero of the Year

A junior, Reilly was the Great Lakes Valley Conference Volleyball’s Libero of the Year. She ranked fifth in NCAA Division II in digs per set (5.70), and led the team with 587 digs.

Lyndsey Heckel, Saint Louis University

NCAA D-I Soccer First Team All-American

A junior defender who graduated from Nerix Hall High School, Heckel became the first player in Saint Louis University women’s soccer history to earn First Team All-American honors, as hers came from the United Soccer Coaches. Her defense helped SLU rank third nationally in goals against average (0.45) and shutout percentage (.682).

Carter Karotka, Southern Boone High School

ABCA/Rawlings High School Gold Glove Winner

A senior who graduated in May 2022, Kartoka was named a Gold Glove winner by the American Baseball Coaches Association/ Rawlings. He was a three-year starter for Southern Boone, which won a state baseball title. He was one of nine to earn such honors.

Geno Hess, Southeast Missouri State

FCS Football First Team All-American

The Ohio Valley Conference Offensive Player of the Year earned First Team All-American honors from the American Football Coaches Association and the Associated Press. He led the Football Championship Series in touchdowns (21) and shared the lead for rushing TDs (19). He also was second in yards per carry (7.6) and third in total rushing (1,569).

Quinn Nelson, Southwest Baptist University

GLVC Men’s Basketball Player of the Year

A senior guard, Nelson was the men’s basketball Player of the Year in the Great Lakes Valley Conference and later earned First Team All-Midwest Region in NCAA Division II. He averaged 15 points a game, shooting 50.7 percent from the field.

Clark Sheehy, Southwest Baptist University

GLVC & Midwest Region

Men’s Basketball Coach of the Year

Sheehy was the Co-Coach of the Year in the Great Lakes Valley Conference, and the Coach of the Year in the NCAA Division II Midwest Region. He led the Bearcats to a 21-6 record, the GLVC West Division title and the No. 1 seed in the conference tournament.

Frank Gallant, Springfield Catholic High School

NFHS National Girls Golf Coach of the Year

Gallant’s final season coaching high school golf resulted not only in a state championship for the Springfield Catholic High School girls golf team but also a national award. He was recently named the National Girls Golf Coach of the Year by the National Federation of High Schools.

Alex Wiggs, Three Rivers Community College

MCCAC Women’s Basketball Coach of the Year

Wiggs received Coach of the Year honors in the Missouri Community College Athletic Conference after leading the Three Rivers Community College women’s basketball team to a 28-1 overall record. The team not only won the region, but was the No. 1 overall seed in the national tournament.

Three Rivers Community College

Women’s Basketball Team

MCCAC Champion

Three Rivers Community College’s women’s basketball team won the Missouri Community College Athletic Conference championship and earned the No. 1 overall seed in the national tournament. The team finished 28-1 and had four players averaging in double figures in Myia Yelder, Autumn Dodd, Jenna McMillen and Joi Montgomery.

Duke Cochran, Truman State University

GLVC Men’s Soccer Co-Coach of the Year

Cochran was the men’s soccer Co-Coach of the Year in the Great Lakes Valley Conference after Truman State made the conference tournament for the first time in school history. The team was 5-6-6.

Cade McKnight, Truman State University

NCAA Division II Basketball First Team All-American McKnight earned NCAA Division II First Team AllAmerican honors from the National Basketball Coaches Association after the 2021-2022 season. He averaged a career-high 19.2 points a game, shot 57.4 percent from the field and 39.5 from 3-point range, along with 6.4 rebounds a game. His 1,608 career points are fourth-most in Truman State history.

Gregg Nesbitt, Truman State

GLVC Football Co-Coach of the Year

Nesbitt was named the football Co-Coach of the Year in the Great Lakes Valley Conference. The Bulldogs finished the regular season 8-1, including 5-1 in the conference.

Special Olympics Missouri Hall of Fame 2022 Inductees

Tanner Hrenchir –Athlete | North Area

Tanner Hrenchir is the epitome of what SOMO is all about. Over the span of the last 31 years, Tanner has been a leader for the North Area athletes. He has had a tremendous impact on the growth of the program by serving as an advocate for the start of so many new sports, such as volleyball, golf and tennis. Tanner gives 100% of himself in every sport he participates in. His dedication to sports continues to grow every time he steps on the field, in large part due to the confidence he has obtained through his participation in SOMO. Tanner is one of the most decorated athletes in SOMO history. In 2010, Tanner was selected to be a part of Team Missouri for the Special Olympics USA Games in Lincoln, Neb. He dedicated an entire year to practicing and training to better himself for the week-long Games. It all paid off as he came home with a silver and bronze medal, along with two fourth place finishes. A few years later, Tanner was selected to compete on Team Missouri’s flag football team for the 2014 USA Games in New Jersey. Most recently, Tanner was Team Missouri’s lone powerlifter at the 2022 USA

Simon Caldwell –Athlete | North Area

Simon Caldwell has been involved with SOMO for 21 years. It’s safe to say he’s made the most of his time with SOMO! Simon graduated from Savannah High School in 2006. Since then, his SOMO career has flourished. Simon has competed in several sports, including basketball, flag football and tennis. Simon’s tennis skills took him all the way to the 2010 Special Olympics USA Games in Lincoln, Neb. He earned a gold medal in men’s singles! In 2014, Simon was back at the USA Games in New Jersey. He competed in modified flag football for Team Missouri. Four years later, Simon participated in his third USA Games in Seattle, Wash. He competed in singles and doubles tennis! When Simon is not training or competing, he works at Special Industries. He’s now worked there for 15 years! Simon has always displayed excellent sportsmanship on and off the field, and he has brought awareness of SOMO to his community. Simon is a former president of the Savannah Lions Club. He has been with the club for 12 years.

Jeffery Fugett – Volunteer | Southwest Area

Jeffery Fugett began volunteering for SOMO in 1999. He has served as the Missouri State Highway Patrol Troop D Agency Coordinator since 2005, working with fellow officers to raise funds and recruit volunteers for SOMO athletic events. He is the Region 3 Law Enforcement SOMO Coordinator for 23 counties in Southwest Missouri, where he coordinates and assists law enforcement agencies with torch runs, fundraising and other event planning. Jeffery has been on the State Summer Games’ Games Management Team roughly a dozen times, helping coordinate the final leg of the torch run, setting up equipment, setting up for opening ceremonies and coordinating law enforcement officials to award athlete medals. Jeffery has also served on the Polar Plunge committee since 2004, first in Branson and now in Springfield. He has obtained sponsors, set up events, recruited participants and even participated himself. Jeffery has been a Super Plunger at seven different Polar Plunges. Jeffery is also a Unified partner for softball and flag football. He competes on multiple teams with SOMO athletes and non-SOMO athletes. He’s also a SOMO coach. In 2007, he was chosen to run the final leg of the Law Enforcement Torch Run at the World Games in China. In 2010, he coached the Team Missouri basketball team at the USA Games in Nebraska, and he did so again

to Special Olympics Missouri's Hall of Fame Class of 2022

Jeffery Fugett Volunteer Tanner Hrenchir Athlete Simon Caldwell Athlete

Wil Fischer Companies salutes Jan Stahle.

Jan built young men to be great on and off the soccer field by giving freely of his time, knowledge, and passion for soccer and leadership.

CONGRATUL ATIONS JAN! THIS BUD’S FOR YOU.

CONGRATULATIONS!

Sean Weatherspoon

Mizzou Golden Girls

Missouri Valley Wrestling

Central Missouri Volleyball

Congratulations to the entire Class of 2023 on your induction into the Hall of Fame.

You represent our state with class.

From your friends at

I fell in love with a when I was in college & now am mar ried to a Hall of Famer!

So pr oud of you for your year s of ser vice to the pr ogram and the gir ls you mentor ed along the wa y. Sta y !

W ith love, Jeff Ehr har dt

You inspiretheandway for others.

Congratulations CLASS OF 2023!

Sechler Electric wishes to welcome and congratulate the hardworking athletes, coaches and volunteers who make up the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame Class of 2023.

Bill & Joe Turner Congratulations

Thank you for leading the way. From all of us at Great Southern, thank you for supporting our community and providing us the inspiration and opportunity to follow your example.

Brent Dunn Ace Award

Never underestimate those who begin their professional careers working in the trenches. Because it’s in those trenches where rolling up your sleeves and grinding make folks tough – and successful difference-makers –for the long haul.

A case in point is Brent Dunn, who rose from radio news/sports reporting in Springfield to become the Executive Director of the Missouri State University Foundation and Vice President of University Advancement. In fact, he recently led a team that raised $274 million for an MSU campaign.

“In reporting at that time (early 1980s), relationship-building was critical because we wanted to make in-roads at City Hall, City Council and establish relationships,” Dunn said. “That was the fun part of the job. And that is sort of the critical part of fundraising –establishing relationships.”

Dunn’s ability to build relationships enhanced the lives of student-athletes and regular students at Missouri State – and in the community as well. It’s why the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame is proud to honor Dunn with the 2023 ACE Award, which is bestowed on those who champion a sports-related charity in Missouri.

Dunn has worked for Missouri State University for 38 years, including since 2007 as Executive Director of the Missouri State University Foundation and Vice President of University Advancement. He is leaving the role in mid-2023 to handle fundraising for the Missouri State Fair Foundation.

Among his legacies is that the Foundation is a part of the Korn Ferry Tour’s Price Cutter Charity Championship presented by Dr Pepper, which has gifted $19.4 million to Ozarks children’s charities since 1990.

Dunn has seen to it that funds from the PCCC to the Foundation are used to provide tickets and other support to children to attend Missouri State athletic events, through the Bears Assisting Youth program which he created.

“We started it because we had all kinds of requests from different organizations to attend sporting events,” Dunn said. “This made sense because of what the Price Cutter Charity Championship does to help kids.”

A 1979 graduate of Central High School and a 1985 graduate of Missouri State, Dunn certainly has made a difference beyond that.

Which is remarkable because of his humble beginnings. Not only was a four-year letterman on Central’s golf team,

but he began working in local radio while in high school. Eventually he caught on full-time with KICK AM and eventually rose to news director at KWTO AM & FM.

He began with Missouri State in 1985 as the Director of Annual Giving, later became Athletics Development Director and Assistant Director of Athletics from 1995 to 2007, at which point he took on the executive director role.

His ideas of the mid-1980s have impacted many.

“I was just starting new programs and didn’t realize how big that was going to be later down the road,” Dunn said, noting his first fundraising efforts were for the Bears Fund, which supported athletics as well as academics.

Those early years set him up well in the early 2000s for Missouri State’s efforts in constructing a new basketball arena, which received a lead gift from John Q. Hammons and is now called Great Southern Bank Arena.

Dunn was heavily involved in pulling together sponsorships for the arena’s construction and credits many in the athletic department for the success. That’s because a number of athletic programs enjoyed success, creating a positive look for the university.

Along the way, Dunn was mentored by MSU Foundation Director Greg Onstot and Athletic Director Bill Rowe (MSHOF Legend 2016).

“Because we were such a small staff, I had the opportunity to do everything,” Dunn said, noting he helped stuff fundraising envelopes.

“Greg was great at relationship-building. And so was Bill. They both came from the mindset that relationships matter.”

Other mentors include his brother, Rick, as well as MSU Presidents Dr. Marshall Gordon, John Keiser, Mike Nietzel and Clif Smart.

The lessons Dunn learned were invaluable, as they fuel the success of the basketball arena’s fundraising.

In recent years, Dunn threw his energy toward MSU’s Onward Upward campaign and the Our Promise campaign, which raised $274 million. Overall, his fundraising has helped touch every facet of MSU.

Plus, he serves on the Nixa Board of Education and has chaired the Springfield Area Sports Commission and the Springfield Area Chamber of Commerce’s golf tournament. The support of his wife, Jennifer and their son, Dalton, have meant everything.

“When you look back, I feel like it was more than a job,” Dunn said. “It was a privilege to be a part of it.”

Bill Turner President’s Award

At the dawn of the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame, local banker Bill Turner – himself a longtime sports fan – didn’t hesitate to throw his support into the effort.

This was 1994, and founder John Q. Hammons was launching the museum in Springfield, home of Great Southern Bank, which Turner had led the previous two decades.

“I was glad to do it,” Turner said. “But it was questionable whether it was ever going to make it.”

Fortunately, Turner hung in there, partly because he wanted the museum to succeed and partly because of a friendship with then-CEO & Executive Director Jerald Andrews. What a 29-year run it’s been, and it’s why the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame is proud to honor Turner with the 2023 President’s Award.

Bill is receiving the award along with his son, Joe, now the President and CEO of Great Southern Bank. The honor is bestowed on individuals who champion the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame and sports in general in the Show-Me State.

Bill saw to it that Great Southern Bank has been the Hall of Fame’s official bank ever since the museum’s inception. In fact, he served on the Hall of Fame’s Board of Directors for years, and eventually Joe served in that role. That seat is now held by longtime Great Southern Bank executive Kris Conley, the Hall of Fame’s Board Chairman.

What a great friendship it has been. This June, Great Southern Bank will mark its 28th year as sponsor of the Hall of Fame’s Springfield Celebrity Golf Classic. Additionally, Great Southern Bank has sponsored the Hall of Fame’s November Enshrinements in Kansas City, Columbia and St. Louis over the past dozen years.

Along the way, the former Great Southern Travel, led by Bill’s late wife, Ann, was a corporate sponsor of the Hall of Fame as well. In 2004, Great Southern Bank was honored with the Hall of Fame’s John Q. Hammons Founder’s Award.

Overall, the support has enabled the Hall of Fame to nearly 30 events annually, and to operate in the black.

“Joe and I have always been involved in sports,” Turner said. “I started taking him to Missouri State basketball games when he was 5 years old. And we also support Mizzou. So we have always been interested in the Hall of Fame being a

success.”

Turner grew up in Mansfield, about 50 minutes southeast of Springfield, and became one of the state’s most successful bankers.

A 1956 graduate of the University of Missouri, he initially worked for Kraft Foods Company in Kansas City, followed by the Small Business Administration and then Citizens Bank in Springfield in 1966.

“Jim Jeffries was a mentor,” Turner said of the Citizens Bank leader. “He was a terrific person, and I’ve always been grateful to him for the guidance and support. He basically taught me how to be a banker, and he was a very moral man. He set a good standard for me to follow.”

Among the lessons learned was that businesses needed to support non-profits and other causes in their communities.

In leading Great Southern Bank, Turner certainly threw his arms around numerous efforts in the community. That included the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame, with Turner’s confidence in the 501(c)3 not-for-profit growing as Andrews led it for 28 years beginning in October 1995.

“He had been with Southwest Baptist University, and I knew him a little bit when he was there,” Turner said. “I’ve been friends with Jerald now for a long time. He’s done a terrific job with the Hall of Fame and the golf tournament (the Korn Ferry Tour’s Price Cutter Charity Championship presented by Dr Pepper).”

To Turner, the Hall of Fame’s importance – and potential influence – on young people has driven much of his support over the years.

“I think it’s more important for young people coming up,” Turner said. “The main thing with the Hall of Fame is that it can get young people playing sports, or participating in a sporting activity.”

Turner volunteered that Great Southern Bank’s involvement enhances its marketing efforts. After all, the Hall of Fame is an elite institution that other businesses and individuals wish to be a part of.

Take the Springfield Celebrity Golf Classic, for example.

“Originally, it was a way of helping the Hall survive,” Turner said. “But it evolved into being a great activity for advertising. And it is reflective of our bank.”

Joe Turner President’s Award

He grew up attending Missouri State basketball games and, later as a teenager, played on the offensive and defensive lines for the Glendale High School football team before going on to play for Drake University.

In other words, Joe Turner and sports are a natural fit. Which also helps explain the years-long support of the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame from the President & CEO of Great Southern Bank.

“I think it is the celebration of sports and the celebration of sports at all levels,” Turner said of why he enjoys the Hall of Fame. “Sports has such importance in people’s lives. To have an organization that’s dedicated to celebrating sports is something that is attractive to us.”

In 1999, Turner took the lead from his father, Bill, in not only leading Great Southern Bank but also in backing the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame. It’s been a tremendous friendship, and is leading the Hall of Fame to bestow the President’s Award on Joe at the 2023 Enshrinement.

The honor, which is coupled with Bill also receiving the President’s Award, is presented to those who champion the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame and sports in general in the Show-Me State.

Bill saw to it that Great Southern Bank join the Hall of Fame as one of its first corporate sponsors in 1994. Since moving into the CEO’s chair, Joe has continued the bank’s involvement.

Great Southern Bank remains a corporate sponsor, and is the Hall of Fame’s official bank. Additionally, Joe served several years on the Hall of Fame’s Board of Directors. That seat is now held by Great Southern Bank executive Kris Conley, the Chairman of the Hall of Fame board.

This June, Great Southern Bank will mark its 28th year as the title sponsor of the Hall of Fame’s Springfield Celebrity Golf Classic. Additionally, the bank has sponsored November Enshrinements in Kansas City, Columbia and St. Louis over the past dozen years.

The former Great Southern Travel, led by Joe’s late mother, Ann, was a corporate sponsor of the Hall of Fame as well. In 2004, Great Southern Bank was honored with the Hall of Fame’s John Q. Hammons Founder’s Award.

A former attorney in Kansas City, Joe joined Great Southern Bank in 1991.

Hammons founded the Hall of Fame in 1994, and Jerald Andrews came aboard a year later as CEO & Executive Director.

“John Q. Hammons was a good friend and a customer of our bank,” Joe said. “And when we saw all the good work Jerald Andrews was doing, we knew it was something we wanted to be a part of.”

The Missouri Sports Hall of Fame is a 501(c)3 not-for-profit.

“My mom and dad set an example for my sister and me – and all of the people here at Great Southern Bank – about the importance of supporting non-profits,” Joe said. “My dad was a big believer in supporting organizations in the Ozarks.”

To Joe, the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame represents all the good about sports – and can inspire others, either to play sports or somehow get involved in teams that make a difference.

That’s not the only reason why Joe has maintained the bank’s support of the Hall of Fame. A chief reason is his family’s relationship with Jerald Andrews, who was the CEO & Executive Director of the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame from October 1995 to July 2022.

“When Jerald came to the Hall of Fame, it was a bit touch and go,” Joe said. “Jerald came in and put the Hall of Fame on solid footing.”

Joe’s success at growing Great Southern Bank has led the bank to support Missouri State University and the University of Missouri athletic departments. In the past year, the MSU basketball arena was renamed Great Southern Bank Arena.

Joe is on the Board of CoxHealth system, and past Board member of the Missouri State University Board of Governors, Springfield Chamber of Commerce and the United Way of the Ozarks.

For his success, Joe credits his parents, as the support of his wife, Traci, and his daughters Clarie and Anna. A number of friends and colleagues – too many for Joe to name, understandably – have helped along the way.

“I’ve been fortunate,” Joe said, “to get to know a lot of great people over the years.”

KOLR 10, KOZL Z27, FOX KRBK, OzarksFirst.com

John Q. Hammons Founder’s Award

Back in 2012, a phone call from the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame traveled right up the road in Springfield to a local TV station.

That station is now KOLR 10/Fox 49/ KOZL Z27/OzarksFirst.com, and its then-TV Vice President and General Manager was Leo Henning (MSHOF President’s Award 2020), who had barely arrived to town.

And on the other end of the line was Jerald Andrews (MSHOF Legend 2022), at the time the CEO & Executive Director of the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame.

Talk about the start of a great working relationship, one that continues to this day. That’s why the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame is proud to honor KOLR 10/Fox 49/KOZL Z27/OzarksFirst.com with the John Q. Hammons Founder’s Award for 2023.

The award is presented to organizations that champion the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame and sports in general in the Show-Me State.

The station has long been a corporate sponsor of the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame, by supporting induction ceremonies and fielding teams in Celebrity Golf Classics and other events.

Additionally, it has gone above and beyond the call of duty in promoting the Korn Ferry Tour’s Price Cutter Charity Championship presented by Dr Pepper, as the PCCC supports more than 50 Ozarks charities annually. The PCCC has gifted more than $19.4 million since its inception in 1990.

The station not only sponsors teams in golf pro-ams but also provides tremendous coverage of almost all 30 fundraising events tied to the tournament. That has enhanced fundraising and, thus, helped charities meet their missions.

The latest energy put into those efforts comes from someone who has been a great friend of the Hall of Fame. That would be Mike Spruill, who has led Nexstar Broadcasting’s Springfield media portfolio since 2020 as General Manager.

He also serves on the Board of Directors of the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame. And much of the groundwork was laid a decade earlier.

In 2012, Henning sought to expand the community outreach of KOLR 10 and its other media entities at a time when Andrews hoped to ensure more exposure for the Hall of Fame.

Henning retired in 2020. Previously, he saw to it that the station became a corporate sponsor of the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame and a lead sponsor of the PCCC. Both are 501(c)(3) not-for-profits, and in the early 2000s had received some support from KOLR 10.

“I really believe when you are an individual new to a community, you are not going to have much relevance in the community if you don’t get out and be a significant part of it,” Henning said.

“With (Andrews’) portfolio of events, it made sense for us to be involved.”

Understand the power of KOLR 10 and its media contingent. In essence, Henning helped the Hall of Fame’s ongoing success through sponsorships of all events – the Enshrinement, Celebrity Golf Classics, and Sporting Clays Classic.

Additionally, Nexstar greatly promoted the PCCC.

“I’m proud to call Leo a friend,” Andrews said. “His leadership showed how a media outlet can help make a difference in the community. The Ozarks have always been a wonderful place to live, and he helped make it better.”

Henning had previously worked 33 years for Quincy Media – he held every role imaginable – before spending six years with Barrington Broadcasting, in which he oversaw 10 of its properties.

When he hit the Ozarks, the country was digging out of the Great Recession, so the challenge was significant. For instance, Nexstar had lost the local FOX affiliate.

In time, Henning enhanced sports programming across the company’s media outlets. KOLR 10 became the official broadcast partner of Missouri State Athletics and agreed to

be the main source for Kansas City Chiefs coverage for three other Nexstar stations. He also brought back FOX KRBK TV in 2019.

To Henning, the Hall of Fame and PCCC helped pave the way to the success.

“For a newcomer, (the events) were tremendous networking opportunities,” Henning said. “From a purely selfish standpoint, it was a great investment for the TV stations, and we saw great returns.”

Henning also made certain that KOLR 10’s personalities became more involved in the community, including with Hall of Fame and PCCC events.

He also praised the entire crew at Nexstar’s Springfield media outlets, considering each staffer created an impactful farewell tour of sorts in the business.

“With Springfield, it was the most professionally and personally rewarding time in my career,” Henning said. “It was the most talented group of people at the station I’ve ever worked with. It was important work done by everyone in that building and, for whatever reason, they bought into what I was trying to accomplish.”

Fortunately, Spruill has carried on that tradition. He, too, received a call from Andrews not long after his first day at the station in 2020.

Spruill certainly wanted to carry on the working relationship between the station and the Hall of Fame, and has dispatched the station’s 117 employees to make it happen.

“I arrived at the Hall of Fame not too long after Mike Spruill arrived at KOLR 10,” said Byron Shive, the new Hall of Fame CEO and Executive Director. “I got to know Mike pretty early on through his involvement with the Governing Board and his enthusiasm, passion and support for the Hall of Fame and the Price Cutter Charity Championship is obvious every time that we talk. He never fails to let me know that he and his team are behind us all the way and always tells me to let him know if we need anything. I look forward to a great continuing partnership in the future.”

“My predecessors, Mark Gordon and Leo Henning, had formed a strong partnership that aligned our cluster of stations with an outstanding organization,” Spruill said. “From that day forward, our partnership continued to grow. The leadership at the MSHOF has great vision, outstanding relationships, a commitment to charities in our

community, and is poised for growth.”

Sports had been part of Spruill’s youth, as he played on teams at Hickman Mills High School in Kansas City and later played football at Missouri Western State University.

To him, the impact on charities through the Price Cutter tournament has been one of the most rewarding aspects of his job. He has seen to it that the station, two weeks ahead of the tournament, invites charity directors to its lifestyle programming to discuss their organizations and the commitments they have to the community.

“We are fortunate to live in a community where there are resources and charities that are committed to the betterment of our region,” Spruill said.

Spruill has continued to keep KOLR 10 involved beyond the tournament. It supports the Boys & Girls Club of Springfield, and has a biannual food drive with Price Cutter Supermarkets for Convoy of Hope, Crosslines and Ozarks Food Harvest. It also supports the Sertoma Chili Cookoff, the Discovery Center Festival of Trees, American Cancer Society Southwest Region and Community Partnership of the Ozarks.

“For me, I get to peek around the curtain early on as I am working with so many of these organizations throughout the year,” Spruill said. “The PCCC (Celebration of Sharing presented by The McQueary Family) and check distribution is so touching as you get to see the leaders of each organization receive their donations.”

Spruill also appreciates the Hall of Fame for carrying on traditional values at ceremonies, such as opening luncheons with an invocation, the Pledge of Allegiance and National Anthem.

“It’s such an honor to receive this award as it is for our entire organization, which is one big team,” Spruill said. “There are so many people that, day in day out, are involved in putting our product on the air seven days a week and deserve recognition as well. This award is a reflection of the leadership and employees of the last 15-plus years who knew that involvement in our community was not an obligation but a commitment. KOLR/KRBK/KOZL employees are committed in so many ways it is a blessing to have others see the involvement by so many.”

Bob Kinloch Wrestling Coach

In the mid-1960s, as he began his teaching and coaching career, Bob Kinloch floated an idea to then-Springfield Public Schools athletic director Orville Pottenger.

Having wrestled in U.S. Army, Kinloch asked if the school district could launch a wrestling program.

“He said, ‘We’re not starting wrestling,’” Kinloch recalled, adding that he then ramped up his sales pitch. “I said, ‘It’ll help with football.’ And so after about five minutes, he said, ‘That’s a good idea, Bob.’”

And so began one of the most notable sports careers in Missouri history, as Kinloch coached for more than 50 years – and made his mark mostly in wrestling. Which is why the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame is proud to induct Kinloch with the Class of 2023.

Kinloch was a teacher and coach at his alma mater, Central High School in Springfield, from the fall of 1962 until retiring from coaching in 2018. He started the Central wrestling program and helped other city schools launch their wrestling programs.

In fact, his passion for the sport has been rewarded with two organizations showing the ultimate sign of respect.

About 20 years ago, Springfield Public Schools named its annual holiday wrestling tournament the Kinloch Classic. And, in 2020, the National Wrestling Hall of Fame recognized Kinloch with the Lifetime Service Award. This for a man who coached numerous other sports, including golf for 40 years, football for 17 and assisted in track & field. Yet folks in the wrestling community all across the state – and especially in the Ozarks – always knew Kinloch’s heart was dedicated to wrestling.

After all, in 1967, two years after Central’s program began, Kinloch helped design the school’s wrestling room. The story goes that Kinloch emphasized to the architects that the room’s ceiling could be only eight feet high.

“After they completed it, they said, ‘Why did it need to be only eight feet?” Kinloch said. “I said, ‘So they can’t put a basketball goal in here.’”

Had the room accommodated basketball, in a city that loves the sport, Kinloch figured Central’s wrestling program would be doomed.

The room was a tremendous improvement. Central’s first two seasons were spent in a second-floor machine shop on campus, with radiators not far from the mats. Often, wrestlers

would fall out of bounds and strike a radiator, receiving quite a heat shock.

Armed with a new room, Kinloch managed to mold teenagers into competitors and set them up for life. In his first year, there were 15 boys for 12 weight classes. In the program’s third year, Michael Oldham became Central’s first ever state qualifier and placed fifth.

In Kinloch’s mind, the sport would help football players, not only with footwork but offer a winter sport besides basketball. That’s why he pitched the idea to Pottenger, and even had the backing of Central’s head football coach at the time.

“I was glad to start it,” Kinloch said. “I was coaching three sports, and I had three kids and needed the money. I wanted to see what we could do in wrestling.”

Kinloch also knew the positive influence sports could have. He played football at Missouri State University and Friends University in the early 1950s. He later played AAA fastpitch softball, helping teams to world tournaments in 1955 and 1956.

Eventually, he signed a professional baseball contract with the Baltimore Orioles and caught one season in the minor leagues, playing with Cal Ripken, Sr., whose son, Cal Jr., went on to break big-league and world records for consecutive games played.

However, Kinloch was drafted into the Army and by chance was asked to be on a wrestling team, as the squad needed a 189-pounder just to fill out the roster. He loved it.

“That’s when I learned to wrestle and thought it was a good for mental toughness,” Kinloch said. “I got my brains beat in. But when I came back to Springfield, I could see the relationship between football and wrestling. So I put 2 and 2 together.”

Kinloch had always been competitive, too, and knew that building a competitive mindset in teenagers would set them up well to deal with life’s challenges.

He thanks Jim Ewing, the Springfield Parks and Recreation Director, for suggesting that he consider teaching and coaching in public schools.

For all of his success, Kinloch points to so many others –wrestlers, parents, administrators, opposing coaches and more. He also was motivated by numerous family members.

“I just hope I helped a lot of kids along the way,” Kinloch said.

Doug Middleton Fastpitch Softball

He grew up in Springfield, often spending summer evenings at Fassnight Park or Meador Park and watching his dad and friends’ dads play fast-pitch softball.

That was back when men’s fast-pitch softball was a big deal, and no one quite knew the influence it would have on Doug Middleton.

“Growing up, we’d run around those ballparks,” Middleton said. “Back in the ‘70s, they used to have great men’s softball. And, for us kids, you didn’t have much else to do.”

Talk about planting a seed, because eventually Middleton made his biggest athletic mark in men’s fast-pitch softball as a fearsome pitcher. In fact, it’s why the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame is proud to induct Middleton with the Class of 2023.

Certainly, baseball, football and basketball became part of his teenage years at Kickapoo High School – and he starred at outside linebacker in the early 1980s for the University of Central Missouri, never missing a start in four seasons.

Yet it was on the softball field where Middleton’s name rose to the top. You see, he eventually earned a roster spot on the USA National Team in 1992, 1996 and 1998. He also was the recipient of the Herb Dudley Award for the sport’s outstanding pitcher at the 1998 ASA Men’s Major Fast-Pitch National Championship.

Then again, many in Springfield were not surprised that Middleton had success, as he played summer fastball as a teenager, playing for Empire Bank and later with the Schlitz Bulls. The Bulls went on to win the ASA Nationals in their age group four times (1975-1978).

And that’s just the Cliff’s Notes version of his athletic success.

“I was playing softball when I was 10, and my dad decided to put together a team,” Middleton said. “He got us into a league, and we started playing local teams. And then he got us into a major tournament in 1972, and we won it.”

By the time he graduated from Kickapoo in 1980 and enrolled at Central Missouri in Warrensburg, Middleton sensed that – should his time end in the traditional sports like so many athletes – he would continue playing fastpitch softball.

In his college summers, guess where you could find him? And, usually, that was not only on a softball field but in the ultimate leadership position – as a pitcher in the circle.

Truth is, he became good at it. And then became a wanted man.

Post-college, teams would try to recruit him, as Middleton’s pitches reached speeds of 80 mph and greater. That was his dropball, which is similar to a curveball in baseball. He also had two other pitches, a riseball and changeup.

At one point, he played for Harold’s Supermarkets out of Lexington. Eventually, a team out of St. Joseph called on him, as did a team in Iowa.

The crazy part was that local business owners weren’t afraid to throw their sponsorship dollars towards the teams, as they covered travel and hotel costs.

“At some point, you have to play better teams because you need to see pitchers you haven’t seen before,” Middleton said. “And then it got to the point that we started beating some of the better teams.”

Eventually, Middleton enjoyed a 10-year stretch in the 1990s and into the early 2000s where part of his summers featured international competition, as part of Team USA. That included playing in the PanAmerican Games and World Championships. For a kid who had grown up in the Ozarks, it became an unbelievable experience. After all, he eventually competed against players from New Zealand, Australia and Canada. The kiwis, as they called themselves Down Under, featured some of the best pitchers. In other words, Middleton stood toe to toe with the best.

“As you get better, people start watching you. And then you get phone calls,” Middleton said. For Middleton, he not only thanks his dad and teammates for success, but also John Bass, a key mentor.

“He took me under his wing when I was about 11 years old,” Middleton said. “He’s the one who got me involved and encouraged me to stick with it.”

A number of other men’s fast-pitch personalities of the Ozarks influenced him, too, such as Roy Burlison (MSHOF 2015) and an Illinois opponent by the name of Dave Scott.

Along the way, Middleton and his wife, Kristin, raised two sons, Jake and Justin.

“I didn’t play fast-pitch softball to get accolades like the Hall of Fame,” Middleton said. “But I was fortunate to play softball year in and year out.”

Blue Springs Girls Swimming & Diving Eras (1985-96 + 2004-09)

Dedication. Work ethic. Attention to detail. Those are the words and phrases used by those close to the Blue Springs High School Girls Swimming & Diving program. And it really shouldn’t be a surprise, either. You don’t win seven state titles and post five runner-up finishes during two distinct eras without those traits running rampant through your program.

The eras of 1985 to 1996 and 2004 to 2009 are two of the most successful swimming & diving eras for one school in Missouri history. Two different coaches garnered similar results, combining for 33 individual state titles and 14 relays state championships. That commitment to excellence is why the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame is proud to induct the Blue Springs High School Girls Swimming & Diving Eras of 19851996 and 2004-09 as part of the Class of 2023.

Swimming isn’t an easy sport. There’s a certain dedication, a certain level of ‘want-to’ that comes with being a competitive swimmer on any level. Both head coaches Bill Shalley (1985-96) and Robert Sturman (2004-09) expected their student-athletes to display that championship level of desire. And they did.

“Coach Sturman and Coach Shalley instilled a commitment to excellence for anyone that was a part of the program,” said current Blue Springs head coach and former Wildcat Kevin Bigham. “We always had a big team and almost every kid was committed to doing two-a-day workouts. Just trying to be the best we could be. There’s no doubt that dedication led us to have as much success as we had.”

Bigham was a member of Blue Springs boys teams from 2004-07 and had a front row seat for the girl’s success, including the teams which won consecutive state titles in 2005 and 2006 under Sturman. It was the dedication to the little things by the two coaches that stood out most to Bigham.

“They had excellent attention to detail and were great motivators,” Bigham said. “After that the results took care of themselves.”

And the results were remarkable. A total of 16 state top four finishes during the combined 18 years of the two eras. But not only did Blue Springs have tremendous ‘buy in’ from its student-athletes, the Wildcats had every ounce of support they

needed.

“The support was incredible,” said Greg Goodman, diving coach from 1984 to 1994. “The bar was always high. The support we received from the parents was incredible. We did what we had to do to be successful. I got what I needed from the school, too. It was a group effort.”

During a period when Blue Springs won state championships in baseball, cross country, football, soccer, softball and track & field, the swimming & diving team stood out.

“I had the highest respect for the swim program and the girls that were here,” said former football coach and athletic director Tim Crone. “This group of girls, as far as work ethic, I’ve never seen anything like it. They were in the pool at 5 a.m., they’d go to school at 7:20 and then practice after school until 7 p.m. Academically, the girls were always on the honor roll and had top-notch grades.”

During Shalley’s tenure, individual success was also significant. The 19851996 era saw seven individuals combine for 17 state titles and five relays win state, as well. The individual state champions were Jeniel Purvis, Carrie Lalli, Cindy Taylor, Amy Jo Roberts, Wendy DeTray, Wendy Lawson and diver Kristi Stone. DeTray was responsible for seven titles alone covering the 100 butterfly, 100 breaststroke and the 200 medley.

That trend continued with Sturman in charge and featured four individuals who captured a combined 16 state titles and nine relay state titles. The individuals were Tarin Corwin, Molly Brammer, Eleanor Prewitt-Thomas and Abby Nelson. Brammer won four state titles in the 200-yard freestyle and 500-yard freestyle.

Sturman says the girls’ team was committed, but a little extra boost didn’t hurt.

“After our first state title in 2005, once they got a look at our championship rings, it was game on for the girls,” he said.

As much as coaches often receive notice for a successful team, Sturman says in the case of Blue Springs, all credit should go to the athletes and their parents.

“The success came from the hard work of the swimmers and the hard work and support of the parents,” he said. “The coaching staff worked so hard and wanted the very best for the kids and the team. But it always started with the athletes.”

Don Knapp Track & Field and Cross Country Coach

We no longer live in a time where people stay in the same job for 30-plus years. We’re more transient now, able to move from place-to-place and job-to-job without much of a second thought. Spend 37 years working in one place? Who would do that?

Don Knapp, that’s who.

The former Rolla cross country and track & field coach found a home early on in life, and never wanted to leave. His loyalty and his incredible success coaching -- a resume which includes 180 individual all-state selections, 12 individual state champions, one Olympian and two All-Americans -- make the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame proud to induct Knapp as a part of the Class of 2023.

When he first got into coaching, Knapp never imagined he’d stay 37 years in one place.

“Rolla was a good place for our family,” he said. “We liked the community and area. Rolla had everything we wanted. It was a good location, and it had a good educational system. Rolla was small enough to be comfortable, and yet also big enough to have lots of amenities.”

He felt the same way about Rolla High School and the support his program received.

“Rolla is an exceptional school in a nice community,” Knapp said. “It was a good place for our family to grow up. Our children went to really good schools there. We had lots of school and community support for our sports. There were many good people to work with. The athletes and facilities were very good. We enjoyed the jobs, the location, and the progressive environment.”

Not surprisingly, Knapp has several strong memories of his time at Rolla, especially when it came to working with Rolla athletes.

“Helping kids train, develop, and find success in cross country and in track was one of the best parts of the job,” Knapp said. “The teams won conference meets, district meets, broke school records, and they had fun. The state meets were always intense and seeing Rolla athletes on the podium was a highlight.”

Another highlight was watching former RHS standout Chantae McMillan compete in the heptathlon at the 2012 London Olympics.

“Walking into the Olympic Stadium in London filled with

over 80,000 people, seeing the Olympic Flame, and then watching Chantae McMillan compete with the best athletes in the world was amazing,” Knapp said. “One of the thrills of a lifetime.”

Like most coaches, Knapp had a favorite. A favorite event, that is. The pole vault.

For years, Knapp hosted pole vaulting clinics at Rolla, and eventually saw 21 of his own vaulters earn All-State.

“I always enjoyed the challenge of the event,” Knapp said. “It was exciting and special. You use speed, strength, agility, courage, and co-ordination to do it. It was fun and thrilling to do the event, and to see how high you could go each time. Pole Vaulters help each other at meets and at practices. It is kind of a unique athletic community and has a camaraderie shared among the vaulters.”

Knapp’s journey into coaching was similar to that of others. He was an athlete in his youth and was positively impacted by high school and college coaches. Once he graduated from college, he decided to return the favor, starting a lifelong journey of giving back.

“I always enjoyed lots of sports and being active,” he said. “I had many positive experiences in sports in junior high, high school and college with coaches that motivated me. I thought if I could help other people enjoy their sports with some positive experiences, that would be a good thing to do and a good career.”

Knapp is quick to give credit for his success to others, most notably his parents, his old coach Jim Dunlap, and his college coach Aldo Sebben.

“I met many good coaches and people in this sport through the years,” Knapp said. “I got to work with lots of athletes that I enjoyed time with. They all made a difference.”

Despite all of his success and longevity, Knapp was surprised to be selected for induction into the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame.

“I was speechless, and completely surprised,” he said. “It is humbling to even be considered for something like this. It makes me reflect on and appreciate all the people who have helped me throughout my career. This recognition is shared with many other people. This is a very special honor.”

Daryel Garrison Basketball

In the early 1970s, having helped his Kansas City high school to success, Daryel Garrison couldn’t believe it.

An assistant coach from Missouri State University had stopped by the local summer playground to see about talent. It turned out that Charlie Spoonhour (MSHOF Legend 2019), years before his folksy humor and basketball success won over the Ozarks, was the only white man around.

Little did Garrison know that Spoonhour was there to recruit him.

“I was shocked,” Garrison said. “A coach that was interested in me? It meant a lot. Charlie, (assistant) Jay Kinzer and Coach (Bill) Thomas … it was just their presence that made me want to play for those guys.”

Not only did Garrison play for them, but he became a star. And that’s why the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame is proud to induct Garrison with the Class of 2023.

Garrison left a legacy as the all-time leading scorer of the Missouri State men’s basketball program, scoring 1,975 points from 1971 to 1975. In fact, the school later retired his jersey – one of just four men’s basketball players to hold that honor – following a career full of accolades.

He was a four-year starter, earning First Team All-MIAA honors three times. Missouri State also won MIAA championships in 1973 and 1974, with both teams advancing to the NCAA Division II Tournament. The 1974 squad reached the national finals, where it lost to Morgan State in Evansville, Ind.

Garrison still holds program records for most 20-point games (46) and field goal attempts (1,755). He also ranks eighth all-time in MIAA career scoring. For his career, Garrison averaged 18.5 points per game.

All this from a player who, at one point, received an invitation from the National Football League’s Dallas Cowboys to attend a tryout – the team was seeking pure athletes – before Garrison realized that even accepting a plane ticket would have derailed his NCAA eligibility.

That came while he was on the verge of heading to Missouri State.

Garrison started almost from the jump, and became the team’s leading scorer five games into his freshman season. And the points kept piling up from there.

“Shooting 2s,” Garrison pointed out.

What made Garrison a talent was that he also played defense.

Then again, it was standard operating procedure for Garrison, who had played at Kansas City’s Sumner High School in Kansas, with the team 62-7 in his final three seasons – including 23-0 his sophomore season.

“Our goal was to stop our player first,” Garrison said, and later added something that said everything about his prowess at Missouri State. “I was happy to get 25 points a game. But I knew I wanted to play a balanced game. I wanted my rebounds and assists to be a part of my game. If were winning, that’s going to make all of us look better.”

Some of his most special games? Try the night he made 20 of 22 field goals and scored 40 points.

“It was one of those nights where I couldn’t miss,” Garrison said. “That was pretty amazing for me.”

Garrison certainly came a long way athletically, given some of the challenges in his personal life.

“For me, in the eighth grade, my mom was very religious and wouldn’t let us kids leave the house unless we were going to church,” Garrison said.

Fortunately, Sumner coach Craig Hall sensed Garrison’s talent could be a factor. He introduced him to the eighth-grade physical education teacher, who also coached basketball.

Teammates from that year and on fueled Sumner’s success, and several also played collegiately.

Looking back, he credits so many mentors for his success.

Among them was Hall.

“He was everything to me,” Garrison said. “He put me in the right positions.”

At Missouri State, there was Kinzer, Spoonhour and Thomas. Another was childhood friend Dennis Hill, a player at Sumner who later transferred to Missouri State. So many others made a difference, too, such as Charlie Moore, Randy Magers, stepdad Roland and Mom Doris.

Ten siblings toughened him up, too: Brothers Harvey, Lawrence, Roland, Arthur, Timothy and sisters Lawana, Angelita and Lisa.

Garrison later worked for federal prisons as an education and recreation program director, and worked for the Kansas City, Kan., School District in a similar role to help youths reach their potential. His Kids Zone program covers 33 elementary schools. He also is a dad to Camiele Garrison.

“It’s just been a wonderful life,” Garrison said. “I had a lot of offers to coach. But I wanted to work with kids on a different level.”

Missouri Valley Wrestling Era (1996-2005)

Tucked away on a quiet little campus in the heart of midMissouri is one of the bestkept sports secrets in the state. Few programs on any level in any sport can boast the success of the Missouri Valley College men’s wrestling program, especially the era from 1996 to 2005.

During that 10-year stretch of success, the Vikings dominated NAIA wrestling, winning three National Championships, finishing as runner-up four times, and producing 14 individual national champions. It’s that decade of dominance that makes the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame proud to include Missouri Valley College Men’s Wrestling Era of 1996-2055 in its Class of 2023.

With the program still in its infancy, Missouri Valley and head coach Mike Machholz served notice early on that the Vikings intended to be a major player in the small college wrestling world.

Valley’s four straight top 20 finishes in the program’s first four seasons (199295) included a total of 16 All-Americans.

Missouri Valley and Machholz first caught a glimpse of what could be when Steve Allen captured the program’s first individual national championship in 1994, as Allen took home top honors at 167 pounds.

“Missouri Valley was a place where I had the opportunity to achieve my wrestling goals,” Allen said. “I wanted to be an All-American and a national champion.”

Two years later when the ’96 team finally broke through with Valley’s first team national championship, the Vikings totaled eight All-Americans, and two national champions: Beau Vest, who clinched the team championship with a victory at 118 pounds, and Bobby Lashley at 177 pounds, the first of three straight titles for “The Almighty”.

Not content to have just one national crown, the Vikings went back-to-back in 1997, once again producing eight All-Americans. Lashley and Jon White (190 lbs.) each won individual championships.

Missouri valley nearly made it a three-peat in 1998, but the Vikings finished second. Among their seven All-Americans were national champions Lashley, and Marcus Mainz.

It took five more years, but eventually Missouri Valley’s hand was raised as champion once again in 2003, as the program dominated the sport with a record 11 individual AllAmericans. Among them was national champion Tyson Biddle (141 lbs.).

Other national champions during Valley’s impressive run include Jeremy Biddle (2000), Tim Cobb (2000), Matt Cobb (2001), and Wes Walker (2001).

Dr. Joe Parisi, Missouri Valley College President-elect and a former member of the wrestling team, remembers his time with Machholz and the team quite fondly.

“This era really built the foundation for Missouri Valley wrestling for years to come. But they not only built a foundation, they set a bar that most programs in any sport in any division across the country would be envious of.”

Aside from the success on the mat, Parisi says the bonds created are what he’ll remember most.

“There were so many special bonds that were there,” he said. “We always operated under the framework of ‘no weak links in the chain’. That was something that was very near and dear to all of us. Mike was so instrumental in so many different ways. This era set that tone.”

While the team was enjoying its success, Machholz was there, leading the way.

Allen remembers Machholz as a coach who stood by his athletes even when they indulged a bit too much the night before a surprise weigh-in.

“Back in those days you’d weigh in on Friday at home for a Saturday wrestling tournament,” Allen said. “So Wednesday was typically the night we all went out and had our fun. One Wednesday night we went to Warrensburg and cut loose and on the way home we ended up eating at Taco Bell.

“So Machholz announced the next morning at practice (Thursday) that we were weighing in a day early. I knew I was 13 pounds overweight, so I tried to sneak out of practice before it was over, and I started to go home. Here comes Machholz shouting at me asking where I was going. We started yelling back-and-forth at each other and next thing you know I’ve got my gear on, and I’m running around the track with a basketball and he’s right there running with me.”

Eventually, Allen had a successful weigh-in. But that moment is still with him all these years later.

“He wouldn’t quit on me,” Allen said. “He didn’t give me the easy way out. He stood by me. Anybody who knows Coach Machholz, that’s just him.”

The Vikings didn’t quit, either. Their three national championships are proof of that.

Mike Machholz Wrestling Coach

Mike Machholz had big dreams of being a basketball star as a kid growing up in Marshall, Mo. Fate had something else in mind.

A not-so-coincidental encounter with a wrestling coach when Machholz was in seventh grade turned into a lifetime of fulfillment, excellence, and a wrestling legacy unmatched in the state of Missouri. In over 30 years as the men’s wrestling coach at Missouri Valley, Machholz and the Vikings enjoyed three national championships, three national runner-up finishes, produced 168 All-Americans and 17 individual national champions.

But there’s more. Machholz was also a trailblazer of sorts in the sport of women’s wrestling as well establishing Missouri Valley as the first scholarship women’s wrestling program in America in 1999. That’s why the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame is proud to induct Mike Machholz as part of its Class of 2023.

It almost didn’t happen. Machholz was in love with basketball until one fateful day.

“My wrestling coach came to my seventh grade basketball practice and motioned me over and said I was gonna go to wrestling practice,” Machholz said. “He ‘gently’ broke the news to me that I was five foot nothing, couldn’t dribble and couldn’t shoot and that he’d already talked to my dad about coming to wrestling practice.”

Without protest, Machholz left the basketball court and headed to the high school gym where wrestling practice was underway. It was a bumpy ride at first, but over the next two years Machholz realized wrestling was his future.

“I began a two-year tutorial session where I got picked on, beat up and fell in love with the sport all the while waiting for my turn to have a chance,” he said.

Following a strong high school career, Machholz originally attended William Jewell College to wrestle, but after an injury, returned home and enrolled at Missouri Valley which, at the time, didn’t have a wrestling program. He graduated in 1984 and held a series of jobs in various places before he returned to Missouri Valley. But not as the wrestling coach. He worked in Student Life as the Director of Housing and Financial Aid before, once again, fate intervened.

“The college was looking for ways to increase enrollment and during one meeting I suggested we start a wrestling program,” Machholz said. “It was early April 1990 when my athletic director at the time congratulated me, slapped me on

the back and said I’d better get to recruiting.”

Machholz didn’t just blindly go into coaching. Starting a program from scratch and being successful right away don’t usually go together. But that wasn’t the case with the Vikings.

“I had developed a plan in my head to be relevant and competing for a top three trophy by year five, after we had a full four-year recruiting cycle,” he said. “I thought by then we would have, in theory, grown our own leaders, developed a winning culture and hardened our starters into All-American types.”

Machholz clearly underestimated his abilities and those of his wrestlers because in year five he and the Vikings won the first of their three national championships and started a run of 23 straight top 10 national finishes. From nothing to the top of the mountain in the blink of an eye.

“That was a very special year,” he said. “In ’96 we put four in the national title match and knew we needed to win at least one of those to win the championship. Beau Vest, a freshman, came through at 118 pounds. That feeling can never be duplicated. The sheer joy of achieving a goal and making history was overwhelming.”

More success followed with another title in 1997, three runner-up finishes in the following four years, and two more national championships – one in 2001 with the new women’s team and 2003 with the men’s program.

Machholz didn’t come to this level of success on his own. He credits numerous people with providing guidance and support along the way.

“I got my principles from my parents, added strength from my wife but I patterned much of my coaching style after my high school coach, Jim Hargrave,” he said. “Legendary MVC football coach Ken Gibler was a coach I studied from the stands. High school wrestling coaches, Bill Tuck, Glenn Berry, Gary Mayabb and Mike Hagerty have had a heavy influence on me too.”

A member of the Missouri chapter of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame, Machholz is grateful for his latest honor.

“This Hall of Fame award is very special to me,” he said. “I never dreamt that I could ever be in this situation. After all, this isn’t just a wrestling award; it represents the best in Missouri history. It’s crazy to me to process and it’s also very gratifying to think others outside of wrestling see me as worthy of this Hall of Fame.”

Tom Rackers Sportswriter

Growing up in Jefferson City, with his dad, Robert, working as the advertising manager at the News Tribune, Tom Rackers spent his days reading all about the sports stars of Kansas City, St. Louis and in his hometown.

Back then, five newspapers combined from those I-70 cities were delivered to the family’s doorstep – two in the morning and three in the afternoon.

“I would pour over the sports sections in each of the papers, reading the stories and studying the statistics,” Rackers said. “I guess that’s when my love of newspapers –and sports reporting – began.”

Rackers eventually joined the Jefferson City News Tribune in 1985 and carved out quite a career as a sports writer. That’s why the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame is proud to induct Rackers with the Class of 2023.

A 1980 graduate of Jefferson City’s Helias Catholic High School, Rackers joined the paper full-time after graduating from the University of Missouri in 1985. He was promoted to sports editor in 1988 and remains in that role today as the longest-serving sports editor in the paper’s history.

Additionally, Rackers is past president of the Missouri Sportswriters and Sportscasters Association and is a fourtime winner of best columnist in the Missouri Press Foundation Awards.

Along the way, he earned multiple awards from the Missouri Press Foundation, the Heart of America Awards by the Kansas City Press Club, and Associated Press. His leadership also led to multiple honors for the sports section from the Missouri Press Foundation.

Overall, he has gone about it professionally, knowing that the true news of a story is what you would immediately tell editors once you return to the newsroom from a game.

“My first sports assignment was covering Fatima High School in the MSHSAA Track and Field Championships at the end of my first week of working at the News Tribune,” said Rackers, who in 1985 was hired as a part-time sports writer who also worked news and handled page layout duties. “I did it wearing a cast on my right arm after dislocating my elbow playing softball about a month before I started. Trying to find the right people to talk to at the meet where there were probably 2,000 people in the stands and the track was a little

overwhelming. But I got through it.”

Rackers counts former sports editor Mike Flanagan as a key mentor. Flanagan’s move to the new side led to Rackers’ promotion to sports editor in 1988. Former sports editor Bob Bax also was a news side reporter at the time. Both shepherded Rackers through the early years.

“Mike was a good person to get my career started. I learned a lot about how to lead a staff and how to navigate the sometime murky waters of dealing with people in a town that loves its high school sports,” Rackers said. His career saw the installation of boys soccer programs at Jefferson City and Helias Catholic high schools, and the rise of girls basketball. Rackers saw to it that coverage of girls sports were treated equally.

One of his best projects was a weeklong, award-winning series in the late 1990s as MSHSAA considered its first multiplier rule for private school enrollments. At the time, there had been growing concerns from other schools about recruiting, with Helias Catholic able to compete against rural schools.

“This was an issue that was important to our readers, and we knew it,” Rackers said. “We had a front-page story every day, plus at least two stories each day on the front page of the sports section, breaking down the issue by talking to officials at MSHSAA, coaches and administrators not only at Jefferson City, Helias and Blair Oaks, but other smaller schools in the area.”

Rackers covered Game 7 of the 1985 World Series, and the Fifth Down Game between Missouri and Colorado in football in 1990.

Still, high schools have been his bread and butter. In his career, Jefferson City, Helias Catholic and nearby Blair Oaks have combined to win more than 40 state championships since 1985. And that number doubles when counting runners-up or Final Fours.

He also thanks family support, including from sister, Kathy, and brother, Greg. Rackers also points out two past assistant sports editors, Tony Hawley and Greg Jackson.

“This is a hard job to do; a harder job to do well,” Rackers said. “But I have been fortunate to work with great groups who have put in the hard work, but have had fun doing it.”

Greg Garton Basketball Player, Coach & Athletic Director

Greg Garton still remembers the very first basketball goals in his life – one that fell out of his dad’s truck on the way home from the store (it was fixed), and another in the driveway when he was in fourth grade.

Man, he wore those out.

“My father always worked with me,” Garton said. “I can remember him asking me almost daily when he got home from work, ‘How much did you shoot today?’”

From there grew a love for the game, and Garton went on to be make a name for himself in the sport, first as a player and then as a coach and administrator. And it’s why the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame is proud to induct Garton with the Class of 2023.

Overall, Garton spent 40 years at Republic Schools, either as a student, coach or administrator. As an athlete, he was First Team All-State in basketball in 1982 after averaging 25 points and nine rebounds a game. He played in four state tournaments and led the Tigers to a state runner-up finish in 1980. He received the most votes for the 1982 All-Ozarks team and was named to the Springfield News-Leader’s All-1980s team.

At Missouri Southern State University, he remains the all-time leading scorer in program history (2,140 points) and it’s best free-throw shooter (88.5 percent) in a career that saw him earn NAIA AllAmerican honors in 1985 and 1986. Garton also is fifth all-time with 585 rebounds. In an overtime loss to the Texas Longhorns, he scored 33 points.

Garton went on to coach nine seasons, first at Pierce City and then three seasons at Clever, where he had two 28-win seasons with conference and district titles and finished ranked second in the state. In coaching Republic’s boys for five seasons, his teams won a conference championship and two district championships.

“I never coached a game that I didn’t believe we could somehow win even if we were large underdogs. I believe my attention to every detail helped me stand out as a coach,” Garton said. “My teams practiced very hard every day with very physical practices. My teams were always very physical and were in great shape. My father, Jerry, and Chuck (Williams at Missouri Southern) were old-school coaches. When I played at Republic and Missouri Southern, we worked hard with tough practices. I stressed tough defense and all my teams worked to share the ball offensively.”

Overall, it’s probably not surprising that basketball took root.

When he arrived at Republic High School for his freshman season, Garton’s game was more developed than that of others. He played some off the bench on varsity that season, and as a sophomore, helped the team to the Final Four.

Garton averaged more than 20 points and 10 rebounds in three seasons, and holds the second-highest single-game scoring total (54 points) in school history.

“Coach (Jerry) Buescher always demanded a lot out of me because he had high expectations for me,” Garton said. “Having individual and team success gave me the confidence that I could be a great player.”

At Missouri Southern, he scored at least 32 points some 10 times.

“I believe Coach Williams, who was a legend at Buffalo High School and Southwest Missouri State, saw a lot of himself in me,” said Garton, who paid attention to details, such as free-throw shooting. “I was very aggressive, tough and competitive. I was the type of player who wanted to win every drill and competition.”

As a coach, Garton’s teams succeeded.

In 1993, Republic finished 27-3, with the Tigers achieving two 30-year milestones – its most wins and first Blue & Gold Tournament championship. Garton himself had played in two Blue & Gold championship games.

During his tenue as AD, Republic won two boys state basketball championships and two girls state basketball championships. Ten Republic teams reached the Final Four, including softball, volleyball, boys golf and boys soccer making their first appearances in school history.

Garton also helped oversee the construction of Republic’s new high school, and was part of the design and construction team for the new football stadium.

Even better, he had the support of his wife, Janetta, and daughter, Makenna. He also counts his parents, John & Jan, along with Buescher and Williams and principal Vicki Neal as mentors.

More so, players and assistants who put in the work share in this honor.

“I believe sports and activities help students learn the value of hard work and teamwork,” Garton said. “It is almost impossible to be highly successful without both.”

University of Central Missouri Volleyball Program

In the early 1970s, three professors –Dr. Jessie Jutten, Dr. Dean Martin and Dr. Millie Barnes – launched women’s sports at the University of Central Missouri in Warrensburg.

Among them was volleyball in 1970, with graduate assistants coaching the first five seasons and physical education majors making up most of the rosters. In 1975, Peggy Martin was hired as an assistant professor and coach of volleyball and softball, with her becoming a full-time coach in 1985.

“Our practices back in the late 70’s and early 80’s were tough,” said Lynette “Tillie” Jarvis, an outside hitter from 1978-1982. “We knew that Coach had high expectations, and we wanted to please her. There was an honest fear of coach, but not in a bad way but in a way that made us work hard because we didn’t want to disappoint her or your teammates.”

From there rose a powerhouse in collegiate volleyball, and the success over the past several decades is why the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame is proud to induct the University of Central Missouri Volleyball Program with the Class of 2023.

Since they began in the fall of 1970, the Jennies are 1,530-428-9. Much of the success was a combination of coaching continuity, recruiting and teamwork. The Jennies were led for 33 seasons by Peggy Martin and then Flip Piontek, who coached 13 seasons before retiring after the 2021 season but also was an assistant for 23 years prior.

The program has enjoyed 51 winning seasons, and 36 trips to the NCAA Tournament. In the past 43 seasons, the Jennies have produced 73 All-Americans and 236 All-MIAA selections. The 1987 team was an NCAA Division II national runner-up. UCM finished in the Top 20 some 32 times, including 16 times in the Top 10.

That first decade of the 1970s planted the seeds to it all, with the 1981 team winning the state tournament and advancing to the 16-team nationals for the first time.

“This was a special experience for all of us,” said Lori Hackett, an All-American setter. “After the regional championship, I remember Coach Martin gathering us and saying, ‘Do y’all even realize what you’ve done?’ We didn’t.”

What they did was launch a powerhouse and, by 1987, the Jennies reached the national finals. Call it team chemistry. And coaching. Many players were born and raised in Missouri.

In the regional, the Jennies beat Florida Southern on its home court in the semifinals and then avenged an earlier loss by beating East Texas State in the finals to earn a trip to the Final Four in Omaha, Neb. UCM then beat NebraskaOmaha for the third time that season and reached the semifinals.

“The 1987 team had a very strong chemistry,” said Susan Dixon Kohl, an All-American setter. “We were friends and supportive of each other, both on and off the court. Even today, with many miles separating us, we stay in touch and often get together as a group.”

By raising the bar, the teams that followed built on the tradition and tried to raise it even further.

“First and foremost, it was such an honor,” said Sarah Dallas Welch, a threetime All-American and senior in 1999. “I always felt so lucky to be a part of this team, this family. This family, who were very different people, but at the same time, very much the same when it came to representing Jennie’s Volleyball and Coach Martin. We never wanted to let her or our team down.”

Another turning point was the team playing full-time in the new Multipurpose Building in 1988. In the prior dozen years, the team had purchased its first real uniforms and played in Garrison Gym.

From 1983 to 2000, the Jennies won the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association each year, or 19 seasons, 17 outright. Because of it, UCM played a huge role in the Midwest in the rise of club volleyball, designed for youths and teens eager to enhance their skillsets.

“Even though we are decades apart in age, we all have the same bond of being a part of this incredible program,” said Caitlin Peterson, a former player and current head coach. “They helped me understand what it really meant to be a Jennie and the importance of all the lessons Coach Martin was teaching us on and off the court. We are trying to continue this tradition of exposing our current players to past Jennies to help them grasp how fortunate they are to be a part of something much bigger than themselves.”

Dr. Peggy Martin Volleyball Coach

Her love for sports developed years before passage of federal Title IX legislation, by women who created athletic opportunities for high school and college female students.

Peggy Martin has never forgotten them. Just as she has never forgotten how she, a native of south Alabama, found her way to Missouri and made her mark as a collegiate volleyball coach.

“My first year out of college, I was a collegiate basketball referee and, at a tournament in Mississippi, it was attended by the University of Central Missouri,” Martin said. “They were coached by the legendary Millie Barnes (MSHOF 2011) and assisted by Dr. Alphadine Martin, and they were looking for a volleyball and softball coach. Later that spring, I interviewed and as they say …”

Yes, the rest is history. Peggy Martin coached UCM Volleyball for 33 seasons (1975-2008), and her success is why the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame is proud to induct Martin with the Class of 2023.

Martin became the winningest volleyball coach in NCAA Division II history with a record of 1,064-281-8 (.789) in 33 winning seasons leading the Jennies program. That has led her to becoming the winningest collegiate volleyball coach across all divisions, with 1,350 victories, as she has coached at Spring Hill College in Mobile, Ala., since 2009.

At UCM, Martin was a 22-time Coach of the Year, including the 1987 Division II National Coach of the Year when she led the Jennies to a 42-4 record and a national runner-up finish. She led the Jennies to the NCAA Tournament in each of her final 26 seasons and to the postseason in all but one season as the head coach.

Along the way, Martin coached 148 All-MIAA players and 41 All-Americans.

This for a coach who counts numerous positive influences for any success.

Among them were her dad, an outstanding athlete, and her mom, who “encouraged me to be whatever I wanted to be, before many women had that option,” Martin said.

Title IX was passed in 1972, requiring public schools to offer sports for girls. Years before then, Martin attended St. Catherine’s High School in Mobile, Ala. Coaches Anna Crow and Bobbie Campanaro created teams for the girls.

“These were two of the most competitive people ever,”

Martin said. “I learned early that it was OK to be passionate about sports and winning.”

Martin attended Indiana University, where women professors created teams for female students and joined the Women’s Recreation Association. Martin competed in basketball and softball all four years, and field hockey for three.

That’s when the idea of coaching came to mind. Two years after graduating, while earning a master’s degree at North Carolina-Greensboro, Martin was a graduate assistant in basketball and volleyball. She was mentored by volleyball coach Pat Hielscher, who took Martin to numerous clinics.

At UCM, Martin turned the program into a winner. It was about five years in when the Jennies took off. They were partly influenced by the Missouri State University Volleyball Program, MSU’s Dr. Mary Jo Wynn and MSU coach Linda Dollar – all of whom are MSHOF inductees.

And to think that volleyball wasn’t her only job. Martin led UCM’s softball program to a 174-156 record and two MIAA titles in 11 years. She was twice the MIAA Softball Coach of the Year. She also was an assistant coach for Jennies basketball for the 1976-1977 season and was Assistant Athletics Director from 1986 to 1988.

In volleyball, the 1981 team was the first to win a regional, launching an incredible decade of success.

The secret to that success? It wasn’t simply Xs and Os but managing personalities.

“That really evolved over the years as so many things changed, the game itself, the folks playing the game, the growth of women’s sports. So you, as a coach, must be flexible and grow with the sport and the people around you,” Martin said. “I have always felt the most important aspect of coaching is not Xs and Os but people managing.”

She thanks many for her success, especially players and other supporters.

“I would like to thank all the strong women who came before me that fought for the rights of young women to have the opportunity to play sports. I am considered a pioneer and there were women before me who made this all happen,” Martin said. “And to the men, who supported us because they wanted their daughters to experience all the benefits that athletic competition afforded their sons. For all these folks, I am very grateful.”

Mike McClure Sports Broadcaster

You don’t spend nearly 40 years broadcasting local high school and college sports if you don’t love what you do. And Monett’s Mike McClure has had a love affair with sports since he was a young boy.

McClure caught the broadcasting bug as a youngster by listening to Jack Buck (MSHOF 1980) call Cardinals games on KMOX. But Buck wasn’t the only one McClure admired.

“I was five years old when Ned Reynolds (MSHOF 2001) started at KY3,” McClure said. “He was a big influence on my love of sports my entire life.”

Since 1985, that love of sports has led to McClure broadcasting over 4,200 games, covering everything from high school sports on local radio to college basketball and football on streaming services such as ESPN+. His dedication to his craft, love of southwest Missouri and the impact he’s had along the way is why the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame is proud to induct McClure with the Class of 2023.

McClure began broadcasting local sports in the mid-80s after graduating from the University of Arkansas. He returned to Monett where he honed his craft in a mostly pressure-free environment.

“I remember some of my early basketball broadcasts for Monett Communications in the mid 1980’s were tape delayed broadcasts,” he said. “The game I was broadcasting would be aired on the radio at the conclusion of a game that was being broadcast live by another announcer at a different venue. I did not have the pressure of being ‘live’ on the air. If I needed to hit the pause button on the cassette recorder to collect my thoughts, or correct a mistake, I did and no one but me really knew the difference.”

Over time, McClure stopped relying on the pause button and developed into a reliable and in-demand play-by-play man. And as even more time went by, opportunities grew for McClure thanks in part to significant technological advances in broadcasting.

“The advancement of audio and video streaming has allowed many more chances to broadcast games,” McClure said. “I started out on the radio, then added cable television sports broadcasts, then audio streaming, then video streaming for ESPN3 and ESPN+. The number of games being broadcast now versus 40 years ago has allowed sports broadcasters to work many, many more games now compared to four decades ago.”

And work is something McClure has never been afraid of. In fact, he’s worked so much that when asked to name one or two particular moments that stood out in his career he

couldn’t. There are just too many.

“I have had 16 signature moments in my broadcasting career,” he said. “I had the honor of broadcasting state championship titles for Billings baseball (1990), Marionville girls basketball (1991), Miller football (1994), Aurora football (1999), Verona boys basketball (2003), Marionville football (2003), Mt. Vernon girls basketball (2010 and 2012), Mt. Vernon softball (2016), Monett football (2016), Monett softball (2017), Aurora baseball (2017 and 2018), and Willard baseball (2021).

“At the college level the Missouri Southern men’s basketball team winning the MIAA Conference Tournament (2014) and the Missouri Southern women’s basketball team winning the MIAA regular season title (2022) have also been signature moments.”

Not surprisingly, McClure’s talents have led him to work alongside many of our sports broadcasting local legends.

“I was blessed to have two long-time play-byplay broadcasters, Don Gross (Missouri Southern) and Art Hains (Missouri State; MSHOF 2016), mentor me as a young broadcaster starting in 1985. I was amazed at their professionalism and not only how much pride they took in their radio broadcasts, but also at the same time the emphasis was centered on the players, not on themselves.”

But Gross and Hains weren’t the only ones to

“Dave Beckett has been a broadcasting partner for almost all 38 years. His knowledge of sports has been invaluable,” McClure said. “My first broadcast with Don West (MSHOF 2020) happened in 1996. Little did I know at the time, we have now worked over 1,000 games together as broadcasting partners. We both have a passion for broadcasting sports and doing it the right way. We truly make each other better.”

McClure, it seems, is finally getting his due. In 2017 he was elected to the Missouri Basketball Coaches Association Hall of Fame, becoming just the sixth broadcaster to be so honored. And in 2021, he was inducted into the inaugural Monett High School Athletic Hall of Fame. Now he’s a Missouri Sports Hall of Famer as well.

“I was surprised when I got the call,” McClure said. “I understand when broadcasters that work in larger markets get recognized by the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame. I was honored since my broadcasting career has mostly consisted of sports in southwest Missouri. I realize without the opportunities to broadcast for Mediacom, MSSU, and Missouri State with ESPN3 and ESPN+ this induction for me might not happen.”

Jan Stahle Football / Soccer

Alittle bit of miscommunication – and perhaps some cultural misunderstanding – helped lead Jan Stahle on a journey which resulted in one of the more fascinating sports careers in the history of our state.

The year was 1974, and Stahle was arriving in Springfield as an exchange student from Sweden. Before he set foot on the campus of Greenwood High School, Stahle, unknowingly confusing American football with his native fotboll, reached out to the GHS football coach and asked if the sport was big in his new town. Little did he know!

What ensued in the six years following that meeting was one of the unlikeliest football journeys in American sports, all the way from Sweden to the NFL. But Stahle never lost his love for “fotboll” and his impact on the soccer scene in southwest Missouri is hard to measure. Combine it all together and it’s easy to understand why the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame is proud to induct Stahle along with the Class of 2023.

After being assured that football was big in Springfield, Stahle arrived for his first practice dressed in shorts, a tee shirt and soccer shoes. “My first practice was a complete shock to me,” Stahle said. “I was surprised to see my future teammates in shoulder pads, and helmets. They were also tossing a funny ball around.”

“This may have been the first of many miscommunication issues.”

Stahle eventually settled in and became Greenwood’s kicker, with his personal holder Payne Stewart (MSHOF, 1994). His success led him to an opportunity to play American football at Missouri State, but not before weighing offers to play soccer elsewhere.

“Looking back, I guess my friends were surprised that I chose football over soccer,” he said. “I had offers of scholarships to many colleges, for both sports.”

At Missouri State, Stahle enjoyed a record-setting career on the gridiron. In three seasons with the Bears, he led the squad in scoring as a sophomore and junior, and finished just behind running back John Gianini in total points as a senior on the Bears’ final MIAA championship club in 1978, when MSU was 8-3 – including 6-0 in the conference.

His efforts led to not only a place on the MIAA allconference first-team, but also garnered him a shot in the NFL with both the Houston Oilers and New Orleans Saints in 1979. A year later, he had a tryout with the Kansas City Chiefs.

In the span of six years, Stahle had gone from foreign exchange student to NFL kicker.

“I can guarantee you that I am probably the only Swede that has ever achieved that,” he said. Stahle didn’t let his missed opportunity in the NFL slow him down. He quickly transitioned into coaching his native sport.

He eventually became the head coach at his alma mater, leading a still-fledgling program to 32 wins in three seasons, including the program’s first-ever winning season (14-8) in 1989. He next started the program at Greenwood High in 1992, leading the Blue Jays to 187 wins and five Final Four appearances in 11 seasons. In 2021, he returned to Greenwood and recently completed his second season back on the sidelines.

“It’s a beautiful game as long as the players keep it simple with the ball on the ground and a lot of one and two touch passing,” Stahle said. “There also needs to be constant change of direction by the players. Of course, the camaraderie and lifetime bonding between players and coaches is something that I will forever treasure for the rest of my life.”

While there are no questions about Stahle’s athletic prowess or coaching acumen, one question still remains: Why did a teenager from Sweden decide to stick around the Ozarks for so long?

“I really liked the Ozarks because the area reminded me of southern Sweden,” he said. “People were very friendly and received me well. I also had an aunt and uncle living in Springfield, and soon made many friends at Greenwood High School.”

Like many others, Stahle says he wouldn’t have reached this point without the help and guidance of others.

“John Petersen was my soccer coach in Sweden,” Stahle said. “The late Frank Dinka, former soccer coach at MSU. The late Bill O’Neill, former assistant A.D. at MSU, and the late Harry Cooper, for his tremendous support for my love of the game of soccer. They all had an impact.”

After living in Springfield for so long Stahle is fully aware of what it means to be inducted into the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame.

“I’ve always considered it to be the highest award a Missouri athlete would ever receive,” he said. “Reflecting back, I guess I contributed more to these sports than I had ever realized, more specifically, to the sport of soccer.”

Mizzou Golden Girls Dance Program

Everybody in sports has a story, but some are more fascinating than others.

In 1964, one of the majorettes eager to perform with the University of Missouri marching band – that is, for football halftime shows – arrived to a tryout in a silver-sequined leotard. That piqued the interest of Charles Emmons, the Innovation Director.

Thus, the Mizzou Golden Girls were launched.

“He said, ‘I’d like to see that in gold!’” said Patty Gramm Kespohl, a twirler on the 1965 squad and, later, the coach of the Mizzou Golden Girls for 33 years. “We weren’t officially announced as the Golden Girls – maybe a reporter gave us that name – but we were always looking for twirlers until (Emmons’ successor Alex) Pickard got tired of watching the girls pick up dropped batons.”

The Mizzou Golden Girls have been the official dance team at the University of Missouri since 1965, and their influence – and success in competitions – have led to quite the honor. You see, the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame is proud to induct the Mizzou Golden Girls with the Class of 2023.

Mainly, they began in 1965 as a troupe of seven sequined baton twirlers. It has since grown into a nationally recognized and frequently televised dance team of 30-plus. The Golden Girls have won National Championships in 1990, 1991, and 2003. Over the years, their coaches have been Patty Kespohl, Shannon Fry and Cayla Timberlake.

Through history, the team has had between 14 to 38 team members, and have competed in the National Cheerleading Association, USA Collegiate Championship and National Dance Alliance.

In a five-year stretch of the 1970s, they bussed to St. Louis to perform for the St. Louis Football Cardinals games and dressed in red-and-white uniforms.

Many girls have extended their careers by dancing for teams in the National Football League, National Basketball Association, as well as on Broadway and in the movie and television business. The alumna base also includes teachers, nurses, attorneys, real estate agents, physicians, CPAs, pharmacists, stay at home mothers, and so many more professions.

Overall, the Golden Girls’ most coveted role is being ambassadors for the University of Missouri and the state itself. Each year, its participation in the community is a highlight for

each squad member.

And to think the beginnings came in the mid-1960s, almost by chance.

Emmons had been asked to put together a halftime show at the 1960 Orange Bowl. From there came the still-popular “Flip Tigers” routine in which band members form the word “Mizzou” and then transition into “Tigers.”

As more and more experienced dancers auditioned, Kespohl and Pickard eventually phased out twirling and incorporated more costumed halftime numbers, including the Charleston and a performance to the song “Kids” from the musical Bye Bye Birdie.

In 1987, then-Mizzou Director of Athletics Joe Castiglione (MSHOF 2015) wanted the Golden Girls to perform during basketball games at the Hearnes Center.

The closer quarters forced Kespohl to trim the roster to 14 dancers.

“As a Golden Girl, I gained confidence, but I also learned the value of trying your best and being part of a team,” said Linda Russell, a 1972 Mizzou graduate. “You don’t want to let your team down, but you have to have fun. Those years were some of the best of my college experience.”

Today, the squad trains at the posh Tiger Performance Complex, south of Memorial Stadium, which opened in 2011 and which they share with the gymnastics program.

In addition to having the opportunity to participate in numerous philanthropic events around the community, having the chance to perform at Bowl Games, NCAA Tournaments, Nationals, Ireland, and in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade are notable experiences for all involved.

“Our first responsibility is to be ambassadors for the University of Missouri,” said Shannon Fry, a 1995 Mizzou graduate who later coached the Golden Girls for more than 20 years. “When you become a Golden Girl, you take on the name of every single girl who wore the gold sequins before you. I always tell them, ‘This is not a job; it’s a lifestyle.’”

Timberlake, the current coach, is carrying the torch, so to speak.

“The opportunity to wear gold sequin, and the brand it represents, is one of my highest honors to date,” Timberlake said. “From Patty’s vision and creation of the Golden Girls, to Shannon’s elevation of the program, I can only hope to carry on those traditions. What I have learned from them over the past 15 years has helped shape me as a coach, friend, mentor, and mother.”

Emily Scott Githens Speed Skating

Little kids often have big dreams. Many grow up wanting to be teachers, or professional athletes, or be just like mom and dad.

Emily Scott Githens? She knew early on that she wanted to be an Olympic athlete, a bold goal if ever there was one for a girl from Springfield, Mo.

A world champion as an inline skater in her youth, Scott Githens eventually transitioned to the ice, becoming one of the top speedskating athletes in the world. And in 2014, she achieved her goal of competing in the Olympics, representing the United States in Sochi. Her excellence on the ice is why the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame is proud to induct Scott Githens with the Class of 2023.

Scott Githens began her athletics career on the rink – the roller rink. Inline skating was her first love. And she was good. Really good.

“I was four when I started inline skating,” she said. “My coach would skate backwards and hold out his hands for me to ‘chase’ him. That’s how I learned.”

Skating was a much-needed outlet for an athletic young girl. “Skating came somewhat natural to me, and to say I lived at the skating rink would not be an overstatement. I loved chasing the older kids and trying to be better than them. Eventually they all quit the sport and I kept going.”

She kept going all the way to five inline skating World Championships. Eventually she outgrew the sport but maintained her Olympic dream.

“For many years we hoped that Roller Skating would make it into the Olympics as a sport,” Scott Githens said. “When it became clear that wasn’t happening, we knew that to keep the dream alive, I would have to make the switch.”

Scott Githens excelled on the ice. She helped the United States to a team bronze medal at the 2011 World Championships in Warsaw, before winning silver in the 3000m relay the next year in Shanghai, helping lead the United States to a second-place team finish.

“We set small goals of winning Nationals, making the World Team, winning Worlds,” Scott Githens said. “Eventually, I had accomplished all the goals we set, so next up was the Olympics.”

With the 2014 Olympics right around the corner, Scott Githens wasn’t guaranteed a spot on the Olympic team. Once again, she had to earn it. And earn it she did, placing second in both 500-meter short track races. The Olympic dream was fulfilled.

“After I secured my spot on the Olympic team, I ran to the stands to find my dad and coach,” she said. “With tears in my eyes the only thing I could say was ‘WE DID IT!’ It was like a huge weight was lifted off my shoulders.”

At Sochi, Scott Githens competed in the 500m, and reached the finals of the 1500m, finishing fifth after being knocked to the ice by a competitor.

While she didn’t medal at the Olympics, Scott Githens is grateful for what speedskating gave to her and her family.

“Skating gave me an outlet to dream and travel the world, something that I likely wouldn’t have had if not for the sport,” she said. “I believe I had the success I did because I was reminded of the sacrifices that my family made for me to be the best.”

As with any athlete, Scott Githens didn’t succeed on her own. Whether it was her father, Craig, or her coach, Ted Hall, she had support along every path.

“I have always said that my dad is my hero,” she said. “We didn’t have much growing up, but we were also never without. My dad worked seven days a week to be able to support my skating. We drove all around the country together going to skating competitions. Ted treated me like one of his own since I was four. He owned the skating rink that I skated at and taught me everything I knew. There were times I would try to quit but he never let me.”

That support network also includes former coaches Derrick Parra and Guy Thibault, and Thibault’s wife, Monique Gagnon. And, of course, her husband, Alex, of whom she says, “He is the best father and husband that I could have dreamt up for myself.”

As for her induction into the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame, Scott Githens is both honored and humbled.

“I am honored to be the first speed skater inducted, but certainly hope that I am not the last,” she said. “I could have never fathomed as a four-year-old little girl that someday my name would be in the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame.”

Sean Weatherspoon Football

Sean Weatherspoon’s legacy as one of the top defensive players in the history of the University of Missouri football program is secure. But it isn’t the big games or the individual accolades that Weatherspoon remembers or values most about his time in Columbia.

“I remember the summer workouts and downtime with my teammates more vividly than any one game,” he said. “We really pushed each other to be our best selves. We would go at each other relentlessly on the field, weight room, and classroom. Afterwards, we would joke for hours and just have fun being around each other. It was the love in Columbia that meant the most.”

A two-time All-American and a three-time, First Team All-Big 12 selection, Weatherspoon shined for the Tigers from 2006 to 2009. He left school after his senior season with 413 tackles, which still ranks third in program history. His 43.5 career tackles for loss are second all-time.

Weatherspoon then moved on to the NFL, where he was a first-round draft pick of the Atlanta Falcons in 2010, becoming the first Mizzou linebacker to be selected in the first round. He spent seven years in the NFL, helping the Falcons reach Super Bowl LI following the 2016 season. His on-field accomplishments make the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame proud to induct Weatherspoon as part of the Class of 2023.

So how did a kid from Jasper, Texas make it all the way to Columbia, Mo., and then the NFL?

“The Missouri coaching staff made me feel like more than just a quota,” he said. “They cared about me as an individual first. Once I took my visit, I knew it was a place where I could flourish and win games.”

But he didn’t flourish right away. Weatherspoon had to work for his opportunities.

“I was a puny 6-foot, 200-pound kid when I arrived at Mizzou,” he said. “I remember Coach Pat Ivey pushed me to run with the defensive backs in my first workout at Faurot Field. I think that’s when my teammates noticed that I was focused on team goals as well as my own.”

And that’s also where Weatherspoon began

to develop as a leader.

“I think that’s when the leadership qualities started to really show from then on,” he said. “My first year I didn’t play much defense, but I was all in on doing whatever I could to help the team. I felt lucky to wear the black and gold.”

One of the most popular players in the modern history of Mizzou football, Weatherspoon connected with fans whenever he could. His mother, the late Elwanda Weatherspoon, had a lot to do with that.

“Myself and my teammates would sign an autograph for a fan at any time and any place,” he said. “I’ve always strived to be an inspiration to others. My mom taught me to be a light, not to just be. That’s the reason I’m always smiling. Attitudes are chosen, and a good one makes a big difference.”

Not surprisingly, Columbia holds a special place in Weatherspoon’s heart.

“It was the love in Columbia that meant the most,” he said. “I also remember meeting my beautiful wife, Christine, in CoMo. She even became one of the guys, too. The kids I helped Missouri sign became our kids on campus. It was a tight knit family vibe.”

Family means a lot to Weatherspoon. His father, Develous, introduced him to football. Elwanda was his inspiration, and still is.

“My mom inspired me to go after my goals regardless of my circumstances,” Weatherspoon said. “She taught me to put God first, and the rest will follow. She is the biggest influence I have had in my life. My dad introduced me to the game, and always got me where I needed to be, whenever I needed to be there. They held it down for our family. My parents really made it easy to just be a kid playing ball. I’ll always be grateful for that.”

Not surprisingly, his family wasn’t far from his thoughts when he learned he’d been selected for induction into the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame.

“I broke down when I got the call, just grateful to be in this elite group,” he said. “Grateful to represent my entire family. This is for my mom! We called her T Jones. Mizzou fans and Falcon fans know her as Mama Spoon. This is her honor; I’m just here accepting it today. She’s big smiling in Heaven.”

Tyler Hansbrough Basketball

The North Carolina Tar Heels are considered by many to be one of the top two or three programs in the history of college basketball. Of that, there is no doubt.

Also leaving no doubt is Poplar Bluff’s Tyler Hansbrough, perhaps the most accomplished collegiate player in the long history of one of the most accomplished programs in the sport.

Think that’s hyperbole? Hansbrough was a four-time first-team All-American at North Carolina (three times a consensus pick) and a four-time, first-team All-Atlantic Coast Conference selection. He is the only player in either North Carolina or ACC history to accomplish those feats.

Add in his ACC-record 2,872 career points, his consensus selection as National Player of the Year in 2008, and a 2009 NCAA National Championship and it’s easy to understand why the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame is proud to induct Hansbrough as part of its Class of 2023.

His high school career wasn’t too shabby, either. Hansbrough led Poplar Bluff High School to consecutive state championships in 2004 and 2005, earning McDonald’s and Parade Magazine All-America honors along the way.

For Hansbrough, he gives all the credit to his hometown.

“I’m extremely proud to be from Poplar Bluff,” he said. “It’s a great community that is hard working and very tight. I grew up with a lot of my best friends and that’s a big reason why we had so much success with our high school basketball team.”

As a youngster, Hansbrough participated in basketball, soccer and track. But by junior high, his love for basketball grew to the point he stopped participating in other sports. The local college basketball team – Three Rivers Community College – and their hall of fame coach Gene Bess (MSHOF, 2006) had a major impact on his decision.

“I always loved the game but at a young age I went to a lot of Three Rivers basketball games with my dad and grandpa,” Hansbrough said. “I really enjoyed watching Coach Bess and his teams compete and I learned a ton from those games.”

Following one of the most successful careers in college basketball history, Hansbrough was a first round pick of NBA’s Indiana Pacers. Overall, he spent seven seasons in the league, playing for the Pacers (2009-

13), Toronto Raptors (2013-15) and Charlotte Bobcats (2016). Hansbrough also played three years in China.

During the 2012-13 season, Hansbrough had the unique opportunity to spend part of the NBA season with his younger brother, Ben, on the roster of the Pacers. Tyler and Ben are one of just 61 sets of brothers to have played in the NBA in the league’s 76-year history.

“Playing with my brother on the Pacers was a dream come true,” Hansbrough said. “To play on the biggest stage in basketball with my brother and represent Poplar Bluff, Mo., will be one of my favorite memories and basketball experiences.”

But Tyler and Ben weren’t just partners on the court. They were rivals, too.

“There is no one that can get me fired up more than my younger brother Ben,” Tyler Hansbrough said. “He currently gets me going on the pickleball court but when we were playing together for the Pacers or Poplar Bluff, Ben always knew how to fire me up.”

With a career as varied and successful as Hansbrough’s it’s not surprising to find out he has a tough time pointing to just one or two top moments. In fact, his best basketball memories aren’t from Chapel Hill or the NBA. They revolve around his hometown.

“All the memories I have from playing they all start in Poplar Bluff,” he said. “First memories that come to mind aren’t the achievements, it’s working on my game. Whether that’s at Three Rivers Community College, my backyard, the junior high or Poplar Bluff Senior High. I loved the open gyms in high school in the middle of summer with no air conditioning, and when I walk into a hot gym to this day, I always think about my high school gym. All the practices and open gyms in high school made our team that much closer and helped us build relationships that will last a lifetime.”

Those lessons learned on the sweaty courts of Poplar Bluff have helped shape Hansbrough into the man he is today.

“Basketball has taught me a lot about life,” he said. “It’s taught me a lot about failures and how to handle failure, so I can learn from my mistakes and get better results. I’ve learned how to have a great work ethic, by working at my game every single day for years.”

Bret Saberhagen Baseball

The story goes that, not long after the Kansas City Royals added right-hander Bret Saberhagen to the roster ahead of the 1984 season, sports writers gathered around then-manager Dick Howser and asked, “Why now?”

After all, Saberhagen was at the ripe young age of 19 years old. And so Howser, who had made his big-league debut as a player in 1961 and managed the New York Yankees in the 1978 and 1980 seasons, had quite the reply.

Said Howser, “Talent.”

Yes. Talent. That was Saberhagen, who went on to become one of the best pitchers in Royals history. And that’s why the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame is proud to induct Saberhagen with the Class of 2023.

Mixing incredible skill and mound presence with precise command, Saberhagen became the Royals’ ultimate big-game pitcher during their first Golden Era.

The four-time Royals Pitcher of the Year won two American League Cy Young Awards: the first in 1985 after finishing 20-6 (2.87 earned run average) and again in 1989, when he posted a club record in wins (23) and led the league with a 2.16 ERA. That same year, Saberhagen also won a Gold Glove.

In 1985, his nearly perfect postseason performance helped the Royals capture their first World Championship. Named World Series MVP at age 20, Saberhagen went 2-0 (0.50 ERA) with two complete games, including an 11-0 Game 7 shutout against the St. Louis Cardinals.

Additionally, he pitched only the fourth –and still the most recent – no-hitter in Royals history on Aug. 26, 1991 against the Chicago White Sox.

Overall, Saberhagen’s big-league career spanned 18 seasons, including 3 ½ seasons with the New York Mets, a half-season with the Colorado Rockies and finished his career in 2001, his fourth season with the Boston Red Sox. Overall, he was 167-117 with 3.34 ERA, struck out 1,715 batters, was a three-time All-Star and twice earned Comeback Player of the Year honors.

All this from a 19th-round draft pick in 1982 out of Grover Cleveland High School in Reseda, California. And to think that only two years later, he would break spring training on the Royals Opening Day roster.

The Royals had drafted Saberhagen as a skinny shortstop but knew he could pitch, considering Saberhagen had thrown a

no-hitter in the Los Angels City Championship at Dodger Stadium.

In 1984, the club featured starting pitchers Mark Gubicza (MSHOF 2010) and Danny Jackson, with the Royals’ lineup stout with George Brett (MSHOF 1994), Frank White (MSHOF 1994) and the core of what would win the 1985 World Series. They reached the 1984 American League Championship Series.

“The first time I ever laid eyes on Saberhagen, Danny Jackson and Mark Gubicza was in big-league camp,” Brett was once quoted as saying in the Topeka Capital-Journal. “And all of the sudden you watch these guys pitch in spring training in ’84 in Fort Myers, (Fla.) and you’re like, ‘Damn! These guys are pretty good.’”

In eight seasons with the Royals, Saberhagen went 110-78 with a 3.21 ERA. The no-hitter against the White Sox came at a time when the Royals still were a division contender.

After his Royals days, he was 14-4 with a 2.74 ERA in 1994 with the Mets, striking out 143 batters and walking only 13. That left him with a 11.0 strikeout-to-walk ratio, breaking Jim Whitney’s record.

“He was one of the most advanced young pitchers I can ever remember and cool as a cucumber,” longtime Royals scout Art Stewart (MSHOF 2016) once said of Saberhagen.

Saberhagen, who still lives in California, was elected to the Royals Hall of Fame in 2005 and voted to the Royals Franchise Four in 2015.

He married the love of his life, Kandace, in February 2019. His other passion is giving back to others while mentoring addicts and working with youth to teach them the positive effects of devoting time to their communities.

Kandance is a three-time breast cancer survivor and, together, she and Bret created SabesWings, which financially supports cancer patients.

SabesWings has built a strong foundation of support for others dealing with insurmountable circumstances while educating and mentoring some of their young board members on the importance of community support, compassion and continuing to do the right right thing – even when no one is looking.

“I never thought I was going to leave (Kansas City),” Saberhagen said. “But looking back, I still enjoyed the other places I played. I got to experience different fans and different parts of the country, but my heart is still pretty much in Kansas City.”

THE BOSTON RED SOX CONGRATULATE

Bret Saberhagen

on his induction into the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame

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To the Class of 2023

Thank you for making everlasting memories.

For giving your all with the talents you’ve been given.

For showing us that with enough determination and drive, dreams really can come true.

Congratulations Coach Jan Stahle

“Keep it simple boys”

Coach Jan, we thank you for your time, energy and wisdom.

A proud supporter of Greenwood soccer.

Congratulations

Tom

Rackers

on your induction into the missouri Sports hall of fame! We are proud of you. Thank you for everything you’ve done for sports in missouri.

Class of 2023 Missouri Sports Hall of Fame we

applaud you!

CONGRATULATIONS

Grace & Faith Miller and The Mizzou Golden Girls

SO PROUD OF YOU!

CONGRATULATIONS CLASS OF 2023 ON YOUR INDUCTION INTO THE MISSOURI SPORTS HALL OF FAME!

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WILL CHRISTIAN - LEBANON

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JASON AMBROSON- SMITHVILLE

CHARLIE ELMENDORF - DUCHESNE

COACH KNAPP

You are the gold standard of coaches. We are so grateful for everything you’ve done for the sport. Congratulations on your well deserved Missouri Sports Hall of Fame induction.

Rolla Track and Rolla Athletics Program

Sports Medicine

Athletic Training

Orthopedic & Spine

Sports Medicine

Outpatient Therapy

Experts in caring for your athlete.

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CMH Orthopedic & Spine Center WALK-IN CLINIC

Same day orthopedic and sports injury care. Fractures, minor dislocations, ACL injuries, overuse injuries and foot, ankle, leg, knee, hip, shoulder, wrist and hand injuries.

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1155 W. Parkview Street, Bolivar

Jan Stahle & Daryel Garrison

Jan Stahle & Daryel Garrison

Brent Dunn

Brent Dunn

Bill & Joe Turner

Bill & Joe Turner

on your induction on your Ace Award on your John Q. Hammons Founder’s Awards

Thank you for all you do!

The Kinne family and Med-Pay,inc. THANK YOU for the outstanding sports memories and contributions to Missouri sports with your pursuits.

N ever in a millio n years did we think a would agree to g o on a da te with our son a nd eventu ally become our daugh ter in law!

You a re beautiful on the inside and ou t and we thank God of ten you are par t of our family!

Love, Steve and Sa ndy

Raytown High School, Class of 1988

District Employee, 1996 - 1999

CONGRATULATIONS ENSHRINEMENT CLASS OF 2023

Coach Robert Sturman

On behalf of Raytown Quality Schools

2022 Missouri Sports Hall of Fame Contributors

The Missouri Sports Hall of Fame is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to preserving and promoting the legendary athletes, coaches, trainers, contributors, and members of the media who have provided us with a rich sports history of which our state can be proud. The Hall of Fame is able to provide this service only through the generous gifts and support that we receive from contributors who are proud of the state of Missouri and the outstanding athletic tradition we have enjoyed. We appreciate the following individuals, organizations, and businesses who have supported the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame this past year with their generous donations. Thank you for your continued support!

Abacus CPA’s, LLC

Abell, Emily Above All Commercial

Maintenance*

Achterberg, Karl

Ackerson, D.J.

Ackerson, Darin

Adams, Dr. Mark

Adams, Jodie

Advertising Plus

Affinity Wealth Partners

Aggus, Gary

Ahart, Kelly

Ahart, Tammy

Ahead

Albers, Doug

Alden, Mike

Alexander-Mees, Julie

Alexander, Sharon

Algren, Stacey

All Pet & Equine Supply

Allen’s Mechanical

Allen, Jeremy Allison, Steve

American Brand Studio

American Family

Insurance

Ames, Kaitlyn

Anderson, Cole

Anderson, Robin

Anderson, Tonette

Andrews, Giana

Andrews, Jerald & Giana

Anerud, Kelly

Applegate, Maria

Aquino, Amy

Arcadia Valley High

School Arizona Diamondbacks

Armilio, Vince

Armstrong, Richard

Armstrong, Terre

Arnce, Dr. Bob

Arrow McLaren SP Racing

Arvest Bank

Asby, Chris

Astle, Chad

Atrium Hospitality

Aurentz, Dr. Cynthia

Aurora High School

Ava R-1 School District

Avery, Jason

B-Town Custom Apparel

Backes, Scott Backwoods Golf

Bailey-Harper, Adrienne

Bailey, Dr. John

Baker, Jo Baker, Mark Baker, Tim

Baker, Tim

Baldwin, Darin

Ballard, Brad Ballard, Joey

Ballowe, Rob Ballowe, Sharon

Bally Sports Midwest/

KC/IN

Bambino’s Cafe

Bamman, Isabella

Bana, Rene

Bank of Billings

Banks, Telika Banta, Chuck

Barncord, Avery

Barnes, David*

Barnes, Derrick

Barnes, Ian

Barnes, Keith

Barnes, Randy

Barnett-Borsheski, Betsy

Barnett, Gary

Barnhart, Mindy

Barnhill, Mike

Baron, Rita

Barrett, Alison

Barron, Jill

Barron, Karl

Barron, Omar

Barton, Angela

Barton, Madelyn

Basham, Stephanie

Bass Pro Shops

Bass, Jeff

Bates, Stephanie

Baucom, Laura

Baumstark, Ruth

Bay, Tymond

Bayonne Athletic

Department

Beaman, Rick

Bearcat Brotherhood LLC

Beasley, Dallas

Beattie, Brad

Beatty, Leanne

Bee Payne - Stewart

Foundation

Beecher, Cindy

Belgrade State Bank

Bellmer, Amy

Bentz, William

Beshore, Jeff

Bess, Gene

Bess, Heather

Best, Dr John

Bestgen, Devan

Beta Brother

Bezaire, Meghan

Bickmeyer, Janelle

Big Cedar Lodge

Big Shots Golf

Big Shots Golf

Big Shots Golf

Biggs, Danny

Bill’s Electric Inc.

Billings School District

Binggeli, Fred

Bishop Leblond High

School

Bixler, David

BJ’s Trophy Shop

BKD - Watson

Blair Oaks Athletic Booster

Club

Blair, Mary

Blair, William

Blasi, Tim

Bledsoe, Rhonda

Blevins, Eric

Blue Springs High School

Bluebaum, Janice

Bluff Power Sports

Blumenstock, Ryan

BMW Charity Pro-Am

Bohon Sleep & TMJ

Therapy

Bolivar Schools

Bolton, Taylor

Borgstadt, Clifford

Bos, Chris

Bosserman, Christy

Boston Celtics

Boswell, Michele

BOTI Architctture

Bouse, Kirk

Bowers, Theresa

Boyd, Michelle

Boys & Girls Club of Springfield

Boys & Girls Club

Springfield

Bradley, Kelly

Bramer, Michael

Branch, Jesse

Brandt, Carol

Brannon, Kim

Branson Chamber of Commerce

Branson High School

Braynard, Gary

Brenda’s Cafe

Brill Title Company

Briscoe, Rick

Britton, Mandy

Broadbent, Robert

Brock, Louis Clark

Brockmeier, Sarah

Brooks, Stephen

Broombaugh, Susan

Brotherton, Millie

Brown Town Homes

Brown, Charles

Brown, Charlie

Brown, Jodi

Brown, Judy

Brown, Larry

Brown, Twylla

Bruce, Gary

Bruggemann, Jared

Brune, Jim

Brunswick High School

Bryan Properties

Bryan Properties

Bryan Properties

BSN Sports

BTC Bank

Buck, Maddison

Buckner, Rodney

Buesking, Jenny

Bumgarner, Randy

Burchard, Bob

Burgers’ Smokehouse

Burkett, Destiny

Burkhart, Neal

Burnett, Cheryl

Burnham, Anthony Burns, Deanna Burns, Patty

Burri, Craig

Burt, Charlie

Butherus, Patrick

Butler Funeral Home Butler, Heather

Butler, Misty

Butner, Steven Buttram, Sue

Byers, Rick

Byrne, Jennifer Cabool High School

Caine, Natalie Calder, Mary

Calvin’s Distributing Co Camerlengo, Stefano Campbell-Johnson, Natalie Campbell R2 School

District

Campbell, Lyndell

Campbell, Patina Cantrell, Kevin Cantrell, Marylin Cape Girardeau Schools

Capital Region Medical Center

Capstone Insurors

Cardinal Roofing, Inc. Carella, Anthony

Carey, Emma

Carl Junction High School Carl Junction R-1 School District Carlson, Delanne Carlson, Tracy Carlton, Dave Carpenter, Dan Carrier, Debbie Carter, Andrea Carter, Kevin Carthage High School Carthage High School Cascade Apolon Case, Chrystal Case, Darrell Case, Gary Cassity, Sherrel Castle, Abigail Castle, Sarah

CBS Sports

Central Bank / Central Trust

Central Bank / Central Trust

Central Bank / Central Trust

Central Bank of Jefferson City

Central Bank of Jefferson City

Central Bank of Warrensburg

Central Methodist University

CFS Engineers Chaffin, Jerald Chambers, Austin Champion Athletes of the Ozarks

Chappel, Molly Chappell, Jim Charboneau, Mike Chastain, Matt Chesterfield EyeWorks

Children’s Smile Center Childs, Mark Jr Chinn, Jason Choate, Rebecca

Christenson Transportation Christian County Links

Christopher, Maureen Chronister, Jeff Churchman, Shawn Cidlik, Robert CIrtin, Bob Citizens Memorial Hospital Citizens Memorial Hospital Citizens Memorial Hospital

City of Pilot Knob

CJW Transportation Consultants

Claiborn, Billy Claire, Payton Cleary, Myranda Clouse, Bryan Clunn Tygart & Co Coats-Teague, Cortney Coburn, Ariel

Cole, Dennis Cole, Mike Coley, Jason College Heights Christian School College of the Ozarks Collier, Matt Collins, Dennis Collins, Dennis Collins, Kay Collins, Ken Collins, Robin

Colorado Rockies Columbia College

Columbia Convention & Visitor’s Bureau

Columbia Orthopaedic Group

Columbia Orthopaedic Group

Columbia Public Schools

Columbia School District Combs Boat & RV Storage Combs, Carmen Combs, Leon Communioty Bank & Trust Community First Bank

COMMUNITY

MORTGAGE BROKERS

Complete Realty

Confluence Prep Academy Control Service Co Cook, Dennis Cook, Jarrett Cook, Sherry Cook, Will Coons, Sheryl

Cooper, Casey Cooter R-IV School District Copeland, Terri Copy Products, Inc.

Corbin, Tammy Corwin Auto Courtney, Chad Cowherd Construction

Cox, Blair Cox, Danny CPI Technologies Craig, Brandon Crain, Bailey Crain, Raymond Cranberry Merchant Crane, James R Creed, Rick Crete High School

Crisp, Cathy Crist, Cindy Critchlow-Liberto, Molly Cross Trail Outfitters Cruzan, Anita Cumming, Shynnel Cummings, Jen Cundiff, Jessica Cunningham, Amy

Curry, Austin

Curry, Craig Curry, Tracy Custom Powder Systems

Dadant, Liza Dake, Chris Dallas Cowboys Dallas, Abby Daniel Funeral Home Danny Dick Memorial Fund

Darling, Jesse Darr, Bill & Virginia Davenport, Courtney Davidson, Bill Davidson, Clyde Davis, Braxton Davis, Brock Davis, Carrie Davis, Curt Davis, Jerry Davis, Julia Davis, Sammy Davis, Shelly Davis, Steve Davison-Spriggs Insurance Dean, Richard DeArmon, Michael Delta R-V School District Design Fabrication Devore, Robert Dey, Lisa Diamond Coach Charter Diamond Pro DiCarlo, Bianca Diddle, Earl Diventures Dixon, Jason Doel, Corey Doerksen, Randall Dohle, Grant Dollar, Linda Don Gould Insurance Donco 3 Construction LLC

Donovan-Geel, Leslie Dornan, Danny Double Down Douglas, Hahn & Heidemann Douglas, Kerry Douglas, Patrick Dowdy, Jacquie

Doyle, Laura Dreyer, Terry Drinkwitz, Jeremy Driven360 Drury Basketball Alumni Drury University Drury University Athleticks Drury University Athletics Dudenhoeffer, Kirk Duggan Contracting & Carpentry Dunbar, Mike Duncan-Netemeyer, Rachel Duncan, Joanna Duncan, Lisa Duncan, Matt Dunford, Lynn Dunham, Brandon Dunham, Stacey Dunn, Nathan Durlak, Chris Dustin-Maden, Lynn Dwyer-Scholl, Cathleen Dye, Carolyn Dye, Janice Eason, Melissa Eastin, Dora Ebert, Gary Eckman, Cassie Eddlemon, Mark Edie, John Edward Jones Edward Jones Edwards, Rick Edwards, Wendy Ehlers, Rob Elbert, Alvin Eldon School District Ell, James Elliott Lodging Elliott, Jonathon Ellison, Cody Elmquist, Kirk Emery Sapp & Sons Emily, Dennis Emke, Katrina Emmert, Chad Endicott, Eric Eoff, Cheryl Epperly, Perry Epple, Amy

Epps, Bud Erectors Plus Erickson, Connie ESPN

Espy, Brenda Essmyer, MIchael

Eurofins BioPharma

Evangel University

Evangel University Evans, Craig Evans, Gary Evans, Steve Eye, Walker Fair Grove Schools

Farm Bureau Insurance

Farmer Companies

Farmers Insurance Fast N Friendly Federal Protection, Inc.

Feld Entertainment FeldenKrais

Fellowship of Christian Athletes of MO Fender, Danny Ferguson Florissant School District Ferguson, Bob Ferguson, John Fewell, Kent Fidelity Title Fields Mechanical Systems

Fine, Bailey

Fish Tales

Fisher, Audrey Fisher, Mark Fleming, Nicole Fletcher, Keith Fletcher, Larry Flintco LLC

Florke, Jeff

Folded Hills-Winery Ranch

Farmstead Fontleroy, William Forbes, Daniel Ford-Dangler, Chelsea Foster, Gray Francka, David Francka, Samantha Frank, Steve Frazee, Brent Frazier, Kevin Frederich, Jim Frederich, Taylor Freeland, Joy Freeman Health Systems

Freeman, John

Freeman, Shawn

Freight Snap

Fresh Ideas

Freund, Henry

Friend Lumber

Galyon, Tracy

Gambill, Pat

Gamble, Abby

Garber, Donna

Gardner, Frank

Garrison, Lindsey

Garverick-Rhodes

Gary Price Insurance

Gassel, Steve

Gateley, Donald

Gately, Shiela

Gaylord, Caleb

Geico Insurance

George Mason University

Athlitics

Gerleman, Kelsie

Ghirardelli, John

GHN Architects & Engineers

Gibbs, David

GIGSALAD

Gilion, Millie

Gilpin, Sarah

Glasgow High School

Glendale High School

Glore, Bill

GLS INSURANCE

GROUP

Goad, Becky

Goddard, Doug

Goetz, Gary & Sheri

Gold Mechanical Inc.

Gold, Chris Gold, Dana

Gold, Mike

Goldsmith, John

Gooch, Gary

Gordon, Lanae

Gorman, Gary

Gorman, Rod

Gould, LaNay

Gould, Rich

GP M.A.D.E.

Grain Valley High School

Grannemann, Marissa

Graven, Terry

Gray, Mel*

Great Rivers Distributing Co., Inc.

Great Southern

Great Southern Bank

Green, Brad

Green, Cale

Greenfield, Jason Greenwood Labortory

School

Greer, Kelly

Griesemer, Dr Bernard

Griggs, Dan

Griggs, Joe

Griggs, Mike

Grither, Matt

Grosse, Dawn

Groupon

Groves, Robert

Grunhard, Timothy

Gulshen, Ann

Gum, Steven

Gurucharri-Reich, Linda

Hafer, Quanna

Hagler, Byron

Haik, John

Halderman, Lloyd

Hale, John Mark

Hall, Allen Hall, Terri Hamilton, Stacy

Hammon, Trent

Hamon, Chris

Hampton, Tim

Hamra, Sam

Haney-Beene, Andi

Hannibal Regional Foundation

Hannibal Regional Foundation

Hansen, Guy Hanson, Lauren

Hardesty, Beth Hardin, Bob

Haring, Deborah

Harmony House

Harp’s Food

Harper, Kellie

Harrington, Lance Harris-Lyne, Maria Harrisburg R-VIII School District

Harrison, Stephanie

Harry Cooper Supply Company

Hart, Barry Hartel, Craig Hartman & Company, Inc.

Hartzler, Kirt

Harwood, Randall

Haskell, Courtney

Havens, Ja

Hawkins, Rodney

Hawley, Laura Hayden, Justin

Hayes-Johnsmeyer, Melinda

Hayes, Cassidy

Hayes, Derick

Haynes, Casey

Hazelrigg, David

Heart of America Beverage Company

Heavin, Brad Heavy Construction Laborers Union Hedgpeth, Kelly

Heim, Young & Associates

Heim, Young & Associates, Inc.

Heisberger, John

Helfrecht, Bill Helias High School

Helsel, Bo

Helton, Josh Henderson State University

Athletics

Hendricks, Alissa

Hendricks, Rod Henenberg, Matt

Henke, Tom

Henley, Amanda Henning, Leo

Henry’s Louisiana Grill

Henslee, Greg Henton, Bill Herbert, Cheryl Herion, Randy

Hermann High School Herrington< jeff

Herschend, Peter Herzog Contracting Co

Hesser, Stephanie

Hesser, Steve

Hettinger Excavating Hewgley, Sidney Hicks, Jerod hicks, Kelly

Higgins, Anna Higgins, Tara Highland Springs Country Club

Hiland Dairy Foods

Hill, Greg Hill, Sarah Hillyard Hinds, Russell Hinkle, Rich Hinton, Jesse Hirsch Feed & Farm Supply

HM Risk & Benefits

Hochman, Steven H. Hoff, Denelle

Hogan, Bud

Hogan, Mary

Holcomb, Bonnie

Holden, Beth

Holden, Dr Roger

Holder, Jordan

Holiday, Mike

Holiman, John

Holliday, Kristin

Hollis, Avree

Hollister High School

Hollrah, Raylene

Holman-Durham, Tiffany

Holman, Deana

Holopter, Bruce

Holtgrieve, Jim

Holzem, Mark

Honor Flight of the Ozarks

Hood, Jerry

Hopkins, Gary

Horn, Bob

Horne, Harvey

Horton, Greg

Horvit, Nate

House, Marian

House, Richard

Howard, Jeff

Hoylman, Bob

Hudgins, Josh

Hudson, Jim

Huff, Brad

Hughes, Danan

Hughes, Lana

Hughlett, Rick

Huhmann, Zachary

Hunold, Kent Hunold, Mitch Hunold, Nancy

Hunold, Rodger (Andy) Hunolt, Bruce

Hunt, Troy

Hunter, Dee Dee Hunter, Kay

Hutchens Industries

IMA

Imhoff, Anthony Imhoff, Rick

Imperial - Barron Independent Printing

Indianapolis Colts

Ingram, Dave

Ingrassia, Nick

Inter-State Studio & Publishing Co.

Irwin Seating Irwin, Kayla Isenhower Lumber

Iserman, Mandy

Jack Henry & Associates

Jack Henry & Associates

Jackobsen, Jake

Jackson Brothers

Jackson, Adam Jackson, Greg Jackson, Keith James River Mechanical

James, Charles W

James, Josh Jarchow, Austin

Jared Enterprises

Jared, Brian

Jared, Jerry

Jean, Rick

Jefferson Bank

Jefferson City School

District

Jefferson City Softball

Booster Club

Jeffries, Brian

Jenkins, Mark

Jenkins, Rhonda

Jenkins, Scott

jenkins, Suzanne Jenkins, Tara

Jennings, Janis

Jennings, Jeff

Jersey Mike’s

Jessen, Kyle

JMark Business Solutions, Inc.

John Adams Construction

Johnson County Community College

Johnson, Gayle Jones, Arlene

Jones, Brad

Jones, Gail Jones, Kelly

Jones, Rodney

Jones, Travis

Joplin School District

Joplin Youth Football

Jorgensen, Alice

Julian, Kim Justice Furniture

K and S Wire

KADI - Vision Communications

Kalimba, Beth

Kamilos, Jessica

Kanakis, Lee

Kansas City Chiefs

Kansas City University

Kaps, Chloe

Karr, Chad

Keats, Rhonda

Keenan, Connor Kelly, Evan

Kelly, Thomas J

Kemna, Terri

Kemp, Colette Kempf, Rick

Kempker-White, Stacy Kendall, David

Kendrick, Josh

Kilburn, Morgan

Killian Construction

Kimbel, Alan

Kimbrough, Brandon

King, Austin

KIng, Sandy

King, Stacey

King, Will

Kinne, Gordon

Kiser, Marc Kit, Pachans Asian Kitsmiller, Lauren

Klaas, Stephanie

Klee-Boley, Morgan

Kleinheider, Kristen Kloeppel, Ryne

Missouri Sports Hall of Fame Members

MISSOURI SPORTS LEGENDS

SPORTS ADMINISTRATORS

COACHES

Missouri Sports Hall of Fame Members

Missouri Sports Hall of Fame Members

Missouri Sports Hall of Fame Members

MEDIA

PLAYERS

Missouri Sports Hall of Fame Members

Missouri Sports Hall of Fame Members

Missouri Sports Hall of Fame Members

Missouri Sports Hall of Fame Members

TEAMS/PROGRAMS

Missouri Sports Hall of Fame Members

PINNACLE AWARD WINNER

PRESIDENT’S AWARD WINNER

JOHN Q. HAMMONS FOUNDERS AWARD WINNERS

The Missouri Sports Hall of Fame recognizes the following for their outstanding contributions to their sport

DIAMOND NINE BASEBALL HONOREES

Bruce Long, Greg Carlton, Chris Dufner, Brad Beattie, Scott Loveland, Doug Middleton, Charlie Slavens, Mike Tennant, and Jim Winn

Tim Blasi, Janice Crumpley Bluebaum, Jack Burrell, Caitlin Chapin, Jim Lumpe, Diane “Dink” Miller,

Missouri Sports Hall of Fame Members

Barry Short, Brad Simmons, and Kelly Snider

Marin (Whorton) Cooney, Sophia (Alexander) Denning, Bob Detherage, Bill Helfrecht, Brent Maggard, Kristen Marshall, Troy McMain, Christian Overstreet, and Tom Wilson

2015

2016

Calvin Bower, Bob Crawford, Don Carlson, Paul Dixon, and Larry Hines

Basketball in Missouri

Alex Hall, Fred Johnson, Mike Wiebe, Karrie Penner-Welch, and Hannah Wilkerson

MEN: Chris Harville, Steven Hill, Sam Singh, Mark Sparks, and Kevin Williams

2017

Doug Bennett, Dan Bishop, Jack Funderburk, Chelsea Goodin, Kellie Kessler, Danny Powers, Kyle Rapinchuk, Stefanie Standley, and Michael Vincent

Clint Anderson, Nolan Fogle, Tina Ruble Helm, Jamie Holmes, Greg Lindstrom, Jarrod Mays, Raeven Replogle, Carlie Rose, Blake Wixson

Nick Admire, Charissa Fuhr, Hailee Hendricks Fury, Colby Hughes & Logan Hughes, Trent Oxenreider, Joey L Rich, Brad Roweton, Jakki Prater Schneider, Jim Smith

2019

Heather Anderson, Johnny Eierman, Kelli Wenberg Eierman, Bill Fischer, Dallas Hord, Robert Murders, Justin Skinner, Ryan Vincent, Taylor White, Alex Wise

Mannie DeCastro, Judy Straatmann Hadsall, Gage Jacobs, Catlin Evans Jones, Alan Mahaffey, Justin McMillin, Willy Morgan, Tod Sundlie, Pam Mayfield Swift

2021

Dr Mark Baker, Charlie Burt, Tim Clubb, Mary Stratton-Johnson, Jordan Logan, Renay Ries Spilker, Tom Stilson, Justin Stine and Lyndsey Talbot 2022

ELITE ELEVEN FOOTBALL HONOREES

Dennis Heim, Lee Flood, Lester Baker, Brad Hocker, Devin West, Brett Mitchell, Dan Kneeshaw, Shane Davolt, Rusty Medearis, Kyle Cernech, and Kelley Curbow (First Year)

Chuck Blair, Eric Czerniewski, Jeremy Flores, Steve Forbis, Justin Gerald, Steve Newbold, T J Onstott, Brett Potts, Rex Sawyer, Rusty Shadel, and Lorenzo Williams

Chuck Banta, Robert Clardy, Lee Coleman, Lance Crayton, Anthony Frazier, Wes Kemp, Steve Mayfield, Darrin Newbold, Ben Nichols, Brandon Peck, Isaac Sooter, and Landon Zerkel

Shannon Crouch, Mitch Espy, Mikael Cooper-Falls, Jacob Hamon, Fred Harle, Ryan Howerton, Shem Johnson, Eric Ramsey, Nick Smart, Matt Wehner, and Rodney Witt

Dr Travis Brawner, Kegan Coleman, Dr Kenny Downing, Dr� Preston Estes, Derek Jensen, Roy Kaderly, David McNeel, Dr Kevin Patterson, Brock Roweton, Lance Roweton, Skylar Smith, and Terry Wemer

Dr Tony Berry, Lanny Curnes, Dre Dokes, Tyler Evans, Chris Hanna, Beau Jackson, Phil Johnson, Jeff Montgomery, Caleb Schaffitzel, Alan Spencer, Mike Wehner

Wayne Burch, Matt Burgess, Mark DeLozier, Michael Fox, Jason O’Neal, Kellen Overstreet, Mark Smith, Denny Routh, Jared Taylor, Brock West, Brett Williams

Brock Baker, Blaise Bauer, Joe Close, Lance Johnston, Marcus Klund, Drew Newhart, Jeff Portman, Jack Randolph, Casey Shadel, Nathan Stokes, Mac Whitehead

2014

2015

2016

2017

WOMEN: Sara Bos Barnhart, Laura Granzow, Terianne Wolford Brown, Alyson Young Hooten, and Anita Rank Oplotnik

MEN: Tim Brown, Daniel Cutbirth, Junior Roweton, Corey Stone, and Tim West

WOMEN: Bethany Creed, Kami Scrivner-Eddington, Tag Morris, Casey Garrison Powell, and Kayli Combs Price

MEN: David Coutchie, Wesley Culver, Brad Gregory, Gary “Cat” Johnson, and J J Tauai

WOMEN: Katie Howard Clopton, Marsha Burton High, Trish Van Diggelen Marsh, Kiana Bock Miller, and Jamesia Price

MEN: Mert Bancroft, Jim Grabowski, Tim Huskisson, Matt Miller, Chris Smith

WOMEN: Melissa Grider, Jeni Burnett Hopkins, Jenni Lingor, Addy Roller, Suzanne Nyander Sutton

MEN: Dr Brent Blevins, Avery Dingman, Chris Ijames, Stan Jinks, Rob Yanders

WOMEN: Jill Esely Durnin, Dr Tammy Erwin, Carrie Long Green, Brittany Percival Lyon, Kelsey Williams

MEN: Aaron Dalton, Nic Dykman, Jasen Fronabarger, Brandon Kimbrough, Christian Lewis

WOMEN: Mikaela Burgess, Stephanie Williams Burgess, Callie Carroll, Jordan Garrison-Garcia, Heather Harman, Jenny Anderson Sledge

MEN: Anthony Shavies, Roland Shultz, Tom Shultz, Zach Towe, Nick Yocum

WOMEN: Kyndal Clark, Kelsie Cleeton, Hannah Cook, Marla Douglass, Katie Gariss Marsh,

MEN: Rand Chappell, Dr Kirt Hartzler, Rick Pickren, Korry Tillery, Sam Pugh

WOMEN: Andi Haney Beene, Courtney Creed, Honey Scott Pickren, Katie Pritchard, Meghan Waggoner VanSlyke

WYNN AWARDS

Marjorie (Demarino) Bankovich, Monique (Willcut) Begley, Angie (Bullock) Homeyer, Angela (Beckett) Johnson, Julie Martin, Kerry (Speaker) North, and Jamie Vest

Tara Bailes,Teresa Baird Beshore, Chelsea Taylor Corp, Aleah Hayes, Tonya Choate McCall, Amanda Newton Plotner, Melissa Hoffmeister Sanders, and Sophie Cox Stagner

2019

Shelley Seider Davis, Brianne McGuirk Madura, Lorin Opfer Fiehler, Alix Opfer, Kasey Opfer, Brenda Hayes Raynor, Trudi Garrett Spain, Dana Ozbun Stillwagon, Bri Walsh

Mindy Bullard Coyle, Jo Ann Harrison, Tammy Townsend Holder, Anne-Mary McGrath, Cindy Metts, Taira Roth, Lisa Tinkler

2021

Dr Bob Arnce, Joey Ballard, Jared Beshore, Brock Christopher, Nathan Dunn, Dr Jared Emery, Craig Evans, Jon Field, T W Norman, Rick Scholten, Brandon Taylor

FILBERT FIVE BASKETBALL HONOREES

2022

Sandy Rippee-Hammers, Amy Russell McNew, Cindy Russell Rear, Tina Keller Montez, Kelly Richardson, Virginia McKenzie Sparks

Denise Buchanan, Val Sauer Crawford, Lindsey Bourne-Green, Lynne Miller, Chealsey Russell, Amy Lodes Witte, Callie Newton-Woods

Darin Archer, Gail Fredrick, Leon Neal, Mike Russell, and Chuck Williams (First Year) 2010

The Lauries of Springfield, The Howards of Marshfield, The DeGraffenreids of Bolivar, The Combs of Bradleyville, and The Andersons of Sedalia 2011

Neely Burkhart, Teri Steer Cantwell, Julie O’Dell Griffith, Chelsea Dirks-Ham, Amanda Hoenes, Kim Flieg Peters, Brianna Broderick Portmann�

receiving the John Q Hammons Founders Award!

From your friends at

In Memoriam

George Wilson

George Wilson, who won more than 1,000 games as a high school and college basketball coach in the Ozarks, passed away on February 19 He was 80 Wilson was inducted into the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame in 2008, and was a key part of the success of the College of the Ozarks Women’s Basketball Program (MSHOF 2018) Overall, he was 1006-373 That included a 559-284 record coaching southwest Missouri high schools for 31 years He then spent 16 years coaching at C of O, which reached 15 NAIA Tournaments – including four national runner-up finishes.

Curt Merz

Curt Merz, a lineman who played for the Kansas City Chiefs’ first Super Bowl team, passed away on April 22� He was 84� Merz played for the University of Iowa in the late 1950s and early 1960s, helping the Hawkeyes win the 1958 Big Ten Conference and the mythical national championship after they beat California in the 1959 Rose Bowl� He later played for the Chiefs from 1963 to 1968, helping them win the 1966 American Football League title and then playing in the first Super Bowl. Merz later went into broadcasting, working for WDAF and KMBZ in Kansas City, and briefly in Springfield with KTXR. At one point, he was an analyst for Missouri State football games� Merz was inducted into the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame in 2000�

Vernon ‘Hap’ Whitney

Hap Whitney, who coached wrestling at the University of Missouri, passed away on April 27 He was 87 He wrestled at Normandy High School in St Louis from 1949 to 1952 and became the state’s first four-time state champion. A graduate of Purdue University, he later coached Mizzou’s wrestling program from 1964 to 1974 The Tigers earned their first Big Eight Championship, was the first team to score points at the NCAA Championships (1967), went undefeated in 1968 and was ranked that year Whitney later served as associate athletic director for Mizzou and then was the AD for Columbia Public Schools for 18 years He was inducted into the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame in 2011

Bill Harding

Bill Harding, considered the architect of the modern Drury University basketball program and its longtime athletic director, passed away on May 2� He was 89� A Nixa native, he was a four-year basketball letterman from 1950-1954� He then coached Drury basketball from 1965 to 1971 and was athletic director from 1971 to 1988� He was 119-44 as a coach, including 65 home wins, and won five conference titles for his alma mater. His first team in 1966 won Drury’s first conference title in 28 years. He previously coached high school basketball at Nixa, Buffalo and Springfield Parkview.

Larry Holley

Larry Holley, the all-time winningest college basketball coach in the state of Missouri, passed away on May 12 He was 76 Holley was a 2009 inductee of the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame, which honored him again with the Pinnacle Award in 2020 following his retirement He coached 51 years, including 48 as a college coach, 40 at William Jewell College He was 918-577 coaching colleges A graduate of Jameson High School and William Jewell, he coached six seasons at Central Methodist University and two at Northwest Missouri State before taking over Jewell in 1979

As a player, he led Jameson to a 33-1 record and third-place state tournament finish in 1963.

Dale Kimberling

Dale Kimberling, who coached women’s basketball at State Fair Community College, passed away on April 7� He was 76� He led the college’s women’s basketball program from 1977 to 1979� He then coached at North Central Missouri College (1979-1987) and one season at Missouri Southern State University� In 1988, he returned to State Fair and coached 17 seasons, leading the Lady Roadrunners to the 1989 and 1990 NJCAA national tournaments� He was Region 16 Coach of the Year both years and was 259-242 as State Fair’s coach�

Kelly DeGraffenreid

Kelly DeGraffenreid, recognized with his brothers as part of the Filbert Five Awards in 2011, passed away on June 2 He was 77 Six DeGraffenreid brothers graduated over a 12-year span from Bolivar High School Kelly, the oldest, graduated in 1962, two years after helping the Liberators win the Class M basketball state championship He went on to play basketball at Southwest Baptist University and later spent 31 years working for Shelter Insurance in Monett

Kim Wood

Kim Wood, who was part of the Glendale High School Girls’ 1975 state championship team, passed away on June 3� She was 61� Wood’s play for Glendale ultimately helped the 1975 team receive induction into the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame this past April� The team won the inaugural MSHSAA’s state tennis tournament, part of a stretch from 1974 to 1978 in which Glendale won 55 of 57 matches and placed second in every conference and district tournament� Her dad was golfer Jim Morris (MSHOF 2020)�

Ken Meyer

Ken Meyer, who owned Meyer Communications and saw to it that the broadcast company was a corporate sponsor of the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame, passed away on June 17 He was 94 Meyer Communications received the Hall of Fame’s Founder’s Award in 2005, and Meyer was honored with the President’s Award in 2011 He and his late wife, Jane, started their radio career in 1964 and purchased KTXR-FM The station carried Missouri State University football and basketball games, as well as the St Louis Cardinals, high school sports and hosted “The Sports Reporters ”

Judith Scott

Judy Scott, who had a great influence on the Poplar Bluff community, passed away on July 16 She was 81 Scott married Joe Scott (MSHOF 2013, President’s Award 2016), who still holds the University of Missouri basketball program’s single-game scoring record of 46 points Judy went on to make her own mark, too A 1959 graduate of Poplar Bluff High School, she greatly influenced youths as an educator at the high school and college levels and later as an administrator, including time leading the Three Rivers College Foundation

Jim Lynch

A starter on the Kansas City Chiefs’ Super Bowl IV championship team, Jim Lynch passed away on July 21� He was 76� He co-captained Notre Dame’s 1966 national championship team and then played 11 seasons in the National Football League� A linebacker, he finished his career with 17 interceptions, 18 sacks and 14 fumble recoveries� He was inducted into the Chiefs Hall of Fame in 1990 and the College Football Hall of Fame in 1992�

Len Dawson

Len Dawson, who quarterbacked the Kansas City Chiefs to their first two Super Bowls and won it all in January 1970, passed away on August 24 He was 87 Dawson was inducted into the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame with its inaugural Class of 1994 and later was named a Missouri Sports Legend in 1999 Dawson caught on with then then-Dallas Texans in the 1960s before they relocated to Kansas City, and led the Chiefs to three American Football League titles and two Super Bowls He was the MVP of the 23-7 Super Bowl victory against the Minnesota Vikings just three years after the team lost to Green Bay in the first Super Bowl. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1987 and later enjoyed a successful career as a broadcaster

Jim Derry

Jim Derry, who coached Oak Park High School’s baseball program, passed away on August 30� He was 91. Derry’s work on the baseball field featured three state championships (1968, 1969 and 1983) and led later to the induction of the Oak Park High School Baseball Program into the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame in 2020. His 1968 team was the first Kansas City-area team to win a Missouri state title, as Derry’s teams won 310 games�

Doug Bennett

A pitching standout at Springfield’s Hillcrest High School, Doug Bennett passed away on September 3 He was 52 Bennett was honored with a Diamond 9 Award in 2017 from the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame He helped Hillcrest win the 1987 American Legion title and the 1988 state title in MSHSAA The 1988 Missouri Gatorade Player of the Year, he pitched for the Arkansas Razorbacks, helping them reach the 1989 College World Series He also was part of the Team USA Juniors and Team USA seniors and pitched in the Dodgers farm system

Mark Littell

Mark Littell, a Gideon High School standout who later pitched for the Kansas City Royals and the St Louis Cardinals, passed away on September 5 He was 69 Littell was inducted into the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame in 2016 The right-hander pitched nine seasons in the big leagues, including with the Royals (1973, 1975-1977) and the Cardinals (1979-1982) He was known as a reliever and was on the Royals’ 1976 and 1977 teams that both fell one win shy of reaching the World Series

Bobby Allison

Bobby Allison, a major financial supporter for numerous causes in Springfield, passed away on September 8� He was 74� The Missouri Sports Hall of Fame inducted Allison as a Sports Philanthropist and Humanitarian with the Class of 2021� He backed the Hall of Fame-managed PGA Korn Ferry Tour’s Price Cutter Charity Championship presented by Dr Pepper, by supporting its Junior Pro-Am from 2015 to 2021 and its Women’s Pro-Am� Allison’s support also enhanced athletic complexes at Missouri State University, among many others� Additionally, his donations fueled success of non-profits Help Give Hope, Harmony House, Springfield Dream Center, Lost and Found and a neonatal care unit at Mercy Hospital�

Bill Ghan

Bill Ghan, a longtime coach and administrator Greenfield, passed away on January 15. He was 94. Ghan started his career in 1950 as a coach and teacher in Sparta, and then coached five seasons in Carthage He made his biggest impact in Greenfield, where his 1957 and 1958 Greenfield football teams were undefeated He later was principal there and superintendent of Golden City Schools before working for the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education

Jerry Hughes

Jerry Hughes, who spent more than 40 years as athletic director of the University of Central Missouri, passed away on January 21� 2005� He was 73� A 2005 Missouri Sports Hall of Fame inductee, Hughes was later named a Missouri Sports Legend in 2016� He was 33 years old when promoted to UCM’s athletic director’s role in 1983, and grew the athletic department� Its teams won 10 NCAA national titles, had 50 other top-four finishes and captured 179 championships in the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association� Facilities expanded greatly under his watch, as well�

Bruce Sutter

The lone 2006 inductee to the National Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, and a 2007 inductee into the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame, Bruce Sutter passed away on Oct 14, 2022, at the age of 69 Sutter was among the game’s top relief pitchers in the late 1970’s and early 1980’s Sutter led the NL in saves five times and ranked third on the all-time saves list at the time of his retirement Posting a 2 84 ERA with the Cubs, Cardinals and Braves, he finished in the top 10 of the NL MVP voting five times. In six post-season games, Sutter was 2-0 with three saves and a 3 00 ERA Sutter saved at least 20 games in nine consecutive seasons and was the NL Cy Young Award winner in 1979 He set an NL mark with 45 saves in 1984

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