NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Marynell Meadors, who established the
tradition-rich women's basketball program at Tennessee Tech and led
her team to more than 350 wins in 16 season, will be inducted into
the Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame in February. The 11-member TSHF
Class of 2011 was announced Wednesday and will be enshrined at its
annual banquet on Friday, Feb. 11, 2011, at the Renaissance Hotel
in Nashville.
“This year’s banquet will feature an outstanding class
of athletes and sports personalities,” said Bill Emendorfer,
president of the state-wide sports organization.
“We’ll have a former NFL standout, a former Olympic
gold medal winner, and perhaps the one individual who has
influenced basketball more in the state of Tennessee than anyone. I
can assure an exciting evening for everyone who loves sports
…an evening you will truly never forget,” Emendorfer
concluded.
Meadors will become the 10th Tennessee Tech entry into the
Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame. Previous Tech inductees are Raymond
"Bull'' Brown, Hooper Eblen, Tom Fann, P.V. "Putyt" Overall, Emmett
Strickland, Wilburn Tucker, Star Wood, Jim Youngblood and Bill
Dupes.
The TSHF sketch on Meadors:
Coach Marynell Meadors --- Raised in Nashville and
a graduate of Hillsboro High School, Meadors decided in the seventh
grade her future was coaching women’s basketball. Following
graduation from high school, she attended Middle Tennessee State
University and there began coaching women’s basketball before
it became a varsity sport and prior to Title IX. In 1970
following the passage of Title IX, she moved to Cookeville and
became the women’s head basketball coach at Tennessee Tech
University. She coached the Golden Eagles for twenty seasons,
compiling a 363-138 (.724) lifetime record. While coaching at Tech,
she won six consecutive Tennessee state championships and four Ohio
Valley Conference championships. She was twice named Ohio Valley
Conference Coach of the year and became the first major
women’s college coach to win 350 games at one
institution.
In 1986, Meadors accepted the head coaching position at Florida
State University where she led the program for 10 years. In 1991,
the Seminoles won the Metro Conference Championship and advanced to
the second round of the NCAA.
Meadors is currently the head coach and general manager of the
Atlanta Dream of the Women’s National Basketball Association
and was one of the original eight head coaches when the WNBA was
formed in 1997.
The other 2011 Inductees are as follows:
Coach Don Meyer --- The former Lipscomb
University head basketball coach, Meyer is the all-time leader in
coaching wins in NCAA basketball history. After coaching at
Lipscomb for 24 years where his teams averaged 32 wins per season
over his last 10 seasons, he moved to Northern State University in
Aberdeen, SD. He retired from coaching following the 2009-2010
season with 923 wins in a career that spanned four decades. He is
currently serving as a Regents Distinguished Professor and
Assistant to the President at Northern State.
Meyer was named NAIA National Coach of the Year following both the
1988-89 and 1989-90 seasons. He took the Bison to 13 national
tournaments and won the 1986 NAIA National Championship. He was
elected to the NAIA Hall of Fame at the age of 47 and was honored
last July at the ESPYS with the Jimmy V. Perseverance Award.
Thomas Henderson, Jr (Posthumous) --- A
multi-sports standout at Vanderbilt University, Tom Henderson
earned nine varsity letters from 1929-33. He was named captain for
both the football and baseball teams and played quarterback for the
late Vanderbilt head football Coach Dan McGugin. While a student at
Vanderbilt, Henderson was awarded the Bachelor of Ugliness, the
university’s highest honor. He was named to Grantland
Rice’s All-America football team, and in 1957, Sports
Illustrated named Henderson to its Silver Anniversary All America
Football Team.
Following college, Henderson’s athletic accomplishments
continued. He was the 1931 Tennessee Valley Golf Association State
Champion and in 1945, was the Nashville City Golf Champion. Later
in 1967, he qualified for two national sporting events the same
year---the 1967 U. S. Open and the National Masters YMCA U.S.
Handball Championship. He won the ’67 National Masters U.S.
Handball Championship and the Southern Handball Doubles
Championship in ’68.
Barbara Jones-Slater --- A former Tennessee State
University Tiger Belle, Barbara Jones-Slater at the age of 15
became the youngest woman to win an Olympic gold medal in track and
field …and she still holds that distinction. In the
1952 Helsinki Olympics, Slater and her teammates captured the gold
medal breaking the world record in the
4 X 100 relay. She struck gold again in the 1955 Pan American
games and later in the 1960 Olympic Games in Rome as a member of
the TSU Tiger Belles 4 X 100 winning relay team.
Currently living in Atlanta, Slater has served as a member of the
Paralympics games committee and the Atlanta committee for the
Olympic games youth advisory educational council.
Bob Dudley Smith --- A native of Nashville, Bob
Dudley Smith was an outstanding athlete at West High School
excelling in both basketball and baseball. During his four years at
West High, the basketball team made three consecutive trips to the
TSSAA state basketball finals. His senior year, Smith was named the
Nashville Banner’s 1948 Interscholastic League’s Most
Valuable Player and was named to the Tennessee State Basketball
Tournament All-State team in 1947-48. He was named the
state’s Most Outstanding Men’s Player the same
year.
Following graduation from West High School, Smith was offered a
basketball scholarship to Vanderbilt University (only the
school’s second basketball scholarship offered. The first
went to former fellow West High School standout Billy Joe Adcock).
Smith was also offered a contract with the Boston Red Sox
organization. He said he accepted the Vanderbilt scholarship,
“because he knew that was the only way he could get a good
education and baseball could still be an option following
graduation.”
As a junior at Vanderbilt, Smith was part of Vanderbilt basketball
history winning the school’s first SEC Tournament
Championship. He was named to the All-Tournament Team. In later
years, Smith excelled on the Senior’s Tennis circuit playing
in tournaments around the world.
William R. “Bill” Battle, III
(Lifetime Achievement Inductee)-- A native of Birmingham, Bill
Battle was an outstanding tight end on the University of
Alabama’s first national championship team under Coach Bear
Bryant. Following graduation he entered the coaching profession
serving as an assistant at the University of Oklahoma, the United
States Military Academy and the University of Tennessee—where
in 1970 he was named head coach after four years. During his
tenure as head coach at Tennessee, his teams went 59-22-2, ranked
twice in the top-10 twice in the top-20 and won 4 of 5 bowl
games.
In 1978, he returned to his home state and held various management
positions, including president of two separate companies, with
Circle S Industries. During his tenure, the company grew in
earnings from $12 million to $60 million. He then founded Battle
Enterprises, Inc., later to become The Collegiate Licensing Company
(CLC), the nation’s oldest and largest marketing agency
dedicated to providing domestic and international licensing
services to the collegiate market. CLC currently represents 200
colleges, universities, bowls and conferences, as well as the NCAA
and The Heisman Trophy. In 2007, CLC was acquired by IMG, the
world’s premier sports and entertainment marketing company.
IMG College is now headed by Pat Battle, and Bill remains active in
CLC and its related businesses.
He was named first team tight end on the University of Alabama All
Decade Teams of the 1960’s, and in 1981 was inducted into the
Alabama Sports Hall of Fame. .
Jackie Walker (Posthumous) --- A native of
Knoxville, Jackie Walker was an outstanding student athlete
excelling in football, basketball and baseball. His head football
coach at Fulton High, Lon Herzburn (who later became Jackie’s
position coach at the University of Tennessee) worked with the
young Walker and helped him develop athletically and academically.
Following graduation from Fulton, Walker accepted a football
scholarship at the University of Tennessee, becoming the first
African-American student from Knoxville to receive a sports
scholarship to attend the University of Tennessee or any other SEC
university.
During his tenure at UT, freshmen were not allowed to play
varsity. His sophomore year he was a starting linebacker. His
junior year he lead the Vols defense with 82 tackles and 42
assists. Walker was a two-time All-American and his senior year was
selected team captain--the first African-American to be selected
captain for a sports team in the SEC.
Following his senior year, Walker was drafted by the San Francisco
49’ers. Following a brief professional career, he relocated
to Atlanta. He was inducted into the Knoxville Sports Hall of Fame
in 2008. Jackie Walker died in 2002.
Timothy (Tim) Edward Irwin --- A native of
Knoxville, Tim Irwin grew up following the Big Orange football
program, so it came as no surprise when offered an opportunity to
play for Tennessee he jumped at the opportunity. Irwin was one of
30 players who signed football scholarships with Tennessee in 1977,
and of that number nine went on to play in the NFL. His senior year
Irwin was named All-SEC tackle and also won an NCAA
Post-Scholarship Award for academic work in pre-law. He was named
to the SEC Academic Honor Roll in both 1979 and 1980.
Irwin was a third-round draft pick in 1981 and played in the NFL
from 1981 to 1994, including a 13-year career with the Minnesota
Vikings. Following his retirement from the NFL in 1990, he returned
to Knoxville where he earned his law degree and was admitted to the
Tennessee Bar. He practiced law in Knoxville until 2005 when he was
appointed Judge of the Juvenile Court of Knox County. He was the
co-founder of the Catholic Youth Football league and has sponsored
the Tim Irwin/Food City Bass Tournament with proceeds benefitting
the Boys and Girls Club of the Tennessee Valley. The tournament has
raised in excess of $550,000 since 1990.
John Lewis Hudson --- Born in Memphis, John
Hudson grew up in Paris, TN where he was a standout football player
for the Henry County Patriots. During his senior year, the Patriots
went 10-0, he was named team captain and All-State (AP),
Wendy’s All-South Team and starred in the Tennessee-Kentucky
All Star Game. Following graduation, he signed a scholarship with
Auburn University where he was starting center from 1986-89. In
1989, he was named to the Coaches All-SEC team and was presented
the Ken Rice Award for the Best Blocking Lineman.
Following graduation from Auburn, he was drafted by Coach Buddy
Ryan and the Philadelphia Eagles. In 2000, he was signed by the
Baltimore Ravens where he played on the Super Bowl XXXV
Championship team. Following his professional football career,
Hudson returned to his home of Paris where he currently serves as a
high-school football coach for his alma mater, the Henry County
Patriots.
John R. “Jack” Eaton --- Born in
Warren, PA, Jack Eaton is known to thousands of University of
Memphis fans as the “Voice of the Tigers.” Eaton began
his broadcasting career in 1954 in Columbus, GA. He moved to
Memphis two years later and joined WMC Radio and TV. There he
served as sports director and anchor for WMC-TV Channel 5 and
WMC-AM 790 from 1956 until his retirement in 1991.
In his role as Voice of the Memphis Tigers, Eaton broadcast Tigers
basketball from 1959 to 1987 and football from 1964 to 1986. During
his time as “Voice of the Tigers,” Eaton’s famous
exclamations of “Great Scott” and “Great
Caesar’s Ghost” became synonymous with his play-by-play
of Tiger sports.
In addition to college sports, Eaton did radio play-by-play in the
1950’s and 1960’s for local high school football games
and the Memphis Chicks baseball in 1957. In 1959, Eaton became the
first Memphis television sportscaster to announce professional
wrestling.
During his career in the Bluff City, Jack Eaton became the
area’s most noted and impactful television and radio sports
personality.
Elizabeth Henderson --- Henderson began playing
tennis when she was eight years old and she’s still at
it. By the age of 12, she was playing in Southern and
National tournaments. Her highest Southern ranking was #1 in the
Girl’s 14s and Girl’s 16s. Henderson’s highest
national ranking was when she attained the #9 position in the
Girl’s 14s. She was ranked #16 nationally in the Girl’s
16s.
After leaving junior tennis, Henderson played for the University
of Tennessee/Chattanooga (UTC) women’s tennis team. During
the 1970’s, UTC played SEC, ACC and Big Ten schools because a
conference for women had not yet been established. She was named to
the All-American team on each of UTC three AIAW Small College
National Championship teams.
Following college graduation, Henderson began her college coaching
career at the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill. Following
two years at UNC, she moved to the College of William and Mary. In
1983, Henderson moved back to Knoxville to head the women’s
tennis program at the University of Tennessee. After four years of
leading the Lady Vols program, Henderson lightened her schedule to
meet the demands of raising a family. She then took over the tennis
program at the Peninsula Club in Knoxville where she entered her
30th year of teaching at the grassroots level.
Along with these inductees, a number of individual and team
“honorees” will be recognized at the annual banquet on
February 11. Those recipients will be announced soon and will
include the Male and Female Amateur Athlete of the Year, and the
Professional Athletes of the Year.
Reservations for the awards banquet and induction ceremony are
available from the Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame for $125.00. For
more information on the event, call the TSHF office at (615)
242-4750 or e-mail tnsports@bellsouth.net.
The Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame is a statewide, nonprofit
organization founded in 1966 to honor and preserve outstanding
sports achievements in Tennessee.
July 28, 2011
Hayes, Dillehay recognized for strength and conditioning
June 21, 2011
Golden Eagles to face East Tennessee in WNIT opener
June 19, 2011
Hayes, Meffert share Outstanding Female Athlete honors
April 21, 2011
Cook, Hayes, Heady take top honors at annual Awards Dinner
March 24, 2011
Tacarra Hayes named to WBCA all-region team
March 16, 2011
WNIT game with Auburn to be streamed live on OVCsports.TV
March 14, 2011
Golden Eagles to host Auburn in WNIT opening round Thursday
March 5, 2011
Tech falls to UT Martin in OVC Tournament Finals
February 25, 2011
First 300 fans wearing purple admitted free Saturday night
February 25, 2011
Fans invited to Music City Mingle event during OVC Tournament
February 22, 2011
Sharpshooting Golden Eagles bounce back for win over Cougars
February 21, 2011
Golden Eagles square off with future OVC rival SIU Edwardsville
February 19, 2011
Golden Eagles edged at home by Austin Peay
February 17, 2011
Golden Eagles clinch share of OVC crown with win over Tennessee State
February 16, 2011
Tech to host Think Pink, Pack The House Night Saturday
February 16, 2011
Tech women’s basketball holds steady at 17th in Mid-Major Poll
February 15, 2011
Golden Eagles looking to sweep season series against Tigers
February 14, 2011
Darling earns her seventh OVC Newcomer award
February 12, 2011
Home-standing Skyhawk women trip Tech, tighten up OVC race
February 10, 2011
Bench, balance lead Tech to OVC road win at Murray State
February 8, 2011
TSHF Hall of Fame induction Friday for Marynell Meadors
February 8, 2011
Coach Messer speaks at Kiwanis event
February 7, 2011
Back to their old tricks, Darling and Hayes dominate OVC awards
February 4, 2011
Streaking Tech bids to avenge only league loss when Eagles visit
February 3, 2011
Hayes reaches 1,000, leads Tech over Lady Colonels with big night
February 1, 2011
Cash prizes to be awarded to "Most Spirited" student groups
February 1, 2011
First-place Golden Eagles return home to host Eastern Kentucky
January 31, 2011
Plenty of special events planned for upcoming games in Eblen Center
January 31, 2011
Teams collecting donations during "Hoops for Heroes" SAAC initiative
January 31, 2011
First place Golden Eagles seeking enthusiastic fan support this week
January 29, 2011
Golden Eagles roll to seventh straight, top SEMO 69-59
January 28, 2011
Road trip concludes Saturday afternoon at Show Me Center
January 27, 2011
Heady, Jordan key OVC road victory for first place Golden Eagles
January 26, 2011
Tech women’s basketball team ranked 24th in Mid-Major poll
January 25, 2011
Basketball coaches get the chance to speak to area business leaders
January 25, 2011
Fans - Last chance to get OVC Tourney tickets at deepest discount
January 24, 2011
Darling earns her fifth OVC Newcomer award
January 22, 2011
Tech gets win No. 14, holds first place with victory over Tigers
January 19, 2011
Messer speaks at Cookeville Rotary function
January 14, 2011
Another test looms for first place Golden Eagles as Racers visit
January 13, 2011
Tech fan bus planned for doubleheader at TSU Saturday, Jan. 22
January 12, 2011
Thursday evening doubleheader vs. UT Martin still on the schedule
January 10, 2011
Jackson County Night is Thursday in Eblen Center
January 10, 2011
Tech battles UT Martin for first place in OVC
January 7, 2011
Tech looking to bounce back against Eastern Kentucky
January 4, 2011
Golden Eagles resume conference play against Morehead State
January 3, 2011
Darling earns her fourth straight OVC Newcomer award
January 2, 2011
Heady, Hayes lead Tech to 71-63 win over St. Louis
December 31, 2010
Golden Eagles host St. Louis to open 2011
December 29, 2010
Knights upend Golden Eagles in Orlando
December 28, 2010
Special promotions in store at several upcoming basketball games
December 28, 2010
Tennessee Tech resumes play on the road at Central Florida
December 21, 2010
Tech takes over top spot in OVC with 14-point win over SEMO
December 20, 2010
Hayes, Darling garner OVC weekly honors
December 20, 2010
Tech looks for continued success as it hosts Southeast Missouri
December 19, 2010
Darling, Hayes lead Golden Eagles over Eastern Illinois, 65-58
December 17, 2010
Tech women’s basketball visits children at Mustard Seed Ranch
December 16, 2010
Tech resumes conference play as it hosts Eastern Illinois
December 15, 2010
Sunday's doubleheader to be aired by WCTE, men's game on CSS TV
December 14, 2010
Sunday games to feature Jr. Pro, church bulletin promotions
December 11, 2010
Darling beats buzzer, Golden Eagles edge Drake, 56-55
December 9, 2010
Tech heads north to take on the Drake Bulldogs
December 7, 2010
Turnovers stall Tech’s upset plans, Golden Eagles fall at UK
December 6, 2010
Tech takes on No. 9 Kentucky Tuesday at Memorial Coliseum
December 6, 2010
Hayes earns third career OVC Player of the Week award
December 4, 2010
New start time; Doubleheader on Dec. 19 added to OVC TV package
December 4, 2010
Golden Eagles down Jacksonville State behind Hayes’ double-double
December 1, 2010
Golden Eagles fight to the finish, drop first of the season
November 29, 2010
Golden Eagles host interstate rival MTSU Wednesday night
November 27, 2010
Golden Eagles pull away in second half over Lady Bulldogs
November 23, 2010
Saturday's women's basketball game begins at 6 p.m.
November 23, 2010
Golden Eagle women host Tennessee Wesleyan Saturday
November 21, 2010
Tech outlasts Belmont 61-56 in Sunday matinee
November 20, 2010
Looking to start 3-0, Golden Eagles head to Belmont Sunday
November 18, 2010
Hopper leads Tech to road win at Lipscomb, 2-0 start to season
November 17, 2010
Tech looks for continued success Thursday at Lipscomb
November 15, 2010
Defense, 3-pointers ignite early surge, Tech tops Alabama A&M
November 12, 2010
Four honored as 2010 Hall of Fame Class
November 12, 2010
Get to Know Em…Rachel Glidden
November 11, 2010
Tech begins season Monday night against Alabama A&M
November 11, 2010
Golden Eagles women’s basketball inks first recruit for 2011-12 season
November 9, 2010
Meadors to join Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame in February
November 4, 2010
Diane Seng Haynes to join TTU Sports Hall of Fame
November 4, 2010
Women open in high gear, dismantle Bryan College 102-31
October 28, 2010
Meet the Eagles draws crowd; Darling leads Purple to two-point win
October 27, 2010
Tech Athletics to help out at Friday’s Cooking on the Square
October 20, 2010
Basketball season ticket sales in high gear with opener looming
October 17, 2010
Tech women’s basketball team back in practice for 2010-11 season
October 13, 2010
Starting times set for 2010-11 home basketball games
September 14, 2010
Messer: Schedule designed to help young Golden Eagle team develop in 2010-11
September 13, 2010
Sytia Messer Announces 1st Annual Basketball Coaching Clinic
September 9, 2010
Tech womens basketball hosts Welcome Back Picnic
September 8, 2010
Atlanta Dream: From Eblen Center to the WNBA Finals
August 24, 2010
Good morning: Messer speaks to Cookeville Breakfast Rotary
August 3, 2010
Livingston greets Purple Pride Caravan