The University of Central Missouri has announced their Athletic Hall of Fame class of 2009-2010. Inductees are Mark Hewett (track and field, 1974-75) from the early era; Rich Clover (baseball, 1995-99), Kegan Coleman (football, 2001-04), Sarah Welch (Dallas) (volleyball, 1995-98), Amber Goreham (Gazverde) (bowling, 2001-04), Joe Grubb (football, 1989-1992), and Jeremy Knox (track and field, 1997-01). Garrett and Sue Crouch will be inducted in the special recognition category. The 2003 National Champion Jennies Bowling team and the 2004 Mules Baseball team will join the Hall of Fame as well.
Bios courtesy of Central Missouri’s athletic website.
Mark Hewett
Men’s Track & Field, 1974-75
A seven-time All-MIAA pole vaulter (three indoor, four outdoor), Hewett also was a five-time MIAA Champion in the event (two indoor, three outdoor). An All-American in pole vault in 1974, he was the national runner-up that season. He set school and Mule Relay pole vault records and also set the record at Graceland College that was previously held by Bruce Jenner. Hewett was the winner of the 1975 Vernon Kennedy Award as a student and went on to serve as president of UCM’s Recreation Alumni Association.
Rich Clover
Baseball, 1995-99
One of the best two-way players in Mules baseball history, he was a first-team All-American pitcher in 1998 as well as earning Region Pitcher of the Year honors with 13 wins that season. He was a first-team All-MIAA pitcher in 1998 and 1999. With an ERA of 2.17, he was the MIAA Co-MVP in 1999 along with teammate Matt Norfleet. He ranks third in school history in wins (30), fourth in innings pitched (253), eighth in strikeouts (174), and tied for seventh in home runs (26). He set then-UCM and MIAA records with 13 wins (and 13 consecutive wins) in 1998.
Kegan Coleman
Football, 2001-04
Arguably the best running back in school history, Coleman is the all-time leader in rushing yards (3,995), yards per carry (5.8), rushing TD’s (58), 100-yard games (18), total TD’s (64), points scored (384), and all-purpose yards (5,939). He also owns the single season records for scoring (144), touchdowns (24), yards per carry (6.4), and rushing TD’s (22). A two-time All-American (first-team in 2003), he also earned all-region twice, and All-MIAA three times (first-team in 2002 and 2003). An injury in his senior season most likely kept him from a third All-American honor.
Sarah Welch (Dallas)
Volleyball, 1995-98
A three time All-American outside hitter, she was also the MIAA Most Valuable Player in 1998. She was a three-time first-team All-MIAA selection as well as earning all-tournament team honors at both at the NCAA Championships in 1996 and the NCAA Regionals in 1996 and 1998. She ranks second in school history in kills (1,719), second in career attempts (4,135), and fifth in career digs (1,614). Her 4.63 kills per game in 1998 ranks third in program history as well.
Amber Goreham (Gazverde)
Bowling, 2001-04
The 2004 NCAA Division II National Player of the Year, she was also a first-team All-American and the UCM Athletic Department’s Senior Female Athlete of the Year. She was also the anchor on the 2004 team that finished as the National Runner-Up in the inaugural NCAA Championships, as well as a member of the 2003 National Championship team. She also earned 2002 National Player of the Year from the NTCA.
Joe Grubb
Football, 1989-92
Grubb ranks second in school history with 333 tackles (180 solo, 153 assists). He was a second-team Football Gazette All-American in 1991 before a foot injury robbed him of much of his 1992 campaign. He also was first-team All-MIAA pick in 1991 and 1992, and a third-team All-MIAA selection in 1990. He posted the second-most tackles in Mules single-season history in 1991 with 141 stops (one short of the record) and his 22 tackles (19 solo) at Pittsburg State in 1991 is tied for third-most in a game.
Jeremy Knox
Track & Field, 1997-2001
A four-time All-American, he is third in UCM history in the outdoor 100-meter dash with a time of 10.53, second in the outdoor 200 meter dash with a time of 20.95, second in the indoor 60 meter dash with a time of 6.75, fourth in the indoor 200 meter dash with a time of 21.66, and third all-time in the indoor 400 meter dash with a time of 48.05. He was also a member of the outdoor 400 meter relay team that ranks fourth in UCM history with a time of 40.72, the outdoor 1600 meter relay team that ranks second with a time of 3:10.93, and the indoor 1600 meter relay team that holds the UCM record with a time of 3:11.64. He was an All-American in the outdoor 400 and indoor 55 meters in 1998 individually.
Special Recognition
Garrett and Sue Crouch
Strong long time supporters of UCM Athletics, Sue and the late Garrett Crouch have generously donated funds to the UCM athletic program for many years. They have also given the Garrett and Sue Crouch Scholarship to the Jennies softball and volleyball programs to support student athletes.
2003 Jennies Bowling
The 2003 Jennies bowling program won the National Championship in the final year before it became an NCAA sponsored sport. The Jennies went 96-25 overall, winning three regular season tournaments before defeating Florida State in the national title match at the championships. The team had eight different members earn all-tournament team during the year, including Tracie Diggs at the National Championships.
2004 Mules Baseball
The 2004 Mules baseball squad set the school record for wins, going 57-8 overall and finishing third in the nation at the NCAA Division II World Series. The squad won the MIAA title as well with a 26-5 mark, and had winning streaks of 21 and 14 during the season and rolled through the Central region tournament by winning its three games by a combined score of 49-3. The team had two first-team All-Americans in Francisco Leandro and Steve Sharpe, as well as seven first-team All-MIAA picks. The team hit .354 with every player in the lineup above .310. They also had an amazing team ERA of 2.78 with 10 pitchers posting an ERA of 4.00 or lower.
With the 2009-10 inductees, the Central Missouri Athletic Hall of Fame will consist of 153 individuals and 46 teams. The annual Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony will be held Saturday, February 27 at 9:30 a.m. in the Elliott Union Ballroom. Tickets are $12 per person and may be purchased by calling the UCM Athletic Office at 660-543-4250.
