Courtesy: Conference USA
DALLAS – As part of its 25th season celebration, Conference USA announced today its inaugural Hall of Fame Class. The 25-person class is comprised of 20 student-athletes, three coaches and two administrators.
“We are very pleased to honor this outstanding group for their many lasting contributions to their universities and to Conference USA,” said Judy MacLeod, Conference USA Commissioner. “They have provided many outstanding achievements and memories and we are proud to recognize their lasting legacy to our conference.”
The inaugural C-USA Hall of Fame class features student-athletes and coaches from 13 different sports. Eleven of the eligible schools (those who were members of C-USA prior to the summer of 2013 for this class) are represented. Five different schools (Cincinnati, Houston, Rice, Southern Miss and UAB) lead the way with three representatives in the inaugural group.
Criteria to be eligible for the Hall of Fame includes the following:
- A minimum of two years played for student-athletes, minimum five years served for coaches/administrators (coaches/administrators in current roles are eligible)
- Student-athletes are only eligible five years after their last C-USA competition
- Considerations for student-athletes will be based on but not limited to All-America selections and national honors, C-USA superlative awards, academic standing and off-the-field contributions
- Considerations for coaches/administrators will be based on contributions to C-USA as a whole
A Committee has been put in place to select nominees and the league’s Athletics Directors serve as the voting panel for the C-USA Hall of Fame.
In the future, the C-USA Hall of Fame class size will be a minimum of one inductee and a maximum of five inductees per year.
Initial nominees not selected in this class will remain on the ballot for future years.
INAUGURAL CONFERENCE USA HALL OF FAME CLASS
Courtney Blades; Southern Miss, Softball (1999-2000)
-2000 Honda Award (National Softball Player of the Year) and two-time First Team All-American
-Was first Division I player to record 600 strikeouts in a season; finished her career as Div. 1 all-time leader in K’s
-Guided Southern Miss to the 2000 C-USA regular season and postseason titles
-Led Southern Miss to back-to-back College World Series appearances (2000, 1999)
Arnau Brugues; Tulsa, Men’s Tennis (2006-09)
-Four-time ITA singles All-American and four-time Conference USA Player of the Year
-Won 2006 Polo Ralph Lauren All-American Tennis Championship, marking the first national championship won by a Conference USA tennis athlete
-Led Tulsa to four straight C-USA Championships and three top 15 national rankings
Tori Bowie; Southern Miss, Track & Field (2009-12)
-2011 and 2012 C-USA Field Athlete of the Year
-Two-time NCAA long jump champion, winning indoors and outdoors in 2011. She holds the school records for the long jump and was also NCAA runner-up outdoors in 2012
-Post collegiate career, she competed for USA in the 2016 Summer Olympics, winning silver medal in 100-meter, bronze medal in 200-meter dash and a gold medal as a member of the 4×100-meter relay team
Jon Busch; Charlotte, Men’s Soccer (1994-96)
– First Team All-American and C-USA Defensive Player of the Year in 1996;
-First Team All-C-USA selection in 1995 and 1996
-Led Charlotte to a school-record 19 wins and its first College Cup appearance in 1996, posting 12 shutouts
-Post collegiate career, played 15 years in the MLS and 21 years pro; 1998 MLS Goalkeeper of the Year
Chris Douglas-Roberts; Memphis, Men’s Basketball (2005-08)
-Consensus First Team All-American in 2008, honorable mention All-American in 2007
-2008 C-USA Player of the Year and two-time first team All-C-USA selection (2008, 2007)
-Led Memphis to the National Championship game in 2008 and NCAA Elite Eight in 2007 and 2006
-Won three regular season and three postseason C-USA Championships
Jarett Dillard; Rice, Football (2005-08)
-2008 First Team All-American; 2007 Honorable Mention All-American; 2006 Second Team All-America
-Three-time First Team All-C-USA (2008, 2007, 2006); 2005 All-Freshman team
-Remains the FBS all-time leader in touchdown catches with 60
-Still holds the FBS record with a touchdown catch in 13 consecutive games
-Key part of Rice’s first bowl team in 45 years during the 2006 season and Rice’s first bowl victory in 54 years in 2008
Jake Gautreau; Tulane, Baseball (1998-2001)
-First back-to-back C-USA Player of the Year in league history (2001, 2000); Two-time First Team All-C-USA (2001, 2000); 1999 C-USA All-Freshman team; C-USA Baseball Player of the Decade (1995-2005)
-C-USA regular season and postseason tournament championships
-Led Tulane to the 2001 C-USA regular season and postseason tournament championships and C-USA’s first College World Series appearance in 2001; Also won the 1999 C-USA postseason tournament championship
-Member of Team USA in the summer of 2000
-Post collegiate career, was a first round pick in the MLB Draft; after his pro career, he returned to Tulane as an assistant coach the Green Wave’s final four seasons in C-USA
Tyler Henderson; Tulsa, Volleyball (2009-12)
-Three-time C-USA Player of the Year (2012, 2011, 2010); four-time First Team All-C-USA; three-time Second Team All-American (2012, 2011, 2010)
-Led Tulsa to three straight C-USA regular season and postseason championships, including the first 20-0 conference season in league history; Led Tulsa to first three NCAA appearances in school history (2010, 11, 12).
-In 2010, Henderson set NCAA records for kills in a season (710) and a match (45).
Deanna Jackson; UAB, Women’s Basketball (1998-02)
-2001 All-American (second and third team by different organizations)
-2001 C-USA Player of the Year; 1999 C-USA Freshman of the Year; Two-time First Team All-C-USA (2001 and 2000); 1999 Second Team All-C-USA
-Led UAB to become the first C-USA team to reach the NCAA Sweet Sixteen in 2000, defeating two ranked opponents in the NCAA’s, one on the road and one on a neutral floor
-Was the first Conference USA player to record 2,000 points and 1,000 rebounds in her career
Chandi Jones; Houston, Women’s Basketball (2000-04)
-Three-time C-USA Player of the Year (2004, 2003, 2002); 2001 C-USA Freshman of the Year; C-USA Women’s Basketball Player of the Decade (1995-2005); C-USA Female Athlete of the Decade (1995-2005)
-First player to be named First Team All-C-USA in four straight seasons
-Still remains the all-time leading scorer in C-USA history; 2003 Division I scoring champion
-2004 First Team All-American; Led Houston to the 2004 C-USA regular season and postseason tournament titles and to the second round of the NCAA Championship
-After her WNBA career, she returned to work for Houston’s women’s basketball for three seasons
Case Keenum; Houston, Football (2007-11)
-2001 and 2009 Sammy Baugh Award winner (top Division I quarterback)
-2011 and 2009 C-USA Most Valuable Player; 2008 C-USA Offensive Player of the Year; 2007 C-USA Freshman of the Year; 2001 and 2009 First Team All-C-USA; 2008 Second Team All-C-USA; 2007 C-USA All-Freshman Team.
-Led Houston to two C-USA Championship Games and four bowl appearances.
-Remains the FBS career leader in pass completions (1,546), passing yards (19,217), passing touchdowns (155), games with 300+ passing yards (39), seasons passing for 5,000+ yards (3), seasons passing for 4,000+ yards (3, (tied with four others), total yards (20,114) and touchdowns responsible for (178).
Michael Kogan; Tulane, Men’s Tennis
-Three-time ITA All-American as a singles player; one ITA All-America honor as a doubles player
-Four-time C-USA Player of the Year and Four-Time first team All-C-USA; 2004 C-USA Male Athlete of year
-Led Tulane to three C-USA Championships and four NCAA appearances
-Played in the NCAA Championship in singles and doubles four times, reaching national singles final in 2004
Kenyon Martin; Cincinnati, Men’s Basketball (1997-00)
-2000 Consensus National Player of the Year
-Only three-time C-USA Defensive Player of the Year; 2000 C-USA Player of the Year; Two-time First Team All-C-USA (2000, 1999); Second Team All-C-USA in 1998; C-USA Male Athlete of the Decade (1995-
2005)
-Led Cincinnati to No.1 ranking majority of 1999-2000 season; Key part of four consecutive NCAA teams
-Post collegiate career, was C-USA’s only No. 1 overall NBA draft selection and played 14 years in the NBA
Graeme McDowell; UAB, Men’s Golf (1999-2002)
-Won the 2002 Haskins Award, given to the most outstanding collegiate golfer in the United States
-C-USA Golfer of the Year in 2002, 2001; First Team All-American in 2002, Second Team All-American in 2001
-Led UAB to three NCAA regionals and two NCAA Championship appearances; placed fourth individually in 2002
-Post collegiate career, has won 10 European Tour events and three PGA Tour events, including 2010 U.S. Open
Yulia Pakhalina; Houston, Swimming & Diving (2001-03)
-Two-time NCAA Diver of the Year (2003, 2002) after winning the NCAA Championship in the 1-meter and 3-meter dive in both years
-C-USA Diver of the Year and Diver of the Meet in 2002 and 2003
-Won 64 of the 66 collegiate diving events in which she entered (only losses in finals of NCAA Championships)
-Three-time Olympian; won the gold medal in 2000 in the 3m Synchronized Springboard; owns two silver and two bronze medals from 2004 and 2008 Olympics
Anthony Rendon; Rice, Baseball (2008-11)
-2010 Dick Howser Trophy winner as top Division I college player; 2009 National Freshman of the Year
-2010 consensus First Team All-American; 2011 Second Team All-American; 2009 National Freshman of the Year
-First C-USA player 2010 C-USA Male Athlete of the Year; Two-time C-USA Player of the Year (2010, 2009); 2009 C-USA Freshman of the Year; Three-time First Team All-C-USA (2011, 2010, 2009); 2004 C-USA All-Freshman team
-Led Rice to 2011 and 2010 C-USA regular season championships and 2011 and 2009 C-USA postseason tournament titles; Helped Rice to three consecutive NCAA appearances (2011, 2010, 2009)
-Post collegiate career, was a first round MLB Draft pick and is in his seventh season with the Washington Nationals
Brooke Tull; TCU, Women’s Golf (2002-04)
-Three-time Conference USA Golfer of the Year in all three years she competed in C-USA (2004, 2003, 2002); First Team All-C-USA three years in a row (2004, 2003, 2002); C-USA Women’s Golf Athlete of the Decade (1995-2004)
-2004 Second Team All-American
-Led TCU to the 2002 C-USA Championship and was the medalist at the event
-Was a key part of three consecutive NCAA Regional teams (2004, 2003, 2002)
-Four career tournament wins and 21 top-10 finishes in 42 total tournaments
Dwyane Wade, Marquette, Men’s Basketball (2001-03)
-2003 C-USA Player of the Year; Two-time First Team All-CUSA (2003, 2002)
-In 2003, led Marquette to its only C-USA regular season title and C-USA’s first Final Four appearance; was named Midwest Regional MVP after recording a triple-double in defeating No. 1-ranked Kentucky.
-Post collegiate career, was the No. 5 overall pick in the NBA Draft and has played 15 seasons in the NBA
DeAngelo Williams; Memphis, Football (2002-05)
-2005 First Team All-American; 2004 Second Team All-American
-One of two players to be named C-USA Offensive Player of the Year three times (2005, 2004, 2003); 2005-06 C-USA co-Male Athlete of the Year; Three-time C-USA First Team All-C-USA selection (2005, 2004, 2003); 2002 C-USA All-Freshman team; C-USA All-Decade team member (1995-2004)
-Led Memphis to three straight bowl games (2005, 2004, 2003), including their first bowl in 32 seasons
-Remains C-USA’s all-time leader in rushing yards (6,026), currently fifth in FBS history
-Post collegiate career, was a first round NFL draft pick and played 11 seasons, twice leading the league in TDs
Kevin Youkilis; Cincinnati, Baseball (1998-2001)
-Two-time Second Team All-American (2001, 2000)
-Two-time First Team All-C-USA (2001, 2000), one-time Third Team All-C-USA (1999); member of C-USA All-Decade team (1995-2004)
-Led Cincinnati to a school record 35 wins during the 2000 season
-Post collegiate career, was an 8th round pick in the MLB Draft; played 10 major league seasons, making three All-Star games and winning two World Series titles with the Boston Red Sox
COACHES
Jeff Bower; Southern Miss, Football (1995-2007)
-Led Southern Miss to five first place finishes and three outright championships in 12 seasons in C-USA
-Guided Southern Miss to winning records in all 12 seasons in C-USA, making 10 bowl appearances, including a pair of Liberty Bowl victories as league champion (1999, 1997); had 14 straight winning seasons at USM
-Three-time C-USA Coach of the Year (2003, 1999, 1997); C-USA Football Coach of the Decade (1995-2004)
-Post coaching career, served three years as a member of the CFP selection committee (2018, 2017, 2016)
Wayne Graham; Rice; Baseball (2006-2018)
-Inducted into the College Baseball Hall of Fame in 2012; Won 1,173 career games and the 2003 National Championship
-Led Rice to the College World Series in its first three seasons in C-USA (2008, 2007, 2006) and six times total.
-In 13 seasons in C-USA, won the regular season and/or postseason tournament championships 12 times, totaling 9 regular season titles and 7 postseason crowns
-Led Rice to the NCAA Championship in his first 11 seasons in C-USA (23 consecutive from 1995 to 2017)
-Five-time C-USA Coach of the Year (2012, 2010, 2008, 2007, 2006)
Bob Huggins; Cincinnati, Men’s Basketball (1995-2004)
-1997-98 National Coach of the Year; Three-time C-USA Coach of the Year (1999-2000, 1998-99, 1997-98); C-USA Men’s Basketball Coach of the Decade (1995-2004)
-Won a share of eight C-USA regular season championships (five outright) and four postseason C-USA Championships (2004, 2002, 1998, 1996)
-Led Cincinnati to the NCAA Championship in each of his 10 seasons in C-USA, advancing to the Elite Eight in 1996
-UC compiled a 123-33 (.788) C-USA record in his 10 seasons and a 259-70 overall record during this period; UC was ranked in the Top 25 for 138 of 184 weekly polls, earning Top 10 rankings 77 times and holding down the No. 1 spot 15 times
ADMINISTRATORS
Gene Bartow; UAB Men’s Basketball Coach/Athletics Director
-Inducted into the College Basketball Hall of Fame in 2009
-Founded the UAB Men’s Basketball program and served as head coach for 18 seasons until he retired in 1996, following the Blazers first season in Conference USA
-Served as Athletics Director at UAB from the department’s beginning in 1977 until his retirement in 2000
-Oversaw the growth of the UAB Football program from a club team to the Division I (FBS) level in 1996 and to a football-playing member of C-USA in 1999
-One year following his retirement as a head coach, UAB named its basketball arena in his honor as Bartow Arena
-The C-USA Men’s Basketball Coach of the Year award is named in his honor
Mike Slive; C-USA Commissioner (1995-2002)
-Became the first Commissioner of Conference USA when the league began in 1995
-Under his direction, C-USA quickly emerged as one of the nation’s top conferences. In addition to achieving success on and of the playing field, C-USA gained prominent national television exposure and NCAA automatic qualifications for its sports, and multiple bowl-tie-ins and access to the Bowl Championship Series for its new football league.
-Played a key role on the NCAA Management Council. He served as the chair of the first NCAA Infractions Appeals Committee and was the chair of the National Letter of Intent Appeals Committee.
-Served as the chair of the Board of Directors of NCAA Football USA.
-During his time in C-USA, men’s basketball earned as many as six NCAA Tournament bids, women’s basketball earned as many as five NCAA Tournament bids and baseball, volleyball and men’s soccer each earned three or more bids in a single season. Additionally, the number of guaranteed bowl selections grew one in 1996 to four by 2000.
-Founded the Mike Slive Foundation for Prostate Cancer Research upon his retirement in 2015.