Thursday August 31, 2006

Future Clemson Hall of Famers

Get The Plaques Ready
This weekend Clemson will induct seven new members into its athletic Hall of Fame. Former All-America golfer Jonathan Byrd and former football All-American Kyle Young, former women's basketball All-American Shandy Bryan, former track All-American Terrance Herrington, former All-ACC football player Steve Kenney, former Clemson President and football player Dr. Robert F. Poole, and former women's track coach Wayne Coffman are also members of the Clemson Hall of Fame Class of 2006.
This group is very deserving and I congratulate them and their families.

Here is a list of 20 coaches and players that I believe will one day be in the Clemson Athletic Hall of Fame:
Jim Davis is the winningest basketball coach in Clemson history. He guided Clemson to 14 NCAA Tournament appearances and led the Lady Tigers to 11 final national rankings. Davis is the only Clemson basketball coach to win the ACC Championship, leading the Lady Tigers to the tournament title in
1996 and 1999. He finished with 51 wins over top 25 teams, and his teams won 20 games during 11 of his 18 seasons with Clemson. Under Davis' direction,
16 former Lady Tigers achieved All-ACC status.

Clemson baseball coach Jack Leggett has led the Tigers to 13 NCAA Tournament appearances, and five College World Series berths. Clemson is the sixth-winningest program in college baseball during his time as head coach. His legacy still grows at Clemson but he is a for sure first ballot Hall of Famer.
Men?s soccer coach Trevor Adair continues to keep Clemson ranked among the best men's soccer programs in America. His resume includes five NCAA Final Eight appearances in the last 10 years. In six of his first eight years at Clemson, the Tigers were ranked in the Top-12 in at least one final poll. In compiling a 132-60-18 record at Clemson, he has coached 10 All-Americans and
37 All-ACC selections.

Golf coach Larry Penley won the National Championship with a two-stroke victory over Oklahoma State on the Cowboys home course in 2002. It was Clemson's first national championship in golf and the program's first in any sport in 16 years. Penley's Tigers also won the ACC Championship and the NCAA East Regional title that spring, making Clemson the first program in NCAA history to win its conference, regional and national championship in the same year. Clemson won a school record six team titles for the academic year and ranked number-one in the nation by Golfweek/Sagarin and the Golf Coach's Association for the entire season. Penley has led Clemson to the NCAA East Region title, seven times, including a pair of "three-peats". One of the "three-peats" happened as recently as 2002-03-04. No other college coach has won more than his seven NCAA regional championships.

Men?s tennis coach Chuck Kriese is now the sixth winningest active coach in college tennis, his 2005 team advance to the school's 22nd NCAA Tournament.
The 2005 season marked the third consecutive 25-win season for the Tigers under Kriese, the first time the program has had three consecutive 25-win seasons.
Men's track and field coach Bob Pollack has enjoyed unparalleled success in his 18 years at Clemson. The Tigers have won 21 ACC Championships since 1988, including 11 indoor, nine outdoor, and one cross country crown. In the last 17 years, Clemson has brought home 175 All-America certificates and 56 school records have been established.

Former baseball All-American Shane Monahan played the game extremely hard.
He was a terrific defensive centerfielder and a terror at the plate.
Monahan was a two-time All-American at Clemson.

Lucas Glover is one of the most successful golfers in Clemson history. The former Walker Cup player still holds many records today at Clemson. Glover is now considered by some to be the best American golfer under the age of 30.

Khalil Greene was the national baseball player of the year. His incredible senior season saw some records that may never be broken. Greene has been an instant success at the major league level with the San Diego Padres.

Julie Coin is perhaps the most successful women?s tennis player in Clemson history. She helped lead two of the Tigers most successful squads in school history.

Josh Cody coached the football team from1927 to 1930. He led the Tigers to a 13-0-1 home record during his tenure. Cody was 4-0 against archrival South Carolina.

Tye Hill was a first round draft pick by the St. Louis Rams this past April.
Hill was a Thorpe Award finalist last season and should be considered one of the finest defensive backs in school history.

Justin Miller was an outstanding defensive back and kick returner at Clemson. Some feel he is the finest kick returner to ever play in Tigertown.

Leroy Hill an All-American and ACC Defensive player of the year in 2004.

Charlie Whitehurst threw more passes for more yards and more touchdowns than any player in Clemson football history.

Rod Gardner is considered the best wide out in school history by former Clemson wide receiver coach Rick Stockstill. Gardner also made some of the biggest catches in school history.

Keith Adams was an All-American and ACC defensive player of the year in 1999. The Termite had a school record 187 tackles in 1999 including 27 against South Carolina.

Anthony Simmons is the most talented linebacker in Clemson history ion my opinion.

Brian Dawkins is the best strong safety in Clemson football history in my opinion.

Ed McDaniel was an All-American and long-time NFL linebacker.

That is a quick look at my 20 future Hall of Famers. Please send me your list of any I left out via e-mail at mickeyplyler@hotmail.com.

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