University of Southern Mississippi Athletics
EagleFest Weekend Gets Underway With Hall of Fame Induction
4/10/2004 12:00:00 AM | Football
EagleFest Weekend Gets Underway With Hall of Fame Induction HATTIESBURG, Miss. --
The M-Club Sports Hall of Fame will induct a seven-member class in Friday night ceremonies April 16 at the Lake Terrace Convention Center, starting with a reception-social hour at 6 p.m., and the banquet-induction at 7 p.m. Members being inducted in the 2004 class include: Steve Clark (football, 1981-83), Shelton Gandy (football, 1985-88), Dr. Wayne Adkison (football, 1966-68), Todd Nace (baseball, 1989-91), Stephanie Brown DeBrisco (women?s cross country, track and field, 1989-92), James van Norman (golf, 1954-57) and Marshall Bell (Head Track and Field Coach, 1979-97).
Last year?s event drew a capacity crowd at the Lake Terrace Convention Center and tickets are expected to sell equally as fast this year.
Tickets to the Friday night reception and banquet are on sale at the Ferlise Center ticket office. They are $25 each, and reserved tables for eight are available for $200. The Ferlise Ticket Office also has spring football game tickets that are priced at $5 for ages 13 and up and $2 for ages 12 and under. Game tickets also will be sold game day at both north and south entrances to west stadium at Roberts Stadium.
In addition to the Friday night function, the annual M-Club business meeting is scheduled for 10 a.m., April 17, in the M-Club Room; and Head Coach Corky Palmer and his baseball Golden Eagles will entertain Memphis in a 6:30 p.m., Friday C-USA series opener that will continue with a 4 p.m., Saturday game and a 1 p.m., Sunday finale.
The schedule of events for the weekend includes:
Friday, April 16
6 p.m.; M-Club HOF Social Hour; Lake Terrace Convention Center
6:30 p.m.; Golden Eagle Baseball vs. Memphis; Pete Taylor Park
7 p.m.; M-Club HOF Induction Ceremonies; Lake Terrace Convention Center
Saturday, April 17
10 a.m.; M-Club Business Meeting; M-Club Room
1 p.m.; Black & Gold Spring Football Game; Roberts Stadium
4 p.m.; Golden Eagle Baseball vs. Memphis; Pete Taylor park
Sunday, April 18
1 p.m.; Golden Eagle Baseball vs. Memphis; Pete Taylor Park
Contact the Athletic Ticket Office 601/266-5418 or 1-800-844-TICK, or go by the Ferlise Center, for ticket information to all the above events.
Here also is a closer look at the 2004 M-Club Hall of Fame inductees:
STEVE CLARK (FOOTBALL 1981-83)
Member of the Cellular One Football Team of the Century?Longest field goal of his career was 51-yards vs. Mississippi State (1983)...Also kicked a 47-yard field goal vs. Richmond (1983)...Is career leader in extra points made with 89, extra points attempted with 93, field goals made with 41 and field goal percentage with 68.33-percent...Is second in career field goals attempted with 60 and his career extra point percentage (95.7) is the second highest among players with 30 or more attempts...Played in 1981 Tangerine Bowl...Team was 9-2-1 (1981) and 7-4-0 (1982) and 7-4-0 (1983) during his three years...Kicked 41-yard field goal vs. Alabama at Legion Field in Birmingham in 1981 to tie the Crimson Tide 13-13 in final seconds....Originally from Jonesboro, Georgia.
SHELTON GANDY (FOOTBALL 1985-88)
A talented tailback for the Golden Eagles from 1985 to 1988?Was a second team all South Independent selection in 1988?Finished his career with 2,504 yards rushing the sixth best mark in school history?Also ranks sixth on the all time rushing attempts list with 551 and is fourth in rushing touchdowns with 26?As a junior rushed for 1,025 yards in just 10 games (102.5 per game) and scored six touchdowns?Averaged 4.6 yards per carry that season?Had a career best 10 touchdowns as a sophomore in 1986?Had a career high 188 yards on 27 carries against East Carolina in 1988 and is fifth in career 100 yard rushing games with eight?Had 180 yards rushing against Memphis State in 1987 and 171 yards against Louisville that same year?Also spent six seasons as a member of the Southern Miss coaching staff.
TODD NACE (BASEBALL 1989-91)
Was one of the finest hitters that the school has ever produced...Had a Joe DiMaggio like 41 game hitting streak during the 1991 season, a mark no other player has ever come close to matching...His .368 career batting average is the third best in school history, while his 270 career hits is a school record...As one of the school's best ever leadoff hitters he ranks high in just about every offensive category...His .392 batting average during the 1991 season is the fourth best in school history and his 105 hits that season is a school record...Was a member of the all Metro Conference team in 1989 and 1991 and was named to the all Metro Conference tournament team in 1991...Was among the Mizuno/Collegiate Baseball All Americans in 1991.
STEPHANIE BROWN DeBISCO (TRACK & CROSS COUNTRY 1989-92)
Three year letter winner in cross country and indoor and outdoor track?Member of the first Metro Conference women?s outdoor track championship team in 1992 at Southern Miss as a distance runner?Still owns the school record in the 3,000 meter indoors at 10:52.92?Finished 4th in the 5,000 meters at the indoor Metro Conference Championships as a senior?Finished 3rd at the Alabama Relays (outdoors) in the 10,000 meters with a time of 42:10.11?During her junior year (1990) finished first in the state cross country meet (5K) with a time of 20:57?Served a team captain.
JAMES VAN NORMAN (GOLF 1954-57)
Was an outstanding golfer during the early days of the Southern Miss golf program?Is generally credited with being one of the players who helped to establish the Golden Eagles as one of the most competitive teams during that era and laying the foundation for the program today?Served as captain of the Southern Miss golf team during his senior year?Following graduation he went to the Charlotte (North Carolina) Country Club where he worked under the legendary Davis Love, Jr?Later served as Head pro at the Country Club of Asheville, North Carolina and later the Green Valley Country Club in Greenville, South Carolina?Was instrumental in bringing the Ben Hogan Tour (Nationwide Tour) to the Mississippi Gulf Coast, and he served as the tournament director for The Ben Hogan Tour in 1995 and 1996.
MARSHALL BELL (FORMER HEAD COACH CROSS COUNTRY AND TRACK AND FIELD 1979-97)
Marshall Bell spent 18 years as the head cross country and track and field coach at Southern Miss ? In 1992 he accomplished his greatest feat as the mentor of the track and field program by winning both the men?s and women?s Metro Conference Track Outdoor Championships ? For his efforts, Bell was awarded the 1992 Metro Conference Coach of the Year honor in both sports ? In 1993 he followed with his consecutive men?s Metro Conference Championship outdoor title ? During his tenure, Southern Miss hosted the first Conference USA Outdoor Track and Field Championship ? Bell is still active in track and field and heads current Southern Miss Officials Track and Field Association locally.
DR. WAYNE ADKISON (FOOTBALL 1966-68)
Played defensive end for Coach Pie Van ? A three-year letterwinner ? Had the speed and quickness to pressure to opposing quarterback, but had the size and strength to just as effective against the run ? A part of the 1966 and 19667 defense that ranked first and sixth, respectively, in the country in total defense ? The 68 defense that ranked fifth in country in rushing defense ? Although defensive stats were not kept at that time, he would have no doubt ranked among the team leaders in tackles for losses ? As an anchor on the Southern defensive line, the team never gave more than an average of 79.5 yards rushing per game.
