University of Southern Mississippi Athletics
Southern Miss Athletics Announces 2023 M-Club Hall of Fame Inductees
7/6/2023 1:51:00 PM | Baseball, Football, General, Men's Basketball, Men's Golf, Women's Basketball
HATTIESBURG, Miss. – The Southern Miss M-Club, the Southern Miss Athletics Department letterwinner's association, has announced the seven-member 2023 M-Club Hall of Fame Induction Class.
The 2023 class's inductees include Mark Blackburn (Men's Golf, 1998-99), Danny Hrapmann (Football, 2009-11), Vandarel Jones (Men's Basketball, 1999-01), Jared Martin (Baseball, 1994-97), Robert "Bob" McCrory (Baseball, 2001-03), Kendra Reed (Women's Basketball, 2005-09), along with recently retired Southern Miss baseball head coach Scott Berry as an honorary addition to the group.
The group of inductees will add their names to the storied lists of Golden Eagle greats at the Annual M-Club Hall of Fame Banquet on Friday, Nov. 3, on the Hattiesburg campus of The University of Southern Mississippi.
Event location and time, as well as ticket information, will be announced at a later date.
Learn more about the full list of 2023 M-Club Hall of Fame Inductees below.
Mark Blackburn (Men's Golf, 1998-99)
Blackburn earned his degree from Southern Miss in 1999 after a four-year career for the Golden Eagles' men's golf team. He earned two letters as a junior and senior, while competing in 11 tournaments for the Black & Gold. Blackburn shot a career-best three-day total of 215 strokes at the USA Peninsula Classic, tying him for 13th in the field. Opening day of that event netted him a career-best 70 strokes for a two-under finish. After graduating from Southern Miss, Blackburn entered the golf instruction career. Since 1999, Blackburn has mentored and coached some of the PGA's best, including Max Homa, Charlie Hoffman, Hudson Swafford, Trey Mullinax, Adam Hadwin and Chez Revie. He was recognized as one of the best teachers on the PGA Tour when he received the 2020 PGA Teacher and Coach of the Year Award. He currently owns and operates the Blackburn Golf Academy at Greystone Golf and Country Club in Birmingham, Ala.
Danny Hrapmann (Football, 2009-11)
One of the greatest special teamers in Golden Eagle history, Hrapmann earned the admiration of the country for his 2010 season as he collected All-Conference USA First Team honors and First Team All-American honors from the Walter Camp Foundation, joining Ray Guy as the only other player to do so in program history. Hrapmann also received Second Team honors from CBSSports.com and was a finalist for the Lou Groza Award. He twice received the Groza Award's 'Star of the Week' for his performances against East Carolina and Tulane, as well as the C-USA Special Teams Player of the Week following the East Carolina game.
As a senior, Hrapmann converted 26 of his 30 field goal attempts, an 86.7 percent rate, and all 51 of his PATs. Effective from almost any range, he was 8-of-9 on attempts under 29 yards, a perfect 10-of-10 from 30-38 yards and 6-of-8 from 40 or more yards. His efforts ranked him first on the Golden Eagles' season charts in kicking points (129), field goals made (26) and extra points (51). Tied nationally for field goals per game with 2.17 and finished fifth in the country in scoring, averaging 10.75 points per contest. Led Conference USA with an 86.7 field goal percentage and tied for first with a 100 percent PAT percentage. Career-best 17-consecutive field goals over the 2009 and 2010 seasons. Against East Carolina, he established a school record with five made field goals. His career-long stands at 54 yards against UAB, although he successfully connected on a 59 yarder against Houston that was negated by a timeout. In 2010, Hrapmann made at least one field goal in every game and made at least two in nine.
As the leader of the kickoff unit, Hrapmann averaged 63.1 yards per kickoff on 88 attempts, including six touchbacks. He also punted five times for an average of 43.0 yards with a long of 55. Again against East Carolina, he ran for 19 yards on a fake punt for a fourth down conversion.
In his first full season with the Golden Eagles, Hrapmann played in all 13 games and handled all kickoff duties and took over place kicking and field goals against Houston on Oct. 31, 2009. His 75 kickoffs averaged 60.3 yards per kick with five touchbacks. The Redshirt-Sophomore finished the year 2-of-5 on field goal attempts and 14-of-18 in PATs. Hrapmann was also a two-time member of the Athletic Director's Honor Roll.
Hrapmann signed with the Pittsburgh Steelers after the 2012 NFL Draft as an undrafted free agent, spending the 2012 and 2013 seasons on the practice squad. He moved to the Miami Dolphin's organization for the 2014 before retiring from professional football.
Vandarel Jones (Men's Basketball, 1997-01)
Jones won four letters as a standout starter for the Golden Eagles. He played 118 games for the Black & Gold, making 71 starts, en route to 1,121 career points—an average of 9.5 per game. Jones also grabbed 734 career rebounds, averaging 6.2 per game. Southern Miss captured a share of the 2001 Conference USA regular season title with Jones pulling down Conference USA Defensive Player of the Year honors, due in large part to his 77 blocked shots. He recorded 175 career blocks to go along with a 65.1 percent field goal percentage. Jones also recorded 55 career double-doubles.
As a senior, he averaged 12.7 points per game and was named to the All-Conference USA Second Team. His numbers still rank highly in Golden Eagle record books. Jones is 33rd all-time in scoring, eighth all-time in rebounding, first in field goal percentage, eighth in free throws made, sixth in free throws attempted and third in blocks. Jones helped Southern Miss to a NIT berth in the 2001.
After graduating in 2000, Jones became a high school principal.
Jared Martin (Baseball, 1994-97)
A four-year starter for the Golden Eagles, Martin recorded 235 games as a shortstop in his career, tied for seventh-most in program history. His career batting average stands at .284 and he recorded 57 career extra base hits (42 doubles, five triples and 10 home runs). He also drove in 119 runs via the bat. Able to reach base in a variety of ways, Martin also walked 101 times and used 18 hit by pitches to reach first base. Once on base, he was able to make his way around the base path, swiping 39 bases in four years, ninth-most on the career charts.
As a senior in 1997, Martin used a .341 batting average to knock six home runs and 40 RBI. His efforts earned him a selection to the All-Conference USA Third Team, his second time on the list after earning All-C-USA Second Team honors in 1996.
In his four seasons, the Golden Eagles won 139 games. Martin's career continued into the professional ranks as he was taken in the 23rd round by the Arizona Diamondbacks. He played three seasons across the minor leagues, making it as high as Double A in 1999 before he retired from professional baseball. Martin earned his degree from Southern Miss in 1999
Robert "Bob" McCrory (Baseball, 2001-03)
Robert "Bob" McCrory was an instrumental piece in the early 2000s era of Southern Miss baseball. His 17-9 career record, including a 10-3 record in 2003, earned him two All-Conference USA nods and helped the Golden Eagles reach never-before-seen heights.
McCrory's 2003 campaign saw him finish 10-3 with a 3.85 ERA and earn First Team All-C-USA honors. His efforts in Coach Corky Palmer's weekend rotation helped the squad capture both the Conference USA regular season and tournament championships, as well as the right to host an NCAA Regional for the first time in school history. He also earned All-Conference USA Second Team honors following a 7-3 record and 2.57 ERA in 2002.
The Baltimore Orioles called his name during the 2003 season in the fourth round of the MLB Draft. By 2007, McCrory led the Orioles Double A team in saves and earned a spot in the Arizona Fall League. In the same year, McCroy was named to the Rising Star All-Star Team as he again led the league in saves while also posting a 1.50 ERA. On April 30, 2008, McCrory made his major league debut in a relief appearance for the Orioles against Tampa Bay. He would appear in seven more games out of the bullpen that season.
McCrory stayed on with the Orioles for the 2009 season, pitching in seven contests for Baltimore. He would later sign with the Chiba Lotte Marines in Japan's Nippon Professional Baseball League.
Currently, McCrory is in his 10th season as the pitching coach at Northeast Jones High School (Laurel, Miss.). The Tigers have enjoyed record seasons, thrice setting a new record for wins in a season and advancing to the MHSAA Class 4A South State Championship in 2022. 10 Tiger pitchers have made their way to the ranks of college baseball since McCrory took over.
Since making the move to Northeast Jones, McCrory has furthered his education with a Specialist degree in Education in Administration in 2018. He and his wife, Anna, have two children, Mady and Jackson.
Kendra Reed (Women's Basketball, 2005-09)
Already a 2009 inductee of the Southern Miss Hall of Fame, Reed is no stranger to outstanding work on and off the court. A four-year letterwinner, Reed started an astounding 126 consecutive games, the longest streak in program history and second-most starts on the Lady Eagles' career charts. Reed made her name known for her prowess as a three-point shooter, finished 200-for-525, a 38.1 percent make rate, all three of which rank second on the career charts. Reed averaged 12.2 points per game across her career to score a total of 1,537 points, eighth-most in program history. She also tacked on 311 rebounds, 234 assists and 122 steals.
Quickly garnering the attention of her peers, Reed earned Conference USA's Freshman of the Year Award in her debut season and a spot on the C-USA All-Freshman Team. She would find herself on two more All-C-USA Teams and earned the honor of being a 2009 National Strength and Conditioning All-American. She also received the 2009 C-USA Spirit of Service Award. Most impressively, she is the only three-time C-USA All-Academic honoree in Lady Eagle history. She finished her career ranked eighth in scoring, fourth in free throws made (395), 10th in free throws attempted (460), first in free throw percentage (85.9), second in three-pointers made (200) and three pointers attempted (525). She also holds the record for most free throws made in a game with 18 against UAB in 2006. Her scoring prowess placed her inside the 1,000 point club in her second season as a Lady Eagle as she led the team ins scoring in 2005-06 and 2006-07. She garnered additional fame as a CoSIDA/ESPN Magazine Academic Team member, the 2009 Southern Miss Female Student-Athlete of the Year and a 2009 induction into the Southern Miss Hall of Fame.
Since earning her degree at Southern Miss, Reed has furthered her education with a PhD in Biomedical Sciences from South Alabama, a Doctorate of Medicine in Dentistry from The University of Mississippi Medical Center in Jackson, Miss., and an endodontic certificate from Texas A&M. She is a practicing endodontist in Dallas, Texas.
She is married to Ricardo Clark, a two-time football letterwinner at Southern Miss. Dr. Reed-Clark is the proud mother of two daughters, Olivia and Alaia, and is expecting their third child, Reed, in November 2023.
Honorary Inductee: Scott Berry (Baseball: Assistant Coach 2001-09, Head Coach 2010-23)
A 23-year veteran of Golden Eagle baseball, Scott Berry spent nine years with the program before taking over the reins en route to becoming the school's all-time winningest coach in baseball. Over 14 seasons, Berry produced 528 victories, nine NCAA Tournament appearances, two NCAA Super Regional berths and ended his career leading the Golden Eagles to seven consecutive 40-win seasons, which currently ranks tops in Division I baseball. He won four league Coach of the Year honors and oversaw four Ferriss Trophy winners – the honor for the top collegiate player in the state of Mississippi – as well as mentored four league Assistant Coach of the Year awards. He had 16 different players earn All-America honors, while also possessing 38 conference first-team picks. Berry also coached one national Freshman of the Year and one national Pitcher of the Year.
The 2023 class's inductees include Mark Blackburn (Men's Golf, 1998-99), Danny Hrapmann (Football, 2009-11), Vandarel Jones (Men's Basketball, 1999-01), Jared Martin (Baseball, 1994-97), Robert "Bob" McCrory (Baseball, 2001-03), Kendra Reed (Women's Basketball, 2005-09), along with recently retired Southern Miss baseball head coach Scott Berry as an honorary addition to the group.
The group of inductees will add their names to the storied lists of Golden Eagle greats at the Annual M-Club Hall of Fame Banquet on Friday, Nov. 3, on the Hattiesburg campus of The University of Southern Mississippi.
Event location and time, as well as ticket information, will be announced at a later date.
Learn more about the full list of 2023 M-Club Hall of Fame Inductees below.
Mark Blackburn (Men's Golf, 1998-99)
Blackburn earned his degree from Southern Miss in 1999 after a four-year career for the Golden Eagles' men's golf team. He earned two letters as a junior and senior, while competing in 11 tournaments for the Black & Gold. Blackburn shot a career-best three-day total of 215 strokes at the USA Peninsula Classic, tying him for 13th in the field. Opening day of that event netted him a career-best 70 strokes for a two-under finish. After graduating from Southern Miss, Blackburn entered the golf instruction career. Since 1999, Blackburn has mentored and coached some of the PGA's best, including Max Homa, Charlie Hoffman, Hudson Swafford, Trey Mullinax, Adam Hadwin and Chez Revie. He was recognized as one of the best teachers on the PGA Tour when he received the 2020 PGA Teacher and Coach of the Year Award. He currently owns and operates the Blackburn Golf Academy at Greystone Golf and Country Club in Birmingham, Ala.
Danny Hrapmann (Football, 2009-11)
One of the greatest special teamers in Golden Eagle history, Hrapmann earned the admiration of the country for his 2010 season as he collected All-Conference USA First Team honors and First Team All-American honors from the Walter Camp Foundation, joining Ray Guy as the only other player to do so in program history. Hrapmann also received Second Team honors from CBSSports.com and was a finalist for the Lou Groza Award. He twice received the Groza Award's 'Star of the Week' for his performances against East Carolina and Tulane, as well as the C-USA Special Teams Player of the Week following the East Carolina game.
As a senior, Hrapmann converted 26 of his 30 field goal attempts, an 86.7 percent rate, and all 51 of his PATs. Effective from almost any range, he was 8-of-9 on attempts under 29 yards, a perfect 10-of-10 from 30-38 yards and 6-of-8 from 40 or more yards. His efforts ranked him first on the Golden Eagles' season charts in kicking points (129), field goals made (26) and extra points (51). Tied nationally for field goals per game with 2.17 and finished fifth in the country in scoring, averaging 10.75 points per contest. Led Conference USA with an 86.7 field goal percentage and tied for first with a 100 percent PAT percentage. Career-best 17-consecutive field goals over the 2009 and 2010 seasons. Against East Carolina, he established a school record with five made field goals. His career-long stands at 54 yards against UAB, although he successfully connected on a 59 yarder against Houston that was negated by a timeout. In 2010, Hrapmann made at least one field goal in every game and made at least two in nine.
As the leader of the kickoff unit, Hrapmann averaged 63.1 yards per kickoff on 88 attempts, including six touchbacks. He also punted five times for an average of 43.0 yards with a long of 55. Again against East Carolina, he ran for 19 yards on a fake punt for a fourth down conversion.
In his first full season with the Golden Eagles, Hrapmann played in all 13 games and handled all kickoff duties and took over place kicking and field goals against Houston on Oct. 31, 2009. His 75 kickoffs averaged 60.3 yards per kick with five touchbacks. The Redshirt-Sophomore finished the year 2-of-5 on field goal attempts and 14-of-18 in PATs. Hrapmann was also a two-time member of the Athletic Director's Honor Roll.
Hrapmann signed with the Pittsburgh Steelers after the 2012 NFL Draft as an undrafted free agent, spending the 2012 and 2013 seasons on the practice squad. He moved to the Miami Dolphin's organization for the 2014 before retiring from professional football.
Vandarel Jones (Men's Basketball, 1997-01)
Jones won four letters as a standout starter for the Golden Eagles. He played 118 games for the Black & Gold, making 71 starts, en route to 1,121 career points—an average of 9.5 per game. Jones also grabbed 734 career rebounds, averaging 6.2 per game. Southern Miss captured a share of the 2001 Conference USA regular season title with Jones pulling down Conference USA Defensive Player of the Year honors, due in large part to his 77 blocked shots. He recorded 175 career blocks to go along with a 65.1 percent field goal percentage. Jones also recorded 55 career double-doubles.
As a senior, he averaged 12.7 points per game and was named to the All-Conference USA Second Team. His numbers still rank highly in Golden Eagle record books. Jones is 33rd all-time in scoring, eighth all-time in rebounding, first in field goal percentage, eighth in free throws made, sixth in free throws attempted and third in blocks. Jones helped Southern Miss to a NIT berth in the 2001.
After graduating in 2000, Jones became a high school principal.
Jared Martin (Baseball, 1994-97)
A four-year starter for the Golden Eagles, Martin recorded 235 games as a shortstop in his career, tied for seventh-most in program history. His career batting average stands at .284 and he recorded 57 career extra base hits (42 doubles, five triples and 10 home runs). He also drove in 119 runs via the bat. Able to reach base in a variety of ways, Martin also walked 101 times and used 18 hit by pitches to reach first base. Once on base, he was able to make his way around the base path, swiping 39 bases in four years, ninth-most on the career charts.
As a senior in 1997, Martin used a .341 batting average to knock six home runs and 40 RBI. His efforts earned him a selection to the All-Conference USA Third Team, his second time on the list after earning All-C-USA Second Team honors in 1996.
In his four seasons, the Golden Eagles won 139 games. Martin's career continued into the professional ranks as he was taken in the 23rd round by the Arizona Diamondbacks. He played three seasons across the minor leagues, making it as high as Double A in 1999 before he retired from professional baseball. Martin earned his degree from Southern Miss in 1999
Robert "Bob" McCrory (Baseball, 2001-03)
Robert "Bob" McCrory was an instrumental piece in the early 2000s era of Southern Miss baseball. His 17-9 career record, including a 10-3 record in 2003, earned him two All-Conference USA nods and helped the Golden Eagles reach never-before-seen heights.
McCrory's 2003 campaign saw him finish 10-3 with a 3.85 ERA and earn First Team All-C-USA honors. His efforts in Coach Corky Palmer's weekend rotation helped the squad capture both the Conference USA regular season and tournament championships, as well as the right to host an NCAA Regional for the first time in school history. He also earned All-Conference USA Second Team honors following a 7-3 record and 2.57 ERA in 2002.
The Baltimore Orioles called his name during the 2003 season in the fourth round of the MLB Draft. By 2007, McCrory led the Orioles Double A team in saves and earned a spot in the Arizona Fall League. In the same year, McCroy was named to the Rising Star All-Star Team as he again led the league in saves while also posting a 1.50 ERA. On April 30, 2008, McCrory made his major league debut in a relief appearance for the Orioles against Tampa Bay. He would appear in seven more games out of the bullpen that season.
McCrory stayed on with the Orioles for the 2009 season, pitching in seven contests for Baltimore. He would later sign with the Chiba Lotte Marines in Japan's Nippon Professional Baseball League.
Currently, McCrory is in his 10th season as the pitching coach at Northeast Jones High School (Laurel, Miss.). The Tigers have enjoyed record seasons, thrice setting a new record for wins in a season and advancing to the MHSAA Class 4A South State Championship in 2022. 10 Tiger pitchers have made their way to the ranks of college baseball since McCrory took over.
Since making the move to Northeast Jones, McCrory has furthered his education with a Specialist degree in Education in Administration in 2018. He and his wife, Anna, have two children, Mady and Jackson.
Kendra Reed (Women's Basketball, 2005-09)
Already a 2009 inductee of the Southern Miss Hall of Fame, Reed is no stranger to outstanding work on and off the court. A four-year letterwinner, Reed started an astounding 126 consecutive games, the longest streak in program history and second-most starts on the Lady Eagles' career charts. Reed made her name known for her prowess as a three-point shooter, finished 200-for-525, a 38.1 percent make rate, all three of which rank second on the career charts. Reed averaged 12.2 points per game across her career to score a total of 1,537 points, eighth-most in program history. She also tacked on 311 rebounds, 234 assists and 122 steals.
Quickly garnering the attention of her peers, Reed earned Conference USA's Freshman of the Year Award in her debut season and a spot on the C-USA All-Freshman Team. She would find herself on two more All-C-USA Teams and earned the honor of being a 2009 National Strength and Conditioning All-American. She also received the 2009 C-USA Spirit of Service Award. Most impressively, she is the only three-time C-USA All-Academic honoree in Lady Eagle history. She finished her career ranked eighth in scoring, fourth in free throws made (395), 10th in free throws attempted (460), first in free throw percentage (85.9), second in three-pointers made (200) and three pointers attempted (525). She also holds the record for most free throws made in a game with 18 against UAB in 2006. Her scoring prowess placed her inside the 1,000 point club in her second season as a Lady Eagle as she led the team ins scoring in 2005-06 and 2006-07. She garnered additional fame as a CoSIDA/ESPN Magazine Academic Team member, the 2009 Southern Miss Female Student-Athlete of the Year and a 2009 induction into the Southern Miss Hall of Fame.
Since earning her degree at Southern Miss, Reed has furthered her education with a PhD in Biomedical Sciences from South Alabama, a Doctorate of Medicine in Dentistry from The University of Mississippi Medical Center in Jackson, Miss., and an endodontic certificate from Texas A&M. She is a practicing endodontist in Dallas, Texas.
She is married to Ricardo Clark, a two-time football letterwinner at Southern Miss. Dr. Reed-Clark is the proud mother of two daughters, Olivia and Alaia, and is expecting their third child, Reed, in November 2023.
Honorary Inductee: Scott Berry (Baseball: Assistant Coach 2001-09, Head Coach 2010-23)
A 23-year veteran of Golden Eagle baseball, Scott Berry spent nine years with the program before taking over the reins en route to becoming the school's all-time winningest coach in baseball. Over 14 seasons, Berry produced 528 victories, nine NCAA Tournament appearances, two NCAA Super Regional berths and ended his career leading the Golden Eagles to seven consecutive 40-win seasons, which currently ranks tops in Division I baseball. He won four league Coach of the Year honors and oversaw four Ferriss Trophy winners – the honor for the top collegiate player in the state of Mississippi – as well as mentored four league Assistant Coach of the Year awards. He had 16 different players earn All-America honors, while also possessing 38 conference first-team picks. Berry also coached one national Freshman of the Year and one national Pitcher of the Year.
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