Tarleton to induct six new members into Athletics Hall of Fame in 2016

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STEPHENVILLE – The Tarleton Athletics Hall of Fame will grow to 156 members this year when the next generation of great Texans and TexAnns are enshrined as the Class of 2016.

The Hall of Fame induction committee has announced the addition of six Texans and TexAnns to the upcoming class of Tarleton greats to be inducted into the Hall of Fame. Tarleton will host the six inductees and their families for Hall of Fame Weekend on May 20-21, 2016 in Stephenville. The official induction ceremony is set for 7 p.m. in the Ballrooms of the Thompson Student Center on Saturday, May 21.

The class includes three football standouts, including a dual-sport athlete between football and track and field, as well as a men’s basketball star, and two members from TexAnn Basketball’s history.

The newest inductions to the Tarleton Athletics Hall of Fame are as follows:

Olan Coleman | Football (2001-02) | Track and Field (2002-03)

Coleman earns the nod into the Hall of Fame after starring as a two-sport standout in the early 2000’s. A native of Waco, Coleman joined the Texan football team and lifted Tarleton to a 19-5 record in his two seasons with the Purple and White, including Tarleton’s first LSC Championship and NCAA postseason berth in 2001. He was a two-time all-Lone Star Conference running back and earned Tarleton’s Higgs MVP award in 2002 after rushing for 883 yards on 148 carries with eight touchdowns. He will be the 68th member of the Hall of Fame to have competed in football for Tarleton. In addition to his two-year football career, Coleman was a star on the track. He is a two-time LSC Male Track and Field Athlete of the Year, a two-time LSC champion in the 100m and 200m sprint, and won two national championships (100m and 200m) in 2003. He is currently the school record holder in the 100m (9.96) and 200m (20.57). He becomes the 27th member of the class to have competed in track and field.

Katie Crawford | Women’s Basketball (2003-07)

Coming to Tarleton in the inaugural recruiting class for head coach Ronnie Hearne, Crawford made her mark as one of the best TexAnns to ever don the Purple and White. She led Tarleton to its first winning season as a member of the Lone Star Conference in 2004-05 and guided the TexAnns to their first-ever NCAA postseason appearance in the following season. Crawford, who now goes by her married name of Morgan, was a three-time all-Lone Star Conference selection and a two-time team MVP. She was the 2007 LSC Defensive Player of the Year award and currently holds Tarleton’s all-time record for career three-pointers made (230), three-pointers attempted (570), and free throw percentage (.854). She is also second all-time in three-point shooting percentage (.404) and in the top 15 in four other career statistical categories.

John Erickson | Football (1959-60)

Erickson was Tarleton’s last great quarterback of the junior college era, as the school became a senior college after his departure following the 1960 season. With five wins in 1960 for first-year head coach Johnny Dunn, Erickson and the Plowboys snapped a three-year drought of non-winning seasons and led Tarleton to its only winning season from over an eight-year span. Erickson was the top passer in the Pioneer Conference during his senior campaign. His 1,000-yard passing, 300-yard rushing season in 1960 earned him JUCO All-America recognition and a spot in the National Junior College All-America All-Star Football game in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Joining Coleman, he will become the 69th member of the Hall of Fame to have competed in football for Tarleton.

Ronnie Hearne | Women’s Basketball Coach (2003-14)

Hearne becomes the seventh coach to be inducted into the Tarleton Hall of Fame and first Women’s Basketball coach to receive the nod. After 11 years at the helm, Hearne amassed a record of 212-107 and led the TexAnns into national prominence. His .671 winning percentage is the highest in Tarleton’s women’s basketball history and his 212 wins is second most all-time. Under Hearne’s guidance, Tarleton’s women’s basketball program became a national power, being ranked as high as No. 14 in the nation, and has qualified for the NCAA regional tournament in six seasons – all under Hearne – as well as winning the LSC Championship in 2011-12. The veteran coach also brought in some of the top players to ever play for the purple and white, including each of the last two scoring leaders in Tarleton’s 19-year NCAA history – Shelby Adamson and Kiara Wright. Hearne had 32 all-conference selections, four LSC Newcomer of the Year award winners, two LSC Freshman of the Year award winners, three LSC Defensive Players of the Year, an LSC Academic Player of the Year, the LSC two-time Player of the Year, the two-time South Regional Player of the Year, a two-time All-American and the Daktronics National Player of the Year. Hearne won two coaching honors – both in 2011 – when he was named the TABC Small College and Lone Star Conference Coach of the Year.

Ryan Huntley | Men’s Basketball (1995-99)

One of the top point guards in the history of Texan Basketball, Ryan Huntley will become the 37th member of the Hall of Fame to have competed in men’s basketball. Huntley helped Tarleton in its transition to the NCAA after starring on the court from 1995-99, over which the Texans boasted a record of 65-46 for a .586 winning percentage. In the 1996-97 season, Huntley helped Lonn Reisman‘s team secure its first winning season as an NCAA school – going 18-10. Huntley was the 1999 team MVP and a two-time all-LSC selection. He is in the top 15 of the single season records at Tarleton in seven statistical categories, including third in assists (177; 1998) and third in steals (63; 1998). At the time of his graduation, Huntley was second all-time in assists (507), ninth all-time in rebounds (506), and 14th all-time in scoring (971).

Trampas Wilson | Football (1991-95)

Wilson becomes the second true kicker inducted into Tarleton’s Hall of Fame. During Tarleton’s transition from NAIA to NCAA, Wilson was as sure as a new day for the Texan Special Teams unit. He helped Tarleton to 17 wins in his four years and still shares the school record for field goals in a game (5), which he did on Sept. 4, 1993 against East Central. Joining Coleman and Erickson, he will become the 70th member of the Hall of Fame to compete in football at Tarleton.

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