CLEVELAND, Miss. - On Friday, Nov. 1, the Delta State University Department of Athletics and the Alumni Association hosted the first joint awards gala at 7 p.m. in Walter Sillers Colliseum. Approximately 400 members of the Delta State family gathered for the event to celebrate the induction of new members to the DSU Alumni Hall of Fame and the DSU Sports Hall of Fame.
The 2012-2013 Sports Hall of Fame class includes: Nicki Genre (Softball), Anita Robinson (Women's Basketball), Liberty Cash (Football), Norris Ashley (Men's Basketball), Jamie Cox (Track and Field), Casey Myrick (Baseball) and Brad Vickers (Men's Swimming & Diving). DSU will also recognize long-time professor and supporter of athletics, Ray Wilson, with the Distinguished Statesman Award.
The DSU Alumni Coaches Hall of Fame Class included Ray Ishee and Derrick Hunter.
The class represents a diverse cross section of the 13 intercollegiate sports sponsored by Delta State. The seven DSU Sports Hall of Fame inductees included a decorated swimmer, one of the most dominant post players in Lady Statesmen basketball history, a men's basketball scoring machine, one of the greatest pitchers in the modern era of Lady Statesmen softball, a standout outfielder for the Statesmen baseball team, a speedster on the track, and a power running back in the 60's for the Statesmen. All told, the seven inductees helped deliver two national championships, six conference titles, and 13 all-conference and all-American accolades.
NICKI GENRE | SOFTBALL
Nicki Genre closed her career as Delta State's all-time wins leader with 85 during her four-year career from 1999-2002. As a senior in 2002, Genre led NCAA Division II with 35 wins, while guiding the Lady Statesmen to their first ever NCAA Regional Tournament appearance. The 1999 and 2002 National Fastpitch Coaches Association All-South Region selection also holds the record for innings pitched (860.1) by a Lady Statesman. Genre ranks second in games pitched (143) and earned run average (1.55), while ranking third in strikeouts (371). Genre was named All-Gulf South Conference three times, including GSC West Division Player of the Year in 2002. She also holds single season records for innings pitched (289.0), complete games (39) and shutouts (17).
ANITA ROBINSON | WOMEN'S BASKETBALL
Anita Robinson, a native of Hattiesburg, Miss., was a member of the Delta State women's basketball team from 1987-1990 and played an integral part in the Lady Statesmen's back-to-back NCAA National Championships in 1989 and 1990. Against Cal-Poly Pomona in the 1989 Championship game, Robinson scored 20 points. She followed that with a 11 point, 9 rebound, and six assist performance against Bentley in the 1990 title game. Robinson suited up for the Lady Statesmen in 127 career games; her 1,376 points rank 18th all time, and her 106 blocks rank seventh all-time in the Lady Statesmen record book. For her career, Robinson shot over 51 percent from the floor, while having a career average of 10.8 points and 6.2 rebounds per game.
LIBERTY CASH | FOOTBALL
Liberty Cash, a native of Memphis, Tenn., earned three letters for the Statesmen football team as one of the lead tailbacks for the legendary coach Horace McCool. Cash was named the team-rushing champion in 1964 with 596 yards on 129 carries against a grueling schedule. Cash also had 66 yards receiving and scored three touchdowns. Cash was a part of 21 Statesmen victories during his three seasons at DSU and just eight losses. Cash also served the student body as President of the Student Government Association and Secretary/Treasurer of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes.
NORRIS ASHLEY | MEN'S BASKETBALL
Norris Ashley, a native of Ingomar, Miss., played four seasons, from 1964-1968, for head coach Jim Murrell at Delta State University as a member of the Statesmen basketball team. Norris, listed as 6-foot-4 guard, dominated the backboard through his sophomore and senior season's, averaging 10.7 rebounds per game while also averaging 11.4 points per game during that time. The talented guard averaged just shy of a double-double to end his career with 10.5 points per game and cleared 9.7 rebounds per game for the Green-and-White. After graduating Ashley coached in the high school ranks for 43 years and is dubbed the all-time winningest coach in the state of Mississippi, collecting 1,697 wins, nine state championships and one Grand Slam title.
JAMES COX | TRACK & FIELD
James Cox, a native of Cleveland, Miss., was standout for the Statesmen track and field teams under coached O.W. Reily and Reggie Barnes. During his four years at Delta State, Cox proved to be one of the fastest Statesmen to ever lace up the track shoes, holding the school record for the 100-yard dash in a time of 9.5, and the 200-yard dash in a blistering 21.1 seconds. Cox built upon his legacy at DSU by going on to a highly successful career as a coach at Ruleville Central High School and Eastside High School.
CASEY MYRICK | BASEBALL
Casey Myrick, an All-American outfielder for the DSU baseball team from 1995-1998, is the 43rd Statesman to be inducted into the Sports Hall of Fame. The Grenada, Miss., native enjoyed a standout career for the green-and-white earning three All-Gulf South Conference and American Baseball Coaches Association All-South Region honors. The 1998 ABCA All-American capped his career ranking fifth in career hits (262), seventh in RBIs (176), eighth in doubles (53), sixth in total bases (402), ninth in stolen bases (43), eighth in games played (207) and 10th in runs scored (194). In 1996, Myrick helped guide the Statesmen to the Gulf South Conference title with a 53-8 overall record and an appearance in the NCAA DII College World Series.
BRAD VICKERS | SWIMMING & DIVING
Brad Vickers was named an NSISC all-conference four straight years for Statesmen Swimming. Named Delta State's most valuable swimmer in 1994-95, Vickers won an NSISC conference championship in the 200-Butterfly, with a new conference and Delta State record at the time, touching the wall with a 1:55.38. Also held the 100 DSU record for the 100-Butterfly during his time at Delta State. In 1998, Vickers was named a three time NCAA All-American, including one first team selection. Vickers was the anchor leg of the men's 200 and 400-Freestyle Relay teams that took eighth and 16th, respectively, at the 1998 National Championships. Vickers also had finishing positions in the 50-Freestyle and 100-Freestyle at the 1998 National Championships. Vickers also was named an NSISC Scholar Athlete during his time at Delta State.
The DSU Alumni Coaches Hall of Fame welcomed coaching legends Ray Ishee and Derrick Hunter.
RAY ISHEE | COACHES HALL OF FAME
A Delta State linebacker in 1968 and 1969, Ray Ishee was co-captain of the Statesmen football team as a senior and was recognized by the Jackson Touchdown Club as Top Senior Athlete. Ishee began a highly successful coaching career in 1970 at Cleveland High School. He led Copiah-Lincoln Community College to the 1985 State Championship and defeated No. 1 Nassau Community College in the East Bowl. Ishee led CLCC to the MACJC South Division football titles in 1986 and 1989 and directed the CLCC track team to the 1987 State Track and Field Championship. Ishee was inducted into the National Junior College Hall of Fame in 1996.
DEREK HUNTER | COACHES HALL OF FAME
Derek Hunter was inducted into the Wesley College Sports Hall of Fame after playing two seasons of basketball. Hunter was a starter for Delta State's 1972 team which claimed the Gulf South Conference championship and advance to the NCAA Division II Elite Eight. A successful high school coach in the Memphis, TN in basketball, football and track, Hunter has the most wins in the Memphis Shelby-Metro area with 700 (Top 10 in Tennessee). He claimed over 22 city, regional, district, and state track and field titles as a coach and over 40 city, league, district, and sub-state basketball titles as coach.
DSU also recognized long-time professor and supporter of athletics, Ray Wilson, with the Distinguished Statesman Award.
The Delta State University Sports Hall of Fame was established in 1971 to recognize former student-athletes who made significant contributions to intercollegiate athletics while attending or coaching at Delta State. Induction into the Sports Hall of Fame is the highest honor a former Statesman or Lady Statesman student-athlete can receive.
