UAM names sports hall of fame’s ’23 class
The University of Arkansas at Monticello announced its 2023 athletics hall of fame class Thursday.
Five former athletes will be inducted into the hall of fame Sept. 28 in the Green Room of the UAM University Center, as will two athletics supporters who are receiving the UAM Spirit Award. They will also be recognized Sept. 30 at Willis “Convoy” Leslie Cotton Boll Stadium prior to a 2 p.m. kickoff between the UAM football team and Oklahoma’s East Central University.
Both events will be livestreamed on the UAM Sports YouTube channel.
Former UAM football players Jalen Tolliver and Cole Sears, former baseball player Andres Rios, former women’s basketball player Jordan Goforth and former men’s basketball player Kori Forge make up the 2023 class. The Spirit Award winners are Larry and Shirley Fisackerly.
UAM athletic director Hud Jackson congratulated the 2023 hall of fame class in a statement.
“This group is made up of outstanding student-athletes that represented UAM as incredible athletes and continue to do so in their daily lives today,” Jackson said. “We are proud to say that they were a part of our great university. Additionally, we would like to congratulate Larry and Shirley Fisackerly for being recognized as our spirit awards recipients. Their family has been and continue to be huge supporters of our athletic department and our student athletes present, past, and future.”
Tolliver played wide receiver for UAM from 2014-17. He earned All-American honors in 2017 and honorable mention All-American
honors in 2016 in addition to being a three-time all-conference selection. He has since played in the NFL, XFL and Canadian Football League. He currently plays for the San Antonio Brahmas of the XFL.
Sears played quarterback for the Boll Weevils from 201518. He earned All-American and all-conference honors in 2018. After a brief stint with the BC Lions of the CFL, he began his high school coaching career. He is currently the offensive coordinator at Hoxie High School.
Rios played baseball for the Boll Weevils in 2017 and 2018. He was an honorable mention All-American in 2018 and was named first team all-conference both seasons in Monticello. He finished with a career batting average of .332. He has continued his baseball career in the professional ranks, most recently with the independent Florence Y’alls.
Goforth played basketball for the Cotton Blossoms from 2012-2016. She won Great American Conference freshman of the year in 2013 and was named first team all-conference each of the next two seasons. She was an honorable mention All-American in 2016 and finished her career with 1,803 points, fifth all-time in UAM history.
Forge played for the Boll Weevil basketball team from 2011-2013. He finished his final collegiate season in 2013 as the GAC’s leading scorer with 531 points. He scored 1,041 in his career. He was named GAC Player of the Year and honorable mention All-American in 2013 and was part of the 2010-2020 GAC all-decade team.
The Fisackerlys, parents of a UAM graduate, will receive the UAM Spirit Award after years of involvement in UAM athletics, which began with working as officiates at various UAM athletic events.