SPORTS: Arkansas to induct 15 to Hall of Honor

FAYETTEVILLE — An unprecedented 15 honorees of Razorback greats of the past are to be inducted into the University of Arkansas Sports Hall of Honor on the weekend of Sept. 14-15, which includes a home football game against North Texas.

The 15 honorees will be recognized at halftime of the game after spending the previous afternoon golfing and socializing at the Fayetteville Country Club. Formal inductions will be held Sept. 14 at the Hall of Honor banquet at the Fayetteville Town Center.

Honorees from football include defensive end Ivan Jordan, a Fort Smith Northside alum three-time All-Southwest Conference as a fouryear letterman for Frank Broyles’ Razorbacks from 1972-75 and among the Razorbacks first great scholarship black football players following Jon Richardson’s recruitment in 1969, and All-Americans Ron Faurot, a 1980-83 letterman defensive end for Lou Holtz voted All-American by UPI in 1983; kicker-punter Bruce Lahay, lettering 1978-80 as a punter and voted All-American kicker in 1981 after redshirting in 1980 with All-Americans Steve Cox and Ish Ordonez also kicking then; and Russellville’s Greg Horne, a four-year letterman as punter and place-kicker voted All-American punter for Ken Hatfield’s Razorbacks in 1986.

From men’s basketball are Rickey Medlock, of Cave City, a guard lettering three years for Lanny Van Eman and significantly as a senior helping Eddie Sutton’s Razorbacks debut with a 17-9 winning impact and still the the Razorbacks career highest percentage free throw shooter, and Smackover’s Jonathon “Pookie” Modica, two-time All-Southeastern Conference while lettering as from 2003-2006 a guard for Stan Heath’s Razorbacks, are inductees while from women’s basketball Sytia Messer, a starting guard for Gary Blair’s 1998 Final Four team, including Outstanding Player of the West Regional, and 1999 WNIT championship team is an inductee.

From baseball southpaw pitching great Nick Schmidt will be inducted. He was the 2005 SEC Freshman of the Year and both All-American and All-SEC in 2006 and 2007.

Though men’s swimming at Arkansas is defunct, the Razorbacks will nonetheless rightfully honor Jerry Spencer, the program’s first All-American five times over for coach Sam Freas and a SWC champion.

Men’s tennis honors Ewell Lee, a 1953-55 letterman and longtime tennis icon at Hardscrabble in Fort Smith and a prominent booster to the UA’s Dills Indoor Tennis Center.

For track and field, the men’s program honors Randy “Mongo” SteJONESBORO

phens, a four-time All-American, four-time SWC half miler-miler integral in 1982 for John McDonnell’s Razorbacks winning the first SWC Outdoor team title in Arkansas history. The women’s program honors former U.S. Olympic pole vaulter April Steiner Bennett, a four-time All-American and a four-time SEC champion competing for Lance Harter’s Lady Razorbacks from 2000-2003.

Men’s golf honors former coach Steve Loy, who led the team to three SWC runner-ups and two national top 10 finishes as head coach from 1984-87.

Women’s gymnastics honors Dana McQuillin, a member of coach Mark Cook’s inaugural

2003 class and the program’s first NCAA qualifier, while women’s volleyball honors Kim Storey Chronister, the program’s second All-American in 1998 under former coach Chris Poole and three-time All-SEC and still the program’s career leader in hitting percentage

(.365).