Seven Inaugural NJCAA Foundation Hall of Fame Inductees Announced
Charlotte, NC – The NJCAA has announced the inaugural 2021 NJCAA Foundation Hall of Fame class, to be recognized at the virtual NJCAA Foundation Awards event, presented by the Nicole & David Tepper Foundation, scheduled for June 24 at 6:30 PM ET. Designed to tell the story of the NJCAA, the NJCAA Hall of Fame seeks to honor individuals who have paved the way for opportunities at the two-year level – athletically, professionally, and those who have impacted the association through other areas of influence. Inductees to the Hall of Fame include administrators, coaches, student-athletes, and meritorious contributors.
For more on the NJCAA Foundation Awards event, visit: NJCAA Announces Inaugural Awards Event
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Larry Brown
Born in Clairton and raised in Pittsburgh, PA, Larry Brown played football at Schenley High School, where he had an initial passion for baseball, but discovered a heightened interest in football during his junior year of high school. Brown went on to play collegiate football for two seasons in Dodge City, KS, before continuing his career at Kansas State from 1967-68.
At Kansas State, Brown led the Wildcats in rushing in 1968 with 402 yards and one touchdown. Following his Wildcat career, Brown was taken in the 1969 NFL draft as the 191st overall pick. In Brown's rookie season, he rushed for 888 yards and four touchdowns. An additional 302 receiving yards earned him his first Pro-Bowl selection. In the 1970 season, Brown remained at the top of the NFL, leading the league in rushing yards at 1,125 yards — the first player in Washington history to capture a 1,000 yard season.
Brown was also named a First-Team All-Pro in 1970 and a Second-Team All-Pro in 1971. Soon, he was named the 1972 NFL MVP — the only Wildcat ever to receive the honor. Brown retired in 1976 and was notably shaped into a fearless running back under legendary coach Vince Lombardi. Considered one of the greatest Washington football players of all time, he is in the Ring of Honor. Additionally, Fox Sports counts him as the second most successful Wildcat to play in the NFL.
George E. Killian
Regarded as one of the most influential leaders in the NJCAA, George E. Killian served as the first executive director of the association. In 1954, Killian embarked on his career in athletics at Erie Community College (NY), serving as the athletic director and head men's basketball coach. Killian was elected president of the NJCAA in 1967 and two years later was selected as the first executive director – a position he held until 2004.
Under his leadership and vision, the NJCAA became the first national collegiate athletic organization to add women's athletics in 1975. The NAIA and NCAA followed shortly after, adding women's athletics in 1980 and 1981, respectively. Upon retiring from the NJCAA in 2004, the association commissioned the George E. Killian Award of Excellence in 2006 to honor his dedication and service to two-year college athletics. The award is given out annually to NJCAA Board of Regents members that display the ideals of voluntarism, achievement, service, leadership, and excellence.
Among an extensive list of awards and accomplishments, some include; President of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame from 1996-2004, President of the International University Sports Federation (FISU) from 1999-2011, 1987 NJCAA Baseball Coaches Hall of Fame, 1988 NJCAA Basketball Hall of Fame, and U.S. Olympic Administrative Committee.
Dick "Night Train" Lane
Born in 1928, Richard Lane, commonly known as Dick "Night Train" Lane, was a professional football player for 14 years in the NFL. Lane played for the Los Angeles Rams (1952–1953), Chicago Cardinals (1954–1959), and Detroit Lions (1960–1965). Prior to playing on the big stage, Lane was a standout football and basketball player at LC Anderson High School in Austin, TX. In 1947, the defensive back went on to play football collegiately at Scottsbluff Junior College (NE), now Western Nebraska Community College, where he was the only African American student-athlete on the team.
As a Cougar, Lane helped the football team to a 5-2-1 record and earned NJCAA All-American and All-Nebraska honors. Lane left Scottsbluff after a year and joined the Army in 1948 where he served four years and earned second-team All-Army honors in 1949 and first-team honors in 1951 in the Army's football league. Following his Army discharge and while working at an aircraft plant in Los Angeles in 1952, Lane visited the Los Angeles Rams offices and asked for a tryout. Lane was signed as a free agent and recorded an illustrious career in the NFL.
To this day, Lane is regarded as one of the hardest hitting players of all time. In 1952, Lane set the single-season interception record by snagging 14 interceptions and finished his career with 68 interceptions, 1,207 return yards, 6 All-NFL Selections, and 7 pro bowls. In 1974, Lane's legendary career was enshrined by being inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Lane's three sons have accepted many awards on his behalf including Western Nebraska's Inaugural Hall of Fame Induction in 2018 and an award for being named to the NFL 100th All-Time Team.
Bob McAdoo
North Carolina native Bob McAdoo was a basketball and track star in high school who pursued a basketball career at Vincennes University (IN) from 1969-1971. McAdoo helped the Trailblazers win the 1970 NJCAA DI Men's Basketball Championship, scoring 27 points in the championship game and was named an NJCAA All-American in 1971. McAdoo played for Team USA at the 1971 Pan American Games and in 1971, enrolled at the University of North Carolina to play for legendary Head Coach Dean Smith.
In his lone season at Carolina, McAdoo led the 1971-72 Tar Heels to the Final Four with a 26-5 record. McAdoo was named first-team All-American and earned MVP Honors at the ACC Tournament. After applying for the "hardship" clause to seek playing professionally, McAdoo was drafted second overall by the Buffalo Braves in 1972. McAdoo played 14 seasons in the NBA and played seven more in Europe before retiring in 1992.
As an assistant coach with the Miami Heat, Bob McAdoo won three NBA titles. In 2000, he was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Hall of Fame.
John Mitchell
Born in Mobile, AL, John Mitchell played football at Eastern Arizona Junior College from 1969-1970 and was twice-named an NJCAA All-American. Mitchell transferred to the University of Alabama, where he was the first African American to play for the Crimson Tide, along with teammate Wilbur Jackson, and was the first African American to be named captain of the team. Mitchell started in all games he appeared in, leading the team to a compiled 23-3 record, winning two Southeastern Conference (SEC) Championships. In 2009, Mitchell was inducted into the Alabama Sports Hall of Fame.
Mitchell was taken in the seventh round of the 1973 NFL Draft by the San Francisco 49ers, but his playing career was cut short. Instead, he took on a full-time coaching position under legendary coach Paul "Bear" Bryant from 1973-1976, becoming the first African American football coach at Alabama and the youngest assistant coach in the country at the time. Mitchell then was the defensive line coach at Arkansas from 1977-1982 under Lou Holtz. Among an extensive list of coaching accolades, Mitchell notably became the first African American defensive coordinator in SEC history with Louisiana State University, serving four years there from1987-1990.
Today, the Steelers coach is the longest-tenured member of the coaching staff with 28 years of experience. Mitchell served as the team's defensive line coach from 1994-2006, before being named assistant head coach/defensive line (2007-17).
Lea Plarski
A pioneer in women's sports, Lea Plarski has seen tremendous changes and improvements across athletics, serving as an advocate, leader, and teacher. In 1995, the NJCAA created the Lea Plarski Award, an annual award that is presented to an NJCAA student-athlete who exemplifies sportsmanship, leadership, community service, academic excellence, and athletic ability. Plarski dedicated many years of service to the association and was the athletic director at St. Louis Community College (MO).
Plarski was instrumental in establishing the Women's Division of the NJCAA in 1975 - the first national collegiate athletic organization to develop such a structure. Plarski served as Vice President of the NJCAA Women's Division from 1975-90 and was tabbed president of the NJCAA in 1990, becoming the first woman to do so.
Plarski's fingerprints are on the 1994 Olympic Festival that took place in St. Louis and Southwestern Illinois. Some of her other involvements include the Women's Sports Foundation, the Amateur Softball Association, and the American Bowling Congress. Known for her tireless dedication to student-athletes, the Augusta, Kansas native received a lifetime achievement award from the St. Louis Sports Commission in 2020.
Sheryl Swoopes
Sheryl Swoopes was initially recruited by the University of Texas to play basketball but transferred shortly after to play at South Plains College (TX) near her hometown of Brownfield. Swoopes was a two-time NJCAA All-American and All-Region selection for South Plains during her two years on the women's basketball team. Swoopes finished with a career 1,381 points (25.6 ppg), and still holds 11 school records.
During the 1989-1990 season, the Texas native led South Plains to a 27-9 record and a sixth-place finish at the NJCAA Women's Basketball Tournament. Following a historical stint with the Lady Texans, Swoopes continued to succeed academically and athletically at Texas Tech University, earning multiple player of the year awards and All-American recognition on her way to winning the 1993 NCAA women's basketball championship.
As a professional player, Swoopes' career garnered many accolades including four WNBA championships, three WNBA Most Valuable Player honors, six WNBA All-Star appearances, and the WNBA's Top 15 Players of All-Time in 2011. Swoopes is the second player in WNBA history to win both the regular-season MVP award and the All-Star Game MVP award in the same season. Swoopes is also the first player in WNBA history to record a triple-double in both the regular season and the playoffs. In 2016, Swoopes was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame after a rich basketball career.