Some of the university's legendary individuals representing some of the highest achievements in University of Central Arkansas sports history form the newest class into the school's Sports Hall of Fame.
The 10-member class was formally introduced Monday at a news conference at the Hall of Fame Room at Estes Stadium. The induction banquet will be Saturday, Sept. 20, before the Henderson State football game that evening.
Among the 10 individuals are the winningest men's and women's college basketball coaches in state history (Don Dyer and Ron Marvel), the only coach in state history (Mike Isom) to win an outright national football title and the school's first national champion in track (Gerald Cound).
"I've said many times that UCA has one of the greatest athletic traditions in the state, if not the nation and for athletes and coaches and athletic directors, this is a phenomenal class," said UCA President Lu Hardin.
The class, the third to be enshrined into the Hall, were honored with a weekend of activities that includes a lettermen's golf tournament and reception the Friday before the game.
The group was selected by a committee representing a cross-section of UCA staff and alumni based on a point system for career achievement. The group was considered from a list of nominations from UCA supporters.
The highlights of the inductees' careers:
LEATRICE BRISCOE: The noseguard on the Bears' 1976 NAIA runner-up team coached by Ken Stephens. He was All-AIC during his UCA career and was the school's first modern-day All-American in football in 1976.
GERALD COUND: Lettered in basketball, baseball and track from 1959-63, He was the NAIA 880 national champion in 1963, never losing a race at that distance his senior year. He was UCA's first national track champion and earned the Neil Martin Award as the state's Amateur Athlete of the Year in 1963. He's a member of the Arkansas Track and Field Hall of Fame.
BOB COURTWAY: A 1951 graduate of UCA, Courtway went on to become the top swimming coach in state history and earned notoriety nationally as a swimming official. He was on the AAU national swimming selection committee for three Olympiads. His career as athletic director and coach at Hendrix College was marked by a long list of service to Conway. He's a member of the Arkansas Sports Hall of Fame, the NAIA Coaches Hall of Fame, the Hendrix Sports Hall of Honor and the Arkansas Swimming Hall of Fame.
DON DYER: He's the winningest men's basketball coach in the history of two universities (UCA and Henderson State) and his 654 career victories ranks at the top level for any coach any division. The college coach who is credited with "discovering" Scottie Pippen, he took UCA to back-to-back appearances in the NAIA title game in 1991 and 1992. He took teams from two different schools to the NAIA title game. His teams won 12 AIC championships. He's a member of the NAIA Hall of Fame and the Arkansas Sports Hall of Fame.
CLIFF HORTON: He coached basketball for 24 years at UCA, and his teams won 20 of more games six times, including two national tournament experiences. His 24-4 team of 1958-59 posted one of the best records in school history. He served as athletic director from 1970-1980.
MIKE ISOM: The defensive coordinator for Harold Horton, he succeeded the legendary coach. He coached the Bears to a 69-38-4 record from 1990-99, placing him second in career football victories at UCA. In 1991, he guided the Bears to their only outright NAIA title. He led the Bears to two of the greatest upsets in their history, the 1991 title game against Central Ohio and a 1992 victory over NCAA Division I-AA Tennessee-Chattanooga on the road (the first time the Bears defeated a higher-level team in the NCAA).
RON MARVEL: He's compiled a 468-186 record as the Sugar Bear basketball coach since 1980, making him the winningest coach in school history in any sport as well as the winningest college women's basketball coach in the state. In 37 years of coaching, he has never had a losing season and his UCA teams have averaged 20 victories per year. Last season, he guided UCA to a benchmark season that included 28 victories, an NCAA Division II South Region title and the school's first appearance in the Elite Eight national tournament. He has coached six All-Americans.
WILBUR OWEN: A former star athlete at Conway High, he's one of the greatest track athletes in UCA history, placing in six events at three different NAIA national championship meets, including a second-place finish in the 400 hurdles and as a member of the third-place 440 relay team. He was two-time AIC champion in the 100 and 220 and won the 220 hurdles twice, setting a conference record in 1962. He was a member of a mile relay team that broke a 33-year-old record and was the high-point performer in the 1964 AIC meet. He won the Frank E. Robins Award as the Outstanding Senior Athlete at Conway High in 1960 and has taught at UCA since 1973.
BILL STEPHENS: A former player, assistant football coach and former AIC champion track coach, he wore many hats in a 32-year in the athletic department, serving as athletic director almost two decades. During his tenure as AD, he was the guiding force behind UCA's transition from the NAIA to NCAA Division II and was the point man in the remodeling of Estes Stadium in 1999, transforming it into one of the top facilities for its size in the nation. During his tenure as athletic director, UCA teams won 51 conference or national championships, including six national title appearances in either football or men's basketball.
MARK TURNER: He as one of the greatest defensive backs in school history as a free safety for football teams from 1983-86. He shares the single-game interception record at five and is the career interception leader with 26. He was a three-time all-conference performer and NAIA first-team All-American, 1985-86, earning defensive player of the game honors in the 1985 NAIA semifinals. He was AIC Defensive Player of the Year in 1986 and played on teams that shared NAIA titles in 1984 and 1985. He was also an all-conference track performer for the Bears and holds the school pole vault record.
