MONTICELLO, Ark. – Two former Boll Weevil and Cotton Blossom teams of UAM Athletics have been chosen for induction into the UAM Sports Hall of Fame, Director of Athletics Hud Jackson announced on Tuesday.
Both teams will be honored in the 2024 UAM Hall of Fame Ceremony on Thursday, October 10th, in the Green Room of the UAM University Center. The inductees will also be recognized during pregame ceremonies at Willis ‘Convoy’ Leslie Cotton Boll Stadium on October 12th prior to the 2:00 p.m. kickoff when Arkansas-Monticello hosts Southeastern Oklahoma State University for the homecoming game in a key Great American Conference game.
Both events will be live streamed on the official UAM Sports YouTube Page.
This year’s Hall of Fame induction class is headlined by the 1977-78 women’s basketball team and the 1988 football team.
“We are really excited about honoring two very special teams,” said UAM Athletic Director Hud Jackson. “We look forward to having them back on campus and being part of our homecoming festivities!”
The first team selected with this year’s honor is the 1977-78 Women’s Basketballteam. Lead by head coach, and 2001 Hall of Fame inductee, Mary Jane Gilbert, the Blossoms held a 19-7 record on the season, with a 14-4 record in conference play. The Blossoms played in the All-Arkansas Women’s Intercollegiate Sports Association (AWISA) and advanced to the round of 16 in the AIAW National Tournament against William Penn University.
Arkansas-Monticello’s 1977-78 team consisted of Kim Clary, Camille Clay, Dena Dennis, Kathy Griffin, Stephanie Jackson, Karla Kerr, Anita McChristian, Betty Ree McDonald, Barbara Seymor, Kathy Tacito, Gwen Walker, and Salina Williams.
National, Regional, and Conference Recognitions:
- 4x All-AWISA (76, 77, 78, 79) – Anita McChristian
- #11 All-Time Scoring at UAM – 1,532 Career Points
- #6 All-Time Career Field Goals
- 4x All-AWISA (77, 78, 79, 80) – Gwen Walker
- #3 All-Time Scoring at UAM – 2,378 Career Points
- Consensus First Team All-American (79, 80) – Gwen Walker
- 3 UAM Sports Hall of Fame Members
- Head Coach Mary Jane Gilbert – 2001
- Gwen Walker – 2003
- Anita McChristian – 2008
The second team being inducted into the Hall is the 1988 Football team. Lead by head coach, and 2002 Hall of Fame inductee, Tommy Barnes, the 1988 team set the UAM record for most wins in a single season, finishing 10-and-2 and earning the program’s first NAIA playoff appearance. UAM took down Washburn University 20-13 in the first round and fell short to Pittsburg State in the second round. The team’s 4,047 yards of offense became a school record until the 1993 season.
Arkansas-Monticello’s 1977-78 team saw six players received all-conference honors, led by senior quarterback Sean Rochelle as the AIC Offensive Player of the Year. Rochelle, who was also named an Academic All-American led the Weevils with 2,024 yards of total offense and a single-season record 16 rushing touchdowns to close his career with 4,615 total yards and the UAM season scoring record (98 points), which stood until 2017.
Defenders Jerry Johnson, who matched the then program single-season record for interceptions (8) and Morehead Jordan, who led the team with 130 tackles, received Second Team All-America honors. Mac Newcomb and offensive linemen Brad Breland and Mark Eubanks received All-America honorable mention. Breland, who was also the Weevils’ kicker, set the UAM record for most consecutive field goals made (9), which stands today. During the season, Breland made a 51-yard field goal against Arkansas Tech – the longest in program history at the time, which has only been passed twice.
National, Regional, and Conference Recognitions:
- Second Team All-American
- Jerry Johnson, Cornerback
- Morehead Jordan, Linebacker
- All-American Honorable Mention
- Brad Breland, Offensive Tackle
- Mac Newcomb, Free Safety
- Mark Eubanks, Offensive Tackle (1988, 89)
- All-Conference (AIC)
- Rod Birmingham, Wide Receiver
- Brad Breland, Kicker
- Morehead Jordan, Linebacker
- Mac Newcomb, Free Safety
- Sean Rochelle, Quarterback
- Mark Eubanks (1988, 89)
#WeevilNation | #BlossomNation
