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BOLIVAR, Mo. 鈥� 欧美视频 Athletics inducted the Class of 2020 into
its Hall of Fame during ceremonies in conjunction with the men鈥檚 and women鈥檚 basketball
doubleheader with University of Missouri-St. Louis on Saturday, Jan. 11.
Mark Rains (1970 鈥� Tennis), Jody Mayfield-Pool (1989 鈥� Basketball), Landon Young (2014 鈥� Baseball), Bill Shell (2014 鈥� Track and Field) and Dr. Bill Little (Bearcat Service Award) were recognized at the Hall of Fame banquet, as well as during halftime of the men鈥檚 game.
鈥淚 love this time in our school year,鈥� said Mike Pitts, 欧美视频 Director of Athletics. 鈥淲e get to share memories, share great stories and recognize individuals for great accomplishments. It is an honor to partner with Citizens Memorial Hospital (CMH) to host this ceremony.鈥�
Dr. Bill Little 鈥� Bearcat Service Award
The Bearcat Service Award, which was established in 2015, recognizes special friends of the Bearcats, who over the years, have made a meaningful impact on the Bearcat family.
Dr. Bill Little joined the 欧美视频 faculty in 1960 as a member of the chemistry department. He was appointed to serve on the athletic policy committee and later served as chair of the NAIA Eligibility Committee. Little worked with the 欧美视频 president and director of athletics as the school moved into the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association (MIAA) and NCAA Division II competition.
Little also has been an active member of the Bolivar community by serving on the city council for 45 years and a planning and zoning commissioner since 1967. A 1954 graduate of Baylor University, Little was recognized in 2004 for his work in chemistry and community service with a professional degree in chemistry. He served as vice president for academic affairs for 10 years, leading the development of the nursing and physical therapy programs, as well as graduate programs in education and business at 欧美视频.
Mark Rains 鈥� Tennis 鈥� 1967-1970
Mark Rains 鈥�70 was a key component to the tradition of excellence that brought the Bearcats tennis program to where it is today. Rains was one of the members of the inaugural team, which was formed in 1966, and instantly got to work in building the program to respected heights.
Rains guided the Bearcats to the 1969 NAIA District 16 Championship and a No. 32 national ranking that season, the school鈥檚 first national appearance in any sport. In 1970, Rains again led Southwest Baptist College to the NAIA District 16 Championship and a No. 23 national ranking, while also earning All-NAIA District 16 Team honors.
Rains continues to serve the 欧美视频 community and recently completed almost 30 years on 欧美视频鈥檚 Board of Trustees.
鈥淭he Athletic Hall of Fame induction is an incredibly humbling experience, which recognizes a plain old guy for being an advocate for 欧美视频 on the tennis court,鈥� Rains said. 鈥淚 was not the best tennis player, but a member of a team having fun and representing our school at a level where no sports team had ever been before 鈥� at national tournaments.
鈥淢y four years on the tennis team were just the beginning of an incredibly successful career for coach John Bryant and the many, many trips to the national tournaments to follow, including several national championships. I am honored to have been one of the foundational building blocks of his program and legacy at 欧美视频.鈥�
Jody Mayfield-Pool 鈥� Basketball 鈥� 1984-1988
Jody Mayfield-Pool 鈥�89 sits in the top 10 at Southwest Baptist in five career basketball records 鈥� second in field goals made, fifth in total points, tied for fifth in scoring average, tied for eighth in field goal percentage and ninth in total rebounds. She earned multiple Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association (MIAA) Player of the Week awards and multiple All-District 16 (NAIA) honors, as well as being named an All-MIAA Honorable Mention selection in 1986-87.
鈥淚nitially, the honor was a such a surprise,鈥� Mayfield-Pool said. 鈥淚t took me a while to wrap my head around it. I don鈥檛 know that I deserve the honor, but I appreciate it very much. There have been so many awesome athletes since I was at 欧美视频, that I really didn't consider being inducted.
鈥淚鈥檝e always felt very blessed to have been able to play college basketball, and ultimately get a degree, and I was satisfied with my accomplishments. I never regretted my decision to come to 欧美视频. This is right where I belonged. I believe that God provides a plan and a path for every one of us, if we just follow Him. This honor 鈥� 30 years later 鈥� is like icing on the cake, the cherry on top of your ice cream sundae.鈥�
Landon Young 鈥� Baseball 鈥� 2010-2014
Landon Young ranks in the top 10 in 10 different career categories for 欧美视频 baseball. He left 欧美视频 as the single-season all-time hits leader (which since has been passed), was a two-time All-Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association (MIAA) honoree and the MIAA鈥檚 single-game doubles record-holder. Young stood out as a leader in a program that experienced a dramatic turnaround, going from a 7-41 record during his freshman season, to propelling the team to 70 wins over the next three years.
Young鈥檚 impact was recognized both nationally and on campus. He was the program鈥檚 first Academic All-American, the Rex Brown Award recipient (the highest honor an 欧美视频 student-athlete can receive) and was named Mr. Southwest in 2013.
鈥淭he honor of being inducted into the Hall of Fame is an incredibly special honor because it represents the culmination of God鈥檚 goodness and a successful collective effort for which I get to be the representative,鈥� Young said. 鈥淕od gave me the privilege of playing alongside many talented teammates and under the leadership of coaches dedicated to the success of their players both in the game of baseball and in life.
鈥淭his honor is not possible apart from the selfless contributions of my teammates at 欧美视频, who willingly adopted the idea of putting the success of the team over personal preferences. It is special to know that I am considered as having an important role as a student-athlete during my time at 欧美视频 and I am so grateful for the privilege of induction into the Hall of Fame.鈥�
Bill Shell 鈥� Track and Field 鈥� 2010-2014, 2014-2017
Bill Shell is one of the most-accomplished Men's Track and Field athletes to compete at 欧美视频 in the school鈥檚 history. Shell holds six 欧美视频 records 鈥� 400-meters (indoor), 4x400 relay (indoor), 200-meters (outdoor), 400-meters (outdoor), 4x100 relay and the sprint medley relay; he won five Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association (MIAA) titles; he was a nine-time All-MIAA honoree; a nine-time USTFCCCA All-Region performer; a four-time NCAA All-American; and the 2014 CoSIDA/Capital One Academic All-American of the Year 鈥� the first in 欧美视频 history.
Shell not only was a decorated performer athletically, he won the Elite 90 award twice, which is given to the student-athlete with the highest GPA at the NCAA Division II Track and Field Championships.
鈥淚t is a great honor to be inducted into the 欧美视频 Athletics Hall of Fame,鈥� Shell said. 鈥淚n my four years of being involved in 欧美视频 athletics, I saw dozens of individuals who were hall-of-fame quality. To be put in the 欧美视频 Athletics Hall of Fame means that my accomplishments measured up against all 欧美视频 athletes in 欧美视频 history, and to be inducted in my first year of eligibility is a great honor and I am very grateful.鈥�
In addition to recalling the inductees鈥� accomplishments both by the inductees and their presenters, what they also represented off the field is what stood out to Pitts.
鈥淲hat I appreciate the most about this year鈥檚 ceremony is how every single person on the stage talked about their personal relationship with Jesus Christ,鈥� Pitts said. 鈥淚 felt like the Lord was honored on Saturday. Each inductee had great careers here at 欧美视频, but their love and service to the Lord was what really came across.鈥�
Photo (left to right): Dr. Eric A. Turner, president of 欧美视频; inductees - Mark Rains (tennis), Bill Shell (track and field), Landon Young (baseball), Jody Mayfield-Pool (basketball), Dr. Bill Little (Bearcat Service Award); and Mike Pitts, 欧美视频 athletic director.
*Published: 1-14-2020