Dillard Athletics Announces Hall of Fame Class of 2019

Induction ceremony to be held Friday, Feb. 15 at 7 p.m.

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NEW ORLEANS (DU) – The Dillard University Sports Hall of Fame (DUSHOF) Class of 2019 will officially be inducted during the Billy Ray Hobley Scholarship Gala at the Professional Schools and Sciences Building on Friday, Feb. 15.

As a part of Dillard University Sesquicentennial Celebration, the athletics department will enshrine six groups of individuals, five athletes, two teams and one coach into the 2019 DUSHOF.

The 1935 and 1965 football teams will be inducted, which were the first and last football teams on campus, respectively. The 1969-70 men's basketball team senior class of Milton Andrews, Johnny Chaney, Eugene Clem, George Johnson, Bobby Smith, Joe Taylor, Johnny Traylor and Errol Ware, will be inducted as the "Magnificent Seven Plus One". Johnson was inducted individually last year in the inaugural DUSHOF class.

The 1971 men's swim team was the first at Dillard and will be honored along with the Bleu Devils' 1975 NAIA Men's Indoor Track and Field Championship mile relay squad. The quartet of Ronald Cojoe, Anthony Johnson, Clarence Jones and Marlon White finished second overall behind Mississippi Valley State with a time of 3 minutes, 24.26 seconds.

The 1983-84 women basketball team that reached the semifinals of the 1984 NAIA Championship will be inducted. Valencia Allen won the 1984 Hustle Award at the championship after helping lead the Lady Bleu Devils to a third-place finish. Jackie Franklin McKinney, who was inducted individually in the DUSHOF last year, was also a member of this team.

Five individuals will head into the DUSHOF in the athlete category. Football will be represented by the late John Glapion and Johnny Shelwood, who both played in the 1960s. Dennis Detiege, an All-American golfer in the 1960s was selected along with former track and field standout Zachary Winfield, who ran in the 1970s. Eugene Thomas, the 1992 Gulf Coast Athletic Conference Men's Basketball Player of the Year, rounds out the athletes that were selected.

Both the 2000-01 and the 2001-02 men's basketball teams will be inducted after making back-to-back trips to the NAIA Championship. Former men's basketball coach Jimmy Singleton will be inducted in the coach's category.

In addition to the DUSHOF honors, Dillard Athletics will also honor two Bleu Flame of Excellence recipients.

BLEU FLAME OF EXCELLENCE
The Bleu Flame of Excellence was created to honor members in the community who have demonstrated excellence in community service and athletics. This year's recipients are Ronald V. Burns, Sr., '73 and Paul Valteau, '69.

Burns is the secretary on Dillard University Board of Trustees and serves on the Allstate Sugar Bowl Committee. Burns other accomplishments include serving as the 51st Allstate Sugar Bowl Committee President during the 2008-09 year. He was just the second African-American President in the organization history. His uncle, Dr. Leonard Burns, served as president in 1994.

Valteau is a founding partner of Valteau, Harris, Koenig and Mayer, LLC, of New Orleans and he is the founding member of the New Orleans Bowl, which is in its 18th year. Valteau has also served as Chairman of the Greater New Orleans Sports Foundation whose mission is to attract and manage sporting events that have a positive economic impact in the Greater New Orleans area.

DUSHOF BOARD
The DUSHOF was established in 2018 to preserve the appreciation and the tradition of athletics and to document those activities as an integral part of the University's history. The DUSHOF 11-team committee members include Ronald Ayler, '68; Janet Eaton, '94; Karl Gardner, '79; Ronald Gearing, '70; Ronald Henderson, '63; Everett Jones, '07; Dr. Warren Jones, '71; Eugene Lamb, '71; Walter Tillman, '67; Barbara Weary, '92, and Kelia Whittingon, '89.

A.S.K. BILLY RAY HOBLEY FOUNDATION
Each year, Dillard athletics in conjunction with the A.S.K. (Ask questions, Seek answers, Know truths) Billy Ray Hobley Foundation recognizes people who demonstrate a commitment to community service as well as represent the ideals of former Bleu Devil, Billy Ray Hobley. The Billy Ray Hobley Scholarship Gala raises thousands of dollars for Dillard University student athletes. Hobley starred on the Dillard basketball team in the 1970s and played for the Harlem Globetrotters for 22 years. He then coached the Dillard men's basketball team and remained civically engaged until his passing in 2002.

ALLSTATE SUGAR BOWL BLEU DEVIL CLASSIC
The event is open to the public and will take place during the week of the 11th Annual Allstate Sugar Bowl Bleu Devil Classic (Feb. 15-16). The induction ceremony will be held in George's Auditorium at the Billy Ray Hobley Scholarship Gala on Friday, Feb. 15 at 7 p.m. Events will take place on campus throughout the week, culminating with men's and women's basketball matchup with crosstown rival Xavier (La.). Both games will take place on Saturday, Feb. 16 in Dent Hall beginning at 3 p.m.

Tickets for the Billy Ray Hobley Scholarship Gala can be purchased here. For additional information on sponsorship opportunities, please call 504-816-4696 or email Kimberly Woodard at kwoodard@dillard.edu.

Keep up with all the latest news and information on the Bleu Devils by following Dillard Athletics on Twitter at @GeauxDU, Facebook at Facebook.com/dillardbleudevils/ and Instagram at Instagram.com/dillardbleudevils/.

2019 Dillard Sports Hall of Fame Class of 2019

150th Anniversary Enshrinement Category

• 1935 football team
• 1965 football team
• 1969-70 men's basketball senior class – Magnificent Seven Plus One (Milton Andrews, Johnny Chaney, Eugene Clem, George Johnson, Bobby Smith, Joe Taylor, Johnny Traylor and Erol Ware)
• 1971 men's swim team
• 1975 NAIA Men's Indoor Track and Field Championship mile relay (Ronald Cojoe, Anthony Johnson, Clarence Jones and Marlon White)
• 1983-84 NAIA Women's Basketball Championship Semifinalists

Athlete Category

• Dennis Detiege, men's golf
• John Glapion, football
• Johnny Shelwood, football
• Eugene Thomas, men's basketball
• Zachary Winfield, men's track and field

Team Category

• 2000-01 men's basketball team
• 2001-02 men's basketball team

Coach Category

• Dr. Jimmie R Singleton, men's basketball

Bleu Flame of Excellence

• Ronald V. Burns, Sr. '73
• Paul Valteau, '69