Marshall University Athletics
Marshall Athletics Announces Expansion of Hall of Fame Committee
2/17/2023 5:41:00 PM | General
VanHoose, Cotton, Hinkle Roland among new members to 15-person panel
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Marshall Athletic Director Christian Spears welcomed six new members to the Marshall Athletics Hall of Fame Committee this week.
The group includes former men's basketball player J.R. VanHoose, "Voice of the Herd" Steve Cotton, former softball standout Carrie Hinkle Roland, former Associate Athletic Director of Business David Steele, Marshall University's Head of Special Collections Lori Thompson and Marshall University Associate Athletic Director of Communications Grant Traylor.
"I am excited for the expansion of our Marshall Athletics Hall of Fame committee," Spears said. "I am confident they will review a broad-based group of nominees and make great decisions as we honor the best of the best for Marshall Athletics."
VanHoose, who starred at Marshall from 1998-2002, was a 2008 inductee into the Marshall Athletics Hall of Fame after a career in which he amassed 1,803 points (No. 8 in program history) and 1,086 rebounds (No. 2 in program history).
The Paintsville, Kentucky, native was also a 2013 inductee into the Kentucky Basketball Hall of Fame and was recently named the Kentucky History Teacher of the Year by the Kentucky Society of Sons of the American Revolution for his work at Johnson Central High School.
Cotton has been the "Voice of the Herd" for 27 years and is celebrating his 30th year as part of Marshall's broadcast crew. The Kalkaska, Michigan, native serves as the voice for football, men's basketball and baseball games for Learfield/IMG College broadcasts.
In 2021, Cotton was named to the West Virginia Broadcasting Hall of Fame. He is also a record 14-time recipient of the West Virginia Sportscaster of the Year Award, presented by the National Sports Media Association.
Carrie Hinkle Roland starred in softball at Marshall from 1994-97 and was a standout outfielder for the Thundering Herd in the program's infancy. She was named All-Southern Conference all four seasons with the team and was on Marshall's 1995 Southern Conference Tournament championship team.
Hinkle Roland, who was a member of Marshall's 1995 Southern Conference championship team, was inducted into the Marshall Athletics Hall of Fame in 2022.
Steele is currently an adjunct professor of Sports Business at Marshall University's Lewis College of Business. Steele, who served as Marshall's Associate Athletic Director of Business from 1995-2002, was the 2010 winner of the College Athletic Business Management Association's National Business Manager of the Year award.
Thompson is the head of Marshall University's Special Collections and an associate professor at Marshall. The Union, W.Va., native was a member of Marshall University's club rugby team from 1999-2003 while she was getting her Bachelor's (RBA) and Master's Degree (History) from Marshall.
Traylor joined Marshall University as the Associate Athletic Director of Communications in Dec. 2022. The Lavalette, W.Va. native was named the 2021 West Virginia Sportswriter of the Year by the National Sports Media Association.
The expansion of Marshall University's Hall of Fame Committee comes in conjunction with Marshall University's Hall of Fame ceremony transitioning to a biennial event, which was unanimously approved by the Hall of Fame Committee.
"The Hall of Fame committee decision to move to an every other year induction and ceremony allows us to honor the Hall of Famers and their families appropriately by providing them with a first-class experience while also ensuring great attendance."
Spears added that the additional committee members will aid in the transition by ensuring the list of candidates is thoroughly vetted during the selection process.
"The Hall of Fame is in great hands with our selection committee," Spears said. "We appreciate the service they provide in such a key role for Marshall Athletics."
Marshall Hall of Fame Committee
Linda Holmes (chairperson)
Beatrice Crane Banford
Andre Motley
Woody Woodrum
Tammy Wiggins
Keith Morehouse
Danny Wells
Kerry Hinkle Roland*
J.R. VanHoose*
Steve Cotton*
Frank Giardina
David Steele*
Lori Thompson*
Grant Traylor*
Christian Spears (non-voting)
* = new member
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