The Kentucky Athletic Hall of Fame celebrates their 53rd Anniversary and will hold the annual banquet to induct seven of Kentucky’s premiere athletes to the Hall of Fame Thursday at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Louisville.
The reception begins at 6 p.m. with the full program, featuring the eight newest members, starting at 8 p.m.
Among the latest inductees is former NFL MVP Shaun Alexander, who began his career at Boone County, where he was 1994 Kentucky Mr. Football.
The Kentucky Athletic Hall of Fame honors athletes and sports figures who were born in or who played their respective sport in the state of Kentucky. Each inductee will receive a bronze plaque that will hang inside Louisville’s Freedom Hall. Past inductees include Muhammad Ali, Pee Wee Reese, Pat Day, Denny Crum and many more. This semi-formal event includes a silent auction, dinner, and a program. All proceeds from this event benefit Kosair Charities.
Class of 2016
Shaun Alexander began his football career as the running back for the Boone County Rebels legendary coach Owen Hauck. Shaun was 1994 Kentucky Mr. Football, 1993/1994 All State, was an All American, and was the ESPN #1 HS Recruit his senior year. In his senior year at Boone County, Alexander had 3,501 yards and 54 TDs.
Shaun Alexander played at Boone County before starring with the Seattle Seahawks (NFL Photo)
In his high school career he scored 110 TDs and rushed for 6,657 yards. Alexander attended the University of Alabama where he was named 1998/1999 All SEC, 1999 SEC Player of the Year, and NCAA All American. He left Alabama as the all-time rush and touchdown leader. In 2000, Alexander went first round to the Seattle Seahawks. He played in the Pro Bowl three times, was named All Pro twice, was named to the NFL 2000 All-Decade team and was 2005 NFL MVP. Alexander was the first football player to grace the cover of EA Sports College and NFL video games. Alexander’s nickname is Mr. Touchdown because he is the only person to score 110 TDs in high school, 50 in college and 112 in the NFL.
Philip Haywood is the head football coach at Belfry High School. After 41 seasons, he is the winningest coach in Kentucky history with a record of 403-129. Since moving to Belfry in 1984, he has a record of 331-97 in 32 seasons, including 5 state championships and 6 runners-up finishes. Philip has been named the C-J Coach of the Year 4 times, was USA Today’s National Coach of the Year in 2013, received the Blanton Collier National School Coach of the Year in 2014, and will be inducted into the National High School Coaches Hall of Fame in 2016.
Lakeside Swim Club, located in the Highlands neighborhood of Louisville, was founded in 1924. Lakeside began its first swim team in 1928 and has provided a rich history and tradition of high level competitive swimming, boasting 10 Olympians (1940-2012), numerous champions and qualifiers in the World Games, Pan Am Games, Olympic Trials, NCAA, Nationals, and Kentucky Championships. The swim team continues to host the Ohio Valley Championships, the oldest annual swimming meet held in the USA, as well as one of the longest hosted Masters Swim Meet’s (adult competition) in the USA. Numerous swimmers, divers and coaches have earned local, state, and national accolades in their respective discipline while representing Lakeside. Lakeside’s reputation as one of the most unique swimming facilities is well-known throughout the country.
Joel Utley: This play-by-play broadcaster began describing the action of the Kentucky Wesleyan College Basketball games in 1961 and by the time of his induction had called more than 1,600 KWC games. Over those 55 years, Utley broadcast all 8 NCAA D-II title games won by KWC; 12 NCAA D-II Championship games and six straight title games all involving the Owensboro school. All were records. In addition to KWC basketball, Utley called high school football and basketball, plus KWC football until he began concentrating on basketball in the 1980s. A native of Madisonville, Utley’s love for basketball evolved by attending games officiated by his father, William Utley, a 1996 inductee to the KHSAA Hall of Fame.
Darel Carrier scored 3,148 pts (64-point game) in high school. He was an All American at Western Kentucky University (50-point game), and broke WKU’s scoring record 26 ppg. In ABA, he averaged 20 ppg (53 point game), led 3-point percentage, best free throw percentage (89.19 in 1969-70), three-time All Star Team member, and made Top 30 All-Time Team. Voted 6th Best Backcourt (with Louie Dampier), Top 25 Shooting Guards, and Top 50 Free Throw Shooters in the history of the professional game. Leading scorer in the World Tournament. 1967 Gold Medal winner in Pan American Games (scored 32 pts -a record that has not been broken).
Kyra Elzy: One of the best girls’ basketball players from Kentucky, Kyra Elzy earned Eighth Region Player of the Year and All-State honors each of her final three seasons at Oldham County. A two-time All-America selection by Parade Magazine and Street & Smith, Elzy led the Lady Colonels to four district titles, two regional championships and a semifinal appearance at the 1993 KHSAA Girls’ Sweet 16®. Elzy went on to be a star at the University of Tennessee following her prep career, and was part of two national championship teams.
Scott Davenport, a native of Louisville’s South End where he was an all-district player at Iroquois High School, is ingrained in the Commonwealth’s basketball culture. Davenport is the only head coach to win both the KHSAA and NCAA Championships. In ten seasons at Louisville’s Ballard High School (86-96), Davenport compiled a 258-69 record, which included the 1988 State Championship. Davenport’s collegiate coaching includes VCU (85-86), UofL (96-05), and Bellarmine University (Beginning in 2005), where he won the 2011 National Championship.
From Kentucky Athletic Hall of Fame Communications
