Induction Ceremony - April 23, 2016

Larry Tutt | Men's Basketball (1968-1969)

Summer visitor on campus showed up unannounced, liked what he saw and stayed long enough to set standards that have survived the test of time. Nearly a half-century later, he is remembered fondly, his accomplishments now etched in stone.

⭐ Deemed “too good for us, too good for Juco,” according to reluctant recruiter-turned-coach, Jim Waugh, the Johnston City product was a one-season gift nevertheless.

⭐ A 6-4, 185-pound forward, he scored all-time best of 54 points in 107-91 loss to Danville, including 18 consecutive free throws and 20-21 overall. Earlier, Tutt & Co. made 38-52 charities in a 96-73 win vs. Greenville Jr. Varsity. Records years later.

⭐ “One of the smoothest players we ever had; everything he did was fluid; outstanding footwork; great body control,” Waugh said of First-Team All-Southern Illinois College Conference honoree.

⭐ Scored 452 points in 21 games (21.5 ppg), with games of 32 vs. SIC, 31 vs. Belleville and six of 23 or more. Average was double that of any teammate in an otherwise balanced offense with six players between 8.0-10.8 ppg. No. 44 (and 45) contributed 12.0 rebounds per outing (next-best, 4.5) and 1.7 assists. Hit .491 from field (156-318), .657 FT (140-213).

⭐ Three other Warriors have recorded 43-point games, none more.

⭐ Unable to return following season for financial reasons.

⭐ Henderson Community College Associate Professor named to Kentucky Super Sunday Hall of Fame in 2013 for outstanding contributions (24 years) as educator/mentor.

Amanda Willoughby | Women's Basketball (1993-1995)

Hall of Fame? Better believe it!

⭐ “To be honest, I did not know how good she was when we recruited her,” admits Coach Jim Waugh. “I knew she was good, but I did not know how good she really was . . . how much she wanted to win.” “One of the things I always liked about her as a player and she still has it . . . she never realized back then how good she was and she still doesn’t. She did not believe me when I told her she had been elected.”

⭐ The humble, 5-10 G/F doubled her pleasure – 2x All-GRAC, 2x All-Region XXIV and 2x Team MVP.

⭐ Only four Lady Warriors are in the 1,000-Point Club; now all are in the Hall of Fame. She ranks No. 4 with 1,100.

⭐ Averaged 21.3 ppg as soph (661 points for 19-12 quintet), scored in double-figures in all but three games and led team in 26. Netted 20 or more 21 times, with 32 at LTC, 30 at BAC and 27-29 in five outings. Averaged 4.4 boards (high, 8 twice), 1.9 assists (high, 6).

⭐ Nailed amazing 44.9% of treys (57-127).

⭐ Similar freshman stats – 15.1 ppg, 4.1 reb, 2.3 asst. Double-digit points in 26 of 29 GP, team highs in 13, 20 or more in five (high, 26 at WVC). ⭐ Career: 18.3 ppg (43% FG, 70% FT), 4.3 reb, 2.1 asst, record 180 FT.

⭐ Played prep basketball for Woodlawn(-Waltonville) under Coach Roger Yates, RLC Assistant. Father-in-law of Amanda (Quinn) McClure is HOF Charter Member Mike McClure.

⭐ No. 30 helped Waugh nab his 500th coaching win; Jennifer Simpson (Assists), Jessica Payne (Rebounds) and team set 19 records.

LeRoy David Griffin | Men's Golf (2007-2009)

It is true: You can have it all.

⭐ NJCAA Division II Men’s Golf 2009 Individual Medalist; NJCAA Distinguished Academic All-America (3.96 GPA). Ping All-American; RLC 2008-09 Male Scholar-Athlete of Year. Recipient of Callaway Arnold Palmer Award; Honorable Mention for NATYCAA National Scholar-Athlete Award. Golf Coaches Association of America Second-Team All-American.

⭐ All-Region XXIV (3rd) performer returned to NJCAA Finals as sophomore in grand style, carding six-under 66 – his best round ever – at Goose Pond Colony G.C. in Scottsboro, AL, to become second Warrior to lead a championship round. Then capped Juco career with 66-70-76-71–283 for three-way deadlock at top of 122-player field before claiming title with pars on first two playoff holes.

⭐ “It’s an amazing feeling to be able to spit again,” he joked afterward. “An incredible feeling,” added Father Lee. “It was a nerve-racking week but it has been worth it. He made it exciting.”

⭐ “It was fun to watch,” beamed Coach Dave Smith. “He played well all spring and I thought there was a good chance he would be an All-American here. But to come out and win the whole thing . . . incredible.”

⭐ Preview of finals came in 19th Annual RLC Invitational, when he won rain-shortened event (27 holes) with 36-69–105.

⭐ Effingham St. Anthony H.S. product played for U. of South Florida as junior, SIU-Carbondale as senior.

⭐ Assistant Golf Coach for Loyola University New Orleans since November 2014. Also plays on Adams Pro Tour.

Stephen Sambu | Cross Country & Track and Field

A proud Kenyan by birth. All-America by distinction . . . a National Champion tenfold; 13 times overall; the most “decorated” student-athlete in Warrior annals.

⭐ The 5-foot-6 standout from Kaptagat, a small village near the Running Capital of Eldoret, was undefeated in NJCAA Finals, winning and repeating, in Cross-Country, 5000-Meter Runs both Indoors and Outdoors and 10,000M Runs (Outdoors only).

⭐ In an individual sport, the defending medalist led the way for a Cross-Country D-I Team title as a sophomore; spearheaded a best-ever third-place Outdoor Track and Field showing in Spring ’09 as “Co-Track Athlete of the Meet” (firsts in his two specialties and anchor for the winning 4x800M Relay Team); played leading roles for three teams that helped RLC rise to the No. 3 spot in 2008-09 NATYCAA Cup standings for all-around athletic program supremacy.

⭐ In addition to his domination both Falls, in 5000- and 10,000-Meter Runs, plus the relay, he also won the 3000M Run and was second in the Mile Indoors in 2010 and third and fifth Indoors in the 3000M and Mile, respectively, in ’09.

⭐ Became the fastest Juco 5K runner all-time February 12, 2010, with a national Indoor record 13:51.59.

⭐ Seven more All-America titles at U. of Arizona, where he was NCAA Cross-Country runner-up months after RLC graduation.

⭐ Making a very good livelihood professionally with his legs and his heart, supported by Nike, with the fastest 10K time in the world (2014) and in 5Ks and Half-Marathons.

Baseball Conference Championship Team (1973-1974)

In late April 1974, Baseball Warriors were 21-4 and ascended to No. 2 state ranking (Region IV) and No. 20 nationally. Coach Mike McClure’s third team eventually improved on previous year’s first winning season of 17-13 and repeated as Southern Illinois College Conference champions at 32-6 (.842) overall, with 18 league wins.

⭐ “We’ve just got a bunch of good kids with good attitudes. It is a good group to work with, and when you have that it can make up for a lot,” McClure said. “I thought we would be pretty good, but I never dreamed we would have the type of record we do or be ranked where we are. The ranking in the state is deserving. There are some teams capable of beating us, but I feel we can compete with anybody in the state.”

⭐ The winning percentage and 2.91 Team ERA remain as RLC standards. Other records at the time included Wins, Winning Streak (13), Batting Average (.294), Doubles (62), Triples (15), Home Runs (18), RBIs (188) and Shutouts (8).

⭐ Individual marks: Pitching Wins (9) and Strikeouts (68), So. Randy Lemay (Mt. Vernon); ERA (1.60), Fr. P-RF Allen Valentine (Tamaroa); Doubles (13) and Home Runs (4), So. 1B Mike Matyi (Christopher); Triples (5), So. 3B /Leadoff Man Mike Guthrie (Sesser), and Stolen Bases (24), So. CF John Kretz (Christopher).

⭐ Elevation to No. 2 came at a time Ace Lemay (Hall of Fame ’06) was 7-1 and fresh from a no-hitter vs. 11th-rated Kaskaskia and five regulars were hitting .333 or better – Kretz, .361; Valentine, .358; So. SS Bruce Rheinecker (Pinckneyville), .350; Cleanup Hitter Matyi, .338 with 22 RBIs, and Fr. 2B Butch Williams (Woodlawn), 27-year-old Vietnam veteran, at .333. Major contributions also could be counted on from Guthrie, .292, 3 HR; No. 5 hitter, Fr. LF-P Tim Norman (Benton); Fr. C Ralph Tosi (Collinsville); Fr. P Chuck Lozier (Collinsville), 3-0; So. P Rod Karcher (McLeansboro), 4-1, and Valentine, 3-0.

⭐ Kretz was thrown out just three times en route to the SB record, but in late April, basestealer Guthrie was 12-12, Rheinecker 9-9 and Williams 8-8.

⭐ Lemay was All-State, All-Great Lakes Region. All-Conference – Lemay, Matyi, A. Valentine and Rheinecker.

⭐ Matyi was All-SICC the year before; Norman was All-SICC as a sophomore with records for Hits (51), Doubles (13) and RBIs (32).

⭐ Team started 7-0, won 13 in a row mid-season; scored nine runs or more in 11 games; 7-2 in games decided by one run.

⭐ PICTURED – Standing (l-r), Manager Brian Ferguson, Williams, Don Hill (Mt. Vernon), Greg Hale (Pinckneyville), Lemay, Greg Lipe (Hillsboro), Tosi, Karcher, Matyi, Jan Zedalis (Mt. Vernon), Coach McClure; kneeling, Norman, Don Girten (Valier), Tom Trigg (Tamaroa), Richard Valentine (Tamaroa), A. Valentine, Steve Mentel (Valmeyer), Guthrie, Rheinecker, Bob Blackburn (Fillmore), Kretz, Lozier; front, Batgirls Cheryl Eurgil and Diann Witges.