As Conway native Kristy McPherson was competing for a major championship in women's golf Thursday in England, she was being honored in her home state for her past exploits.
McPherson caught the worst weather of the opening round of the Ricoh Women's British Open at Royal Birkdale Golf Club with an early tee time and shot a 7-over-par 79 through rain that left her tied for 119th entering today's second round. But the news was better back home.
McPherson was one of eight people elected to the University of South Carolina Athletic Hall of Fame for 2010. The inductees were announced Thursday by the South Carolina Lettermen's Association.
The class also includes Doug Allison (men's soccer), Aleen Bailey (track & field), the late Weems Baskin (track & field), Ashley Edlund-Heidtke (volleyball), Andrew Provence (football), John Saunders (football) and Fred Wadsworth (men's golf).
"I'm really honored and excited and a bit shocked to get that call," McPherson said via text message Thursday. "I was lucky enough to get to play for my home state of South Carolina, and I'm now truly humbled to join such distinguished athletes in the USC Hall of Fame. It's good to be a Gamecock."
Since the USC Athletics Hall of Fame was created in 1967, 105 members have been selected by the school's Association of Lettermen.
McPherson played at USC from 1999 to 2003 and was a three-time National Golf Coaches Association First Team All-American and four-time All-Southeastern Conference selection. She won the 2001 and 2002 SEC individual championship, making her one of only two repeat champions in SEC women's golf history, and was named the 2003 SEC Player of the Year, 2003 NCAA South Carolina Woman of the Year, and 2003 Honda Award winner.
McPherson helped the Gamecocks win the 2002 SEC Championship, accounting for the only women's golf title in school history, and recorded school records with six wins, 18 top-five finishes and 25 top-10 finishes.
Before attending USC, McPherson was a heralded junior player, having twice won the Beth Daniel Award as the girls junior golfer of the year in South Carolina.
After college, McPherson won twice and didn't miss a cut in 60 events in three years on the Duramed Futures Tour in her quest to reach the LPGA Tour. She improved from 97th to 47th to 16th on the LPGA Tour money list in her first three years on tour from 2007-09. She's 40th on this year's money list with $146,480 earned, giving her more than $1.46 million earned in less than four years.
The Hall of Fame induction dinner will be at the Zone in the south endzone of Williams-Brice Stadium on Sept. 16. There will be a reception at 6 p.m. followed by the induction dinner at 7. The 2010 Hall of Fame class will also be honored at the USC-Furman football game on Sept. 18.
Highlights of the other inductees include:
Doug Allison (Men's Soccer 1984-87) was a First Team All-American in 1987, led the Gamecocks in points and goals all four years, led the team to three NCAA Tournaments, and is the career record holder in points (158) and goals (63) and is third in assists (32).
Aleen Bailey (Track & Field 1999-2003) was a sprinter from Jamaica who helped the team to the 2002 NCAA Outdoor Track & Field team championship, one of only two national titles in school history. The nine-time All-American was a national champion in the 100- and 200-meters, a member of the champion 4x100m relay team, and gold medalist in the 2004 Olympics in the 4x100m relay.
Weems Baskin (Track & Field 1948-69) has the school's outdoor track named in his honor. A head track coach for 33 years, most at USC, Baskin compiled an overall record of 90-47 in dual meets and is a member of the USA Track & Field Hall of Fame.
Ashley Edlund-Heidtke (Volleyball 1995-98) was a three-time First Team All-SEC pick and the 1999 USC Athlete of the Year who totaled over 5,000 assists during her career.
Andrew Provence (Football 1980-82) is second in school history with 401 tackles, holds the school single-season sacks record with 10 in 1982, is second on the school career list in tackles for loss with 35 and sacks with 26, was named to the Sporting News All-America team in 1982, and was drafted by the Atlanta Falcons in the third round of the 1983 NFL Draft.
John Saunders (Football 1957-59) earned All-ACC honors as a fullback, was awarded the Jacobs Blocking Trophy for the ACC as a junior, led the ACC in rushing in 1958 and was selected to play in the 1959 North-South Shrine Game.
Fred Wadsworth (Men's Golf 1980-84) won two college tournaments, was named a 1984 Golf Coaches Association of America second-team All-American, and tied for ninth at the 1984 NCAA Championships for the best individual NCAA finish in school history.
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