Drain-Jordan Library Archives Department - Archives, Sports: Hall of Fame - Induction Programs, West Virginia State University
library building, angled front view

The day after the 1975 WVSC Homecoming football game, a meeting of athletic boosters was held in Charleston, WV, to discuss new ideas to raise funds, promote, and improve WVSC athletics. The meeting was led by William Lonesome; by the end of the meeting, it was decided to establish a National "W" Club. The "W" Club was formally established by the following homecoming. The initial officers elected were: Dr. Frank E. Enty, Rupert G. Curry, Herbert B. Thompson, Herbert H. Henderson, and William Lonesome.

In 1979, as the "W" Club worked to aid the WVSC athletic department through funds and outreach, Glover Smiley suggested the idea of establishing an Athletic Hall of Fame. Smiley's suggestion was quickly discussed, voted on, and became reality that same year. The Sports Hall of Fame's inaugural class was inducted in 1980. A decade later, in October 1990, the WVSC Sports Hall of Fame's physical location was officially opened in the Canty House on WVSC's campus.

The Hall of Fame highlights outstanding athletic and academic accomplishments achieved through the years by Yellow Jacket athletes, coaches, and contributors.

The digitization of the Sports Hall of Fame Induction Programs is a method to preserve the history, hard work, and accomplishments of the enshrined members. We hope you enjoy reading about the individuals who make up the WVSU Sports Hall of Fame as they represent an important part of the institution's history.

Note: All completed programs are in PDF format. If you have a slow connection it may take extra time to load. The following table displays Induction Program covers with the date below in each cell. Completed Programs have the year underlined; when you hover over the cover/date there is a color change to the date. By clicking on the cover or the date, you download and open a pdf of that particular program. Programs will continue to be scanned and the pdfs added to this page. (August 2018)


1980

1981

1982

1983

1984

1985

1986

1987

1988

1989

1990

1991

1992

1993

1994

1995

1996

1997

1998

1999

2000

2001

2002

2003

2004

2005

2006

2007

2008

2009

2010

2011

2012

2013

2014

2015

2016

2017

2018

2019