After 88 years of existence, the Southern Conference’s first Hall of Fame Induction will take place May 4, and two all-time collegiate greats will be part of the first-ever class of inductees. Jerry West and Sam Huff, whose careers at WVU coincided with the school's membership in that league, will attend and be honored for their legacies and contributions to the league.
Each inductee will be introduced with a multi-media presentation prior to taking the podium for their induction speech. Tickets for the event are available through the Chapman Center ticket office at 864-542-2787 or by visiting www.chapmanculturalcenter.org.
Student-athletes who competed for a minimum of two seasons in the Southern Conference were eligible for consideration, along with coaches and administrators who spent at least five years in the league. Huff and West were selected from a pool of 254 candidates from the conference’s current and former member institutions were nominated for the inaugural class. The pool of former student-athletes, coaches and
administrators was cut down to 45 individuals who comprised the final ballot. A voting panel of 20 media members and league administrators made the selection of the inaugural class in January.
Sam Huff, Football (West Virginia, 1952-55) – The 1955 All-American helped West Virginia post a combined mark of 31-7 during his four years with the Mountaineers, including a berth in the Sugar Bowl in 1954. He also was named an Academic All-American in his senior season of 1955. Huff played 13 years in the NFL with the New York Giants and Washington Redskins where he was named All-Pro eight times. He was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1980 and the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1982.
Jerry West, Basketball (West Virginia, 1956-60) – A three-time All-American at West Virginia, Jerry West was a two-time SoCon Male Athlete of the Year honoree and was twice named the conference’s Basketball Player of the Year. He set 17 different records at WVU and helped guide the Mountaineers to three NCAA Tournament berths. West went on to spend 14 years in the NBA where he helped the Los Angeles Lakers capture the 1972 NBA Championship.