Fourth Troy University Sports Hall of Fame Induction Class Announced

TROY, Alabama – Seven former Troy University student-athletes and one administrator will be enshrined into the Troy University Sports Hall of Fame, Athletic Director John Hartwell announced Wednesday. The induction ceremony is tentatively set for Saturday, April 25, 2015.

The fourth class into the Troy University Sports Hall of Fame consists of James Batie (track & field), Ronny Mobley (men's golf), Kathy Russell (women's basketball), Virgil Seay (football), Ronnie Shelley (football), Robert Earl Stewart (administration), Freddie Thomas (football) and Ward Thigpen (baseball).

Seats for the ceremony in Trojan Arena can be purchased for $100 each and tables can be purchased for $800. Sponsorships are also available for the evening. For more information, or to purchase tickets, contact the Troy Athletic Department at 334-670-3482.

James Batie – Track & Field
A five-time NCAA & NAIA All-American from 1970 to 1973, James Batie set Troy records the moment he stepped foot on campus. Rated as the sixth-fastest runner in the nation by Runner's World, Batie held school records in the 50, 60, 100 and 200-yard dashes, in addition to being a member of three different school-record relay teams. A member of the U.S. Olympic Training Team, Batie finished just one-tenth of a second off the world record in the 50-yard dash in high school. The native of Columbus, Ga., would improve his 50-yard time during his freshman campaign as he tied the world record with a time of 5.1 seconds. Batie helped lead Troy to Alabama Collegiate Conference and NAIA District 27 championships. As a freshman, Batie finished second in the 100-yard dash at the NAIA National Meet and finished second in the 60-yard dash at the NAIA Indoor National Meet. He would go on to claim several other top five national finishes in the 60 and 100-yard dashes over the course of his illustrious career.

Ronny Mobley – Men's Golf
The first student-athlete to receive a golf scholarship at Troy, Ronny Mobley did not disappoint as he went on to become a four-time NCAA Division II All-American and help lead the Trojans to back-to-back NCAA Division II National Championships in 1976 and 1977. Mobley, a native of Brundidge, Ala., won a remarkable 18 tournaments during his Troy career before going on to play on the PGA Tour for two years. The 1977 Alabama State Amateur Champion, Mobley won seven tournaments as a freshman during the 1973-74 season and was inducted into the Wiregrass Sports Hall of Fame in 2007. The first All-Gulf South selection in Troy history, Mobley coached the Troy men's team for two seasons (1985-86) and earned Gulf South Coach of the Year honors both years. A three-time All-Gulf South selection, Mobley held five Troy school records when he took over as head coach, including single-season stroke average (71.5).

Kathy Russell – Women's Basketball
The all-time leading rebounder in Troy history, Kathy Russell earned All-America honors and helped lead the Trojans to the 1981 AIAW State Championship. A native of Chicago, Ill., Russell finished her career with 1,325 rebounds, which was one more than teammate and Troy Sports Hall of Fame member Denise Monroe. Russell's tally has stood the test of time with the closest any other player has come to breaking the record was Angela Moore's 1,000 rebounds. Russell, who was a two-time All-AIAW Conference selection, ranks seventh all-time in Troy history with 1,521 career points and has made the ninth most free throws in Troy history. She set the Troy single-season rebounding record with 394 in the 1979-80 season; in fact all four of her single-season rebounding totals rank among the top 10 in school history. Russell went on to play semi-pro ball in the VASBA from 1987-93 before beginning a successful coaching career.

Virgil Seay – Football
One of the most dynamic players in Troy history, Virgil Seay parleyed an outstanding collegiate career into a pair of Super Bowl appearances with the Washington Redskins. Seay holds the Troy career record as he averaged 16.66 yards per punt return over his two-year career. The native of Moultrie, Ga., returned 47 punts for 783 yards and five touchdowns for the Trojans. His five touchdowns as the second most in Troy history, behind only Leodis McKelvin's seven punt return touchdowns. Seay ranks fourth all-time in punt return yards, despite ranking eighth in punt return attempts. He finished second nationally in 1979 when he averaged 18.28 yards per punt return, a mark that still ranks as the third highest in Troy history. Seay returned three punts for a touchdown that season, which is tied with McKelvin and Troy Sports Hall of Fame member Perry Griggs for the school record. A talented receiver as well for the Trojans, Seay is ninth all-time with his 19.74 yards-per-catch average. He finished his NFL career with 43 receptions for 792 yards and five touchdowns. Seay founded and manages the Virgil Seay Sports and Activities Summer Camp.

Ronnie Shelley – Football
One of the most feared defensive backs of his time, Ronnie Shelley still holds Troy single-season and career records for interceptions. A key piece of Troy's 1968 NAIA National Championship team, Shelley earned All-America honors after intercepting 15 passes during the 1968 season, including a single-game record three against North Alabama. He broke his own school record that season as he established a new single-season mark with eight interceptions the prior year. Shelley finished his career with 36 interceptions, which is almost double that of the next closest player's tally (Derrick Ansley's 19). The Headland, Ala., native returned 29 of the interceptions for a school record 492 yards and was inducted into the Wiregrass Hall of Fame in 2003. Shelley went on to be a successful coach on the collegiate and high school levels. He led Southeastern Louisiana to an NCAA Baseball Regional, Ashford Academy to several basketball and baseball state titles and Houston Academy to a pair of softball state championships.

Robert Earl Stewart – Administration
No time period of Troy Athletics has seen more championships than during Robert Earl Stewart's leadership. Troy's athletic director from 1974-91, the Trojans won 10 NCAA Division II National Championships, 66 conference championships and eight All-Sports Trophies during his tenure. During his 17-year career, the men's golf and women's golf teams each won three national titles, while the football and baseball teams each won two national titles. Stewart was responsible for the hiring of Troy University Sports Hall of Fame coaches Larry Blakeney, Don Maestri, Chase Riddle, Chan Gailey and Rick Rhoades. His impact was not only felt in the Athletics Department, but also in the academic realm as he came to Troy from Ole Miss to start the finance major in Troy's school of business. The Troy women's programs came under the banner of Troy Athletics in 1975 and grew into perennial contenders under Stewart's guidance. Stewart also founded TIPTAY (Troy, I Pay Thirty a Year) and the TSU Action Club, which was the booster wing of TIPTAY.

Freddie Thomas – Football
From walk-on to two-time All-American, Freddie Thomas is a true success story in the history of Troy Athletics. Simply known as "Bootsy", Thomas earned Kodak All-America honors his junior season after recording 85 tackles, five interceptions, eight pass break ups and a blocked punt. He parleyed his outstanding junior season into an even better senior campaign where he was named captain of the 1987 NCAA Division II National Championship squad. Thomas was a Consensus All-American that season as he finished with 85 tackles and an interception from his safety position. The Montgomery, Ala., native currently ranks 12^th all-time in Troy history with 11 career interceptions, while checking in at 18^th in total tackles and 20^th in assisted tackles. A College Football Hall of Fame nominee, Thomas has dedicated over 25 years of his life to coaching youth sports and serving on various boards for youth sports organizations.

Ward Thigpen – Baseball
Ward Thigpen turned in one of the best seasons in Troy baseball history as he posted an 11-1 record with a 2.12 ERA en route to Gulf South Pitcher of the Year and First Team All-America honors. Thigpen, a native of Greenville, Ala., helped lead the Trojans to within one game of a trip to the NCAA Division II World Series in what turned out to be Troy University Sports Hall of Fame member Chase Riddle's final season as head coach. Thigpen struck out 107 batters during the 1990 season, including a school record seven consecutive strikeouts against Montevallo; he finished the game with 15 strikeouts in just seven innings of work. A member of the Troy Baseball Hall of Fame, Thigpen and the Trojans went 50-10 during the 1990 season and won a Gulf South Conference championship during his first season with the tea in 1989. He currently stands sixth all-time in Troy history with three shutouts, while his .917 winning percentage in 1990 ranks fifth in a single-season.

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