Troy Enshrines Nine Into Troy University Sports Hall of Fame

TROY, Ala. – Troy welcomed nine new members into the Troy University Sports Hall of Fame in front of a sold-out crowd in Trojan Arena Friday evening.

The induction ceremony featured a pair of Hall of Fame classes after last year's ceremony was canceled due to COVID-19.

The 2020 class consists of Barney Burnett (golf), Nancy Dansby Swanson (women's tennis & basketball), Rachel Hassan Gravel (volleyball), Max Howell (football), Mark King (football) and Jude Rinaldi (baseball).

The 2021 class is comprised of Leon Davis (men's basketball), Collin McCrary (men's golf) and Andy Whitener (track & field).

"Tonight was a wonderful celebration as we honored nine of the all-time greats in the history of Troy Athletics," Director of Athletics Brent Jones said. "On behalf of the athletics department and Troy University, I would like to thank our new inductees and their families for the tremendous impact they had in shaping the future of Troy Athletics."

2020 Class
Barney Burnett – Golf
A leader of both the men's and women's golf programs at Troy, Barney Burnett led the Trojans through their successful transition from Division II to I. Burnett coached the men's team from 1986 to 2002 and served as the women's head coach from 1996 to 2002. During his illustrious career, Burnett coached 18 All-Americans, six All-America Scholars and nine of his teams won conference championships. A native of Troy since 1948, Burnett guided the men's team to seven appearances in the NCAA Division II Championship with five top-five finishes, including a runner-up performance in 1992. Burnett led Troy to five Gulf South Conference titles in his first six seasons and the success continued when the Trojans transitioned to Division I as Troy won conference titles in its four years at the highest level of collegiate athletics in both the East Coast Conference and Mid-Continent Conference. As the head coach of the women's program, Burnett led the Trojans to nine team titles and 11 individual medalist honors. All told as the head coach for both programs, Burnett finished with 1,730 victories and the Trojans won 62 percent of their head-to-head matchups.

Nancy Dansby Swanson – Women's Tennis & Women's Basketball
A pioneer in women's tennis at Troy, Nancy Dansby Swanson blazed the trail for those to follow in the program. A native of Marietta, Ga., Dansby reached the semifinals of the AIAW Small College National Championship as a freshman for the Trojans and helped Troy finish fifth nationally as a team; she lost to the eventual national champion. Dansby finished that season with a 17-3 record at No. 1 singles and 14-1 record at No. 1 doubles. Led by Dansby, Troy won the AAIAW Championship in 1977 and along with Ellyn Thomas she won the state title at No. 1 doubles. She proved her prowess on the court by defeating a male opponent when she played as a substitute for Watford University. Dansby also starred for the women's basketball team where she averaged 12.4 points per game, second best on the team behind fellow Troy University Hall of Fame member Denise Monroe.

Rachel Hassan Gravel – Volleyball
The most dominant offensive player to put on a Troy volleyball uniform, Rachel Hassan Gravel was a two-time All-Atlantic Sun Conference selection, and her name litters the Troy record book. A native of San Antonio, Texas, Hassan is Troy's all-time leader with 1,644 kills, 4.08 points per set and 3.96 kills per set while ranking second in points (1865.5) and eighth in blocks (212). Her 616 kills during the 2002 season are the most in school history by a 119-kill cushion while her 675.5 points that year are the most in a season by 72 points. Hassan also posted the eighth most kills in a season, the top two kills per set and points per set totals in a season and two of the top nine attack percentages in a season. Also, an outstanding student, Hassan was named to the Verizon Academic All-District First Team and received the Algernon Sydney Sullivan Award, which is the highest honor bestowed on a Troy student. Following her playing career, Hassan received her medical degree from the University of Texas Health Science Center in San Antonio.

Max Howell – Football
A prominent presence on the football field at Troy in the 1960s, Max Howell played for the then Red Wave in 1961 and 1962 before serving as an assistant coach under Troy Sports Hall of Fame head coach Billy Atkins on the 1968 NAIA National Championship team. A Prattville, Ala., native, Howell moved into the high school coaching ranks following his time at Troy where he coached future NFL Hall of Fame running back Emmitt Smith at Escambia (Fla.) High School. Howell eventually moved into the collegiate ranks where he coached with Bobby Bowden at Florida State from 1987 to 1988 and then served as the recruiting coordinator under Billy Brewer at Ole Miss from 1989 to 1990. Following his coaching career, Howell became an influential member of the sports media community where he is best known as the host of multiple syndicated sports radio programs across the South. He is actively involved in sports media, writing for sports publications and internet sites.

Mark King – Football
One of the best offensive linemen in school history, Mark King was a two-time All-American and two-time All-Gulf South Conference center during his tenure with the Trojans from 1973 to 1974. A native of Tallahassee, Fla., King helped lead Troy to a Gulf South Conference championship during his first season as he anchored an offensive line that paved the way for Troy's running backs to average more than four yards per carry – the Trojans ranked among the Gulf South leaders in total offense, rushing offense, passing offense and scoring offense. He was named to the Associated Press All-America First Team following the 1973 season in addition to earning Gulf South First Team honors, twice being named the United Press International National Lineman of the Week, serving as Troy's team captain and earning the Capital City Bowl's Sportsmanship & Leadership Trophy. The success continued the following year as King was named to the NAIA All-America First Team and the Associated Press All-America First Team for a second straight year. King transferred to Troy from the University of Florida following his sophomore season where he was rated as the fourth best offensive center in the country by a prominent magazine. A semifinalist for the NCAA Post-Graduate Scholarship following his senior season in 1974, King was a member of the Omicron Delta Kappa National Leadership Honor Society was a nominee for the Gulf South Conference Commissioner's Trophy. Following his playing career, King played for the Kansas City Chiefs in the National Football League and then coached high school football in the state of Alabama for six years. He joined the Marie Corps at the age of 28 and following a distinguished 28-year career, King retired at the rank of Full Colonel.

Jude Rinaldi – Baseball
Arguably the best hitter in school history, Jude Rinaldi helped lead Troy to back-to-back NCAA Division II National Championships in 1986 and 1987 all while cementing himself in the Troy record book for with numbers that will likely never be broken. A native of Dunedin, Fla., Rinaldi earned All-America First Team honors following the 1987 season in which he set the school record with a .431 batting average and .819 slugging percentage; additionally, his .511 on-base percentage that season ranks fifth best in Troy history. In 45 games played that season, Rinaldi added 45 RBIs, struck out just nine times and hit 16 home runs, a total that was the second most in school history at the time. Rinaldi was named the 1987 College World Series Most Outstanding Player after batting .588 with five runs scored, two home runs and seven RBIs in Troy's four games. In the career annals of Troy baseball history, Rinaldi ranks among the top 10 to wear Trojans across their chest in both batting average and slugging percentage. He was inducted in the second class of the Troy Baseball Hall of Fame in 1993.

2021 Class

Leon Davis – Men's Basketball
One of the early pioneers of Troy basketball, Leon Davis was named team captain of the 1952-53 squad that finished 18-7 overall including a win over Samford in the NAIA District Tournament. He was the president of the Troy senior class and received the Kilpatrick Award, which was presented annually to a graduating student-athlete based on citizenship, scholarship and leadership. Following his graduation from Troy in 1953, Davis served in a Special Services section of the United States Army and was discharged with the rank of Sergeant. From there, Davis went on to a tremendous career as a coach and athletics administrator. He joined the University of Montevallo staff in 1964 as an assistant professor and became the school's first men's basketball coach before taking over the role of athletics director in 1969. Davis also played a key role at the national level where he served as the NAIA District 27 chairman for six years and served a four-year term on the NAIA National Executive Committee. He was named the NAIA President in 1982 and served on the United States Olympic staff for the World University Games in Edmonton, Canada. Davis is a member of the Montevallo Hall of Fame, Wiregrass Hall of Fame and the NAIA Hall of Fame.

Collin McCrary – Men's Golf
An All-American in the storied Troy men's golf program, Collin McCrary earned multiple All-Gulf South Conference honors in addition to leading the Trojans to four straight Gulf South Conference titles during his career that spanned from 1980 to 1983. McCrary earned third team All-America honors following his senior season in 1983 after he led the Trojans at the NCAA Division II National Championship. McCrary and the Trojans finished second at the 1983 NCAA Division II National Championship which capped a remarkable career in which Troy also finished fourth twice and third once at the highest level. He shot Troy's lowest round of the 1983 season with a 68 at the Southeastern Intercollegiate which featured the likes of Ohio State and Alabama. McCrary was consistently at the top of the leaderboard during his Troy career and helped lead the Trojans to five team titles during the 1981 season. The Americus, Georgia native's golfing prowess started well before his days as a Trojan as McCrary was named the Georgia High School Golfer of the Year in 1977 in addition to him winning multiple regional and state titles at Southland Academy. Following his career at Troy which saw him graduate with a degree in business and finance, McCrary has gone on to a very successful professional career as a financial advisor.

Andy Whitener – Cross Country / Track & Field
One of the most decorated student-athletes on and off the field of competition, Andy Whitener earned multiple All-America honors during his career at Troy, was a Rhodes Scholarship nominee and is a leading professional in the health care field. A Tampa, Florida native, Whitener earned NAIA All-America honors in 1977 for his efforts on Troy's two mile indoor relay team and followed that with USTFF All-America honors in 1978 for the same event. Despite Troy's standing in the NAIA, Whitener ran in the 1977 NCAA Cross Country National Championship Meet and the 1978 NCAA National Championship Meet in the 1500 meters. At the time of his graduation, Whitener held Troy school records in the mile, 1500m, 800m, 4x800m relay, distance medley and the two mile relay – the records for the 4x800m and the distance medley still stand today. He was named the Gulf South Conference's Student-Athlete of the Year and received the Commissioners Award in 1978 and was awarded the NCAA's Postgraduate Scholarship. Whitener helped lead the Trojans to four consecutive Gulf South Conference cross country championships and the 1977 Gulf South Conference outdoor title. In addition to his success as a track & field athlete, Whitener also earned a trio of All-Gulf South Conference honors in cross country. Whitener began his career in medicine as a physical therapist and has served as the Chief Executive Officer of the Gainesville Surgery Center, the CEO of the Carolinas Rehabilitation Hospital and the Director of The Rehabilitation Institute and Wellness at the Northeast Georgia Health System.

Troy University Athletics

Troy Enshrines Nine Into Troy University Sports Hall of Fame

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