Hall inductees

In December, Southeast Missouri State University will induct five individuals and one team into its Athletics Hall of Fame.

This year's inductees:

* John "Hap" Bernard (1908-1913) was a three-sport athlete at Southeast, serving as quarterback and kicker for the football team, shortstop and pitcher on the baseball team, and forward on the basketball team.

* Greg Brune (1964-1968) ranks among the university football program's all-time career leaders in several categories and was a four-year starting infielder for the baseball team. Brune later served as the Southeast Booster Club president (1985-1986) and worked as the university's director of athletic development from 1993 until earlier this year.

* Bobby Ferguson (1983-1986), a member of the track and field team, was a five-time NCAA Division II All-American and eight-time MIAA indoor and outdoor conference champion in the pole vault. A school record holder, Ferguson also was a member of the world championship team in the 1987 Pan Am Games.

* Jeremy Johnson (1996-2000) was the 2000 Ohio Valley Conference baseball player of the year. Holding Southeast career records in hits, games played, runs scored and total bases, Johnson was also a two-time first-team all-OVC outfielder and OVC all-tournament selection.

* Tom Thrower (1958-1960) was a three-sport athlete competing in football, basketball and track. The 1958 MIAA champion in the javelin for the track and field team and two-time all-MIAA performer at running back, defensive back and special teams in football, Thrower would later return to Southeast serving as an assistant football coach and later head coach.

* The 1991 softball team, during the program's final year as a Division II member, was the first in Southeast history to move on to the NCAA Final Four. The team went 38-14 under coach Lana Richmond and won the MIAA championship.

This year's induction, which is open to the public, will take place Dec. 9 at the Show Me Center, dinner starting at 6 p.m. Tickets can be purchased by calling 651-2227.

The Southeast Missouri State Athletics Hall of Fame -- which started in 2002 -- is an elite group that, including this year's class, consists of 71 individuals and 14 teams. This year's class should be proud of their accomplishments, and we commend each inductee for achieving a mark of excellence only few obtain.