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The University of Kentucky Athletics Hall of Fame Class of 2021 has been announced, with Bettie Lou Evans (women’s golf), Kendra Harrison (women’s track and field), Nazr Mohammed (men’s basketball), Larry Warford (football), Bob Whelan (men’s track and field/cross country) and Arin Gilliland Wright (women’s soccer) chosen for induction.
The new Hall of Famers will be inducted during a Hall of Fame Weekend at a date to be determined. They will be joined by the 2020 class that could not be honored last year because of Covid precautions – Chanda Bell (softball), Sawyer Carroll (baseball), Ron Mercer (men’s basketball), AJ Reed (baseball), Danny Trevathan (football) and Wayne Turner (men’s basketball).
Bettie Lou Evans, Women’s Golf, 1980-2001
Head coach of UK women’s golf for 23 seasons … Led UK to the NCAA Regionals 14 times, including five trips to the NCAA Championships … Best national finishes were fifth place in 1986 and 10th place in 1998 and 1991 … SEC Coach of the Year in 1992 … Mid-Atlantic Coach of the Year in 1986 and 1990 … Coached two All-Americans and had six first-team All-SEC selections … Coached four All-SEC second-teamers after that honor was added in 1993 … After retiring from coaching, served as UK’s director of golf operations for 17 years … UK’s golf tournament is named in her honor … Inducted into the National Golf Coaches Hall of Fame in 1997 … Elected to the Kentucky Golf Hall of Fame and Transylvania University Sports Hall of Fame.
Kendra Harrison, Women’s Track and Field, 2014-15
Current world record holder in the 100-meter hurdles at 12.20 seconds … National Track Athlete of the Year by the USTFCCCA as a senior, as she was the NCAA champion in the indoor 60m hurdles and outdoor 100m hurdles … NCAA silver medalist in the 400m hurdles as a junior and senior … Led UK to an NCAA second-place outdoor team finish in 2015, the best showing in school history … All totaled, a 15-time All-American … Five-time SEC gold medalist – 60m indoor hurdles as a junior and senior; 100m outdoor hurdles as a junior and senior, and 400m outdoor hurdles as a junior … Still holds the school record in the 60m hurdles … Exemplary student who earned Academic All-America and received the NCAA Top 10 Award as a senior.
Nazr Mohammed, Men’s Basketball, 1996-98
Two-time national champion … Second-leading scorer and leading rebounder on the 1998 team that went 35-4, won the national title and the SEC regular season and tournament championships … A reserve on the 1996 national title team that went 34-2 … Averaged 12 points, 7.2 rebounds and 1.9 blocks during the 1998 run … Tabbed All-SEC First Team by the league’s coaches and the AP … Named to the 1998 SEC All-Tournament Team … Entered NBA Draft after his junior season and was selected in the first round by Utah … Played more than 1,000 games, scored nearly 6,000 points and grabbed nearly 5,000 rebounds during an 18-year NBA career … Won an NBA championship with San Antonio in 2005 … Currently a scout for the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Larry Warford, Football, 2009-12
One of the greatest offensive linemen in Kentucky history went on to an outstanding career in the NFL … Helped UK to two bowl games … Did not allow a quarterback sack and graded over 90% during his senior year … Earned all-star recognition all four years at UK … Earned All-America Third Team honors as a senior from Associated Press and Phil Steele’s College Football … All-SEC First Team as a senior by ESPN.com and CBSsports.com … All-SEC Second Team as a junior and sophomore … Named to the Sophomore All-America Team by College Football News … Freshman All-SEC by league coaches … Seven-year NFL career with Detroit and New Orleans … Pro Bowl selection in 2017, 2018 and 2019.
Bob Whelan, Cross Country/Outdoor Track/Indoor Track, 1987-90
Captured the NCAA indoor championship in the mile in 1990 … Won six SEC championships, two individual events and four relays … Was the SEC champion in the indoor mile in 1990 … Crowned the 1990 SEC outdoor champion in the 1500-meter run … Ran on four SEC indoor champion relays – twice each in the distance medley relay and the 4×800-meter relay … Set the outdoor record in the 1500-meter run with a time of 3:40.56, which stood until 2014 … First Wildcat to break the four-minute mark in the mile, his record time of 3:58.77 also stood until 2014 … An All-American from 1989-1991 … Twice named UK Male Athlete of the Year … Represented the USA in the 1991 World University Games … Academic All-American … Currently an anesthesiologist.
Arin Gilliland Wright, Women’s Soccer, 2011-2014
2014 NSCAA All-American, the second in program history … 2013 and 2014 Hermann Award finalist for National Player of the Year … 2014 espnW Female Athlete of the Year finalist … Three-time All-SEC First Team selection (2012-14) … Ranks in the top five at UK in total minutes played (third), goals scored (30, third), assists (25, third) and shots (210, first) … 2014 SEC Defensive Player of the Year … Set school record with eight career game-winning goals … Led UK to its only NCAA Sweet 16 appearance in 2014 … 2014 Honda Award Winner for Inspiration … Selected by Chicago with the No. 8 overall pick in the 2014 National Women’s Soccer League draft and still plays for the Red Stars … First UK women’s soccer player to receive a call-up to the U.S. Women’s National Team.
The UK Athletics Hall of Fame was started in 2005 to recognize and honor persons whose participation and achievements enriched and strengthened the University’s athletics program. A committee consisting of Hall of Famers, media members, campus representatives and current coaches and administrators elects new inductees each year.
— Courtesy UK Athletics
