Wake Forest Sports Hall of Fame to induct five on Saturday
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. – Wake Forest University will induct five new members into its Hall of Fame on Saturday, Feb. 17. The induction ceremony will take place at half time of the Demon Deacons’ home game with NC State.
The five new inductees include former football All-American Steve Vallos and 2005 ACC football Player of the Year Chris Barclay;, Rhodes Scholar and five-time All-American track and field athlete Michelle Sikes, field hockey All-American Lauren Crandall and former ACC golf champion John Gerring.
The five will be honored at a luncheon on Saturday at noon at Bridger Field House.
Former basketball star Chris Paul was voted into the Hall of Fame last year but has had to defer his induction due to his responsibilities with the NBA All-Star game this weekend.
All five inductees for the class of 2017-18 will attend Saturday’s ceremonies.
In addition, Tal Jobe will be recognized with the Gene Hooks Award. The Gene Hooks Achievement Award recognizes a former Wake Forest athlete, manager, coach or administrator who has exhibited traits of integrity, charity, leadership and who embodies the Pro Humanitate spirit that Dr. Gene Hooks, former Director of Athletics, exhibited over his 45 years associated with Wake Forest.
Jobe was a standout football and basketball athlete at Mebane High School and then at Eastern Alamance High following its opening in 1962. Tal played freshman basketball for the Demon Deacons in 1963-64 and graduated in 1967 with a degree in physical education. He spent 13 years teaching and coaching at Graham Middle School before going to Eastern Alamance High. He coached 69 different teams over his 32 years, leading Eastern Alamance to the 1991 state 3-A boys basketball championship and was inducted into the Eastern Alamance Hall of Fame. In 2004, Tal was inducted into the city of Mebane’s Sports Hall of Fame and in 2017 the gym at Eastern Alamance was named in his honor. He retired from the Alamance-Burlington School District in 2001 after 32 years and returned to Wake Forest where he served in the athletics department in a variety of roles including that of baseball clubhouse manager and working with game operations for multiple sports.,
Here is a brief look at each of the five inductees:
Chris Barclay
Barclay, Wake Forest’s all-time rushing leader, was the Atlantic Coast Conference football Player of the Year in 2005 when he carried the ball 218 times for 1,127 yards. He broke into the Demon Deacon lineup as one of just three true freshmen to see action in 2002. He led the team in rushing in 2003 with 1,192 yards and earned second team All-ACC honors. As a junior in 2004, Barclay had 1,010 yards on 243 carries and was named first team All-ACC. He capped his career in 2005 with another first team All-ACC selection and his recognition as the league’s Player of the Year.
For his career, Barclay finished with 4,032 rushing yards and set school records at the time for career points (240), rushing touchdowns (40), all-purpose yards (4,930), 200-yard rushing games (3) and 1,00-yard rushing seasons (3). He was the first player in ACC history to lead the league in rushing yards during the regular season in three consecutive seasons and was also the first ACC player with three consecutive 1,000-yard rushing seasons. Named team MVP as both a junior and senior, Barclay is one of just three Demon Deacons to earn the award in back-to-back seasons, joining Norm Snead (1959-60) and Brian Piccolo (1963-64).
Lauren Crandall
Crandall (’07) was also a first ballot inductee. She was a three-time All-American in field hockey and a member of two of Wake Forest’s national championship teams in 2003 and 2004. A native of Doylestown, Pa., Crandall was the ACC Tournament MVP in 2006, a two-time ACC All-Tournament selection and a two-time NCAA All-Tournament selection. She earned first team All-ACC honors three times and was the first Wake Forest player to earn All-South Region honors all four seasons. Crandall was a first team All-American in 2005 and 2006 after earning third team All-America honors in 2004. Following her collegiate career, Crandall played for the U.S. at the Junior World Cup in Santiago, Chile in 2006 and led the team in scoring. She went on to become a member of the USA Field Hockey Olympic teams in 2008, 2012 and 2016.
John Gerring
Gerring (’57), originally from Union, S.C., was the Heritage Committee’s selection for Hall of Fame induction. Gerring played golf for the Deacons from 1953-57 and won ACC medalist honors in 1957 with rounds of 69-72-141 at Old Town Club in Winston-Salem. Gerring had entered the final round trailing teammate Sonny George by two strokes. Gerring’s efforts helped the Deacons win the 1957 ACC team title by eight strokes over North Carolina.
During the 1957 season, Gerring was Wake Forest’s medalist in five of seven home matches in an era where teams played dual matches rather than strictly tournaments. He was Wake Forest’s top golfer in 1955, ’56 and ’57 before serving in the Rifle Company of the United States Army following graduation.
John has served as a PGA golf professional for over 50 years. A member of the PGA Hall of Fame, Gerring was named the National PGA Professional of the Year in 1981. He has served as the club professional at a number of prestigious courses including Peachtree in Atlanta, the Atlanta Country Club, Sea Island Golf Club and Bloomfield Hills Country Club. Most recently, Gerring was inducted into the Carolinas Golf Association Hall of Fame.
Michelle Sikes
Sikes (’07) was elected in her first year of eligibility, is one of the most decorated student-athletes in Wake Forest history. A mathematical economics major, she received the prestigious Rhodes Scholarship in 2007, becoming just the third student-athlete in school history to earn the award. On the track, Sikes was just as impressive. The Lakewood, Ohio native won the NCAA Outdoor Championship in the 5,000 meters in 2007 with a meet and school record of 15:16.76, becoming the first Demon Deacon female student-athlete to win an NCAA individual track championship. She was the ACC indoor 5,000 meters champion in 2007 and won the outdoor 5,000 and 10,000 meters in 2007. Sikes was a five-time All-American and an eight-time All-ACC honoree, earning all-league honors three times in cross country, three times in outdoor track and twice in indoor track. To this day, Sikes continues to hold school records in the 1,500 meters, mile, 5,000 meters and 10,000 meters. She was the ACC Performer of the Year at the 2007 outdoor championships and a four-time All-ACC Academic honoree. Sikes was the 2006-07 Marge Crisp Award winner as Wake Forest’s female student-athlete of the year. She earned the Edwin G. Wilson Scholar-Athlete of the Year award from Wake Forest in 2007 and was the recipient of the ACC Award for Excellence in Academics and Athletics that same year. Besides the Rhodes Scholarship, Sikes received the Weaver-James-Corrigan Postgraduate Scholarship from the ACC.
Steve Vallos
Vallos (’06) was elected to the Wake Forest Sports Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility. Vallos earned first team All-ACC honors at offensive tackle in 2006 as he helped the Demon Deacons win the ACC Championship. A native of Boardman, Ohio, Vallos earned first team All-America honors in 2006 from both Sports Illustrated and the Sporting News while being named a second team All-American by the Walter Camp Foundation. He twice earned ACC Offensive Lineman of the Week honors in 2006 and finished his career with 48 career starts, the most-ever among Deacon offensive linemen. Vallos was a second team All-ACC pick as a sophomore and an honorable mention all-league honoree as a junior when he helped pave the way for ACC Player of the Year Chris Barclay. A seventh round draft pick of the Seattle Seahawks in the 2007 NFL Draft, Vallos played seven seasons in the NFL with the Seahawks, Browns, Eagles, Jaguars and Broncos, earning a berth in Super Bowl XLVIII with the Denver Broncos.
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. – Wake Forest University will induct five new members into its Hall of Fame on Saturday, Feb. 17. The induction ceremony will take place at half time of the Demon Deacons’ home game with NC State.
The five new inductees include former football All-American Steve Vallos and 2005 ACC football Player of the Year Chris Barclay;, Rhodes Scholar and five-time All-American track and field athlete Michelle Sikes, field hockey All-American Lauren Crandall and former ACC golf champion John Gerring.
The five will be honored at a luncheon on Saturday at noon at Bridger Field House.
Former basketball star Chris Paul was voted into the Hall of Fame last year but has had to defer his induction due to his responsibilities with the NBA All-Star game this weekend.
All five inductees for the class of 2017-18 will attend Saturday’s ceremonies.
In addition, Tal Jobe will be recognized with the Gene Hooks Award. The Gene Hooks Achievement Award recognizes a former Wake Forest athlete, manager, coach or administrator who has exhibited traits of integrity, charity, leadership and who embodies the Pro Humanitate spirit that Dr. Gene Hooks, former Director of Athletics, exhibited over his 45 years associated with Wake Forest.
Jobe was a standout football and basketball athlete at Mebane High School and then at Eastern Alamance High following its opening in 1962. Tal played freshman basketball for the Demon Deacons in 1963-64 and graduated in 1967 with a degree in physical education. He spent 13 years teaching and coaching at Graham Middle School before going to Eastern Alamance High. He coached 69 different teams over his 32 years, leading Eastern Alamance to the 1991 state 3-A boys basketball championship and was inducted into the Eastern Alamance Hall of Fame. In 2004, Tal was inducted into the city of Mebane’s Sports Hall of Fame and in 2017 the gym at Eastern Alamance was named in his honor. He retired from the Alamance-Burlington School District in 2001 after 32 years and returned to Wake Forest where he served in the athletics department in a variety of roles including that of baseball clubhouse manager and working with game operations for multiple sports.,
Here is a brief look at each of the five inductees:
Chris Barclay
Barclay, Wake Forest’s all-time rushing leader, was the Atlantic Coast Conference football Player of the Year in 2005 when he carried the ball 218 times for 1,127 yards. He broke into the Demon Deacon lineup as one of just three true freshmen to see action in 2002. He led the team in rushing in 2003 with 1,192 yards and earned second team All-ACC honors. As a junior in 2004, Barclay had 1,010 yards on 243 carries and was named first team All-ACC. He capped his career in 2005 with another first team All-ACC selection and his recognition as the league’s Player of the Year.
For his career, Barclay finished with 4,032 rushing yards and set school records at the time for career points (240), rushing touchdowns (40), all-purpose yards (4,930), 200-yard rushing games (3) and 1,00-yard rushing seasons (3). He was the first player in ACC history to lead the league in rushing yards during the regular season in three consecutive seasons and was also the first ACC player with three consecutive 1,000-yard rushing seasons. Named team MVP as both a junior and senior, Barclay is one of just three Demon Deacons to earn the award in back-to-back seasons, joining Norm Snead (1959-60) and Brian Piccolo (1963-64).
Lauren Crandall
Crandall (’07) was also a first ballot inductee. She was a three-time All-American in field hockey and a member of two of Wake Forest’s national championship teams in 2003 and 2004. A native of Doylestown, Pa., Crandall was the ACC Tournament MVP in 2006, a two-time ACC All-Tournament selection and a two-time NCAA All-Tournament selection. She earned first team All-ACC honors three times and was the first Wake Forest player to earn All-South Region honors all four seasons. Crandall was a first team All-American in 2005 and 2006 after earning third team All-America honors in 2004. Following her collegiate career, Crandall played for the U.S. at the Junior World Cup in Santiago, Chile in 2006 and led the team in scoring. She went on to become a member of the USA Field Hockey Olympic teams in 2008, 2012 and 2016.
John Gerring
Gerring (’57), originally from Union, S.C., was the Heritage Committee’s selection for Hall of Fame induction. Gerring played golf for the Deacons from 1953-57 and won ACC medalist honors in 1957 with rounds of 69-72-141 at Old Town Club in Winston-Salem. Gerring had entered the final round trailing teammate Sonny George by two strokes. Gerring’s efforts helped the Deacons win the 1957 ACC team title by eight strokes over North Carolina.
During the 1957 season, Gerring was Wake Forest’s medalist in five of seven home matches in an era where teams played dual matches rather than strictly tournaments. He was Wake Forest’s top golfer in 1955, ’56 and ’57 before serving in the Rifle Company of the United States Army following graduation.
John has served as a PGA golf professional for over 50 years. A member of the PGA Hall of Fame, Gerring was named the National PGA Professional of the Year in 1981. He has served as the club professional at a number of prestigious courses including Peachtree in Atlanta, the Atlanta Country Club, Sea Island Golf Club and Bloomfield Hills Country Club. Most recently, Gerring was inducted into the Carolinas Golf Association Hall of Fame.
Michelle Sikes
Sikes (’07) was elected in her first year of eligibility, is one of the most decorated student-athletes in Wake Forest history. A mathematical economics major, she received the prestigious Rhodes Scholarship in 2007, becoming just the third student-athlete in school history to earn the award. On the track, Sikes was just as impressive. The Lakewood, Ohio native won the NCAA Outdoor Championship in the 5,000 meters in 2007 with a meet and school record of 15:16.76, becoming the first Demon Deacon female student-athlete to win an NCAA individual track championship. She was the ACC indoor 5,000 meters champion in 2007 and won the outdoor 5,000 and 10,000 meters in 2007. Sikes was a five-time All-American and an eight-time All-ACC honoree, earning all-league honors three times in cross country, three times in outdoor track and twice in indoor track. To this day, Sikes continues to hold school records in the 1,500 meters, mile, 5,000 meters and 10,000 meters. She was the ACC Performer of the Year at the 2007 outdoor championships and a four-time All-ACC Academic honoree. Sikes was the 2006-07 Marge Crisp Award winner as Wake Forest’s female student-athlete of the year. She earned the Edwin G. Wilson Scholar-Athlete of the Year award from Wake Forest in 2007 and was the recipient of the ACC Award for Excellence in Academics and Athletics that same year. Besides the Rhodes Scholarship, Sikes received the Weaver-James-Corrigan Postgraduate Scholarship from the ACC.
Steve Vallos
Vallos (’06) was elected to the Wake Forest Sports Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility. Vallos earned first team All-ACC honors at offensive tackle in 2006 as he helped the Demon Deacons win the ACC Championship. A native of Boardman, Ohio, Vallos earned first team All-America honors in 2006 from both Sports Illustrated and the Sporting News while being named a second team All-American by the Walter Camp Foundation. He twice earned ACC Offensive Lineman of the Week honors in 2006 and finished his career with 48 career starts, the most-ever among Deacon offensive linemen. Vallos was a second team All-ACC pick as a sophomore and an honorable mention all-league honoree as a junior when he helped pave the way for ACC Player of the Year Chris Barclay. A seventh round draft pick of the Seattle Seahawks in the 2007 NFL Draft, Vallos played seven seasons in the NFL with the Seahawks, Browns, Eagles, Jaguars and Broncos, earning a berth in Super Bowl XLVIII with the Denver Broncos.
