TERRE HAUTE —
Five former student-athletes and a former coach will be inducted into the 2010 Class of the Indiana State University Athletics Hall of Fame.
The five to be inducted include John “Jay” Barrett, who played football from 1956-1958, Richard Dawson, who played football from 1981-1984, Mitch Hannahs, who played baseball from 1986-1989, Denise Sharps, who was a member of the women’s basketball team from 1975-1977, and Steve Smith, a high-jumper for the ISU men’s track & field team from 1991-1994.
The banquet for the 19th HOF class at ISU will be at 6 p.m. Oct. 7 in Tirey Hall. It also will be recognized during the ISU homecoming football game vs. Illinois State on Oct. 9.
Inductee information:
JOHN “JAY” BARRETT — Barrett was a student-athlete at ISU (then Indiana State Teacher’s College) from 1955-1958 and was a fullback on the football team for three seasons. Barrett led the team in rushing as a sophomore in 1956 and was second on the team in scoring. After an injury cut short his 1957 season, Barrett came back for his senior campaign in 1958 and led the team wit 69 carries for 209 yards (3.2 yards per carry average). He also had one reception for 31 yards and was 1-for-1 in passing for 10 yards.
His outstanding collegiate career was followed by an impressive career as a high school coach. He accumulated a 164-135-4 record at Terre Haute Schulte, Rockville and West Vigo. He was inducted into the first class of the Wabash Valley Coaches Association Hall of Fame in 2005.
RICHARD DAWSON — Dawson was a student-athlete at ISU from 1981-1984. He was a guard and center for the football team, started all four years and was a member of the Division I-AA playoffs team in 1983 (9-4) and 1984 (9-3). Dawson was named first team All-Missouri Valley Conference by United Press International and second-team All-MVC by the Associated Press in 1983. He was also named All-MVC in 1984.
MITCH HANNAHS — Hannahs was a student-athlete at ISU from 1986-1989, playing baseball for the Sycamores. Hannahs was named an All-American at second base in 1989 by the American Baseball Coaches Association and Baseball America. He was also named All-Regional at second base in 1989.
Hannahs earned several Missouri Valley Conference honors during his ISU career, including being named to the All-Century Team, a three-time selection as All-Conference, the 1987 MVC All-Tournament team and MVC All-Academic.
He was a member of the 1986 team that finished 48-21, winning the MVC tournament, the NCAA Mideast Regional, and advancing to participate in the College World Series. The 1987 team finished 45-18-1, was runner-up in the MVC tournament, and participated in the NCAA Central Regional. After a 31-28 season in 1988 during his junior season, Hannahs led the team to the MVC tournament championship in 1989 and a spot in the NCAA South Regional. The 1989 team finished 48-21.
Hannahs is in the top 10 of seven career categories including first in singles (206), second in runs scored (220), hits (274), tied for second in stolen bases (77), third in walks (138), fourth in triples (23) and seventh in at-bats (728). He also is in the top 10 of five single season records including first in stolen bases (43 in 1989), singles (79 in 1989), tied for first in triples (10 in 1987), fifth in batting average (.428 in 1989), and fifth in runs scored (78 in 1987).
He was drafted in the 16th round by the Milwaukee Brewers and played five seasons in the Brewer organization. Hannahs was the hitting and infield coach at Indiana State for four seasons (1995-1999) and pitching coach for one season (2000-2001). As an assistant, ISU won the 1995 MVC Tournament and played in the NCAA Midwest II Regional with the team finishing the season second in the nation in batting with a .340 average.
Hannahs is in his ninth year as head coach at Lincoln Trail College in Robinson, Ill., where he led the Statesmen to Region 24 titles in 2005 and 2007, and the Great Rivers Athletic Conference championship in 2006 and 2007. He was inducted into the first class of the Ohio Valley Athletic Conference Hall of Fame in recognition of his accomplishments at Skyvue High School while playing basketball and baseball.
DENISE SHARPS — Sharps was a student-athlete at ISU from 1974-1977. A member of the women’s basketball team, Sharps led the team in points scored during the 1975-76 season with 413 points (16.5 points per game average) and during the 1976-1977 season with 495 points (19.8 points per game).
Sharps ranks first in career scoring average at ISU at 18.2 points per game as she scored 908 points in 50 games. She also ranks first in single season field goals made with 231 during the 1976-77 season. She also ranks 11th in single season points scored (495 during the 1976-77 season).
Sharps played for the Iowa Comets of the Women’s Professional Basketball League, where she was named an All-Star during her rookie season. She also played for the Chicago Hustle and the Minnesota Fillies before the collapse of the circuit following the 1980-81 season.
She was inducted into the Muskegon Area Sports Hall of Fame in 1991.
STEVE SMITH — Smith was a student-athlete at Indiana State from 1991-1994. A member of the Sycamore track and field team, Smith is a three-time All-American in the high jump and two-time Missouri Valley Conference champion. He placed second at the 1994 NCAA Outdoor Championship, second at the 1991 NCAA Indoor Championship, and fifth at the 1993 NCAA Outdoor Championship.
Smith set the ISU indoor high-jump record at 7 feet, 4.5 inches in 1991 and set the ISU outdoor high-jump record at 7-7 in 1994. A three-time All-Missouri Valley Conference selection, he was named the MVC Outdoor Championship Field MVP in 1994. Smith is also a member of the Missouri Valley Conference All-Centennial Team.
Smith competed at the U.S. Olympic Trials in 1992, 1996, and 2000. He placed second in the high jump at the 1994 USA Championships, won a silver medal at the 1995 Pan-American Games and placed seventh at the 1995 Indoor World Championships in Barcelona, Spain.
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