CHARLOTTE, N.C.- The Queens Department of Athletics kicked off the 2010 Homecoming festivities with the induction of the first ever athletics hall of fame class. Five former student-athletes, three administrators and two lifetime achievement award recipients made up the inaugural class. The first class was tightly interconnected not only from their time at Queens, but even before setting foot on campus.
Student-athlete inductees were Walter Aikens, Bill Kennedy, Suzy Sulsona, Sequoya Friday, and Kevin Yearick. Three of the five were soccer players and the other two basketball players. The two Royals lifetime achievement award recipients were Christine Safford Beck and Jane Mack. Dale Layer, Phyllis Pharr, and Dr. Billy O. Wireman make up the first entrants in the coach or administrator category.
Three of the inductees, Layer, Sulsona and Kennedy, all hailed from Gainesville, Fla. Both Sulsona and Layer attended Buchholz High School.
Of the five student-athlete inductees, three had the same coach while here at Queens. Kennedy, Yearick and Sulsona are all products of men's soccer coach Fred Norchi. Norchi, who is the current men's soccer head coach, started and led the women's soccer program while also coaching the men's team.
During the ceremony the widow of former Queens President Billy O. Wireman, Katie Wireman, presented Director of Athletics
Jeannie King with Dr. Billy O.'s men's basketball Elite Eight appearance ring. The ring marks the first-ever appearance of a Queens team in the quarter-finals of an NCAA championship.
The emotionally charged ceremony, which took place on Saturday, February 20, was held at the new Queens Sports Complex and is just one shining example of how far athletics has come since the inductees were involved with athletics at Queens.
For photos of the event,
please click here.
For career highlights on each of the inductees,
please click here.
Below are remarks from the 2010 inductees:
“To me, being inducted into the Hall of Fame proves that all of my hard work, sacrifice, and dedication I put in to the sport I loved was worth it. I put my heart and soul into trying to be the best person and basketball player I could be so I am honored to be recognized for accomplishing those goals!”
- Walter Aikens, class of 1991
"It is truly an honor to be selected as one of the first hall of fame inductees for the Queens University of Charlotte. It honestly feels like the beginning of more special things to come."
- Sequoya Friday, class of 1999
“Being inducted in to the inaugural Hall of Fame Class at Queens is an enormous honor. To me, summing that up in a word would be “respect”. Respect is something that you have to earn through hard work, dedication, and perseverance. This means that I have earned the respect of my teammates, coaches, administrators and peers as a hardworking student athlete that always cared about others.”
-Bill Kennedy, class of 1996
“I am so excited to be inducted into Queens University of Charlotte's inaugural Hall of Fame class. I am still trying to wrap my arms around the enormity of this honor. I always wanted to be remembered as a player that gave everything she had each time she stepped on to the field; one who truly contributed to her team, her coaches and her university. To have that validated and recognized in this manner is truly humbling.”
- Suzy Sulsona, class of 1997
“I was so, so honored to be part of the inaugural Athletics Hall of Fame at Queens University of Charlotte. Both tennis and Queens have had lasting influences on my life, and both have opened many doors of opportunity and friendships. This event affirms the value of both sport and education for all of us.”
- Christine Safford Beck, class of 1964
“I was honored to be a part of the inaugural Athletics Hall of Fame on behalf of my husband. I just wish Billy O. could have been there to hear all those kind heartfelt words from the inductees and what Queens meant to them in so many different ways. What a wonderful testament to Queens University of Charlotte. Bill would have been so very pleased to have been a part of this group.”
- Katie Wireman, widow of Dr. Billy O. Wireman
“It is a great honor to be inducted into the inaugural class.Queens is undoubtedly a very special place. I will always cherish my time there with the faculty, staff, administration and the absolutely special student-athletes who embody what is the essence of the institution. I am humbled and greatly appreciative.”
- Dale Layer, Director of Athletics and Men's Basketball Coach 1989-1998
"It is an honor to be in the inaugural class of the Hall of Fame--another special moment at this special institution. It means that my efforts did not go unnoticed -- instead were rewarded by what will be another rich tradition at Queens. I am honored and humbled."
-Phyllis Pharr, Women's Tennis Coach 1964-2000
