Nine inducted in Hall of Honor ceremony Dec. 5
12/6/2009 2:00:00 AM | Athletics
Nine former Sam Houston State University student-athletes were recognized as the 2009 inductees for the Sam Houston Hall of Honor at annual Hall of Honor dinner Saturday December 5 at the Lowman Student Center.
The Sam Houston Lettermen's Association and the SHSUWomen's Letter Association inducted five women and four men Saturday.
Ivette Andrade (tennis), Jackie Zapala Hayes (softball), Sherry Pfister (basketball), Bonnie Beard Pflughaupt (volleyball) and Precious Madison Robinson (track and field) are the women's inductees.
James "Sonny" Hair (football), Billy Hayes (football), Ryan Klaus (football) and Michael Nau (baseball) are the men's inductees.
The Sam Houston Lettermen's Association initiated its Hall of Honor in 1971 and this year's group will bring the total of inductees to 160. The first five women were inducted into the Hall of Honor in 2007. This year's inductees bring the number of women in the Hall of Honor to 15.
"Our two previous Hall of Honor dinners have been outstanding and we deeply appreciate the hard work by the officers and members of both the men's and women's organizations to make this event possible," director of athletics Bobby Williams said. "The annual Hall of Honor dinner has become a highlight of our athletic year and we hope Bearkat fans will join in recognizing this outstanding group of former student-athletes who have brought glory and attention to our program through their accomplishments."
The 2009 inductees into the SH Association Hall of Honor
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The late James "Sonny" Hair earned All-America honors as a quarterback and end and was All-Lone Star Conference in 1938, 1939 and 1940. He played on the Bearkat team that beat Rice 9-8 in 1938 and rolled up a 23-6 record overall in his three seasons. Sonny was killed in action over Sicily in World War II. His neice, Nora Jean Neely and her husband Tom Neely are here in his honor. |
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Billy Hayes, a football letterman from 1985 to 1988, is the all-time kick scoring leader for the Bearkats. Hayes scored 258 points including 117 PATs and 47 field goals. He earned All-America honors and was both All-Southland and All-Gulf Star Conference on teams that won a conference title in 1985 and went to the NCAA Playoffs in 1986. |
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Ryan Klaus earned All-Southland Conference honors all four of his years for the Bearkat football team from 1995 to 1998. He ranks as the Bearkats' all-time punting leader with a career average of 42.1 yards on 255 punts. He twice led the Southland in punting yards. |
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Michael Nau rolled up a 26 and 5 career record as a pitcher for the Bearkats, playing on baseball teams that went to the NCAA Division II regionals twice and the Division I regionals in 1988. He was a member of three Gulf Star Conference championship teams, earning all-conference honors twice. |
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Ivette Andrade was the Most Valuable Player for the Sam Houston women's tennis team each of her three years as a Bearkat in 2000, 2001 and 2002. She was an All-Southland Conference performer and was named Southland Newcomer of the Year as a sophomore. She ranks fourth all-time at Sam Houston in both career singles and doubles victories |
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Bonnie Beard was an NCAA Division II All-American for the Bearkat volleyball team in 1984 and 1985. She ranks as Sam Houston's all-time leader in hitting percentage, totaling 1,528 kills in her career. She led the Kats to two NCAA volleyball final four appearances and two Gulf Star Conference titles |
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Precious Madison Robinson was the first Sam Houston track and field athlete to earn NCAA Division I All-America honors. She is a four-time Southland Conference champion and still holds the Bearkat school records both indoor and outdoors in the long jump. She was a NCAA national championships participant in the long jump in both 2001 and 2002. |
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Sherry Pfister, who played from 1980 to 1983, ranks as the all-time leading scorer in Sam Houston women's basketball history with 1,975 points. She holds five career school records and ranks second all-time with 962 career rebounds. In 1982, she led the Kats to a 27-5 overall record, the most victories in one season ever for the Sam Houston women |
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Jackie Zapalac Hayes was a catcher for the Bearkat softball team from 1984 to 1988, earning both All-America and NCAA All-Region honors. She led the Kats to the NCAA Division I regionals in 1985 and 1986 and the Southland Conference championship in 1986. She earned All-Gulf Star conference honors twice and All-Southland recognition as a senior. |
