Clarksville, Ark.-Louis Whorton, Percy Williams and the 1983-1984 men?s basketball team will be inducted into the University of the Ozarks Sports Hall of Fame on Saturday, January 12, 2013.
Whorton, a 1976 physical education graduate and a native of Hartford, Ark., is currently the head women’s basketball coach at University of Arkansas-Fort Smith (formerly Westark College). In 26 seasons at UAFS, Whorton has compiled an impressive 590-223 record, including an undefeated and national championship season in 1994-95 for then Westark College. That season, he was named the National Junior College Athletic Association National Coach of the Year. Under Whorton, Westark College won seven Bi-State East Conference championships, seven Region II championships and went to the NJCAA National Tournament seven times. He has coached 12 All-America players during his tenure. He was inducted into the NJCAA Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame in 2010. He served as an assistant men’s basketball coach at Ozarks for one season.
Williams, a 1984 physical education graduate and a native of Sunshine, La., was considered by many to be the fastest man ever at Ozarks. Williams earned First Team All-America honors in 1983 in the 100 meter dash. At the Arkansas Tech Invitational, Williams beat Sammy Epps, who was considered the fastest man in Arkansas and a member of the Arkansas Track and Field Hall of Fame, running a 10.47 in the 100 meter dash for first place. Williams posted first place finishes at the Arkansas Invitational in the 200 meter dash and 110 meter dash in 1983 and the 220 meter dash and 100 meter dash in 1984. He qualified for the NAIA national meet all four years at Ozarks. Williams finished his decorated career as a three-time All-Arkansas Intercollegiate Conference performer.
The 1983-1984 men’s basketball team still holds the single season record for wins (27) in program history. Led by head coach Bruce Terry, the Eagles posted a 27-6 overall record and a 15-3 record in conference play to finish as AIC champions. Among the most celebrated teams in school history, the nationally-ranked Eagles won 13 of 14 games during a key conference stretch to win the regular season AIC title. Ozarks then advanced to the second round of the NAIA
District 17 Tournament. The 1983-1984 team secured the program’s first winning season in 34 seasons and boasted four All-Conference players, including All-America player Tony Joyner. Other All-Conference players included Fred Frye, Keith Johnson and John Lewis.
A lunch honoring the inductees will be held in the Rogers Conference Center at 11:00 a.m. January 12. The induction ceremony will take place at halftime of the women’s basketball game in Mabee Gymnasium that day. Current members of the Hall of Fame will also be introduced during the induction ceremony.
To purchase tickets for the lunch, call the alumni office at (479) 979-1234.
Topics: Athletics