The Austin College Athletics “A” Alumni Board has announced seven inductees into the College’s Athletics Hall of Honor, as well as the recipient of the Coach Joe Spencer Award for Meritorious Service and Lifetime Achievement in Coaching.
Included in this year’s Hall of Honor class are Mark Burtner ’72, Tresy Ross Capelle ’04, Kenneth Hillyard ’94, John Leonard ’76, Keith Powell ’76, Chris Sanders ’95, and John Womack ’93. David Norman, a 1983 graduate of Austin College and the current athletic director for the Kangaroos, will be honored as the 2016 recipient of the Coach Joe Spencer Award for Meritorious Service and Lifetime Achievement in Coaching.
“Each of this year’s honorees is tremendously deserving of this prestigious recognition,” said Athletics Board president Blake Hyde. “Austin College athletics has a long history of producing outstanding individuals both in sports and in life, and all eight of our recipients this year reflect those qualities. The most difficult task we face as members of the A-Board is determining our Hall of Honor and Coach Joe Spencer honorees, and this year’s class shows just how strong Kangaroo athletics are, and will continue to be into the future.”
Burtner was a three-year letter winner for the Kangaroo football program, earning NAIA All-America honors in 1971. He also earned NAIA All-District 8 honors, and was All-Texas in 1970 and 1971 while also serving as team captain in 1971.
Capelle was a four-year letter winner for the Kangaroo women’s soccer team and was named the ASC Offensive Player of the Year in each of her four seasons. She was a two-time Gene Day Award winner as Austin College’s top female student-athlete, and is the program’s all-time leading goal scorer.
Hillyard was a four-year letter winner for the Austin College men’s basketball program, earning All-TIAA honors for the 1993-1994 season. He scored 1,319 career points and was the team’s Pat Hooks Award winner as the team’s most valuable player in 1994.
Leonard was a four-year letter winner with the Kangaroo football team, earning NAIA All-America honors in 1975. The lineman also was an NAIA All-District 8 selection in 1976, and was called one of the program’s greatest linemen by College Football Hall of Fame member and former Austin College assistant Bill Snyder.
Powell was a dual-sport athlete, lettering in both football and track. He started three years at running back, with 14 career touchdowns. On the track, he set the school record in the 220-yard dash and was the Ron Munden Award winner as the program’s MVP in 1976.
Sanders was a three-year letter winner at running back for the Kangaroo football team, earning TIAA All-Conference honors in 1992, 1993, and 1994. He is third in program history with 2,636 career yards.
Womack was a four-year letter winner for the Kangaroo football team, earning NAIA All-America honors in 1991 and 1992, as well as being named the TIAA Defensive Player of the Year in 1992. He also was a starter on the 1991 NAIA national playoff team.
Norman was a member of the 1981 NAIA National Champion football team, and has coached football, baseball, and cross country during his time at Austin College. Norman has been on the Athletics Department staff since 1989, assuming assistant athletic director duties in 1996, being named associate athletic director in 2008, and becoming the athletic director in 2010. He also earned his master’s degree from Austin College in 1984, and has served as the chair of the Exercise and Sport Science Department.
All eight individuals will be recognized at the 2016 Austin College Legends Gala, on Saturday, July 9, on campus.
Austin College athletic teams participate as a member of the NCAA Division III and the Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference.
About Austin College
Austin College, a private national liberal arts college located north of Dallas in Sherman, Texas, has earned a reputation for excellence in academic preparation, international study, pre-professional foundations, leadership development, committed faculty, and hands-on, adventurous learning opportunities. One of 40 schools profiled in Loren Pope’s influential book Colleges That Change Lives, Austin College boasts a welcoming community that embraces diversity and individuality, with more than 36 percent of students representing ethnic minorities. A residential student body of 1,250 students and a faculty of more than 100 allow a 12:1 student-faculty ratio and personalized attention. The College is related by covenant to the Presbyterian Church (USA) and cultivates an inclusive atmosphere that supports students’ faith journeys regardless of religious tradition. Founded in 1849, the College is the oldest institution of higher education in Texas operating under original name and charter.