HERMITAGE- - - Former Science Hill High School football, baseball, and basketball star Steve Spurrier will become the eleventh person and third athlete from the state of Tennessee to be inducted into the National High School Hall of Fame. This is the fifth consecutive year that someone from Tennessee has been inducted into the National High School Hall of Fame.
Spurrier is among 12 individuals who will be inducted into the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) National High School Hall of Fame July 2 at the Peppermill Resort in Reno, Nevada. The 34th Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony will be the closing event of the 97th NFHS Annual Summer Meeting.
Spurrier’s accolades in high school are many. He was named All-State in three sports as a senior (football, basketball, baseball), and was an All-American selection in football as a senior. He was named All-State in baseball and Honorable Mention All-State in football his junior year.
Spurrier finished his high school baseball career with a 25-0 pitching record. He gave up one run as the winning pitcher in the championship game his senior season. Science Hill High School won two state championships in baseball when Spurrier was a junior and senior. He was named Basketball District Tournament MVP his junior season.
After high school, Spurrier went on to win the Heisman Trophy at the University of Florida. A three-year starter, he completed 392-692 attempts for 4,848 passing yards and 37 touchdowns, breaking numerous school and conference records. In addition to winning the Heisman Trophy and the Walter Camp Memorial Trophy as a senior, he was selected as a Football Writer's Association of America first-team All-American as a junior in 1965 and was a unanimous first-team All-American in 1966.
He compiled a 228-89-2 won-loss record in 25 seasons as a major college head coach. He won 7 conference championships (6 SEC and 1 ACC) and a National Championship in 1997 at the University of Florida. He was named the ACC Coach of the Year twice and was named the SEC Coach of the Year seven times.
He recently retired from his position as Head Football Coach at the University of South Carolina.
“We are extremely happy for Steve and his family,” stated Bernard Childress, Executive Director of TSSAA. “He was such an outstanding athlete and is so well revered in Tennessee high school history. Steve Spurrier is so well known for his success as a football coach, but his accomplishments as an athlete are just as impressive, and we are honored to have him represent our state as as an inductee into the National High School Hall of Fame. This is a very proud moment for Science Hill High School, the State of Tennessee, and TSSAA, but most of all, it’s a proud moment for Steve’s family.
Previous Tennessee inductees include Rick Insell, Catherine Neely, the late Jim Smiddy, the late Buck Van Huss, and the late Boyce Smith, all coaches. The late Bill Pack was inducted into the Hall of Fame as an official, as well as Billy Schrivner of Jackson. Ronnie Carter, former Executive Director of TSSAA, was inducted as an administrator. Anfernee “Penny” Hardaway was the first athlete from Tennessee to be inducted (2014), and Nikki McCray-Penson was inducted last year as the first female athlete from Tennessee.
The National High School Hall of Fame was started in 1982 by the NFHS to honor high school athletes, coaches, contest officials, administrators, performing arts coaches/directors and others for their extraordinary achievements and accomplishments in high school sports and performing arts programs. This year’s class increases the number of individuals in the Hall of Fame to 447.
The 12 individuals were chosen after a two-level selection process involving a screening committee composed of active high school state association administrators, coaches and officials, and a final selection committee composed of coaches, former athletes, state association officials, media representatives and educational leaders. Nominations were made through NFHS member associations.
About the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS)
The NFHS, based in Indianapolis, Indiana, is the national leadership organization for high school sports and performing arts activities. Since 1920, the NFHS has led the development of education-based interscholastic sports and performing arts activities that help students succeed in their lives. The NFHS sets direction for the future by building awareness and support, improving the participation experience, establishing consistent standards and rules for competition, and helping those who oversee high school sports and activities. The NFHS writes playing rules for 16 sports for boys and girls at the high school level. Through its 50 member state associations and the District of Columbia, the NFHS reaches more than 19,000 high schools and 11 million participants in high school activity programs, including more than 7.7 million in high school sports. As the recognized national authority on interscholastic activity programs, the NFHS conducts national meetings; sanctions interstate events; offers online publications and services for high school coaches and officials; sponsors professional organizations for high school coaches, officials, speech and debate coaches, and music adjudicators; serves as the national source for interscholastic coach training; and serves as a national information resource of interscholastic athletics and activities. For more information, visit the NFHS Web site.
MEDIA CONTACTS
Bruce Howard, 317-972-6900
Director of Publications and Communications
National Federation of State High School Associations
Chris Boone, 317-972-6900
Assistant Director of Publications and Communications
National Federation of State High School Associations
About TSSAA
The Tennessee Secondary School Athletic Association administers the junior and senior high school athletic program for an estimated 110,000 participants, 402 schools, an estimated 6,000 coaches, 5,000 officials, and almost 5,500 teams. The mission of the TSSAA is to serve its members by providing leadership and coordination for the administration of interscholastic athletics, which will enhance the educational experiences of students. The TSSAA will promote participation and sportsmanship to develop good citizens through interscholastic athletics, which provide equitable opportunities, positive recognition and learning experiences to students while maximizing the achievement of educational goals.
MEDIA CONTACT
Matthew Gillespie, 615-889-6740
Assistant Executive Director
TSSAA
A complete list of the 2016 National High School Hall of Fame Class can be found below.
2016 National High School Hall of Fame Class
ATHLETES
Ken Beardslee, Michigan
Marlin Briscoe, Nebraska
Joni Huntley, Oregon
Tom Southall, Colorado
Steve Spurrier, Tennessee
COACHES
Pete Boudreaux, Louisiana
Jack Holloway, Delaware
Peg Kopec, Illinois
Chuck Kyle, Ohio
OFFICIAL
Eugene “Lefty” Wright
ADMINISTRATOR
Tim Flannery, NFHS
Ennis Proctor, Mississippi
