Hall of Fame Induction Show - Robert "Bob" Gray, Friday 10/9, 6 p.m. ET  FACEBOOK  YOUTUBE  

Hall of Fame Induction Show - Andy Latimer, Friday, 10/9, 7 p.m. ET  FACEBOOK  YOUTUBE

Hall of Fame Induction Show - Thad Walker, Friday, 10/9, 8 p.m. ET  FACEBOOK  YOUTUBE

 

BREVARD, N.C. – The 2020 Brevard College Athletics Hall of Fame class of Robert "Bob" Gray (Cross Country/Track & Field), Andy Latimer (Track & Field) and Thad Walker (Cycling) will be celebrated via a series of virtual induction ceremonies on Friday, October 9.  Gray, Latimer and Walker will become the 39th, 40th and 41st inductees into the college's Athletics Hall of Fame.

The three inductees will have their Hall of Fame plaques unveiled in a virtual ceremony on Friday at 12 p.m. at the Boshamer Gymnasium.  The ceremony will be broadcast live on the Brevard College Tornado Athletics Facebook page.

On the evening of Friday, October 9, the three inductees will be featured throughout dedicated one-hour long talk shows to celebrate the honoree's careers.  The talk shows will air live on the Brevard College Athletics Facebook, Twitter and YouTube pages and allow for live viewer comments and questions. 

Each inductee will be presented their induction into the Hall of Fame to go along with appearances by Brevard College President David Joyce and other special guests.

The special Hall of Fame Induction show for Robert "Bob" Gray will take place at 6 p.m. ET.  Gray will be presented by BC Hall of Famer and legendary Cross Country/Track & Field Coach Norm Witek.

At 7 p.m. ET, Andy Latimer will be celebrated in a virtual broadcast with Coach Witek also presenting.

The Hall of Fame show for Thad Walker will conclude the evening with the online broadcast beginning at 8 p.m. ET. Walker will be presented into the Hall of Fame by former Cycling National Champion Tristan Cowie.

"We thank the Athletics Hall of Fame committee for their diligence in this year's selections," said Myranda Nash, Director of Athletics. "Mr. Gray, Mr. Latimer and Coach Walker are all phenomenal choices to represent this year's Hall of Fame class."

 

Robert "Bob" Gray '69 (Cross Country, Track & Field)

Gray, a 1969 graduate of Brevard College, was a two-time NJCAA individual national champion to become the only runner to win a national championship in both his freshman and sophomore seasons.  Gray competed as a student-athlete under the guidance of two Brevard College Hall of Fame coaches - Thad Talley (class of 2008) and Norm Witek (inaugural class of 2004).

"It was a great experience for me to be at Brevard College," said Gray. "It was a blessing to have the opportunity to learn from Coach Talley and Coach Witek who helped me to become successful considering the talent I had."

"The schooling at Brevard College was great and the professors were outstanding," continued Gray.  "The environment was very wholesome, while the town of Brevard was very welcoming and benevolent to us college students. Overall, it was a very good experience my two years there."

A 1990 inductee into the NJCAA Hall of Fame, Gray was also a highly accomplished Track & Field athlete to go along with his Cross Country success.  As a freshman at BC, he qualified for the 1968 U.S. Olympic Trials for the 3,000-meter steeplechase.  Gray also set the school record for the steeplechase, a record that stood until 1992.  Competing against elite runners from all divisions including the NCAA, he finished third in the United States Federation competition.

Following his graduation from BC in 1969, Gray completed his college career at Arkansas State University where he continued his high level of Cross Country and Track & Field success including conference championships in the steeplechase and the 6-mile run.

Gray later served in the United States Marine Corps from 1975-84 where he ran for the U.S. Marines team.  In 1978 while with the Marines, Gray was ranked eighth in the world in the steeplechase. He then held the position of Jump Chaplain for the United States Army from 1985-90. Gray served as a Baptist pastor from 1990-96 and since then has served as a missionary. He currently lives in Spring Branch, Texas.

 

Andy Latimer '83 (Track & Field)

Latimer graduated from Brevard College in 1983 following a highly accomplished career as a Track & Field student-athlete for the Tornados.  A five-time All-American performer, Latimer won three national championships while at Brevard. Latimer also competed under the guidance of Hall of Famer Norm Witek.

"I am extremely honored to be included in such an esteemed group of Brevard College athletes," said Latimer. "I would like to thank Coach Witek for taking a chance on an average high school athlete, shaping him and molding him into something greater than he was."

Latimer went on to thank his teammates during his time at Brevard in the early 1980s.

"I would also like to thank my teammates from the 1981-1983 seasons who pushed me and supported me through my adversities," stated Latimer.  "Special thanks to my teammate Willie Holeman who taught me the finer, technical points of the triple jump."

Latimer won the 1982 NJCAA Indoor Track & Field national title in the triple jump to go along with an All-American performance in the high jump.  He followed that performance with an NJCAA Outdoor Track & Field national championship in the triple jump, his second national title of 1982.

In 1983, Latimer won a third national championship with a gold-medal performance as part of BC's distance medley relay team.  He then went on to earn another All-American triple jump performance, the fifth of his BC career, at the 1983 NJCAA Outdoor Track & Field National Championships.

Following graduation from Brevard College in 1983, Latimer became a student-athlete at Florida State University where he competed in the long jump, triple jump, and high jump. He graduated from FSU in 1986 and began employment at the Florida Department of Corrections as a Probation and Parole Officer from 1988 to 1998.

Since 1998, Latimer has worked as a police officer for the Jacksonville (Fla.) Sheriff's Department.  He has been bestowed the "Riding for the Brand" coin, one of the department's highest honors.  Moreover, Latimer has served on several college advisory boards to go along with community leadership roles with the 5,000 Role Models and Farm Harvest.

 

Thad Walker '05 (Coaching, Cycling)

Walker was the founder and first Head Coach of the highly successful Brevard College Cycling program.  The Brevard College alumnus coached the Tornados from 2007-11, leading BC to its first two national championships.  Walker becomes the first BC Cycling representative to be selected to the Brevard College Athletics Hall of Fame.

"I am honored to be inducted into the Brevard College Athletics Hall of Fame as the first representative of the cycling program," said Walker. "I will always be grateful for the time I spent at Brevard College as a student and as a member of the athletics staff."

The cycling program that Walker started has developed into a perennial national power, winning ten team national championships and a multitude of individual national titles over the years.  

"The growth and success of the cycling program have truly been the result of a team effort supported by the students, faculty, staff, alumni, and administration at Brevard College, along with the Brevard community," said Walker.  "The most rewarding part of the experience was the privilege of working with the student-athletes who invested their time and energy to build a nationally recognized program. It has been rewarding to see the growth and success of the program. Special thanks to all the coaches who have made that possible." 

Walker started his collegiate career as a football student-athlete at the University of Alabama where he began cycling as a cross-training method. He then transferred to Brevard College to focus on cycling in the mountains of Western North Carolina. In 2005, Walker graduated from Brevard College with a Bachelor of Art's degree in Wilderness Leadership and Experiential Education, while also starting the BC Cycling team as a club team during his senior year.

Following graduation, Walker worked as Director of Athletic Operations at BC where he was instrumental in the college reinstating its football program. He also was successful in launching the Brevard College Cycling varsity program becoming the team's first Head Coach in 2007.  

Walker guided BC to its first-ever cycling national championship by winning the 2009 USA Cycling Collegiate DII Mountain Bike National Championship in Truckee, California. The Tornados, under Walker's guidance, then won a repeat mountain bike national championship in 2010. Walker also coached BC student-athletes Jo Tuttle and Tristan Cowie to individual national championships.

Walker departed BC in 2011 to pursue opportunities in California. He currently serves as a Conservation Project and Grant Manager for the Butte County Resource Conservation District. An active cycling advocate in the Northern California community, Walker has assisted in building trails, fundraising, and initiating youth cycling programs with organizations such as IMBA (International Mountain Biking Association) and the United States Forest Service. He currently also serves on the Board of Directors as Treasurer for Chico Velo, a cycling advocacy group in Chico, California.

To follow the latest news and updates surrounding Brevard College Athletics, follow the Tornados on Twitter and Instagram @bctornados, subscribe to 'Brevard College Tornados' on YouTube, follow 'Brevard College Tornados' on SoundCloud, or like 'Brevard College Athletics' on Facebook.  In addition, follow "brevardcollege" on Flickr for the latest photos from all Brevard College events.

 

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