The University of Maryland Eastern Shore celebrates excellence and honor history at 2024 Athletics Hall of Fame Induction
 

PRINCESS ANNE, Maryland — The University of Maryland Eastern Shore Department of Intercollegiate Athletics welcomed five former athletes into the Hawk Athletics Hall of Fame during the school's Homecoming celebration last week. In addition, the University of Maryland Eastern Shore wielcomed back the 1973-1974 men's basketball team as part of their 50^th year anniversary.

HONORING HISTORY…

The 1973-1974 University of Maryland Eastern Shore men's basketball team celebrated 50 years in honor of their history making season. The Hawks went 27-2 during the 1973-74 campaign while setting records and breaking down racial barriers during that time by becoming the first HBCU basketball team to receive an invitation to the NIT Tournament – considered to be the premier college basketball tournament during that era.

Maryland Eastern Shore's offense gained national attention throughout the year. Under the direction of head coach John Bates with top scorers Rubin Collins, Joe Pace, Talvin Skinner, Billy Gordon and Tyrone Johnson running the floor, the Hawks had one of the most lethal scoring attacks the game has ever seen.

UMES finished with the nation's second-best offense that season, scoring an average of 93.3 points per-game - 13 years before college basketball adopted the three-point shot.

The Hawks won their first 20 games and were ranked No. 20 in the AP poll. Their only loss of the regular season came against a high powered Morgan State team led by eventual NBA veteran Marvin Webster. The Hawks avenged their loss to the Bear a few weeks later by downing MSU by 15 points for the MEAC crown.

UMES went on to win their opening round in the NIT by beating Manhattan, 84-81, in Madison Square Garden before losing by a slim two points to Jacksonville in the the second round of the tournament.

Collins, the team's leading scorer at 17.8 points per game, was drafted by the Portland Trailblazers. Skinner, who averaged a double-double for UMES, went on to be drafted by the Seattle Supersonics. Gordon was also later drafted by Seattle. Pace went on to play with the Washington Bullets and later won an NBA title.

The entire 12-man roster from 1973-74 was inducted into the UMES Athletics Hall of Fame in 2004.

THE 2024 HALL OF FAMERS
 

This year's Hall of Fame Class is comprised of two former men's basketball players, one baseball player and two track & field/cross country athletes.
 

Allodin Fothergill was named a NCAA All-American in 2010 while being a part of 4x100 meter relay and 4x400 meter relay teams that broke school records with times of 39.76 and 3:16.63, respectively. Fothergill also set the school record in the 500 meter race with a collegiate career best time of 1:01.74 during the 2009 outdoor season and hit a new school best 6.83 in the 60 meter sprint. Fothergill earned UMES Male Athlete of the Year honors in 2008 and 2009.

Born in St. Catherine, Jamaica, Fothergill has also competed for his home country on the national stage at the Jamaica National Championship, World Outdoor Junuor Championships, Outdoor World Championships, IAAF World Championships and Pan-American Games.

Khalil Rmidi Kinini, a distance runner from Malaga, Spain, solidified himself as one of the top runners in the nation by becoming the first UMES cross country runner to qualify for the NCAA national championship meet in 2016. He also competed on the national stage in the spring of 2017 as a steeplechase runner.

During his time at UMES. Rmidi excelled in the MEAC as a three-time steeplechase champion and four-time cross country champion. He also won the MEAC outdoor title in the 1500 meter and 5000 meter races. He holds multiple school records including the steeplechase (8:46.62), 10k (31:37.65), mile (4:05.08), 3000 meter (8:04.28).

Stephen Bull, an outfielder from Millsboro, Delaware, completed his collegiate career as UMES with the second most all-time single season hits (68) while ranking third in career hits (199). In his senior campaign of 2014, he was named the NCAA and Louisville Slugger Division I National Player of the Week after going 10-for-10 in a four game stretch, four off the all-time NCAA Division I record. In his final year with the Hawks, He had a .349 batting average, along with 13 extra base hits, 41 runs scored, an .827 OPS and a team high 12 steals. Bull later earned the school's 2013-14 Male Athlete of the Year award. He was also selected to the All-MEAC First Team, All-MEAC Tournament Team.

His collegiate career totals include a batting average of .312, 199 hits, 33 extra base hits, 62 walks and 25 stolen bases.

Following his time with the Hawks, Bull signed a spring training contract with the Camden RiverSharks of the independent Atlantic League, joining an exclusive list of Hawks who have played professional baseball.

Dominique Elliott, a post player from Savannah, Georgia, garnered a pair of All-American honors from College Court Report and BoxToRow Sports after an impressive senior campaign during the 2015-2016 season. Elliott averaged 14.8 points, 8.0 rebounds and shot 54 percent from the field as a senior - good for third on the all-time single season list for the Hawks. He led or tied for the team lead in rebounds in 24 of 32 games that season. In addition to his All-American honors, Elliott was named to the MEAC First Team, NABC All-District Team and was two time MEAC Player of the Week.

A transfer from Trinity Valley Community College, Elliott made an immediate impact as a junior at UMES averaging 7.1 points and 4.5 rebounds per game while earning MEAC Third Team honors.

After UMES, Elliott went on to a successful playing career overseas which included championships in Slovenia, Switzerland, Iceland, Macedonia, Estonia and Georgia. Elliott earned multiple honors throughout his professional career including 1st Team All Domestic honors before retiring in 2022.




 

Ed Tyson, a 6-2 guard from Baltimore, Maryland, proved to be a prolific scorer for the Hawks in the mid-2000s. As a freshman at UMES, Tyson averaged 9.6 points, 3,0 rebounds and 1.9 assists per contest while earning MEAC All-Rookie Team honors. He went on to start in all 31 games the following season while leading the team with 16.4 points per game which included a season-high 37 points against South Carolina State. He also tallied with 4.3 rebounds and 1.7 assists per game to earning All-MEAC honors. In his final season with the Hawks, Tyson eclipsed 1000 career points while averaging a conference best 20.2 points per game. He also led UMES with 54 steals. His 646 total points during the 2007-2008 campaign ranked him second in school history for points in a single season behind Ken "Chick" Simmons (669 in 1978).

THE INDUCTION PROCESS

The 2024 UMES Hawk Athletics Hall of Fame Inductees were nominated by fans, alumni, supporters and the general public. All nominations were reviewed and voted on by the UMES Hall of Fame committee. Each inductee received the necessary points from the voting process to earn induction into the Hall of Fame. To nominate a UMES athlete for considereation, the Department of Athletics encourages online nomination submission on - https://umeshawksports.com/sb_output.aspx?form=13

 

PHOTOS FROM THE CELEBRATION

Fans can view all photos from the Hall of Fame and Homecoming celebration on - https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.1130714032391572&type=3

 

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