For Release - Sunday - August 10, 2008

FLORENCE -- The nineteenth class of inductees into the University of North Alabama Athletic Hall of Fame will include a couple of two-time All-Americans, two former Lion athletes who also returned to coach at UNA, a basketball player who scored more than 1,500 points and a former football player who enjoyed a long and successful coaching career across north Alabama.

Former Lion football players Gerald Smith and the late Merle West, former baseball standout Greg Bowles, former volleyball and women's tennis player and volleyball and softball coach Ande Jones, former tennis standout and tennis and cross country coach Kevin Bradford and former basketball star Steve Martin will become the latest inductees into UNA's Athletic Hall of Fame on October 25.

Following its creation in 1990, the UNA Athletic Hall of Fame inducted four members each year through 2005. Beginning in 2006, that number was expanded to six, and this year will mark the third year with six honorees.

This year's induction, scheduled for 9:30 a.m. on October 25 at the Guillot University Center, brings the total number of inductees into the UNA Athletic Hall of Fame to 82.

Bowles was a two-year letterman in baseball and a two-time All-American in the outfield for the Lions in 1990 and 1992. The Chattanooga, Tenn., native was UNA’s first two-time All-American in baseball. He finished second in the nation in stolen bases in 1990 with 48 in 51 attempts for a 1.02 average. He hit .376 as a junior with one home run and 16 runs batted in. He hit .373 as a senior with four home runs, 24 RBI and 33 steals.

He led UNA in hits both seasons with 58 in 1990 and 62 in 1992. He was first-team All-Gulf South Conference and All-Region as both a junior and senior. He was also an All-South Region Tournament pick in 1992 and was drafted by the Minnesota Twins in the Major League Draft following the season. The Lions were 70-30-1 in his two seasons and played in the NCAA regionals his senior season. He shares the school record for stolen bases in a game with five.

Bowles is currently a parole officer in Chattanooga, Tenn.  He received a Bachelor of Social Work degree from UNA in 1995.

Bradford was a two-year letterman in men’s tennis at UNA from 1981-82. A Russellville, Ala., native, he was selected MVP of UNA’s 1981 Gulf South Conference championship tennis team that is still the school's only men's tennis team to win a GSC crown some 27 years later. He won Gulf South Conference individual championships at No. 3 singles and No. 2 doubles, earning All-GSC honors in the process. He had a combined 48-20 singles record and a 46-15 doubles record.

He returned to UNA in 1990 as cross country and women’s tennis coach. He led the UNA women’s tennis team to a second place finish in the GSC in 1992 and was selected GSC Coach of the Year. Bradford graduated from UNA in 1983 with a Bachelor of Science degree. He is just the second Lion tennis player to be inducted into the UNA Athletic Hall of Fame. 

Bradford is currently employed by State Farm Insurance in Winfield, Ala.

Jones was a leader on UNA’s AIAW state championship volleyball team in 1975 and was a four-year volleyball letterman and three-year tennis letterman. She was an AIAW all-state volleyball selection as a junior and senior at UNA. She received the Eddie Flowers Award after her senior season as the Outstanding Senior Physical Education Major. She then coached the Lions as a graduate assistant in 1976. Jones returned to coach volleyball at UNA in 1979 and also coached tennis and softball and served as the athletic department’s Senior Woman Administrator during her career.

In 16 years as volleyball coach she was 381-260, winning six Gulf South Conference volleyball titles (1982, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988). She was also 191-188 in 11 seasons as softball coach and won three GSC softball titles (1983, 1986, 1987). A native of Florence, Ala., her nine GSC championships are the most by any coach in school history in any sport.

She holds both bachelor's and Masters degrees from UNA. She currently serves as a counselor at Bob Jones High School in Madison.

Martin was a four-year letterman in basketball for the Lions from 1986 to 1990. He was the team’s leading scorer in 1987 and 1990 and still ranked as the school’s third all-time leading scorer at the time of his induction in 2008.

He scored 1,561 career points and scored in double-figures 73 times as a Lion. He scored 572 points as a senior and scored in double-figures in all 28 games as he led the team to a 20-8 record.

He averaged 20.4 points as a senior and was selected All-Gulf South Conference and All-South Region. He finished his career with a 51.9 field goal percentage and a 77.2 free throw percentage. His top career scoring game was 37 points against Alabama-Huntsville.

A native of Selma, Ala., Martin received a bachelor’s degree from UNA in 1990 and a master’s degree in 1997.  Martin is a teacher with the Florence City Schools System.

Smith was a four-year letterman and starter in football from 1993-96. A three-time All-Gulf South Conference selection and two-time All-American, Smith played on UNA teams with a combined 47-6 record that included three straight GSC titles and three straight NCAA Division II National Championships. He closed his career with 310 total tackles, making 228 primary stops and 82 assists.

He had 14 interceptions for 79 yards and one touchdown, and added 14 tackles for loss of 54 yards, four fumble recoveries, 11 caused fumbles and 45 pass break-ups. He led the GSC with five interceptions in 1996. He was the GSC’s Freshman of the Year in 1993 and was a candidate for the Harlon Hill Trophy as a senior.

A Moss Point, Miss., native, Smith was selected for the 50th Anniversary UNA Football Team for 1949-98 and the Gulf South Conference Team of the 1990s. He graduated from UNA in 1997.  Smith is employed as a police officer by the Muscle Shoals Police Department.

West was a three-year football letterman for the Lions from 1952-54. He was voted the team’s most valuable lineman in 1954. During his three years with the Lions, the team’s had records of 8-1, 6-1-1 and 8-2 for a combined 22-4-1 record.

The Lions were 10-0 against schools from the state of Alabama during his career. A native of Haleyville, Ala. , he coached football, basketball, baseball, golf, wrestling , and track for 40 years at Handley High School, Athens High School, Cullman High School, Butler High School, Coffee High School, Loretto High School, and Baimbridge High school. He won a state championship at Handley High School in football and a golf state championship at Coffee High School.

He officiated basketball for 38 years and wrestling for 12 years. He is a member of Winston County Sports Hall of Fame and the Lauderdale County Hall of Fame. He also served in the Alabama National Guard and the Navy Air Reserve.