WACO, TEXAS -- When the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics announced its 2010-11 Hall of Fame class on Monday, three individuals with RRAC ties were among the inductees. James Wilson of Huston-Tillotson University (Texas) was recognized for Meritorious Service while Ian Leggatt and Danny Mijovic of Texas Wesleyan University were honored in men's golf with the NAIA's highest honor.
Individuals inducted into the NAIA Hall of Fame must be persons of outstanding quality, high moral character, fine leadership ability and must be held in high esteem by colleagues, coaches and athletes.
Wilson started his athletics career with the NAIA as an athlete lettering in four sports at HT in Austin, Texas. Wilson served as the HT's athletics director for 44 years (1960-2004). During his tenure he grew the athletics department from three men's sports to eight and added seven women's athletic programs. Early in his career while serving as athletics director he also coached all sports. Wilson guided 26 All-Americans and won numerous championships. He is held in high esteem by alumni, parents and students and is a member of the Huston-Tillotson, Austin Sports Foundation, and the National Football Foundation Halls of Fame. Wilson is a well respected official, officiating Texas High School Championships, and Lone Star, Southwest and Big Twelve conference events. He conducted a program for athletes to learn about officiating in multi-sports and made arrangements for the students to officiate in summer programs and middle school and high school competitions. Wilson has a heart of service and he cares about his athletes on and off the field. Wilson was one of the first African American players during the troubles of segregation in the early fifties and he led the way as a coach at the Historically Black University. He was awarded the Shorty Alderson Award for outstanding contributions to football officials and high school football in 1993. Wilson has been married for 51 years and has raised two sons, who carry on the character of their father.
Mijovic played in four NAIA Men's Golf National Championship tournaments from 1980 through 1983. Mijovic has the distinction of being the only player in NAIA history to have won the medalist title four times. He did so while leading the Rams to four straight national runner-up finishes. A four-time All-American, Mijovic graduated with a degree in Business Administration and continued to play golf. In 1984, he won the Mid-Atlantic and was a semi-finalist at the Western Amateur. His first professional win came at the 1984 Mexican Open. He went on to win the 1985 LaBlatt Open on the Canadian Tour. Mijovic has qualified and made the cut three times at the British Open. He is also the 1984 Porter Cup Champion, 1985 LaBlatt Open Champion, has had four second place finishes on the Asian tour and five top five finishes on the European Tour. A member of the Texas Wesleyan Hall of Fame, Mijovic is an extremely hard worker and continues to give back through the sport of golf.
Ian Leggatt played golf for Texas Wesleyan University from 1987-1989. During those years, Leggatt participated in two NAIA Men's Golf National Championships, finishing second individually in 1989. Leggatt was a two-time All-American. In 1990, Leggatt turned professional playing on the Canadian and Nationwide tours. His first professional win came at the Buy.com Dayton Open in 2000. In 2002, Leggatt earned his first PGA tour win at the Touchstone Energy Tucson Open. Off the course, Leggatt has made an impact as well. While in college, he served as the Athletic Director for the Cerebral Palsy Foundation. He is actively involved with the Ronald McDonald Charities and through the Ian Leggatt & Friends Golf Classic for Charity; he has provided three million dollars for aid to disabled children. The Ian Leggatt Junior Golf Tour has had 30 former players go on to play college golf. He is well respected all across the golf community. He and his wife, Lori, live in Chapel Hill, N.C. with their two children.
The Hall of Fame consists of a division for each sport currently or formerly sponsored by the association and a division for general meritorious service to the NAIA. The NAIA Hall of Fame is divided into three categories: athlete, coach and meritorious service. All inductees will be recognized and honored at various NAIA events held throughout the year. Leggatt and Mijovic will be officially inducted at the 60th annual NAIA Men's Golf National Championships on May 23, at TPC @ Deere Run in Silvis, IL. They will join O.D. Bounds (Men's Golf, Coach), Willa Gipson (Volleyball, Athlete), and Dianne Urey (Volleyball, Athlete) in representing Texas Wesleyan University in the NAIA Hall of Fame.
The 2010-11 NAIA Hall of Fame class includes: Royal Goheen (Meritorious Service); John Friend (Meritorious Service), James Wilson (Meritorious Service), Casey FitzSimmons (Football, Athlete); Shelley Howieson (Women's Soccer, Coach), David Moody (Volleyball, Coach), Bill Odell (Men's Basketball, Coach), Travis Grant (Men's Basketball, Athlete), Scottie Pippen (Men's Basketball, Athlete), Terry Porter (Men's Basketball, Athlete), Robin Hagen-Smith (Women's Basketball, Coach), Brian Taylor (Wrestling, Athlete), Bobby Cox (Baseball, Coach), Q.V. Lowe (Baseball, Coach), Cary Brock Ammons (Baseball, Athlete), Jeff Allen Maack (Baseball, Athlete), Ian Leggatt (Men's Golf, Athlete), Danny Mijovic (Men's Golf, Athlete), James McMahon (Track & Field, Coach), Rochelle Swanson (Track & Field, Athlete).
-RRAC-