Catawba College has announced its Sports Hall of Fame Class for 2014. The new members will be inducted on Saturday, April 26, during the festivities of the Hall of Fame's 37th anniversary. The inductees are (with graduation year): Joey Boley '95; Catey Conner '01; Robert Hampton '38 (deceased); Nick Means '03; and Allen Simmons '77.
The induction ceremony, sponsored by the Catawba College Chiefs Club, will be held at 12 noon during a luncheon scheduled in Kirkland Lobby of the Abernethy Physical Education Center. On Friday, April 25, the Hall of Fame Golf Tournament will be held at The Country Club of Salisbury at 1 p.m.
The Catawba College Sports Hall of Fame was founded in 1977 and this year's inductees will bring the total number of members to 175.
Following are the achievements of this year's inductees:
Joey Boley
Boley was a standout golfer at Catawba from 1992-1995, earning NAIA All-America honors in 1993.
During that 1993 season when he was team MVP, Boley was the NAIA District 26 medalist and finished sixth at the NAIA Nationals held at TPC Sawgrass. His three-over-par total of 291 is the second best four-round score in school history.
In 1995, he had the best finish for Catawba at the NCAA Nationals where he placed 18th. Also that season, Boley helped Catawba to its first South Atlantic Conference Championship. He was part of a then-SAC record 278 by a team for a single round.
After Catawba, Joey embarked on a journey where he has spent 20 years in the retail industry. He is currently the VP of Quality Assurance for Lowe’s Home Improvement Inc.
Catey Conner
Conner, who played soccer from 1997-00, is the most prolific scorer in school history with 59 career goals in 79 matches. As a junior she was a third-team All-American.
A two-time South Atlantic Conference Player of the Year (1998, 1999), Conner was the league Freshman of the Year in 1997. She was named First Team All-SAC and NCAA II First Team All-Region all four years.
During her career, Conner helped Catawba to 50 wins and three SAC Tournament Championships. In 1997, Catawba advanced to NCAA II regional play.
In 2013, Conner was inducted into the South Atlantic Conference Hall of Fame.
Robert Hampton
Hampton played both baseball and football at Catawba from 1934-38, but made his biggest impact on the diamond.
As a pitcher, Hampton finished a stellar career with a 26-9 record and a 2.98 ERA. His 17 consecutive winning decisions is still a school record.
In 1938, Hampton won a then-school record 10 games. That 10 win total was not matched for 50 years and still stands as the third best single-season total in school history. His 26 career wins rank ninth all-time with his 263 strikeouts standing fifth for a career.
Hampton was a switch-hitter and played several positions when not on the mound. He went on to continue his baseball career with the U.S. Army and played in the semi-pro leagues.
Nick Means
Means was a top wide receiver for some of the best Catawba football teams from 1999-02. He also excelled in the classroom where he graduated Cum Laude and was the 2001 South Atlantic Conference Scholar Athlete for football.
Means twice earned All-SAC first team honors and was a two-time All-Region selection. He holds the school mark with 2,796 career receiving yards and ranks second with 185 career catches. His 25 touchdowns also ranks second all-time.
In 2001, Means helped Catawba to a #3 national ranking and to the NCAA II semifinals. He played on two SAC Championship teams and four NCAA II playoff teams.
Means enjoyed a stellar prep career at Thomasville High School. He was named all-conference and all-county in both basketball and football, while earning All-State honors in basketball.
Means has been with F&M Bank since May of 2002. Currently, Means serves as a Branch Manager and Banking Officer. He and wife, Shayla, reside in Salisbury with children William and Kristina.
Allen Simmons
Simmons was a standout for the Catawba football teams from 1973-76. He still ranks as one of the top return men in school history.
Simmons ranks among the top five all-time in both kickoff and punt return average. He averaged 23.9 over 66 kickoff returns and 9.6 on 59 punt returns.
As a wide out, Simmons caught 44 passes in his career and set a school record by averaging 27 yards per catch in 1976. He stands third in a career with 3,890 all-purpose yards.
After Catawba, Simmons enrolled in seminary school and has served as a minister since 1984 in North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee. He has also been a mathematics teacher since 1989.
Simmons and his wife, Ann, have two daughters, Ashley and Allison.
