Banquet Reservation Form

By Karen Allen and Rachel Rogers

ROME—As part of its 2013 Homecoming activities, Shorter Athletics will be recognizing seven individuals who have left a lasting impact on the Athletic Department of Shorter University.

Among this new class of inductees to the Hall of Fame are six former student-athletes and one community member who has given back to Shorter in great way.

The 2013 Hall of Fame inductees are the most diverse group ever to be inducted and include first time honorees from Volleyball, Softball, Men's Soccer, and Football. Included in this year's class are the following:

#6 Kate Puckett Link
Volleyball
2004-2007
 
A 2007 graduate of Shorter University, Kate Puckett Link departed the Hill as one of the volleyball program's most decorated student-athletes. Link, a four-time All-Conference selection and three-time NAIA Scholar-Athlete honoree, graduated as Shorter's all-time leader in hitting percentage (.379) and blocks (616); ranking second all-time in kills with 1,248. Link is the first volleyball student-athlete inducted into the Shorter Department of Athletics Hall of Fame.
 
#24 Patsy Boynton Shivers
Women's Basketball
Women's Cross Country
1997-2001
 
One of Shorter's all-time great women's basketball standouts, Patsy Boynton Shivers averaged 12.8 points over 108 career games, earning Conference Freshman of the Year honors while also being named All-Conference three times. Upon graduation, Shivers led all players since 1990 with 183 3-pointers made. She also departed with the program record for single season free throw percentage (.862), while also ranking second all-time in career free throw percentage (.791) and third in steals (217). Shivers also excelled in cross country, winning a conference championship and advancing to the NAIA National Championships.
 
#23 Robert Whitnell
Men's Soccer
2004-2008
 
A four-year starter for Shorter's men's soccer program, Robert Whitnell set numerous records for the Hawks, including a program-best mark of 60 career goals. Whitnell was the first men's soccer student-athlete to score four goals in a game, a feat he accomplished on two occasions, most memorably in 2008 to lead the Hawks to their first-ever win over cross town rival Berry College. Whitnell ended his career tied for third in single season assists with eight. He was a three-time All-Conference performer, a 2008 NAIA All-America selection and played professionally overseas upon graduation. Whitnell is the first men's soccer student-athlete inducted into the Shorter Department of Athletics Hall of Fame.
 
#58 Zach Morrison
Football
2005-2008
 
A member of Shorter's inaugural football team in 2005, offensive lineman Zach Morrison started every game during his four-year tenure with the Hawks. During that time, Morrison was a three-time All-Mid-South Conference and Academic All-Mid-South selection. As a senior in 2008, he was named a College Fanz (VSN) second team All-American and an NAIA Scholar-Athlete. Morrison was a key member of Shorter's first-ever conference championship squad, helping the Hawks to the Mid-South Conference title in 2008. Since graduation, he has been an active member in the Gridiron Club, and an instrumental member in creating the Shorter Football Lettermen Club. Morrison is the first football student-athlete inducted into the Shorter Department of Athletics Hall of Fame.
 
#13 Jessica Sanders
Softball
2006-2008

In just three seasons with Shorter, infielder Jessica Sanders established herself as one of the greatest softball players in school history. A three-time All-Conference and All-Region selection, Sanders ended her career as Shorter's all-time leader in career home runs (37), tied for first in career batting average (.400), second in RBI (154), second in doubles (48) and second in assists (293). A two-time NAIA All-America selection, Sanders was named a NFCA Louisville Slugger All-American in 2007 and 2008. She later returned to Shorter in a coaching capacity, and served as an assistant for the program's 2012 NAIA National Championship team. She continued her coaching career at Thomas University beginning in 2013. Sanders is the first softball student-athlete inducted into the Shorter Department of Athletics Hall of Fame.
 
Scott Parrish
Baseball
1984-1987
 
A 1987 magna cum lade graduate, Scott Parrish was a two-sport standout at Shorter in basketball and baseball. Following his sophomore year, Parrish shifted his focus solely on baseball and became one of the greatest shortstops ever to play at Shorter. A two-time All-American and All-Academic selection, Parrish broke out his senior season batting .416 with 20 home runs, 61 RBI and an impressive fielding percentage of .952. He left Shorter with 41 career homers and a career .376 average, but more impressively, struck out only 26 times in his 804 career at-bats. Following his selection as Georgia Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Player of the Year in 1987, Parrish was drafted by the Houston Astros.
 
Mr. Robert Ledbetter
Distinguished Service
 
A Rome native, Robert H. Ledbetter, Sr. is a well-known real estate developer and investor. He serves as chairman and CEO of R.H. Ledbetter Properties, Inc., which was ranked among the top 100 retail real estate owners in the nation in 2009 by Retail Traffic magazine. The company's portfolio consists of more than 1.3 million square feet of investment properties located in communities such as Rome, Cartersville, Dalton, Jasper and Ellijay, Ga.; Knoxville and Goodlettsville, Tenn.; and suburban Indianapolis, Ind.

Mr. Ledbetter is a graduate of Culver Summer School, Darlington School and Culver Military Academy. He earned the Bachelor of Science degree in Industrial Management from the Georgia Institute of Technology in 1958 and later served in the United States Navy aboard the aircraft carrier USS Ticonderoga as a LTJG.
 
In 2010, a gift from Mr. Ledbetter enabled the development of the location of Shorter's School of Business. In honor of his generosity, the business school is now named the Robert H. Ledbetter College of Business.  Mr. Ledbetter also provided support for the development of Shorter's on-campus baseball complex, which also bears his name.

"This class will go down as one of the best in our athletic history.  It is also special because it includes our first ever inductees for football, volleyball, softball and men's soccer," Shorter University Director of Athletics, Bill Peterson, comments. "When you add Mr. Bob Ledbetter into the equation, I believe some will call it our best ever!"

The inductions will take place in an induction ceremony scheduled for Friday, September 27 at 5:30pm in the Winthrop-King Centre on the campus of Shorter University.
 
Tickets to the banquet must be ordered no later than September 20, by completing the attached form.

For questions or for more information please contact Rachel Rogers— rrogers@shorter.edu.