June 22, 2009

GREENVILLE, S.C. -- Former Furman head football coach Bobby Johnson headlines a class of three former greats selected for induction into the Furman University Athletics Hall-of-Fame, director of athletic development Ken Pettus has announced.

Currently the head coach at Vanderbilt, Johnson, who spent 24 years as a member of Furman's football staff in the capacities of assistant coach (1976-80, 82-92), defensive coordinator (1984-92), and head coach (1994-01), will be enshrined along with one of his former players, All-America return specialist/wide receiver Des Kitchings, and All-America soccer performer Emily Turgeon.

Induction ceremonies are scheduled for Saturday, July 25, at 6:00 p.m. at the Hyatt Regency in downtown Greenville. Tickets are $22 and can be purchased by calling Sue Carnes at the Paladin Club at (864) 294-3565. Paladin Club members will receive one free ticket per family.

A Columbia, S.C., native, Johnson came to Furman in 1976 and played a key role in helping the Paladins capture 10 of the school's 12 Southern Conference championships and 1988 NCAA I-AA (FCS) national crown, made possible by the nation's top scoring defense (9.7 ppg) he directed. In seven seasons as head coach he guided the Paladins to a 60-36 slate, including a 12-3 mark in 2001 that included a national runner-up finish and AFCA national coach of the year honor.

Kitchings from Wagner, S.C., caught 112 passes for 1,808 yards and 11 touchdowns in a stellar career that netted him garner All-SoCon honors as a wide receiver and All-America accolades as a return specialist. In 1999 he averaged a school record 36.8 yards on 13 kickoff returns, three of which went for touchdowns, and caught two touchdown passes in the Paladins' 28-3 victory over North Carolina before being selected in the seventh round of the NFL Draft by the Kansas City Chiefs.

Turgeon tallied a school record 57 goals and 148 points in a brilliant Furman career that saw her twice garner SoCon Player of the Year honors while pacing the Paladins to four consecutive SoCon regular season championships. The NCAA's leading scorer in 2000 (63 points), the Raleigh, N.C., native delivered 20-match winning goals and helped Furman to a 64-21-4 overall record and 37-2-1 SoCon mark during her tenure.

BOBBY JOHNSON -- Football...Assistant Coach (1976-80; 82-92), Defensive Coordinator (1984-92), Head Coach (1994-01)...spent a combined total of 24 years as a member of Furman's football staff, including 17 seasons as an assistant coach and seven years as head coach...as an assistant played a key role in Furman compiling a 132-53-7 record, including a 91-31-3 mark during his tenure as defensive coordinator...served as defensive coordinator for Furman's 1988 NCAA I-AA national championship team, directing a unit that led the nation in scoring defense (9.7 ppg) en route to a school record 13-win season (13-2)...tallied a 60-36 record (.625) as a head coach...was part of 10 of Furman's 12 Southern Conference championship squad, including two as a head coach (1999 & `01)..took over a Furman program in 1993 that won just three games in his first season but within three years returned Paladin football to national prominence by guiding Furman to a 9-4 record and into NCAA I-AA playoff action...over his final three campaigns (1999-01), guided Furman to a 30-9 record, three NCAA I-AA playoff appearances, two SoCon championships, and 2001 NCAA I-AA national runner-up finish...included in that run was a 24-17 triumph over Georgia Southern in 2001 that snapped the Eagles' 39-game home winning streak and marked GSU's first ever home playoff loss (28 games)...1996 AFCA Region II Coach of the Year, Charleston Touchdown Club South Carolina Coach of the Year, 1999 AFCA Region II Coach of the Year, Southern Conference Coach of the Year, and 2001 AFCA Region II and NCAA I-AA National Coach of the Year...recruited and coached two future NFL players (TE Luther Broughton and FS John Keith), as well as 14 All-Americans, including the school's all-time leading rusher (Louis Ivory)...holds a master's degree from Furman...entering his eighth season as head coach at Vanderbilt, where in 2008 he directed the Commodores to their first winning season and bowl appearance since 1982 and first bowl victory (16-14 win over Boston College in Music City Bowl) since 1955.

DES KITCHINGS -- Football (1996-99)...wide receiver/return specialist...four-year letterman and three-year starter...consensus All-Southern Conference selection as both a wide receiver and return specialist in 1999...also earned Associated Press third team All-America honors in 1999 after averaging a school season record 36.8 yards on 13 returns, three of which he returned for touchdowns (4)...finished his career as Furman's second all-time leading receiver (112 rec., 1,808 yds, 11 TDs)...became the first wide receiver in school history to rush for 100 yards in a game (117, 2TDs) in a 52-6 rout of William & Mary in 1999...later caught touchdown passes covering 60 and 49 yards in a 28-3 win over North Carolina...played a key role in Furman's 9-3 SoCon championship season in 1999...was selected by the Kansas City Chiefs in the seventh round (2nd pick, 208th overall) of the 2000 NFL Draft...spent one season with the Chiefs before registering short stints with the New York Jets, St. Louis Rams, and Indianapolis Colts....former Furman assistant coach who now serves as running backs and special teams coach at Vanderbilt under Bobby Johnson.

EMILY TURGEON -- Women's Soccer (2000-03)...forward...the most prolific scorer in the history of Furman women's soccer...netted a school record 57 career goals and tallied Paladin record 148 career total points...ranks second on school's all-time assist ledger with 34 and first with 20 career match-winning goals...career goals and points totals rank second in Southern Conference history while assist total ranks fifth...named third team College Soccer Online All-American, Soccer America All-Freshman, and first team Soccer Buzz Freshman All-American after netting school-record 23 goals, adding 17 assists (2nd in school history), and totaling single season record and NCAA leading 63 points in 2000... 2000 SoCon Freshman-of-the-Year...2000 and 2002 Southern Conference Player-of-the-Year selection and...named Furman University Edna Hartness Female Athlete-of-the-Year in 2000-01 and 2002-03, thus becoming one of only three people to earn the honor twice (Cathy Frohnheiser in `93 and 94, Dottie Pepper in `85 and `87)...three-time NSCAA All-Southeast and Soccer Buzz All-Southeast selection earning second team honors in 2000 and 2002 while garnering third team accolades in 2003...two-time Southern Conference Academic Honor Roll member...garnered four SoCon Player-of-the-Week citations...guided Furman to four straight Southern Conference regular season titles and 2002 SoCon Tournament title...helped Furman equal a school record with 20 wins in a 20-3-0 season as a freshman while the Paladins earned the program's only at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament and climbed as high as 13th in the Soccer Buzz and American Soccer Writers polls....Paladins compiled a 64-21-4 overall record and 37-2-1 SoCon record during her four-year career, including three undefeated league seasons....helped lead Furman to victories over Vanderbilt, North Carolina State, South Carolina, New Mexico and Michigan State...scored Furman's lone goal in the Paladins' 1-0 victory over 25th-ranked Michigan State in 2002.