July 25, 2007

Greenville, S.C. - Former Furman softball standout Kim Currier McAdams `94, the Southern Conference's first-ever pitcher-of-the-year, will headline a class of six former greats selected for induction into the Furman Athletics Hall-of-Fame, director of the Paladin Club Ken Pettus has announced.

Currier McAdams, who guided Furman to the 1994 SoCon regular season and tournament titles, will be enshrined along with former basketball player/coach Melvin Bell `50, All-American linebacker Will Bouton `02, highly decorated tennis standout Megan Dunigan `02, Walter Payton Award winning tailback Louis Ivory, and multi-sport star and Greenville native, the late George Pruitt `50.

Induction ceremonies are scheduled for Saturday, Sept. 29 at 4:00 in the Younts Center prior to the Paladins' home football game against Wofford. Tickets to the dinner and ceremony can be purchased by calling Rebekah Gregory with the Paladin Club at (864) 294-3467.

MELVIN BELL (1950) - Men's Basketball (1945-47-48-49)...four-year letterman who served as team captain...led Furman in scoring his final three seasons...earned second team all-state honors as a junior and first team all-state as a senior...member of Furman teams that posted victories over Clemson, South Carolina, Wake Forest, Georgia, and Georgia Tech...assumed head coaching duties for one year following his senior season after then-head coach Lyles Alley left to pursue a master's degree, making him the youngest head coach in the NCAA at the time...directed Furman to a 9-12 record that included a pair of victories over Clemson...served as assistant coach and recruiter under Alley for seven seasons...instrumental in recruiting many fine players, including Paladin All-American and two-time NCAA scoring champion Frank Selvy.

WILL BOUTON (2002) -- Football (1998-01)...linebacker...started every game (50) of his Furman career...three-time All-Southern Conference (consensus)...2000 & `01 SoCon Defensive Player-of-the-Year (Sports Media Association)...2000 SoCon Defensive Player-of-the-Year (Coaches)...2001 Sports Network and Walter Camp All-America (1st Team)...2000 Associated Press All-America (1st Team)...1998 Furman Freshman-of-the-Year...three-time Furman Best Linebacker Award recipient (1999-01)...2001-02 Furman Male Athlete-of-the-Year honoree...ranks sixth on Furman's career tackles chart with 445 stops...led Furman in tackles in 2000 (126) and 2001 (94)...played a key role in helping Furman to a 35-15 record, two SoCon championships (1999 & `01), and three NCAA I-AA playoff appearances, including 2001 national runner-up finish (12-3), during his career...notched a Paladin playoff record four sacks in a 34-17 quarterfinal round win over Lehigh in 2001...headlined a Furman effort that helped the Paladins to a 24-17 road win over Georgia Southern in 2001 playoff semfinals...victory snapped GSU's 39-game home winning streak and marked the first home playoff game loss in GSU history (28 games)...notched a career high 19 tackles in a 27-18 victory over Wofford in 2000...registered 13 tackles and four tackles-for-loss in a 28-3 win over North Carolina in 1999...six-time SoCon Player-of-the-Week honoree...served as 2001 team captain...two-time SoCon Academic Honor Roll recipient...Greenville, S.C.

KIM CURRIER (1994) -- Softball (1991-94)...pitcher...four-year letterwinner...became first-ever Southern Conference Pitcher-of-the-Year in 1994 after leading Furman to 33-23 record and league regular season and tournament championships...named team MVP and All-SoCon in 1994...ranked first all-time in strikeouts (640), fourth in wins (61), fourth in ERA (1.65), second in no-hitters (4), second in one-hitters (8), fourth in shutouts (22), and fourth in complete games (84)...holds Furman records for most strikeouts in a game (18)...Tuscon, Ariz.

MEGAN DUNIGAN (2002) - Women's Tennis (1999-2002)...the most decorated player in Furman women's tennis history, earning Southern Conference Player-of-the-Year honors an unrivaled four consecutive times...holds the school record for career singles victories (79) and ranks second for single-season victories (24)...four-time All-SoCon selection and 1999 SoCon Freshman-of-the-Year...first women's tennis player in conference history to earn player-of-the-year and freshman-of-the-year honors in the same season...recognized as the SoCon Tournament MVP in 2000 and 2001 after winning the flight one singles league championship...went undefeated in SoCon play as a junior and senior...led the Lady Paladins to first NCAA tournament win with a 4-1 upset of LSU in 2002...became Furman's first individual NCAA Championship participant in 2002 after posting a 24-1 record...received the school's Edna Hartness Female Athlete-of-the-Year award as a senior...named to the SoCon Academic Honor Roll all four years...two-time member or ITA All-Academic Team...posted an overall mark of 79-20 in singles action and 49-28 in doubles...Oak Ridge, Tenn.

LOUIS IVORY (2002) -- Football (1998-01)...fullback/tailback...the most honored offensive player in Furman football history...2000 Walter Payton Award winner (top offensive player in NCAA I-AA)...2000 consensus All-America (AFCA, Associated Press, Walter Camp, and Sports Network)...2000 Furman Team MVP and SoCon Player-of-the-Year...2000-01 Furman Male Athlete-of-the-Year...2000 South Carolina Athletic Hall-of-Fame Male Amateur Athlete-of-the-Year...2000-01 Southern Conference Male Athlete-of-the-Year...2000 South Carolina Player-of-the-Year (Greenville Touchdown Club)...2001 second team All-America (AP, Sports Network)...jersey No. 34 retired (one of only three retired jerseys in school history)...Furman's all-time leading rusher (5,353 yards) and scorer (316 points)...currently holds or shares 19 Furman records...rushed for school record and nation leading 2,079 yards (189.0 ypg) and 16 touchdowns in 2000, including SoCon record 301 yards and three touchdowns in 45-10 rout of Georgia Southern...notched six 200+ yard rushing performances and 28 100-yard rushing performances in his career...ran for 177 yards in a 28-3 win over North Carolina in 1999...named SoCon Player-of-the-Week eight times in his tenure...played a key role in helping Furman to a 35-15 record, two SoCon championships (1999 & `01), and three NCAA I-AA playoff appearances, including 2001 national runner-up finish (12-3), during his career....served as a team captain in 2001...Fort Valley, Ga.

GEORGE PRUITT (1949) -- Football/Basketball/Golf...deceased...four-year letterman in football and golf, and three-year letterman in basketball...played quarterback in football...served as team captain and named team MVP his senior year (1949)...starting quarterback for Furman team that posted a 14-7 win over South Carolina in 1949 -- the last win by a Paladin squad over USC until 1982...passed for 314 yards and three touchdowns in 1949 (only season statistics are available)...in basketball was a member of Furman teams that posted victories over Clemson, South Carolina, Wake Forest, Georgia, and Georgia Tech...member of Blue Key Honor Fraternity...1966 runner-up in South Carolina State Golf championship...son, Dillard Pruitt, was an All-American golfer at Clemson and member of PGA Tour...son-in-law is multiple PGA Tour winner Jay Haas...Greenville, S.C.