2010 A&M-Commerce sports Hall of Fame inductees announced

The Texas A&M University-Commerce athletic department announced its newest inductees for the Hall of Fame for 2010 today. The inductees include the 1999 soccer team, the 1980 football team, the 1980 volleyball team and former Lions standouts – Dennis Dyce, Harry Fritz, James Thrower and Cheryl Zachary. In addition to the Hall of Fame inductees, Clarence Lynch and Marvin Sedberry will be recognized as the Bobby Fox Outstanding Coach Award recipients.

The 1999 soccer team posted a 16-4-1 record, won the Lone Star Conference regular season and tournament titles, as well as advanced to the NCAA Elite Eight. Lions Erin Adamson, Toni Catchings and Sarah Fagan earned NSCAA all-region recognition. Adamson, Catchings, Fagan and teammates Stacy Carr, Laurie Donovan and Sherri Konlande were named first team all-Lone Star Conference. After winning the regular season LSC title, A&M-Commerce defeated Midwestern State by a 2-1 margin to win the LSC Tournament for the first tourney title in program history. The Lions were the first-ever LSC representative in the NCAA Tournament. In their debut appearance, they advanced on a 1-0 victory over Incarnate Word. Next, A&M-Commerce dropped its Elite Eight contest to host Cal Poly Pomona by a 2-1 score in overtime. A&M-Commerce finished the season ranked No. 6 in the country.

The 1980 volleyball team posted a 25-18 mark. The Lions rattled off eight straight wins in the post season to reach the finals of the NAIA Championship against Azuza Pacific. East Texas State dropped a 3-15, 15-10, 2-15, 10-15 decision. In pool play leading up to the championship, the Lions did not drop a set. To advance to the championship match, they rallied from a two-set deficit against Nebraska Kearney to win the match in five.

The 1980 football team reached the NAIA semifinals before losing to eventual national champion Elon, 14-6 after posting an 8-3-1 mark. The Lions reached as high as No. 3 in the rankings before ending their season No. 8 in the NAIA polls. Quarterback Wade Wilson led the LSC in total offense and passing en route to being named the J.W. "Dough" Rollins Outstanding Back after passing for 1,978 yards on 116 of 227 passes for 19 touchdowns. Wilson also earned NAIA first team and Associated Press honorable mention All-American honors. For his efforts, the Minnesota Vikings selected Wilson in the eighth round of the NFL draft. Linebacker Danny Kirk was named NAIA second and AP honorable mention All-American, as well as first team all-LSC. Another earning all-LSC recognition on the first team was defensive guard Curtis Ray. Plus, on the second team were defensive guard Jimmy Buster, center Blake Cooper, defensive back Anthony Freeman, split end Randy Smith and honorable mention honors was tackle Bishop Spencer.

Dennis Dyce was originally from Brooklyn, New York before coming to A&M-Commerce, where he was a four-year member of the Lions track and field team from 1967 to 1970. In 1967, he was the Lone Star Conference champion in the 440-yard dash. To date, Dyce is a member of three record-setting relays, which include the outdoor and indoor mile relay, and the sprint medley. He served as a team captain as a junior and as a senior. After graduation from East Texas State, he participated in the 1972 Summer Olympics in Munich, where he was a member of the Jamaican Olympic Team, and was selected as a Distinguished Alumni in 1993.

Harry Fritz was a key member of the 1972 national champion tennis team at East Texas State. He won the 1972 National Singles Championship and partnered up with Bob Hochstadter to win the National Doubles Championship. Fritz was also the 1972 Lone Star Conference singles champion, where he defeated his Lions teammate Hochstadter. He and Hochstadter also teamed up to win the LSC doubles title over teammates. At the end of the season, he was selected as first team All-American and first team all-Lone Star Conference.

James Thrower, who is originally from Camden, Arkansas, was a three-sport athlete at East Texas State in basketball, football, and track and field. He originally came to the Lions on a basketball scholarship, but it was football at which he excelled. As a three-year starter on the football team, he intercepted 12 passes for 135 yards. He also earned one letter in basketball and two in track and field as a member of the 440-yard relay and the high jump. Following his playing days, he went on to a five-year career in the NFL. He spent two seasons with the Philadelphia Eagles and three additional years with the Detroit Lions.

Cheryl Zachary finished second at the 1981 TAIAW State Championships in the discus, with a throw of 143-8 as a senior. As a junior in 1980, Zachary and the Lions tied for fourth place honors with Baylor at the TAIAW State Championships. In the discus, she was second with a throw of 133-8 and fourth in the javelin with a toss of 119 feet. Earlier in the season, Zachary was third in the discus and fifth in the javelin at the ACU Open. At the Lions' home meet, the East Texas State University Invitational, she won the discus and was third in the javelin. At the Sam Houston Invitational, she took second in the discus and fourth in the javelin. As a standout athlete at Grapevine High School, she was the district and regional champion, and brought home fourth-place honors in the discus as a senior.