Six honored at Hall of Honor induction

The Wayland Baptist Athletics Hall of Honor grew by five members and another Harley Redin Coaches Award winner was introduced during a ceremony held Saturday morning at McClung University Center.

Jim Carlisle, Shahala Hawkins, Alden Mann, Tamyra Mensah-Stock and Mary Williams were inducted into the Hall of Honor as the 29^th class, and Kathy Harston became the 11^th recipient of the Redin Award.

The ceremony was emceed by former WBU Athletics Director Dr. Greg Feris, who was largely responsible for launching the Hall of Honor in the early 1990s.

Current WBU AD Jim Giacomazzi presented plaques to each recipient, a copy of which will hang in the Hall of Honor room located in Hutcherson Center.
 

---

Read their stories:
Kathy Harston
Tamyra Mensah-Stock
Jim Carlisle
Shahala Hawkins
Mary Williams
Alden Mann

---

Olympic champion wrestler Tamyra Mensah-Stock gave her plaque to her former coach at Wayland, Johnny Cobb. "I wouldn't be here without your exhaustive diligence," Mensah-Stock told Cobb, who seemed reluctant to accept Mensah-Stock's plaque. "You're taking it," she told him. "This is the biggest award I've had."

Mary Williams said she was "truly blessed to be the first black to play with the Flying Queens" in 1969. "I was blessed to be at Wayland. They were good to me. They took me in like I was part of the family, and when I left I still felt like part of the family…and still do."

Carlisle served as Wayland's first fulltime assistant track & field coach in the 1970s before going on to become one of the most respected track officials in the nation. Carlisle died in 2020. "Wayland was his pride and joy," said Carlisle's widow, Traci. "He was very proud of this university."

Family friend Jack Gilmore also spoke, reciting Wayland's alma mater and then referencing a line from it to honor Carlisle. "Jim kept his spirit strong and his courage bold," Gilmore said.

Hawkins, the catalyst behind the Wayland volleyball team's run to the 2013 national semifinals, attributed her success to those around her. "I trusted our teammates and trusted (Coach) Jim (Giacomazzi)." Hawkins was supported at the induction by the entire current Pioneer volleyball team.

Mann is the first football player since Wayland restarted the program in 2012 to be inducted. "I never imagined I would be standing here," he said, adding, "The journey was amazing. What makes every journey worthwhile are the ups and downs, especially the downs. I'm so grateful for every bump in the road."

Harston, the former Flying Queen player and University of Texas assistant women's basketball coach now serving as UT's senior associate athletics director for sports programs, said Wayland "allowed my dreams to come true as a women's basketball player. Playing at Wayland was a dream come true for this small-town girl from the Metroplex." Harston also is a member of the WBU Athletics Hall of Honor, inducted in 2008.