Nine finalists unveiled for 2026 Carson-Newman Athletics Hall of Fame Class, voting open
JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. – Carson-Newman's athletics club executive committee has released the nine individuals up for consideration for induction into the Carson-Newman Athletics Hall of Fame.
2025 Induction ceremony tickets
JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. – Carson-Newman's athletics club executive committee has released the nine individuals up for consideration for induction into the Carson-Newman Athletics Hall of Fame.
Voting is open to all former Carson-Newman athletes, coaches and administrators. It can be done at the following link: cneagles.com/HallOfFame/2025HoFBallot
Voting will close March 8 at 12:01 a.m.
Nominations are accepted year-round, but close on Aug. 1 of each year. Nominations can be made at: cneagles.com/HallOfFame/HofNom.
Individuals who finished their playing careers in May of 2015 or earlier are now eligible for nomination/induction.
The individuals up for consideration for the class of 2026 are listed below in alphabetical order.
Jeff Bedard (1993), wrestling; Jerald Ellington (1964), basketball; Megan Elliot (2006), softball; Donna Mapp (1985), women's basketball; Leroy Mincey (1992), football; David Needs (1998-2024), head track & field coach; Reggie Perkins (2002), football; Jenna Rust (2024), volleyball; and Fred Woolwine (1950), football.
Jeff Bedard, wrestling (1993) – An NAIA National Champion wrestler and two-time All-American, Bedard was the 1988 NAIA Most Outstanding Wrestler and the Gorriaran Award Winner. He recorded the most falls in the 1988 tournament. Bedard went to serve in the US Army where he won the Military World Championships. He has coached wrestling collegiately for 30 years at the time of his nomination. He has coached two college national champions, a national runner-up and 34 All-Americans.
Jerald Ellington, men's basketball (1964) - Carson-Newman men's basketball's ninth all-time leading scorer at the time of his nomination. Ellington scored 1,663 points over the course of his career at Carson-Newman. Ellington helped Carson-Newman to an appearance in the top 10 and a trio of NAIA National Tournament appearances, including an appearance in the Final Four in 1964.
Megan Elliot, softball (2006) – Carson-Newman softball's all-time leader for pitching victories, Elliot won 110 games in her C-N softball career. She is one of six, four-time All-SAC selections for the C-N softball program and the 2005 SAC Pitcher of the Year. Elliot ranks second all-time in C-N history and third in SAC history with 38 career shutouts. Her 739 career strikeouts are a school record and the third-most in league history. She helped C-N to two NCAA tournaments, two SAC regular season titles and the 2005 SAC tournament crown.
Donna Mapp, women's basketball (1985) - An NAIA All-American in 1985. Mapp helped Carson-Newman to 59 wins against just nine losses as a junior and senior. She helped the Eagles to a pair of NAIA National Tournament appearances. A prolific rebounder, she was the first player in school history to snag average double-digit rebounds per game. Her 720 career rebounds are still 10th in school history. She was an active member of Carson-Newman's ROTC while she played.
Leroy Mincey, football (1992) – A two-time All-American and 1990 SAC Defensive Player of the Year, Mincey is one of the most fearsome defensive linemen in school history. At the time of nomination, he is third all-time in school history in career tackles (399) and second in career fumbles recovered (seven). He was a part of three SAC titles and the 1988 national title team.
David Needs, head track & field coach (1998-2024) - A three-time USTFCCCAA Region Coach of the Year, over the last decade under Needs' direction, Carson-Newman can tout three national champions, three national runners-up, 63 All-Americans, 72 national qualifiers, 225 all-region selections and 49 South Atlantic Conference Champions. Additionally, he has coached five SAC Track Athletes of the Year, one SAC Male Athlete of the Year, one Olympia and helped in the development of seven USTFCCCAA Southeast Region Assistant Coaches of the Year.
Reggie Perkins, football (2005) – Perkins is the only three-time All-American offensive lineman in Carson-Newman football's history. He was a part of four straight SAC titles and three NCAA playoff appearances. In 2004, he won the Jacobs Blocking Trophy as the top offensive lineman in the South Atlantic Conference. That year he also earned consensus All-America honors, one of nine players all-time to earn that distinction.
Jenna Rust, volleyball (2004) – Jenna Rust helped put Carson-Newman volleyball on the map, assisting in guiding the Eagles to their first regular season and tournament SAC titles. At the time of her nomination, she is second in school history in career kills with 1,572. Rust has the most digs of any non-libero/DS with 2,000 – still good enough for fifth all-time. She ranks in the top 10 in school history in blocks. Rust is the only player to have donned the orange and blue for the volleyball program to be named the player of the year by the league.
Fred Woolwine, football (1950) – A member of Carson-Newman Football's Team of the Century, Woolwine scored the first field goal in Carson-Newman football history (a 41-yarder in 1949). He was a member of C-N's 1947 Burley Bowl team and Smoky Mountain Conference Championship team. Woolwine averaged 40 yards per punt, drawing national recognition from the Johnson City News Chronicle.
Tickets are on sale for the 2025 Carson-Newman Athletics Hall of Fame Banquet, set for Friday, April 4 in the Stokely Memorial Building on Carson-Newman's campus.
Tickets are 50 dollars per person. Ticket holders are encouraged to arrive at 6 p.m. for an hour of fellowship and meet and greet with the inductees. The dinner and ceremony will follow at 7 p.m.
The group will be recognized at Carson-Newman football's spring game the next day.
The 2025 honorees are Aubrey Morris (2009), cross country; Julie Nelson (2007), women's soccer; Chuck Proffitt (1992), football; Dan Redding (1991-2020), football assistant coach; Dwight Wilson (1984), football.
To nominate a former Carson-Newman athlete for the 2027 Hall of Fame, click here and fill out the nomination form. Individuals can only nominate two people in each nomination cycle. Nominations for the 2027 Hall of Fame close Aug. 1, 2025.
This year's class could balloon to eight. Former New England Patriot Todd Collins, Olympic Bronze Medalist wrestler Lazaro Reinoso and women's soccer All-American Rebecca Angus have been tabbed for induction in previous years, but have yet to be able to make a ceremony to be officially inducted into the Hall of Fame.
