Betty Austin named to SIAC Hall of Fame

ATLANTA--The Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference ("SIAC") will induct its first Hall of Fame class since 2000, by honoring a heralded group of 15 former student-athletes, coaches and administrators.

One of those individuals will include Alabama A&M great Betty Austin.

Austin, a 1974 A&M graduate and retiree spent the last six-plus years on "The Hill" as the athletics director after taking over for the late Jim Martin. Before becoming athletics director, Austin served in a number of capacities, most notably as the volleyball coach, where she led the Bulldogs to unprecedented success, and Senior Woman Administrator.

Austin captured more than 600 wins during her 30-year tenure as volleyball coach.
A&M won 17 conference championships, including 11 as a Division II member in the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference and six as a Division I member in the Southwestern Athletic Conference, during her illustrious career. She was named SWAC Coach of the Year during each of her championship seasons.

Austin retired from coaching following the 2006 season, ending her career with a 603-235 record. She also served as the women's basketball coach at A&M for six seasons from the late 1970s to the early 1980s. In fact, Austin was hired to develop women's sports at A&M by then-president Richard Morrison in 1976.

During her time as athletics director, Austin increased revenue streams for the athletic department with guarantee games, including a $500,000 payday when A&M played at Auburn University, developed a student-athlete academic resource center and opened a new sports medicine treatment facility.

She also completed renovations to Elmore Gym in 2008 to include new reserved seating in the arena's lower level. She has also increased events at Louis Crews Stadium. A&M has hosted a FIFA international soccer match, the Alabama High School All-Star Football Game, the Alabama Renegades women's football team and the Huntsville Black Arts Festival.

Austin, who had been at A&M for 35 years, became the second long-time member of the school's athletic department to retire

"In conjunction with the one hundredth anniversary of our conference, and on behalf of the SIAC Council of Presidents, we are pleased and honored to announce this Hall of Fame Class which features some of our most renown former student-athletes who have distinguished themselves both on and off of their respective fields and courts of play."

Shannon Sharpe (Savannah State) and Deacon Jones (South Carolina State), a pair of Pro Football Hall of Fame inductees, along with Major League Baseball Hall of Famer Andre "The Hawk" Dawson (Florida A&M), and former Temple University head basketball coach John Cheney, headline the class of inductees that will be introduced as the SIAC's centennial Hall of Fame Class.

Other Inductees include: Betty Austin (Alabama A&M), Hampton "Hamp" Smith (Albany State), Lonnie Bartley (Fort Valley State), Greg Lloyd (Fort Valley State), Tyrone Poole (Fort Valley State), Clemon Johnson (Florida A&M), Willie "Galloping Gal" Galimore (Florida A&M), William Nicks (Morris Brown), Donn Clendenon (Morehouse), Harold Ellis (Morehouse) and Samuel "Herc" Goodwin (South Carolina State).

The group will be inducted at the SIAC Centennial Hall of Fame Gala on March 5th, 2014 in Birmingham, Alabama. The event will take place the week of the SIAC Centennial Basketball Tournament, which will also be played in the Magic City the week of March 3-8, 2014.

The inductees were selected by the SIAC Hall of Fame Selection Committee, a body of athletic administrators representing former and current member institutions.

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