Three MSU Players Among LSC 75th Anniversary Team
RICHARDSON, Texas - Midwestern State University's Jerome Jackson, Lindy Lombard and Terrence Thomas have been chosen among the top 75 men's and women's basketball players and coaches from the Lone Star Conference's first 75 years have been recognized in a listing announced by league officials Thursday as the year-long anniversary celebration continues.
The LSC, known to be the oldest collegiate athletic conference in the southwestern United States, is celebrating its 75th anniversary this year with a tribute to its outstanding teams and great sports personalities. An NCAA Division II conference with 15 member institutions in Oklahoma, New Mexico and Texas, the LSC was founded on April 25, 1931. The 1931-32 athletic seasons were the first for the league.In October, 75 football standouts were honored.
The Top 75 basketball listing includes 38 men's and 20 women's players along with 17 coaches.Some of the notable names include Eddie Robinson, Guy V. Lewis, Jim Seward, Nick Keith, Bob Schneider, Pete Harris and James Silas.
Midwestern State, who has been a member of the league for a decade, was recognized by three players who helped lead the school to its consecutive NCAA Division II tournament appearances in the sport.
Jerome Jackson was the LSC South Player of the Year in 2000 and helped lead Midwestern to consecutive LSC Championships in 1999 and 2000.He scored 998 points in his MSU career, averaging 12.2 points in his senior season.
Lindy Lombard, a member of the MSU Hall of Honor, helped lead MSU to the 2001 LSC Championship and a runner-up position in 2002.Lombard, who scored 1,452 points in her four-year career, was the 2001 LSC North Player of the Year and a two-time first-team All-LSC North selection.
Terrence Thomas, a member of the MSU Hall of Honor, was an All-LSC and All-LSC Tournament performer.He averaged 13.1 points and shot 37.2 percent from the three-point arc for his career in helping MSU to back-to-back LSC titles in 1999 and 2000.
A number of players on the list still hold LSC records including Melanie Carter, Jennifer Clarkson, Nicole Collins, Fred Davis, Jack Fryman, Kay Goodwin, Nate Granger, Harris, Gary Hopkins, Teresa Jones-Benson, James Lister, Lorie Martinez, Robinson, Claudia Schleyer, Hoegie Simmons, Anita Vigil and Alex Wright.
Five members of the list are presently a part of the LSC: Rick Cooper, men's head coach at West Texas A&M; Larry Gipson, men's head coach at Northeastern State; Jared Mosley, Director of Athletics at Abilene Christian; Lonn Reisman, Athletic Director and men's head coach at Tarleton State; and Sally Walling Brooks, women's head coach at Angelo State.
Robinson currently plays for the Idaho Stampede, a member of the NBA Development League.The former Central Oklahoma standout was first-team All-LSC North, LSC North MVP, first team All-American and the Bronchos' first-ever national scoring champion (28.0 average) in 1999.He also poured in a school-record 52 points before playing five NBA seasons with the Charlotte Hornets and Chicago Bulls.He appeared in 278 NBA games, making 48 starts and averaging 7 points and 2.7 rebounds per game.
Lewis led Houston to back-to-back LSC titles in 1946 and 1947 as team captain before starting his coaching career.He became an assistant coach for the Cougars in 1953 and head coach in 1956.Lewis guided the program to 27 straight winning seasons and 14 seasons with 20 or more wins, including 14 trips to the NCAA Tournament, five times making the Final Four and twice playing in the NCAA Championship game, in 1983 and 1984. Houston lost both championship games with the "Phi Slamma Jamma" teams featuring Clyde Drexler and Hakeem Olajuwon before Lewis retired in 1986.
Seward brought a tempo of play never seen before or since to the LSC.The Bronchos scored 100-plus points 104 times during his 15-year tenure, including an NCAA Division II record 23 times during the 1991-92 season when UCO averaged 113.6 points a game to lead all divisions and the NBA.Seward opened the door for LSC men's basketball success in the NCAA tournament by winning the South Central Regional title and taking the first LSC team to the Elite Eight in 1992.
Keith directed Southeastern Oklahoma to national prominence in both NAIA and NCAA Division II competition.His 24-year career produced 402 victories, five straight trips to the NAIA National Tournament and one appearance in the NCAA Division II National Tournament.He was inducted into the NAIA Hall of Fame in 2006 and will be inducted into the SOSU Athletics Hall of Fame in 2007.
Schneider coached for 43 years including 26 seasons at West Texas A&M and three years at Texas Woman's.The Lady Buffs captured nine LSC championships while winning 585 games before he retired in 2006.
Harris and Silas were part of three consecutive LSC title teams for Stephen F. Austin from 1970-72.Harris was the league MVP in 1972 after averaging 19.3 rebounds a game.
Silas led SFA to a 29-1 record, averaging 30.7 points per game, his senior year.He went on to play in the ABA and NBA with the San Antonio Spurs for eight seasons.An exceptional free throw shooter throughout his entire career, Silas #13 was retired by the Spurs in 1984 and he is currently one of only four players to have received that honor.
Below is the list of all 75 players and coaches in alphabetical order by school.
Abilene Christian : Melanie Carter; Jennifer Clarkson; Rodney Fedell; Suzanne Fox; Mike Martin; Burl McCoy; Jared Mosley; Caroline Omamo; Andrew Prince; Claudia Schleyer; Anita Vigil.
Angelo State : Kelly Clark; Nicole Collins; Ed Messbarger; Sally Walling Brooks.
Central Oklahoma : Tyrone Hopkins; Joe Newton; Eddie Robinson; Junie Sanders; Jim Seward; Alex Wright.
East Central : Teresa Jones-Benson; Roland Miller.
East Texas State/Texas A&M-Commerce : Bob Carpenter; Nate Granger; Jim Gudger; Andrea Hines; Lee Johnson; Shelby Metcalf; Jim Miller; Bob Rogers; O'Neal Tarrant.
Eastern New Mexico : Jennifer Goble-Poyer.
Houston : Guy V. Lewis.
Howard Payne : Fred Davis; Gary Hopkins; Melanie Mayer; Peggy Taylor.
Lamar : Johnny Johnston.
McMurry : Randall Caussey.
Midwestern State : Jerome Jackson; Lindy Lombard; Terrence Thomas.
Northeastern State : Larry Gipson; Darnell Hinson; Wes Pitcock; John Shepherd.
Sam Houston State : James Lister.
Southeastern Oklahoma : Nick Keith; Brandi Robinson.
Southwestern Oklahoma : Milan Pepper.
Stephen F. Austin : Pete Harris; James Silas.
Sul Ross : Jack Fryman.
Tarleton State : Danny Jones; Lonn Reisman; LaShon Sheffield.
Texas A&I/ Texas A&M-Kingsville : Bill Carter; Kay Goodwin; Lorie Martinez; Hoegie Simmons; Ed Turner.
Southwest Texas
Texas Woman's : Peggy Allen-McCoy; Tammi Julch-Williams.
West Texas A&M : Rick Cooper; Martin Lattibeaudiere; Pat McDonald; Bob Schneider; Celeste Stevenson; Vanessa Wells.