Huntingdon College to induct eight into Athletic Hall of Fame
MONTGOMERY, Ala. – Eight former Huntingdon standouts will be inducted into the Huntingdon College Athletic Hall of Fame this weekend. The ceremony will be held in the Leo J. Drum, Jr. Theater at 10 a.m. and is open to the public.
The eight inductees represent six sports and five different decades of Huntingdon athletics. This year's inductees are Larry Hinds, Tyler Jones, Jim Meeks, Brandy Milstead, Bob Owen, Chris Saba, Tony Stallworth and Les Stuedeman
Huntingdon College Athletic Hall of Fame
Class of 2013
Larry Hinds '63 was born and raised in Carbon Hill, Ala. After a year at Birmingham-Southern College, Larry transferred to Huntingdon in 1959, and was a student-athlete participating in the Huntingdon baseball and basketball teams. He also served as president of his senior class of 1963. Following graduation from Huntingdon, Larry received a graduate degree from the University of Alabama in 1969. Larry's career began as a teacher and coach in Alabama and Georgia before becoming an administrator in 1969 with the Cobb County School System in Marietta, Ga. He went on to serve as a high school assistant principal, high school principal, and as an assistant superintendent for seven years. Larry left education in 1980 and entered finance and retirement planning, and fully retired in 1997. Larry is married to Harriet Hicks, and they reside in Acworth, Ga. They attend Acworth United Methodist Church and have traveled extensively during retirement. In the 50 years since Larry's graduation from Huntingdon, he has remained fiercely loyal to his alma mater.
Tyler Jones '08, of Decatur, Ala., was a first-team All-American third baseman for the Huntingdon Hawks baseball team during his senior season. During that stellar season, Tyler finished 26th in the nation in runs batted in (1.32 per game); 27th toughest to strike out (27.3 at bats per strike out); and 46th nationally with a .427 batting average. Additionally, Tyler was named South Region and first-team All-American his junior season. During the course of Tyler's Huntingdon career, he was a 13-time Great South Athletic Conference Player of the Week, three-time GSAC first-team All-Conference selection, first-team GSAC All-Freshman team and GSAC Freshman of the Year runner-up. In 472 at-bats, Tyler finished his Huntingdon career with 196 hits, a .415 career batting average, 151 RBIs, 13 home runs, 112 runs scored, and a .640 slugging percentage. He also had 39 career stolen bases. Today, Tyler resides in Decatur and works with his father, Mike Jones, at Jones Financial. Since graduating from Huntingdon, Tyler and his family have continued to be generous with their time and resources in support of Huntingdon baseball. It is not uncommon to see Tyler or his father along the first base sideline of a home game, or spending a weekend on the road watching Huntingdon baseball. In addition to his work in financial services, Tyler is a talented musician with The Wheelers Band and with Landers and Friends. Tyler is engaged to be married to Anna Elizabeth Wood of Huntsville.
Jim Meeks '87 is a native of Florence, Ala., and a graduate of Coffee High School. He was a member of Huntingdon's 1986 and 1987 national championship golf teams. Individually, he was a first-team All-American his senior year and missed All-American honors by one shot as a junior. In addition to being a solid contributor to two national championship teams, Jim is remembered by his teammates as the spiritual leader of the team. After majoring in marketing at Huntingdon and graduating in 1987, Jim spent most of his professional working career in the medical field before a short stint as a banker. In 1999, he was called into full-time ministry. Halfway through a master's degree program at Southern Seminary, he became the Minister of Education and Leadership at a Baptist Church in Kentucky. In 2007, he completed a master's of divinity degree from Southern Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky at the Billy Graham School of Missions, Evangelism and Church Growth. He also served one other Southern Baptist Church for a few years just outside of Nashville, Tenn., before accepting his current position as an Associate Pastor of Capshaw Baptist Church in the Huntsville area. Jim and his wife, Leslie, have three children.
Brandy Milstead '08 is a native of Ozark, Ala., and a graduate of Carroll High School. She was a member of the Huntingdon women's tennis teams that won Great South Athletic Conference championships in 2007 and 2008. She was named the 2007 GSAC Women's Tennis Player of the Year, 2007 GSAC Tournament MVP and she was a member of the All-Freshman Team in 2005. She was also a member of the All-Academic Team in 2007 and 2008, and multiple recipient of the Singles Player of the Week honors and Doubles Players of the Week with her partner Amanda Thomley. She was an ITA Scholar-Athlete from 2006-2008, and was the 2007 Huntingdon Female Student-Athlete of the Year. An injury her senior year forced her to miss most of her senior season, but she accumulated 73 career wins (35 in singles play and 38 in doubles). Brandy was also a Huntingdon Ambassador, a Huntingdon Host, an active member of SGA and Chi Omega, Miss Huntingdon 2006, a member of the Homecoming Court, Concert Choir and numerous honor societies. In June 2013, Brandy graduated from the University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Medicine. While at UAB, she was part of medical mission teams to the Dominican Republic and to Haiti. She has also been involved in Equal Access Birmingham and the Summit Scholars Program of Birmingham. This summer, Brandy moved to Roanoke, Va., to begin her first-year of residency in emergency medicine at the Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine.
Bob Owen '66 came to Huntingdon from Pompano Beach High School in Florida on a basketball scholarship. While a student at Huntingdon, Bob was involved in the Business Club and the H-Club and was a member of the Hawks basketball team that went to the NAIA tournament in Kansas City. Following graduation from Huntingdon with a degree in business administration, Bob worked for Sears in its management training program in Montgomery. After five years, he started a very successful Allstate Insurance agency in the Atlanta area where he remained for 31 years. When he sold his agency, it was one of the largest in the state of Georgia. Bob has been active in the Georgia Chapter of Safari Club International, serving as a director for many years and later as vice president and president. He is a member of the Scottish Rite, the Yaarab Shrine, the Snellville Lodge #99 F&AM, the Big Canoe Chapel, and a former member of the Board of Prevent Child Abuse of Pickens County. He has served Huntingdon faithfully as a loyal supporter, member of the Alumni Board, and was instrumental in the Huntingdon College Athletic Hall of Fame. Bob is married to Betty Owen, and they have two children and four grandchildren.
Chris Saba '08 was born and raised in Pensacola, Fla., where he was the valedictorian of Woodham High School in 2004, as well as a letterman in five sports. A four-year letterman for the Huntingdon soccer team, Chris started 74 out of 76 games played, and totaled over 6,800 minutes on the field. He finished his career with 32 goals and 25 assists, and served as the team Captain his junior and senior seasons. Chris was a four-year selection to the All-Conference Team and All-Academic Team for the Great South Athletic Conference. He was also a member of the GSAC All-Freshmen Team, as well as the recipient of the NSCAA College Men's Team Academic Award. He graduated magna cum laude and was also awarded the Irene Brinson Monro Award for the highest grade point average among graduating history majors. Chris then attended Florida Coastal School of Law in Jacksonville, Fla. While at Florida Coastal, Chris was an active member in various student organizations including the Student Bar Association and Honor Court, as well as serving as a teaching assistant and research assistant. Chris was also on the executive council for the nationally ranked Moot Court Honor Board. He was awarded Best Advocate and Best Brief awards at the 2011 National Appellate Advocacy Competition, a Best Advocate award at the 2010 National Appellate Advocacy Competition, and a Best Brief award at the 2010 Zehmer Workers' Compensation Competition. He also interned as a judicial law clerk for the Honorable Thomas E. Morris of the United States District Court for the Middle District of Florida. Chris graduated cum laude from Florida Coastal in 2011 and began as a law clerk with Vernis & Bowling of North Florida in 2011, shortly after taking the Florida Bar Exam. Upon passing the Florida Bar Exam in September, Chris became an associate attorney with the firm. He practices in the areas of Civil Rights Litigation, Employment Litigation, Real Estate Litigation, Automobile Liability, and Premises Liability.
Anthony C. "Tony" Stallworth '78 is a Monroe County native who graduated from J. F. Shields High School in Beatrice. He played on the 1972 J.F. Shields state basketball championship team, then attended Lomax-Hannon Junior College in Greenville for two years on a basketball scholarship before completing his undergraduate degree at Huntingdon College in 1978. He was a member of the Huntingdon basketball teams in 1976-77 and 1977-78. As a junior, Tony averaged 13 points per game and 4 assists. He had some memorable moments in some key conference games, but his leadership and the ability to adapt is how Tony was best known. An injury caused him to miss his senior year, but he remained a leader from the bench and was praised by head coach Neal Posey and his teammates for his attitude and spirit. He later earned his master's degree in Physical Education at Alabama State University, earned a Certificate of Administration at Auburn University-Montgomery and his Class AA degree in Educational Administration from Alabama State. Tony began his coaching career as an assistant basketball coach at Lomax-Hannon from 1978-83 while working as Supervisor of Parks and Recreation for the Dunbar Center in Greenville. He moved to Monroe Senior High School in 1983 where he served as assistant basketball and head track coach for five years. In 1988 he moved to Brantley High School where he compiled a 48-0 record as head junior high coach and assistant boys varsity basketball coach for two years. He served as Brantley's head boys' basketball coach from 1990-2005, compiling a 298-47 record with three state championships – the Class 1A crown in 1993 and 1994 and the 2A state title in 1995. He was named Class 1A Coach of the Year in 1993 and 1994 and Class 2A Coach of the Year in 1995. Tony also served as assistant principal from 1997-2005, became principal from 2006-08 and moved to the Crenshaw County Board of Education in 2008. Today, he serves as the Associate Executive Director of the Alabama High School Athletic Association where his duties include the coordination of the AHSAA's Coaches Education program, the school audit program, the Reclassification Committee, and middle school/junior high professional development work with all championship events.
Lorraine "Les" Stuedeman '93 lettered for three seasons as a catcher for the Huntingdon softball team. She earned All-American and All-District Honors in 1992, and All-District in 1990 and 1991. She graduated from Huntingdon in 1993 and went on to obtain a master's degree in education from the University of West Alabama while she served as an assistant softball coach. After a successful one-year stint as the head coach at Hewitt-Trussville High School, in 1995, Les became the first softball coach at the University of Alabama in Huntsville (UAH). Surpassing 1,000 games coached during the 2012 campaign, she has guided the Chargers to an impressive 803-249-1 (.763) record. The Chargers have averaged more than 47 wins per season under Stuedeman, and her teams have never had a losing season. Les is the second winningest active coach in Division II, and became just the 19th coach in Division II history to win 800 games. She currently ranks 14th all-time across all divisions in winning percentage – a number that ranks second among active Division II coaches and fifth all-time in Division II. Stuedeman's teams have earned a berth to the NCAA Tournament 16 times – including a stretch of 11 in a row with the team's 2013 berth – and the Chargers have captured four South Region titles (1999, 2001, 2009 and 2011). In 2009 and 2011, she guided the Chargers to the brink of a national championship finishing as the Division II Softball World Series runner-up both seasons. Stuedeman and her staff have been named South Region Coaching Staff of the Year six times (1996, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2009 and 2011). In her extraordinarily successful collegiate coaching stint, Stuedeman also has seven Gulf South Conference Coach of the Year titles to her credit as she garnered the award in 1996, 2001, and 2002 before winning it four consecutive seasons from 2008-11. The program's success in the conference was highlighted when in 2010 Stuedeman was named GSC East Division Coach of the Decade, while the Chargers were also picked as the decade's top softball program. In addition to her responsibilities at the helm of the softball program, Stuedeman was named the Senior Women's Administrator for the UAH Department of Athletics in 2010. Along with coaching on the college and high school levels, Stuedeman has been instrumental in the growth of fastpitch softball in North Alabama as she coached and helped organize the first 12-and-under softball travel team in Huntsville. She joins her sister, Vann Stuedeman '94, in the Huntingdon College Athletic Hall of Fame.