FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE (4/96)
Four new members have been inducted into the Centenary Athletic Hall of Fame, following Alumni and Family Weekend activities at the College.
Inducted were:
-- Lauren Cotter-Ingram, former All-American tennis player
-- F. H. "Buss" Delaney, former basketball coach
-- Vannie Edwards, former gymnastics coach
-- Willie Jackson, former basketball standout
Cotter-Ingram, a native of Shreveport, transferred to Centenary in 1981 after spending two years at Southern Methodist University. In the finals of the 1983 NAIA National Tennis Tournament, she upset the No. 1 seeded Mary Spain of the College of Charleston in straight sets 6-2, 6-3. She helped lead the Centenary Ladies to a second-place finish in the tournaments. She also finished her career at Centenary with an impressive 3608 singles record.
Edwards coached the ladies gymnastics team and built the program into a national powerhouse in his 13 seasons at Centenary. His teams captured six national championships and seven second-place medals. During his last seven seasons, Edwards' gymnasts won four Association of Intercollegiate Athletics for Women Division II titles, a National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics title and finished with one AIAW second place trophy and one medal. He posted an incredible 86-6 record at Centenary and a 522-18 career coaching record.
Mrs. Martha Delaney accepted the award on behalf of her late husband. Delaney coached the Centenary basketball team for six seasons from 1949-1955. He compiled a 95-76 record during his tenure, with the best season coming in 1952-53 when his team posted a 21-10 record. He later served as a Centenary administrator and was a prominent Shreveport businessman.
Jackson set numerous records during his four-year career as a Gent. He still holds the school and TAAC record for points scored in a career, with 2,435. While at Centenary, Jackson became the only player in TAAC history to be named the league's Player of the Year three times.
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