The Anderson University Athletics Hall of Fame welcomed four new members on Saturday night in the Kardatzke Wellness Center as they inducted the Class of 2008.
David Courtney, Larry Holloway, Rodney Nealeigh and Clarice Rose make up the 12th class to be inducted and bring the total membership in the exclusive club to 63 former athletes, coaches and contributors to Anderson University.
Courtney, who was originally from Anderson, earned four letters in both football and baseball for the Ravens on the playing fields. He was a two-time MVP in football (1974, ‘76) and was named All-Conference and an All-American in 1976. In baseball, he was All-Conference after the 1977 season.
Courtney, who was one of six in his family to attend Anderson, married 1979 AU grad Rhonda Freeman and they have three children: Wade, Logan and Luke.
He set the single season rushing record with 997 yards in 1976 and also held school records for career rushing yards (2,818) and attempts (533), single game rushing yards (211) and attempts (39) and career 100-yard rushing games (12) when he graduated in 1977.
Holloway, who passed away last July 8, was the head coach of the softball team for 24 seasons and a member of the Raven coaching staff since the sports birth in 1978. He was an eight-time Coach of the Year with five conference championships and five post-season tournament titles.
Holloway finished with 431 victories, which ranked 21st on the NCAA Div. III career softball list. He was also named HCAC Coach of the Year at the age of 71 after the 2007 season, becoming the oldest person in NCAA Div. III to win that honor. He had seven conference MVPs, 71 All-Conference players and his teams also made three NCAA Div. III regional appearances (1999, 2000, 2007), finishing third in his final season at the Central Regional.
Holloway is survived by his wife of more than 50 years, Betty Jo Millage, and his six children: Tony, Terri, Tandy, Tracy, Teffenie and Trecia.
Nealeigh played just two seasons with the Raven baseball team (1979-80), but was twice named team MVP, All-Conference and All-American, including 1st Team his sophomore season. He still ranks fifth on the career ERA list (2.03) and ranks in the top five in four pitching categories. He also threw a no-hitter against Earlham on May 6,1980.
He was drafted by the Montreal Expos, playing four seasons professionally and reaching AA level. Nealeigh returned to be an assistant coach under Don Brandon for four seasons, including the first trip to the NAIA World Series in 1984. He earned his bachelor’s degree from Anderson in 1985 and added his master’s degree in Special Education in 2000 from the University of Dayton.
Nealeigh and his wife Christine have four children: Cody, Clint, Cassidy and Colton.
Rose was an athlete at Anderson before women’s sports were officially recognized by the NCAA and NAIA. She was a member of the school’s women’s basketball and softball teams during her years at Anderson (1950-54). She also played on the tennis team and organized a city softball team for three years.
She earned her bachelor’s degree from Anderson in 1954 and later added her teaching degree in Pennsylvania. She continued to play tennis weekly until she was 72 and still plays golf.
Rose and her husband Richard had three children: Scott, Eric and Craig.
