CLARKSVILLE, Tenn.?Three highly-decorated and record-setting former Austin Peay State University athletes were inducted into the University's Athletics Hall of Fame, Saturday.
Brooke Armistead, who owns the women's basketball program's all-time scoring record among other marks, A.J. Ellis, Governors baseball all-time hits leader, and Sheena Gooding, who left her name plastered all over the Lady Govs track record book, were inducted Saturday during breakfast ceremonies in the Dunn Center's front lobby.
The induction ceremonies saw APSU Athletic Hall of Fame grow to 92. The newest inductees, and their families, also were honored during halftime ceremonies of the Governors home basketball contest against rival Murray State.
Armistead, who was introduced by former Lady Govs teammate Paige Smith, quite simply is the greatest women's basketball in APSU history. Armistead left Austin Peay as the Lady Govs all-time leading scorer ? second all-time in OVC history ? while leading the Lady Govs to three straight OVC tourney titles and NCAA tourney appearances. She was named first-team All-OVC for three straight years and earned OVC All-Tournament all four seasons.
As a senior in 2002-03, the Elmwood native averaged an OVC-leading 18.9 ppg to help lead the Lady Govs to a 27-4 record, including a league-record 22 straight victories, and an unprecedented 16-0 conference mark. In the process, she was named OVC "Player of the Year" and OVC tournament MVP, the second time she earned the award. She scored 30 points against North Carolina in the Lady Govs heartbreaking 2003 NCAA tourney loss.
Armistead also was named OVC "Female Athlete of the Year" and the Steve Hamilton Sportsmanship Award recipient, annually presented to an OVC male or female student-athlete who best exemplifies the characteristics of the late Morehead State student-athlete, coach and administrator Steve Hamilton.
Armistead finished her career with 2,508 points, and probably would have broken the OVC scoring record (2,526) if a head injury hadn't forced her to miss three games in her senior season. She ended as the NCAA's 29th all-time scoring leader and left as APSU's career leader in scoring, field goals, field goals attempted, free throws, free throws attempted and free-throw percentage.
After earning OVC "Freshman of the Year" in 1999-2000, Armistead was named to three consecutive first-team All-OVC squads. Along the way, she also was named all-tournament in all 10 tournaments (regular season and postseason) that named all-tournament squads, including four straight OVC all-tourney teams.
She also was named MVP of the Unilever Tiger Classic at Missouri in her senior season.
In addition to leaving as APSU's all-time leading scorer, Armistead also owns the career mark for career scoring average (20.9 ppg).
After her senior season in 2003, she became the first OVC player to be drafted by the WNBA.
She was named Austin Peay's Female Joy Award recipient as the most valuable senior athlete along with Most Outstanding Female Athlete.
Off the field she was equally impressive. As a senior, Armistead was presented the Governors Club Academic Achievement Award for owning the highest GPA (3.85) of graduating APSU senior athletes. In addition, she was a three-time OVC Medal of Honor recipient, a four-time member of the OVC Commissioner's Honor Roll and three-time honoree as the Lady Govs Scholar-Athlete. Armistead was named 2002-03 second-team Academic All-America after earning Academic All-District three times.
On Feb. 7, 2004, she became the first APSU women's athlete to watch her jersey retired. Her uniform number 10 joined six others on the APSU Wall of Fame?football greats John Ogles (#30) and Harold "Red" Roberts (#84) and men's basketball standouts Tom Morgan (#52), Howard Wright (#30), Charles "Bubba" Wells (#13) and Trenton Hassell (#44). James “Fly” Williams (#35) will join that group Thursday.
Ellis came to Austin Peay literally without a position. As a prep player at Lexington Dunbar High School, he played catcher, pitcher, first base and in the outfield. After a standout freshman fall campaign with the bat it was decided he would eventually be catcher. Ellis proved to be one of the most consistent Bat Govs in APSU history during his four Austin Peay years.
He moved into the starting lineup as a freshman and proved to be a superb player no matter where he played. As a freshman, he was first-team All-OVC as a utility player, splitting his time between first base and designated hitter while batting .368. He also was named to the Louisville Slugger All-Freshman team.
As a sophomore, he was named first-team All-OVC as a first baseman after batting .335 with 10 home runs and 58 RBI.
Then he moved to catcher on a fulltime basis in his junior season, which saw him bat .371 with nine homers and 44 RBI while earning his third straight first-team All-OVC honor at his third different position.
Entering his senior season, Ellis was named by Baseball America as a "Player to Watch" in the Ohio Valley Conference as a member of its preseason all-conference team, Austin Peay's sole representative. He didn't disappoint. As a senior, Ellis, who was voted team captain, batted .337 with seven home runs 38 RBI.
He earned first-team All-OVC for a fourth straight year?one of only five baseball players in OVC history to earn such distinction.
He left Austin Peay as its all-time career hits leader (263)?17 more than the closest pursuer?and ranks among the top 10 in 14 total categories.
Along the way, he developed into one of the league's top throwing catchers, literally shutting down the opposition's running game.
Off the field, the public relations major with an English writing minor, was a three-time Academic All-America nominee. He was a seven-time member of the Athletics Director's Honor Roll and four-time member of the Dean's List. Three times he was named to the OVC Commissioner's Honor Roll. He also was heavily involved in the Student-Athlete Advisory Council (SAAC).
He also was named the 2002-03 Male Joy Award recipient as the most valuable senior athlete.
Following his senior season, Ellis was selected in the 18th round of 2003 Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft beginning a six-year minor league career, including a two-year stay in Class AA with the Jacksonville Suns.
Twice he was named Southern League Player of the Week in 2007 and earned a promotion to Class AAA in 2008.
In 2008, he earned an invitation to the Class AAA All-Star game in July and finished the season with a .321 batting average for the Las Vegas 51s. As a result of his outstanding season, he earned his first major league promotion with the Los Angeles Dodgers in early September.
Ellis was introduced by former APSU baseball assistant coach Brian Hetland.
When former APSU track coach Elvis Forde recruited Gooding from his native Barbados, he knew two things: Gooding was a supremely talented athlete and she was extremely competitive. As a result, Gooding not only became one of the greatest female track athletes in APSU history but one of the finest in the OVC as well. She enjoyed an unparalleled APSU track career. In fact, Gooding became the first OVC runner in history to win four straight 800-meter indoor championships and duplicated the feat at the outdoor championships.
In total between the OVC indoor and outdoor championships, Gooding won 14 first-place medals, including two indoor mile championships and four relay titles. She also left Austin Peay holding four individual school records plus two more relay marks.
She helped lead the 2001 Lady Govs track team to the OVC Indoor Championship, being named the OVC Women's Co-Athlete of the Year, with 2007 APSU Hall of Fame inductee Ayesha Maycock. She was named OVC Women's Indoor Athlete of the Year the previous two seasons.
Twice Gooding qualified for NCAA Indoor championships in the 800 meters. She equaled that feat in the NCAA Outdoor championships. In 2001, Gooding not only earned a trip to the NCAAs, but she earned All-America honors by finishing fifth in the championship heat.
Gooding was more than just an outstanding track performer. During Fall 2001, she earned first-team All-OVC Women's Cross Country honors after finishing fourth in the finals. She also earned second-team All-OVC honors the previous season.
Gooding, meanwhile, was equally successful off the track. She was president of SAAC and was a six-time nominee for Academic All-America, twice earning Academic All-District honors.
Gooding, who shared APSU's Most Outstanding Female Athlete Award with Brooke Armistead in 2000-01, was APSU Most Outstanding Female Athlete for 2001-02 along with receiving the Female Joy Award as the Most Valuable senior athlete.
She has continued her illustrious track career since leaving Austin Peay, representing Barbados at several International Track Federation championships as she continues to seek her goal at representing Barbados at the Olympics.
She was introduced by her former high school coach Mac Fingall.
-AP-
