FORMER JMU STANDOUT GARY CLARK NAMED TO STATE HALL OF FAME

PORTSMOUTH, Va., April 30, 2007 – Former James Madison University and Washington Redskins standout Gary Clark was included in the seven-member class inducted into the Virginia Sports Hall of Fame Saturday (April 28).

Clark played at JMU from 1980-83, spent two seasons in the United States Football League and distinguished himself as one of the leading all-time National Football League wide receivers during eight seasons with the Washington Redskins. He later played with the Arizona Cardinals and Miami Dolphins.

Joining Clark in the 2007 induction class were NASCAR's "Ironman" Ricky Rudd, one of the University of Virginia's leading basketball performers in Bryant Stith, Virginia Military Institute coaching legend John McKenna, NFL player and coach Charlie Sumner, Atlantic Coast Conference and NCAA head Gene Corrigan, and Roanoke sports radio icon Jim Colston.

Clark's induction marked the second-straight year a former JMU football standout joined the state hall of fame. A year ago Charles Haley, who was a JMU standout from 1982-85, was inducted. Haley earned first-team All-America honors at JMU and became the first player to be a member of five winning Super Bowl teams during a NFL career with the San Francisco 49ers and Dallas Cowboys.

Gary Clark

Gary Clark was born and raised in Pulaski, Va. In 1982, while at JMU, he was named the Virginia offensive player of the year, and he later was named to the JMU Athletic Hall of Fame.

After college, Clark played two years with the USFL's Jacksonville Bulls before signing with the Washington Redskins in 1985.

He quickly made a name for himself as a big-time playmaker, ranking in the NFL's top 10 in receptions four times (1986, 1987, 1989, 1990) and in touchdowns five times (1987-91). Clark caught seven passes for 114 yards, including a 30-yarder for a touchdown, in Washington's 37-24 Super Bowl XXVI win over Buffalo. His 27-yard touchdown catch gave the Redskins a 14-10 lead in their 42-10 win over Denver in Super Bowl XXII.

Clark earned four Pro Bowl appearances, and in 2002 Redskins.com listed him among the 70 greatest Redskins of all time in celebration of the team's 70th anniversary.

At JMU, Clark caught 155 passes for 2,863 yards and 16 touchdowns in four seasons. He also had three career punt returns for touchdowns, including 89- and 87-yarders in a 1983 game at Virginia.

In JMU history, Clark still ranks third in receptions, receiving yards, touchdown catches, all-purpose yards (3,970), and punt return yards (748).

Jim Colston

A Jim Colston began his career with Armed Forces Radio Service while in Korea. Back in the states, he worked in several markets as a DJ before working his way to icon status in the Roanoke region, spending more than four decades as a sports broadcaster.

Over the years, "Carroll" Colston (his on air name) could be heard calling games on WJLM, WGMN, and WROV.

And while he served as the voice for Roanoke Buckskins football and Radford College games, it was high school sports for which he will always be remembered.

It is estimated that Colston has been the voice of more than 1,300 high school games, including the 1971 Group AAA state football championship that later became the subject of the movie "Remember the Titans."

In 1999, Colston was inducted into the Virginia High School League Hall of Fame.

Eugene F. Corrigan

A 1952 graduate of Duke University, Gene Corrigan was a four-year starter on the school's lacrosse team. But it was as a coach and administrator that Corrigan made his mark.

After serving as a coach and sports information director at the University of Virginia, he worked for a time as the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) sports information director.

Next Corrigan signed on as athletic director at Washington & Lee, before returning to Charlottesville in 1971 to begin a 10-year stint as director of athletics at Virginia.

In 1981, he accepted the position of athletic director at Notre Dame, where he remained until being named the third commissioner in ACC history in 1987. He also served as president of the NCAA from 1995-97.

John McKenna

John McKenna joined the Virginia Military Institute football coaching staff in 1952 and became head coach in 1953.

In 13 seasons, from 1953-65, he guided the Keydets to four Southern Conference championships, five state championships and six straight winning seasons (1957-62). These years included the nationally-ranked, undefeated team of 1957 and a winning streak of 18 games. McKenna was Southern Conference coach of the year in 1957 and 1959.

He was made an Honorary Alumnus of VMI and in 1977 received a special citation of the VMI Sports Hall of Fame.

The Coach John McKenna Scholarship was established in 1978 by his fellow football players and assistant coaches to provide assistance to upperclass football players who best exemplify the traits Coach McKenna demanded of his players.

Ricky Rudd

Called "Ironman" because of his possibly unbeatable record of 788 consecutive race starts from 1981-2005, Chesapeake native Ricky Rudd ranks among NASCAR's top 50 drivers of all time.

It started on go-cart tracks at home and took him to be named the 1977 NASCAR rookie of the year.

Over the course of his career Rudd went to victory lane at least once every year for 16 consecutive years, a modern era record he shares with Rusty Wallace.

He went on to win 23 races, including the 1997 Brickyard 400 (the winning car from this race is currently on display on the second floor of the Virginia Sports Hall of Fame).

Rudd was seventh all time on career winnings list when he retired from full-time racing in 2005. He announced a return to racing in 2007.

Bryant L. Stith

Lawrenceville native Brian Stith first made a name for himself as a three-time all-state basketball star at Brunswick High School.

He went on to a college career at Virginia where he finished as the Cavalier's all-time leader in scoring (2,516 points), minutes (4,391) and free throws made (690).

Remarkably for a 6-5 player, Stith also finished second on the Cavaliers' all-time rebounding list with 859 boards. He left school ranked No. 4 on the all-time Atlantic Coast Conference scoring list.

In 1992, Stith became a first-round pick of the Denver Nuggets 1992 (13th pick overall). He averaged 10 points per game over a 10-year NBA career (1992-2002) with Denver, Boston and Cleveland.

Charlie Sumner

In his hometown of Dublin, Va., Charlie Sumner was a high school football star. At the College of William & Mary (1951-54) he played quarterback and defensive back, making the AP and UPI all-state teams in 1953.

He also played in the NFL for six years with the Chicago Bears, where he was the team's rookie of the year, and later with the Minnesota Vikings.

If that wasn't enough, it was on the sidelines that Sumner made his name. During a 24-year coaching career, he served as defensive coordinator for Oakland, Pittsburgh and New England. He was an assistant coach with the Raiders for their Super Bowl II appearance and returned as defensive coordinator when the team won Super Bowls XV and XVII.

Sumner finished his career as head coach of the Oakland Invaders of the United States Football League, winning a USFL championship.