The USA South Athletic Conference is pleased to announce its 2021 Hall of Fame Class. The 2021 inductees include five former student-athletes represented by Christopher Newport University, Greensboro College, Mary Baldwin University and Methodist University.
The inductees will be officially honored and recognized during a ceremony which the likes of are still to be determined as the Conference continues to navigate through the current COVID-19 pandemic. The 2021 Class will be the 12th group inducted into the League's Hall of Fame.
The 2020 Hall of Fame Class, which was announced prior to the beginning of the pandemic, will be officially inducted along with the 2021 class when the Conference determines how best to do so.
| The 2021 USA South Hall of Fame Inductees: |
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| STUDENT-ATHLETES |
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Duncan Edwards was a four-year star for the Greensboro men's soccer team (1999-2002). He was a four-time All-Conference performer, the 2000 Conference Player of the Year and the 1999 Conference Rookie of the Year. Edwards was a three-time First Team All-Region Team member and a 2002 All-American. He helped the Pride to three Conference Regular Season and Tournament championships which led to four trips to the NCAA Division III Tournament. Edwards currently holds League records for points in a career (162) and in a single-season (59). He also holds nine career, seven single-season and three single-game Greensboro records. A native of New Zealand, Edwards was a member of the under-20 National Team. Finally, in 2006, Edwards was inducted into the Greensboro College Athletic Hall of Fame and in 2014 was selected to the USA South's 50th Anniversary Men's Soccer team. |
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Kenny Moreland was a dominate force on the mound for the Christopher Newport baseball team (2004-2008). He was a four-time All-Conference and All-State selection while earning a 35-9 career record. In 2008, Moreland was an All-American and named the Conference, State, Regional and National Pitcher of the Year as he posted a 13-0 record with a 1.97 ERA and 116 strikeouts. Moreland, who also earned 2005 Conference Rookie of the Year honors, ranks sixth in Division III history in strikeouts and 18th in innings pitched while sitting at tied for 13th in wins. He finished his career at CNU as the program's leader in ERA, second in games started and third in complete games. Moreland continued his baseball career by playing professionally for four years, posting a 29-21 career record with a 3.72 ERA. In 411.1 innings pitched, primarily for the Frederick Keys, the Baltimore Orioles Class-A affiliate in the Carolina League, Moreland struck out 303 and walked just 58 batters. At the close of the 2000's, Moreland was named to the D3baseball.com All-Decade Team. Finally, in 2014, Moreland was inducted into the Christopher Newport University Athletic Hall of Fame. |
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Heather Hugus Purgason led the Methodist softball team through her success within the pitching circle for four seasons (1997-2000). She was a four-time All-Conference performer, a two-time League Player of the Year and the 1997 Conference Co-Rookie of the Year. Hugus Purgason was the 2000 Conference Tournament Most Valuable Player and helped lead the Monarchs to two NCAA Tournament appearances during her career. She owns the League record for career innings pitched (696), along with career program records for wins (66), strikeouts (539) and shutouts (17). Additionally, Hugus Purgason has the most single-season strikeouts (180) and shutouts (seven) in Methodist history. Off the diamond, Hugus Purgason was Vice-President of the Methodist Student-Athlete Advisory Committee, inducted into the Delta Mu Delta National Honor Society and Omicron Delta Kappa Honor Society AAC and graduated Cum Laude in Business Administration with a concentration in Health Care Administration. Finally, Hugus Purgason's post-graduate athletic honors have included her as a member of the USA South's 25th Anniversary of Women's Athletics Team (2005), a Methodist University Athletic Hall of Fame Inductee (2006) and a member of the USA South's 50th Anniversary Softball team (2014). |
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Sophia Stone, in just two seasons due to injuries which forced her to miss her final two campaigns, made a large impression in the sport of cross country for Mary Baldwin (2011-2012). She was a two-time Conference Cross Country Meet Champion, Conference Runner of the Year and All-Conference honoree. In 2011, Stone won the NCAA South/Southeast Regional Meet becoming the first women in Conference history to accomplish that feat. The following year, she defended her title and is still the only runner in Conference history to claim back-to-back NCAA regional titles. For her efforts those two years, Stone was named NCAA South/Southeast Regional Runner of the Year and earned All-American and All-Region honors. Academically, Stone was a two-time USTFCCCA All-Academic Team Member while also being named Academic All-America and All-Region twice. Finally, Stone served the Mary Baldwin campus as a member of its Student-Athlete Advisory Committee. |
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Matt Turner was a two-time All-American and All-Region performer while as a member of the Christopher Newport baseball squad (1999-2003). He was a three-time All-Conference honoree and the 2003 League Player of the Year. Turner was an All-State selection three times and the state's Player of the Year twice. He helped lead the Captains to three consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances, including the College World Series twice, finishing third in 2002 and second in 2003. Turner holds the Conference record for career home runs (51) and single-game RBI (11). He is the CNU career record holder for at-bats (636), runs scored (201), hits (225), total bases (443), RBI (209) and home runs (51) while holding single-season records for runs scored (64), home runs (17), total bases (144) and RBI (68). Turner's career home run and RBI totals currently rank tied for 11th and tied for 20th, respectively, in Division III history. At the close of the 2000's, Turner was named to the D3baseball.com All-Decade Team. Finally, in 2009, Turner was inducted into the Christopher Newport University Athletic Hall of Fame. |
| 2021 USA South Hall of Fame Inductees |
| Duncan Edwards, Greensboro College - Student-Athlete |
| Kenny Moreland, Christopher Newport University - Student-Athlete |
| Heather Hugus Purgason, Methodist University - Student-Athlete |
| Sophia Stone, Mary Baldwin University - Student-Athlete |
| Matt Turner, Christopher Newport University - Student-Athlete |