Kansas City, Mo. – Eleven Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association legends have been elected to the MIAA Hall of Fame Class of 2016, the conference office announced today. Included is an inaugural legacy member that is part of this 2016 class.

The Hall of Fame induction ceremony will be held on June 1, 2016 in the Truman Forum Auditorium at the Kansas City Public Library – Plaza Branch, 4801 Main Street in Kansas City, Mo. Reservations for the event are available by visiting www.themiaa.com/sb_output.aspx?form=4 and filling out the form. Reservations will be given out on a first come, first served basis.

Below are the bios for the 2016 Hall of Fame class.

Becky Belland, Volleyball Athlete
Central Missouri, 1987-90
Belland was a three-time All-American earning NCAA Division II Player of the Year honors in 1990, the only Jennies volleyball player in history to receive that award. She was named the MIAA Player of the Year in 1989 and 1990. She still holds school records in career blocks, solo blocks and block assists.

Chris Brown, Football Athlete
Pittsburg State, 1992-95
Brown earned All-American honors three times between 1993 and 1995 earning consensus first team honors as a senior in 1995. He was a three-time first team All-MIAA selection and he was the MIAA Defensive Player of the Year during the 1995 season. He finished his career holding the school record in tackles. He also established a Division II Championship Game record with 21 tackles in the 1992 game.

Eric Czerniewski, Football Athlete
Central Missouri, 2006-10
Czerniewski was the 2010 Harlon Hill Trophy winner for the top player in Division II also earning consensus first team All-American honors. He set MIAA records for career passing yards, single season passing yards, completions and passing touchdowns.

Jim Frazier, Football Coach/Athletic Director
Missouri Southern, 1971-2000
Frazier lead MSSU to the NAIA National Football Title during the 1972 season and is the school’s all-time winningest football coach. Frazier would then serve as the director of athletics where under his tenure the school won 23 conference championships and one NCAA Division II National Championship. Frazier helped in the development and improvement of several MSSU facilities including Young Gymnasium, Fred G. Hughes Stadium and the Leggett and Platt Athletic Center.

Kenneth Gardner, Track and Field/Football/Basketball Coach, Director of Athletics
Truman, 1939-88
Gardner served as a football, basketball and track and field coach at Truman where from 1959 until 1968 he won every indoor and outdoor MIAA Championship in track and field. He coached 39 individual NCAA Division II All-Americans and 11 individual National Champions. He also served as the Athletics Director for the Bulldogs from 1974 until his retirement in 1988.

Aaron McConnell, Football Athlete
Pittsburg State, 2000-03
McConnell was named an All-American in each of his four seasons with the Pittsburg State football program including being a consensus first team selection and the MIAA Defensive Player of the year in 2003.

Jeanette (Mott) Owens, Cross Country/Track and Field Athlete
Pittsburg State, 1998-2002
Owens earned five All-American honors in track and field including winning the National Championship in the steeplechase in 2002 for Pittsburg State. In cross- country she also earned two All-American honors winning the MIAA Cross Country title twice. She was named a COSIDA Academic All-American in 2002 as well as the Ken B. Jones award winner for Female Student Athlete of the Year.

Neal Philpot, Football Athlete
Pittsburg State, 2001-04
Philpot was named a two-time All-American at quarterback for the Gorillas during the 2003 and 2004 seasons. He set MIAA career records for total offense and rushing yards for a quarterback.  In his career he went 38-8 as the PSU starting quarterback, which was the second highest win total in NCAA Division II at the time.

Eddin Santiago, Men’s Basketball Athlete
Missouri Southern, 1998-2002
Santiago holds the MIAA career record in both steals and assists.  His 383 steals mark ranks second all-time in Division II. He was a three-time first team All-MIAA selection and was twice named an All-American earning MVP of the 2000 NCAA Division II Central Regional Tournament.

Delanie Walker, Football Athlete
Central Missouri, 2004-05
Walker was a two-time All-MIAA and All-Region selection for the Mules.  He has the third highest single game reception total in UCM program history. He has played in the NFL after being drafted in 2005 where he has 340 career receptions for over 4,000 yards and 234 touchdowns scored. He was named to the pro-bowl at the end of the 2015 season.

A.J. McDonald, Basketball and Golf Coach (LEGACY Inductee)
Southwest Missouri State, 1925-69
The first legacy member inducted into the MIAA Hall of Fame, McDonald won five conference titles as a basketball coach and 17 MIAA titles as a golf coach. He would coach the golf team to six straight regional titles between 1959 and 1963 with the team winning the national title in the 1963 season.

— MIAA Press Release —