The Missouri Western State University Athletics Hall of Fame Committee is excited to announce the 2013 induction class. This year’s class includes; Brad Nurski – Men’s Golf; Pierre Thomas – Football; Brooks Barkley – Baseball; Shelley Lowery – Volleyball; Lamont Turner – Basketball and the 1971 Griffon Baseball Team.
Brad Nurski · Golf · (1997-2001)
Brad Nurski is a household name in amateur golf in the state of Missouri. Nurski worked hard throughout his time at Missouri Western and has continued his hard work to the present day. He came to MWSU in 1997 and quickly made his mark known. He won the 1998 Spring MWSU Invitational his freshman year, a victory which started his rise to one of the best golfers to ever be a Griffon.
Nurski led his team to the MIAA Championship in the Spring of 2000. That same year, he won the Drury Invitational and became the Central Missouri State Tournament Champion. He also qualified for the 2000 USGA Public Links Championships. Nurski was a three time All-MIAA selection and a three time All-District performer. He qualified for the NCAA Great Lakes/Central Regional his senior year as an individual in 2001.
After his Griffon career, Brad has become one of the most decorated amateur golfers in the state of Missouri. His accolades include; winning the St. Joseph City Championship five times, a record 12 time Fairview Club Champion and he reached the pinnacle of amateur golf in 2010 as he joined elite company in winning the Missouri Amateur Championship.
He has competed in several USGA Championships as he just missed qualifying for the 2008 US Open finishing one stroke out and was the low amateur. He qualified for the 2008 USGA Mid Amateur and played on the USGA State of Missouri Team in 2010.
Currently, Nurski resides in St. Joseph with his wife Danielle and son Jaxon. He works at BNSF and graduated from MWSU in 2001 with a degree in recreation administration/sports marketing management.
Pierre Thomas · Football · (2000-2003)
Pierre Thomas was one of the best safeties to ever strap on a helmet at Missouri Western. Thomas was a 3-time First Team All-MIAA Selection in 2000, 2001 and 2003 and capped off a great senior season by being named an AFCA All-American.
Thomas totaled 274 career tackles in his four seasons at free safety including 139 unassisted and 10 tackles for loss. He had 41 career pass breakups, 6 career fumble recoveries and a Missouri Western record 23 interceptions. Thomas was also dangerous in the return game as he tallied 528 return yards and two touchdowns in his career.
His 2003 season will go down as one of the best ever for a defensive back. Thomas recorded 14 interceptions, a mark which led the nation and is an NCAA, MIAA and MWSU single season record. He had 78 tackles, 17 pass breakups, 25 punt returns with an average of 10.6 yards a return and one touchdown. He also had seven kickoff returns for a net average of 23.4. He finished the season with 1,034 all-purpose yards averaging 86.2 per game.
Brooks Barkley · Baseball · (2001-2003)
Brooks Barkley enters the Hall of Fame 10 years after he graduated. He left his stamp on the Griffon record books in several categories in just his two seasons. He led the MIAA in batting, becoming the MIAA Batting Champion in 2002, while hitting .422 a MWSU record that stood until this season. Barkley was also named First Team All-MIAA and was an All-Central Region selection. In 2002 he was second in the MIAA in doubles with 21, sixth in RBI with 48, eight in triples with six and 16th in hits with 65.
For his career, he is second all-time with a .383 batting average. He graduated in 2003 with a degree in business management and has owned and operated Barkley Floor Service since 2004. He currently lives in Orting, Washington with his wife and two children.
Shelly Lowery · Volleyball · (1994-1995)
Shelly Lowery was a stand-out in her time on the volleyball court at Missouri Western. Lowery, a middle blocker from Independence, Mo. transferred to MWSU from the University of Missouri and had arguably one of the best two year stints ever by a volleyball player in MIAA history. She was named the MIAA’s Most Valuable Player her junior and senior seasons and helped the team advance to the NCAA Division II National Tournament her senior season.
In 1995, she set single season MIAA records which still stand today for kills with 809 and blocks with 361.
She led the team with a kill average of 5.5 and tied for the lead in digs with 3.2. She had numerous 30 kill games in her time at Missouri Western including 33 against Quincy and 32 kills against Northwest Missouri State and Emporia State. Lowery helped the team improve from a 7-26 record prior to her arrival to 29-9 her senior season.
Lowery was a first team NCAA All-American her senior year and earned AVCA All-Region honors.
Lamont Turner · Men’s Basketball · (2000-2002)
Lamont Turner joins the list of 2013 inductees after two seasons at Missouri Western in the early 2000s. One of the leaders on one of the best teams in Missouri Western Basketball history, Turner was named league MVP in 2001-02 as he lead the MIAA in scoring at 21.6 points per game and led his team in rebounding with 7.5 per game. His efforts helped lead the Griffons to the MIAA Regular Season Championship and a birth in the NCAA South Central Region Tournament.
As a senior, he started all 30 games averaging 34.2 minutes per game. He shot 53 percent from the field, 35 percent from the 3-point line and 71 percent from the free-throw line.
Turner had some tremendous single game performances as well. He scored 39 points in a victory against Missouri-Rolla in February 2002, a game in which he knocked down 16 field goals. He pulled down 15 rebounds against Saint Mary’s College in November of 2011.
Turner is just one of four Griffons all-time to score 1,000 points in a two year career as he tallied 1,138 points (19.6 ppg) putting him 9th in Missouri Western history.
1971 Griffon Baseball Team
The 1971 Griffon Baseball team finished with an overall record of 33-8 and won the NAIA District 16 Championship.
At the plate, the Griffs were solid offensively tallying 343 hits, 245 runs, 49 doubles, 26 triples and 12 home runs. The Griffons averaged over six hits and eight runs per game. They had seven players bat over .300 including Ralph Sauceda’s team-high .358 in 134 at bats.
The team had multiple double-digit win margins during the season and in the Area Four Playoffs, it defeated Winona State and Loras College by scores of 8-5 and 3-2 respectively before falling in the elimination round.
On the mound, the Griffon pitching staff was stingy giving up just 236 hits and five home runs on the year. The team’s ERA was 2.52 and all seven starting pitchers finished with a winning record. Greg Kastner led the way with a perfect 7-0 record while Steve Hagan finished 7-1.
This team produced four individual MWSU Hall of Fame members including; Head Coach Doug Minnis, pitchers Greg Kastner and Tom O’Brien and infielder Ralph Sauceda.
2013 Wendy’s Hall of Fame Weekend Schedule of Events:
Reception: Friday, September 27 – 6:30 PM – 8:30 PM – Stoney Creek Inn
Induction Ceremony Brunch: Saturday, September 28 – 11:00 AM-1:00 PM – Fulkerson Center.
If you would like to attend the Induction Ceremony Brunch please RSVP to 271-4481 by September 20. Cost of the brunch is $25.00.
— MWSU Sports Information —
Organizers of the Continental Tire Las Vegas Invitational (Nov. 28-29) announced complete pairings for the 2013 event and Missouri Basketball will open against Northwestern on Thanksgiving night (Nov. 28) on ESPNU before facing Nevada on Nov. 29 on ESPN3 and ESPN Full Court.
