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RICHMOND, Ky. – Eastern Kentucky University inducted the 2020 and 2021 Athletics Hall of Fame classes on Saturday.
 
The 2020 induction class included Mike Cadore (football, 1984-88), Jeff Cruse (baseball, 1984-87), Felecia (Hawkins) Hardy (women's track, 1994-98), Jack Hissom (baseball/men's basketball assistant coach, 1967-79), Arlando Johnson (men's basketball, 1991-95), Alvin Miller (football, 1977-80), Charles Mitchell (men's basketball, 1970-73) and Pat Stephens (men's golf player/coach, 1982-18).
 
Last year's induction ceremony was canceled due to COVID-19.
 
The 2021 induction class consists of Joe Blankenship (football, 1962-65 & 1977-95), Amandine Faouzi (women's tennis, 2012-15), Sue Fetter (volleyball, field hockey, basketball, 1966-69) and Lorenzo Fields (football, 1986-91).


Both groups were recognized at halftime of the Colonels' football game against Austin Peay.
 
The EKU Athletics Hall of Fame is organized and facilitated in coordination with the Big E Association, a group for all former student-athletes, managers, trainers, practice players, spirit squad members and staff/coaches to celebrate the long and successful history of EKU athletics.  All former student-athletes, managers, trainers, practice players, spirit squad members and staff/coaches are considered members of the Big E Association.
 
As an extension and arm of the Big E Association, the Worn Cleat Club has a long history at EKU and continues as the all-inclusive home for former EKU football student-athletes, managers, trainers and coaches.  Because of its more than 50-year history as a letter winner group, it is the only sport at EKU with its own overarching umbrella.  There are three main pillars to staying connected to EKU athletics for alums through the Big E Association including stay connected, stay engaged and encourage others to participate.  Complete information on the Big E Association can be found at EKUSports.com\BigE.
 
For more information about the EKU Athletics Hall of Fame, please contact Karl Park, Executive Director of the EKU Athletics Hall of Fame, at karl.park@eku.edu.

Here are the biographies for the 2021 induction class:
 
Joe Blankenship (football, 1962-65 & 1977-95)
Blankenship played and coached football at EKU.  He had a stellar high school career at Male High School where he was co-captain of Male's 1960 state football championship team.  In 1961, he was selected to the all-state team, the All-South football team, the Scholastic Football Team and earned honorable mention All-America that senior season.  After receiving several Division I offers, he chose to play at the University of Kentucky for coach Blanton Collier.  After UK hired a new coach following his freshman season, Blankenship transferred to Eastern Kentucky to play for coach Glenn Presnell.  After one season with coach Presnell, he played his junior season in 1964 for coach Roy Kidd before a neck injury ended his playing career.  After graduation from EKU in 1965, Blankenship helped start the football program at Iroquois High School in Louisville, coaching defense and special teams for six years.  In 1972 he moved across town to Seneca High School.  After two years as an assistant coach, he became head coach at Seneca where he led the Redskins to a 25-7-2 record.  In 1976, he directed Seneca to an undefeated 10-0 record before losing, 3-0, in the final seconds to Trinity High School in the 4A championship game.  He was named 4A Coach of the Year that season.  In 1977, he joined Kidd's staff, coaching linebackers and special teams until 1995.  During that span, Eastern Kentucky won two national titles, was national runner-up twice, won 11 Ohio Valley Conference Championships and made 16 appearances in the NCAA playoffs.  Blankenship retired as assistant coach in 1995 and retired as an assistant professor in health science in 2000.  He received numerous awards and recognitions for his commitment to his church, community and profession.  One of his most treasured memories came when he coached the 6th, 7th and 8th grade football teams at Clark Moores Middle School with his son Troy.
 
Amandine Faouzi (women's tennis, 2012-15)
Faouzi played four seasons for the women's tennis team from 2012-2015.  She began her stellar career at Eastern Kentucky on the right foot, being named Ohio Valley Conference Freshman of the Year and gaining first team all-conference recognition.  Her sophomore season was even more spectacular as she was named OVC Player of the Year and was again selected First Team All-OVC.  She continued playing championship tennis in her junior year with her third straight First Team All-OVC recognition.  Faouzi closed her wonderful career in 2015 with her second OVC Player of the Year honor and her fourth straight First Team All-OVC honor.  During her four years at EKU, she compiled a magnificent 37-2 individual record and was a driving force in four OVC team championships for the Colonels.  She earned her bachelor's of business administration degree in 2015, finishing her stay at Eastern Kentucky with a perfect 4.0 grade-point-average and being named an NCAA Academic All-American.  Faouzi is serving as an accountant with ACE Capital Partners.
 
Sue Fetter (volleyball, field hockey, basketball, 1966-69)
Fetter could certainly be considered a "Pioneer" in the beginning of intercollegiate athletics for women being recognized on the EKU campus and nationwide.  She played three sports from 1966-1969 – volleyball for legendary Hall of Fame coach Geri Polvino; field hockey under longtime physical education teacher and administrator Gertrude Hood; and basketball for Millie Maupin.  The Colonels competed against other schools with these teams, called "Honor Teams", in competition with the University of Dayton, the University of Louisville, the University of Cincinnati, the University of Kentucky, Southeastern Christian College and Berea College, among others.  Following her graduation from EKU in 1970 and a stint as a student teacher at Shawnee High School in Louisville, Fetter began a 27-year association with Ballard High School in Louisville.  She started the girls' athletics program at Ballard, coaching every sport available for the girls which included tennis, golf, field hockey, track and junior varsity basketball.  She led Ballard to the state runner-up title in field hockey in 1985 and to the state semifinals in three other years along with Jefferson County Championships in seven other seasons.  Fetter also had success coaching track, directing the Ballard girls to state titles in 1974 and 1977, a runner-up in the state in 1975 and numerous county, district and regional championships in the 1970's.  She also served as a director of the state, sectional, regional and county track meets from 1976-1986.  She served as a director of the prestigious Mason-Dixon Games from 1976-80 and the UofL Cardinal Relays from 1979-82.  After serving as assistant athletics director at Ballard, Fetter was assistant AD at Presentation Academy in Louisville for four years.  She has also officiated several sports contests including basketball, volleyball, field hockey, softball and track.  She received the National Association for Girls and Women's Sports Pathfinder Award in 1998.  Other national awards included being Kellogg National Coach of the Year in 1977 and 1979.  Among her many statewide and local awards are being named Kentucky High School Track Coach of the Year in 1976 and 1979.  She was also recognized by EKU as the Physical Education Outstanding Alumnus in 2008.  Her most recent recognition came in 2011 when she was inducted into the Kentucky Track and Cross Country Coaches Hall of Fame.
 
Lorenzo Fields (football, 1986-91)
Fields played quarterback at Eastern Kentucky for Kidd from 1987-1990.  He came to EKU in 1986 as a decorated option-type quarterback from Wildwood, Florida and proceeded in his first year to win Offensive Scout Team Player of the Year before taking over the quarterback duties in 1987.  On a team that was run-happy with EKU Hall of Fame tailback Elroy Harris gaining 1,423 yards rushing and scoring 17 touchdowns, Fields showed his worth throwing for 428 yards and three touchdowns, and rushing for 362 yards and five touchdowns while leading the Colonels to a 9-3 overall record and a berth in the national quarterfinals.  As a sophomore, he excelled, gaining honorable mention All-Ohio Valley Conference honors while setting an EKU single season record for highest pass completion percentage at 62.7, which still stands.  Fields threw for 1,463 yards and 10 touchdowns and ran for an additional 418 yards and four touchdowns as Eastern Kentucky finished 11-3 and made it to the semifinals before losing to Georgia Southern.  Serving as co-captain and making second-team All-OVC as a junior, he threw for 1,377 yards and 13 touchdowns, while rushing for 447 yards and eight scores in directing the Colonels to a 9-3 record and a third straight appearance in the playoffs.  The 1990 season marked another 'What Could Have Been' season for the Colonels as Eastern Kentucky began the year 10-0 and was ranked No. 1 in the nation.  However, in the seventh game of the season, Fields suffered a season-ending injury against Tennessee State lessening the Colonels' offensive firepower which led to back-to-back losses to the close the season.  For his career, Fields threw for 3,719 yards and 31 touchdowns, while rushing for another 1,418 yards and 20 scores.  Following graduation, he coached track and field for several years.  Fields is the assistant principal at Hernando High School in Florida and serves as senior pastor at Mt. Pleasant Kingdom Ministries in Lady Lake, Florida.
 
 
Here are the biographies for the 2020 induction class:
 
Mike Cadore (football, 1984-88)
Cadore played four seasons for Kidd from 1985-1988.  He was a very valuable offensive weapon for the Colonels, playing wide receiver, rushing the ball from his flanker position and handling kickoff return duties.  He began his career in 1985, after redshirting in 1984, with nine receptions for 137 yards, including hauling in a 39-yard touchdown reception in Eastern Kentucky's convincing 45-21 win at Louisville.  Cadore scored six touchdowns as a sophomore, three on receptions including playoff touchdown catches versus Furman and Eastern Illinois.  He also averaged 41.0 yards on three kickoff returns and had 13 rushes for 130 yards and three touchdowns.  In 1987, he continued his offensive contribution by averaging 37.0 yards per kickoff return, setting a NCAA record 232 yards gained on kickoff returns, including a 99-yard return for a touchdown in the playoff game versus Northeast Louisiana.  Cadore also had nine carries for 88 yards and a touchdown, and nine receptions for 107 yards and a touchdown.  He turned in a fabulous senior season in 1987 and was named first team All-OVC as a pass receiver.  His stats for that season included 26 receptions for 380 yards and three touchdowns; 19 rushes from scrimmage on flanker reverses for 303 yards and five scores; and 22 kickoff returns for 564 yards and one touchdown.  At the time of his induction, his 30.3 yards per kickoff return still stood as an EKU record.  Cadore also is part owner of EKU's single game touchdown record when he scored four touchdowns in the season opening 48-7 win against Delaware State and finished his Colonel career with 2,355 all-purpose yards.  The NFL's New Orleans Saints were impressed and drafted him in the 12th round, partly because of his 4.36 40-yard dash speed.  Cadore finished his professional football career in Montreal, Canada with the Montreal Machine.  He received his bachelor's degree from EKU in corrections and administration of justice and holds a master's degree in management and leadership from Webster University.  He closed his Eastern accolades as the winner of the Roy Kidd Achievement Award.  With more than three decades of experience in education, public safety, civic and community engagement and mentoring, at the time of his induction he served as the associate provost for Eastern Florida State College and adjunct instructor.  In November 2019, he retired from the Rockledge Police Department and served his city as Rockledge city councilman.  Cadore has won numerous awards in the central Florida area including: 2017 Dr. Harvey L. Riley Bridge Builder Award for his community impact; 2017 Community Leadership Award presented by Island Breeze of S. Brevard; 2015 Teddy Riley Award for development and preservation of Central Florida youth; 2014 Rockledge Police Reserve Officer of the year; 2014 member of the Space Coast Sports Hall of Fame; Central Florida Humanitarian Award; the Outstanding Adjunct Instructor at Eastern Florida State College (2014 & 2015) and 2014 Criminal Justice Coordinator of the Year in Brevard County.
 
Jeff Cruse (baseball, 1984-87)
Cruse was a pitcher for the Colonels' baseball team from 1984-87, leading the team to three straight NCAA Regional Tournament appearances from 1984-1986 and three OVC North Division titles.  Cruse came to Eastern Kentucky after a remarkable high school career including a record 24 consecutive wins on the mound and appeared in three straight final four state championships for Madison Central High School.  This included the 1982 Madison Central team that went 40-0 and won the mythical national championship.  His first appearance in an OVC Tournament came his freshman season when he pitched eight and two-thirds innings in a 9-4 win over Murray State in which he allowed the Racers only six hits.  Cruse holds EKU's record for most victories on the mound with 30, including a sparkling 30-6 career mark and an impressive 10-1 record as a junior.  One of his most sterling performances came in the opening round of the 1985 OVC Tournament when he pitched a complete game 8-1 win over Middle Tennessee, which included 17 strikeouts.  Cruse was a contributing part of the 1985 Colonel team that came back to win the OVC Tournament after an opening round loss with four straight wins.  He closed his career in 1987 serving as tri-captain, compiling a 7-2 mark on the mound with a career best 3.00 ERA.  Other career totals include a record 20 complete games among 43 starts and 208 strikeouts in 278 and one-third innings pitched.  He was a first-team All-OVC pitcher in 1986 and 1987 and was a member of Eastern Kentucky's All-Century baseball team announced in 2009.  He signed with the Kansas City Royals upon graduation.
 
Felecia (Hawkins) Hardy (women's track, 1994-98)
Hardy ran track for coach Rick Erdmann's indoor and outdoor teams from 1994-1998.  During these four years, she competed mainly in the 200-meter event, setting the EKU indoor 200-meter record in 1997 with her time of 24.28.  She was a four-time OVC Champion, winning the 1997 indoor 200 at 24.46 and the 1997 indoor 200 with a time of 24.50.  She also won OVC outdoor titles with a time of 23.94 in the 200 meters in 1997 and the 200 meters in 1998 with a 24.50.  At the time of her selection, Hawkins-Hardy was ranked No. 3 on Eastern Kentucky's outdoor record chart with the 23.94 time she established in 1997.  She was also one of the four members on EKU's 1998 record sprint medley relay team.
 
Jack Hissom (baseball/men's basketball assistant coach, 1967-79)
Hissom was involved in Eastern Kentucky athletics for 14 seasons in two different sports.  He started his EKU career in 1967, serving the men's basketball team as assistant coach while also serving as the team's freshman team coach.  He began his coaching career as head basketball and baseball coach at Lees Junior College in Jackson, Kentucky, in 1957, highlighted by his 1961-62 Lees basketball team that went 25-7 and qualified to participate in the KJCAA Regional Tournament.  In 1959-60, he was selected as Basketball Coach of the Year for the Kentuckiana Junior College Conference.  He began the baseball program at Lees in 1960 and his team was 11-0 and advanced all the way to the semifinals of the national junior college tournament at Iowa Falls, Iowa.  In 1962, he began to coach at McCreary County Central leading that team to its first ever 12th Region basketball championship and a spot in the Sweet Sixteen.  Hissom was later inducted into the 12th Region Boys Basketball Coaches Hall of Fame.  As one of head coach Guy Strong's two assistant coaches, he was personally responsible for recruiting some of the current EKU basketball Hall of Fame inductees.  In his role as freshman coach, walk-ons were given an equal opportunity to excel along with scholarship signees.  During his tenure as Eastern Kentucky's freshman team coach, he compiled a six-year record of 67-41.  This stint was highlighted by the 1968-69 Colonel freshmen team that went 12-6 and averaged more than 90 points per game.  A former Marine and a devoted family man, he helped shape the moral compass of those in which he came in contact.  In 1972, he switched sports and was named EKU's head baseball coach.  In eight seasons, the Colonel baseball teams went 122-116-8 and won two OVC Eastern Division titles.  His 1978 squad finished 13th in the nation with a .328 team batting average.  He performed his duties at EKU under the old system in which coaches' contracts included half-time academics and half-time coaching.  In 1995, he was inducted into the Lees Junior College Hall of Fame.  He was selected Marine of the Year in 2014 and is listed on the Hall of Fame Plaque located in EKU's Chapel of Meditation.  As a member of the Marine Corps Honor Guard that presents the American Flag to a member of the deceased veteran's family at the funeral, he participated in more than 350 military funerals.
 
Arlando Johnson (men's basketball, 1991-95)
Johnson played for the men's basketball team for four seasons and enjoyed great success.  He was chosen to the All-Ohio Valley Conference first team his junior season and was named second team his senior year.  At the time of his selection, he ranked sixth on the all-time scoring list with 1,617 points.  He led the team in scoring his senior year with his 18.2 points per game average.  Johnson's other outstanding career stats include 393 assists (5th all-time), 40.3 three-point percentage (12th), 153 steals (9th) and free throw percentage of 85.9 percent (2nd).  He is also tied for the EKU record for most consecutive free throws made with 29.  He was a candidate for the Francis P. Naismith Award for the best senior collegiate player under 6-foot sponsored by the Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield, Massachusetts.  One of the most impressive performances of his career came in his freshman season in the first round of the OVC Tournament in Rupp Arena when he hit all six attempts from the field, including two three-pointers, all six of his attempts from the free throw line, and handed out three assists as the Colonels defeated Tennessee State, 88-67.  He was also a member of the all-tournament team at the US Air Classic, leading the Colonels to the tourney finals his sophomore season.  Upon graduation with a degree from EKU in sociology, he played semi-pro basketball for the Owensboro Showboats.  He served as an assistant boys coach at Apollo and Henderson County High Schools for seven years.  Johnson served as the head girls coach for five years at Apollo High School and four seasons as the head girls coach at McLean County High School.
 
Alvin Miller (football, 1977-80)
Miller played four seasons at both fullback and tailback for the Colonels from 1977-1980.  He came to EKU from Ft. Pierce, Florida Central High School where he was an All-Suncoast Conference team selection, All-Central Florida High School pick, and third team all-state choice.  His versatility showed quickly at EKU when he began his career at fullback as a freshman in 1977 and as a sophomore.  He also returned kickoffs his first two years as a Colonel.  His junior season, Miller emerged on the scene as the tailback in the Colonels' potent running back tandem with Hall of Fame fullback Dale Patton.  Miller put together a fantastic season in 1979, leading the team and the Ohio Valley Conference in rushing with 777 yards while scoring nine touchdowns.  He was a major contributor in Eastern Kentucky's 1979 semifinal and national championship contests, being named Chevrolet Most Valuable Player in both games.  In the 33-30 double overtime win over Nevada-Reno, he rushed for 144 yards and scored three touchdowns.  In EKU's 30-7 victory over Lehigh in the national title game, he added 144 all-purpose yards as the Colonels won their first NCAA crown.  He was also honored that season by being named second-team All-OVC.  As a senior, he rushed the ball 134 times for 689 yards and six touchdowns helping lead the Colonels to a second straight playoff berth.  Also, during his senior year, he was awarded another Most Valuable Player Award by ABC Television and Chevrolet Corporation in the NCAA semifinal game as EKU defeated Lehigh University for a second year to advance to the national championship.  Miller is a retired chaplain attaining the rank of colonel from the United States Army with more than 32 years of military service.  One of his highlights came on May 6, 2011 when he offered prayer for a sitting President (Barack Obama) of the United States after the Special Operations Aviation Regiment eliminated the world's most notorious terrorist Osama Bin Laden from the battlefield.  In 2019, he received the Distinguished Service Award by EKU's International Alumni Association.  He was voted into the EKU ROTC's Department Alumni Hall of Fame.  During the 2020 Black History Month recognition, he served as the guest speaker for EKU's College of Business and Technology.  He is the author of three books and is an ordained minister with degrees from Oral Roberts University (Doctor of Ministry.) and The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary (Masters of Divinity).  At the time of selection, he was the pastor of the St. John Missionary Baptist Church in Clarksville, Tennessee.
 
Charles Mitchell (men's basketball, 1970-73)
Mitchell played four years for the Colonels from 1969-73.  He came to Eastern Kentucky after an outstanding high school career at one of the state's top high schools – Louisville Seneca.  On the freshman team, he averaged 30.2 points and 17.1 rebounds while setting a school record for most points in a game with 50.  His varsity career started with him averaging 16.6 points and 8.4 rebounds per game as the Colonels finished with a 16-8 record.  His last two years at EKU were special as he helped lead the Colonels to the All-College Tournament Championship in Oklahoma City and to a berth in the NCAA Regional Tournament with EKU's OVC Championship.  His All-College Tournament games were magical as he scored 79 points in Eastern Kentucky's three victories and was named MVP of that eight-team tourney.  Called by Hall of Fame coach Guy Strong as "one of the most complete players I have ever coached", he led the Colonels in scoring during the 1971-72 season with his 22.7 points and 8.3 rebounds per game average, and was selected first-team All-OVC.  He duplicated this outstanding effort his senior year by averaging 22.6 points and 7.0 rebounds, and being named first-team All-OVC.  He finished his senior year as the second-leading scorer in EKU history with 1,507 points for a 20.6 points per game career average and 578 rebounds for a 7.9 career rebounding average.  At the time of his selection, he was Eastern Kentucky's 11th all-time leading scorer and 17th all-time leading rebounder.  Following graduation, Mitchell was drafted by the Memphis Tams of the ABA.  He returned to his hometown of Louisville, giving back to his community spearheading projects that empower and improve the financial, mental and physical health of those with whom he came in contact.  He also spent seven years as a Louisville Metro Police Officer and was an advocate for the homeless in that city.  Mitchell was the Public Housing Manager for the Louisville Metro Housing Authority for 20 years.  He served as vice president of the homeowners association and participated in the Louisville Sports Mentoring program to give back to youths.
 
Pat Stephens (men's golf player/coach, 1982-18)
Stephens put together a fabulous career as a member of the men's golf team and as the Colonels' men's golf coach.  He began his golf career by being named a high school All-American at Madison Central High School after winning 12 tournaments throughout his prep career.  After beginning his collegiate experience at the University of Kentucky, he transferred to EKU his junior season.  He made an immediate impact, winning the medalist title at the 1982 OVC Tournament and then finishing second his senior season to teammate Russ Barger as EKU won the team title at the OVC Tournament both years.  Stephens won five collegiate events in his career and was winner of the prestigious 1983 Southern Amateur Championship.  He also was the winner at 1983 Simon Bolivar Cup representing the United States in International Team Championship in Venezuela.  He extended his playing career following his collegiate career, competing on mini-tours throughout the South and qualifying for several major competitions.  Stephens was a three-time runner-up in the Kentucky Open in 1978, 1983 and 1995 and was named Kentucky PGA Player of the Year in 1996 and 2007.  He also played in the 1988 US Open in Brookline, Mass., and four other PGA events in his playing career.  Also, in 1988 he was selected to the OVC's 40th Anniversary Team.  Stephens was chosen as the Kentucky PGA Senior Player of the Year in 2012 and 2014.  He began his 21-year career as the Colonels' head coach during the 1997-98 season after serving as the assistant golf professional at Arlington.  He assumed the head professional duties at Arlington when he began his head coaching spot at EKU in 1997.  He coached the Colonels to OVC Championships in 2006, 2008 and 2015 and on to the NCAA Tournament those three seasons.  Additionally, he helped three players qualify for the NCAA Championships as individuals.  Stephens also coached one OVC Player of the Year, one OVC individual champion and was chosen OVC Coach of the Year five times.  During his tenure as head coach, the Colonels placed in the top 10 at 211 events, while finishing in the top five at 146 of those tourneys.  EKU finished first at 45 events under Stephens' guidance.  He also coached 35 individual tourney champions.  The 2016-17 season was one of the best-ever for EKU as he led the team to five tournament championships and three runner-up titles.  The Colonels also made a splash on the national level, ranked as high as No. 28 in the nation in the Bushnell Golfweek Coaches Poll.