Former AD Whitfield, baseball standout Stewart part of UMO Hall of Fame class of 2014

By Rudy Coggins
Published in Sports on November 20, 2014 1:48 PM

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rcoggins@newsargus.com

MOUNT OLIVE -- George Whitfield and Josh Stewart each consider themselves just a small brick in the University of Mount Olive athletics foundation.

But each made his mark.

Whitfield served as athletics director before then-Mount Olive College made the move from NAIA to NCAA Division II status a mere two years after his departure.

Stewart helped lead the UMO baseball program to respect on the regional and national scene.

And each will be recognized for the respective efforts Saturday afternoon. Whitfield and Stewart are part of the 2014 class of inductees slated for enshrinement in the UMO Athletics Hall of Fame.

Joining the duo are Janice Ellis, Twana Johnson and the 1977-78 women's basketball team, which will receive the Pioneer Award, which was created in 2013.

"Once again, we have a great group of honorees respresenting various aspects of our athletics program," said Jeff Eisen, UMO athletics director and Hall of Fame committee chairman.

"We have two outstanding female student-athletes who left their marks in the Trojan record books, a power-hitting baseball student-athlete who performed on the national stage, an athletics administrator who has been recognized by numerous other Halls of Fame -- and a trailblazing women's sports team.

"We're very excited to be adding this great group to our Hall of Fame."

Whitfield worked for two presidents -- Dr. Burkett Raper and Dr. J. William Byrd -- during his four years as AD. Although the school had not began its official move to Division II, Whitfield recalls the success it experienced on the NAIA level as a member of the Carolinas Intercollegiate Athletic Conference.

The baseball team advanced to the 1992 NAIA World Series. Whitfield learned during that time the program, directed by Carl Lancaster, would become an athletic cornerstone along with the men's basketball team -- the longest-running program in UMO history.

Lancaster has since won nearly 1,000 games and had more more than 30 baseball players sign professional contracts.

Whitfield added the athletic program has exploded overall in the past two decades. The addition of men's volleyball, men's and women's lacrosse and indoor/outdoor track has given athletes more opportunities to compete on the regional and national level.

"I've always said that Mount Olive is one of the best-kept secrets I have ever seen," Whitfield said. "People don't realize that what they've got over there. It's has great academics and great athletics, and I don't think it's as appreciated as it should be.

"I wish the interest was higher."

An All-American on the baseball diamond, Stewart didn't think he had a Hall of Fame career during the program's "infant years" in Division II. Stewart belted -- at the time -- a school-record 19 home runs and participated in the home run derby at the 2001 College World Series in Omaha.

Stewart is currently tied for the fourth-highest, single-season home run total. The Trojans won 79 games during his two years in the lineup at third base.

"It's a surprise, honestly," Stewart said. "I wasn't expecting it. I had some good years, but really didn't think it was a Hall of Fame-type career especially what's been done since I've been there.

"Carl has done an excellent job, he really has. He has developed a strong program, maintained it and it seems like it's just getting better and better."

Ellis logged 3.39 kills and 2.99 digs per set in two seasons, and helped guide then-MOC to the program's lone Carolinas-Virginia Athletics Conference regular-season championship in women's volleyball. She was the 1998 CVAC player-of-the-year.

The Trojans played in the 1997 and 1998 CVAC tournament finals.

Jeter's school record of 1,218 points in women's basketball stood until 2007. She nearly averaged a double-double (13.7 points, 9.1 rebounds) for her career and continues to hold the single-game rebound record (23).

Larry Dean coached the 1977-78 women's basketball team -- the first-ever women's varsity intercollegiate team in school history. Dean and student-athlete Sarah Leonard are currently in the school's Hall of Fame.

The 1965-66 men's basketball team received the inaugural Pioneer Award last year.

The ninth Hall of Fame class will be introduced Saturday at 3 p.m. in the Murphy Center on the UMO campus. The celebration is part of the school's alumni weekend, which includes the Pickle Classic -- now in its 49th season.