BOONE, N.C. — A new venue, coupled with historically great student-athletes, made for a special induction ceremony for the latest additions to the App State Athletics Hall of Fame.
The Hall of Fame was founded in 1975 by the Former Athletes Association, and the game day breakfast was held for the first time Saturday in the Grandview Ballroom of Kidd Brewer Stadium's new north end zone facility.
Katie Boyd (softball, 2008-11), Mark LeGree (football, 2007-10), the late George Sansone (wrestling, 1966-69) and Malcolm Styers (men's track and field, 2007-11) were inducted Saturday after being initially announced as Hall of Famers in July 2020. There was no induction ceremony last fall because of COVID-19.
Their class also included Bob Allsbrook (men's tennis, 1979-83), but he was unable to attend Saturday's breakfast, and there are plans to recognize him during the 2022 ceremony.
Chancellor Sheri Everts and Director of Athletics
Doug Gillin joined FAA leadership in addressing the crowd, with Gillin also providing remarks on the passing of 1989 inductee Thompson Usiyan, who set NCAA scoring records during his remarkable time as an App State men's soccer star from 1977-80.
"There's no greater honor at Appalachian State University Athletics than to be inducted into the Hall of Fame," Gillin said. "We're pleased to honor everyone today, and we want to remember Hall of Fame member Thompson Usiyan, one of the best to ever do it here at Appalachian State."
Sansone passed away in November 2019, and his wife, Denise, delivered a speech on his behalf. Boyd spoke about being a North Carolina native who achieved her dream of playing Division I softball, while Styers recalled how frequently App State track and field athletes outperformed competitors from bigger schools.
LeGree's collegiate debut came in 2007 at Michigan, where he made his first career tackle during a kickoff return, leading him to half-jokingly proclaim, "Without that tackle, we don't upset Michigan." His crowd of supporters included a few friends and family members in LeGree jerseys bearing his No. 13 — including his mother, whose sacrifices were a focal point of LeGree's speech.
The crowd also included his coach, Jerry Moore, who was honored with a statue unveiling and the dedication of the Jerry Moore Plaza just a few hours later.
"Everyone has their 'why' in what motivates you," LeGree said. "My why was pretty simple. I didn't want to let my teammates down, and I wanted to make my mom proud. I also loved performing for the best fans in the world."
