By Alvin Hollins & Vaughn Wilson
(Source FAMUatletics.com)
TALLAHASSEE, FL — The FAMU Sports Hall of Fame will hold its 47th Enshrinement Weekend from Friday, September 22 through Saturday, September 23 on the University campus. Venue and Ticketing details will be released shortly.
This year’s Enshrinement Weekend will be dedicated to the memory of the late Kenneth “Ken” Riley, a legendary student-athlete, coach and administrator, who was elected to the prestigious Pro Football Hall of Fame this past January.
Also being recognized by the Sports Hall of Fame this year will be the 1978 NCAA National Championship Football Team on the 45th anniversary of their historic victory in the inaugural Division I FCS (I-AA) playoffs, along with retired FAMU General Counsel Bishop Hollifield, whose persuasive legal appeal before the NCAA Membership Committee led to the Rattlers’ admission to Division I-AA.
THE 2023 HALL OF FAME CLASS
The female athletes to be honored include star point guard Brenda Fogle of the 1980s women’s basketball teams; 6-6 center Teresa Jenkins, who led the nation in blocked shots in 1999; two-time Track and Field All-America Nakia Linson; and softball pitcher Kenya Pereira, a three-time MEAC Tournament MVP.
The male athletes to be honored include record setting 1998 quarterback Patrick Bonner; hard-hitting gridiron defender Willie Brown of the 1980s; track and field phenom Terence Hinson.
The Hall will recognize Dr. Janelle Baker, a former Rattler Softball player, as this year’s Supporter.
2023 FAMU SPORTS HALL OF FAME THUMBNAIL SKETCHES
Female Athletes
Brenda Fogle, Basketball – One of the first pure point guards in the early days of Rattler Women’s Basketball, Fogle was a consummate facilitator, leading the team in assists three times, highlighted by a career best 142 dimes in 1981, 123 assists in 1982, and 90 in 1980, finishing No. 9 on the FAMU Career Assists list.
Teresa Jenkins, Basketball – A looming presence in the paint a 6-6, Jenkins blossomed into a defensive ace, leading the NCAA’s top division, Division One in blocked shots with 127 in her- senior year of 1999. The FAMU career blocks leader (339), Jenkins was a member of FAMU’s 1995 and 1999 NCAA Tournament teams.
Nakia Linson, Track and Field – A three-time NCAA All-American, Linson was a stellar performer in sprint events (100m, 200m), on the 4×100 relay team and in the Long Jump. She excelled in the MEAC Indoor and Outdoor Championships, leading FAMU to a pair of Outdoor titles.
Kenya Pereira, Softball – One of the most celebrated pitchers in FAMU Softball history, Pereira helped lead the Lady Rattlers to four consecutive MEAC championships between 2014 and 2017. She was three-time MEAC Tournament Most Valuable Player, ranking among the school’s all-time leaders in victories, strikeouts and innings pitched.
Male Athletes
Patrick Bonner, Sr., Football – One of FAMU’s most heralded quarterbacks of all-time, Bonner was the driving force in an offensive explosion that led to a Black College National title (1998), the shattering of numerous school, conference and NCAA records, and the school’s first NCAA playoff win since 1978. Bonner was named Black College and MEAC Offensive Player of the year after throwing for over 4,200 yards and 42 touchdowns, while leading the Rattlers to an 11-2 finish.
Willie Brown, Football – A star linebacker in the early 1980s, Brown teamed with 2021 Hall of Fame inductee Merlon Jones to form the fabled Twins of Destruction. Known as a savage hitter, Brown totaled over 100 tack-les in his junior and senior seasons, finishing his career with 320 tackles. A four-year starter, Brown was team captain as a junior and senior, and was Co-Defensive MVP in 1985.
Terence Hinson, Track and Field – A multi-talented athlete, who lettered in several sports at FAMU DRS, Hinson became a mainstay for the Rattler Track team, where his singular talent for elevation paid off in the high jump. He set a FAMU record in the high jump at the 1981 Relays, with a leap of 7 feet, a mark still on the books today.
Supporter
Dr. Janelle R. Baker – Dr. Baker was a former softball player, who is Trauma Nurse Practitioner, has worked the football sidelines with the FAMU team doctors and medical staff for nearly two decades. She helped organize EMS services not only for athletes but for fans at FAMU home football games at the request of Athletic Director Ken Riley. She also contributed time and money in support of FAMU Softball while a member of the team, enlisting her family’s help in financially assist the team.
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