PEACE COLLEGE INDUCTS 2011 ATHLETICS HALL OF FAME CLASS

Peace College formally recognized one student-athlete and one coach and administrator as the third class inducted into its Athletics Hall of Fame Saturday. Fay Jackson Anderson '54 and Carolyn Ruth Hopkins were this year's inductees in a ceremony held during Alumnae Spring Fling Weekend at the Breakfast of Champions, led by Director of Athletics Kelly Johnson

Mrs. Anderson serves as a Trustee (2006-12) and has been an active and engaged alumna for many years. She has served on the Board of Visitors (2000-06), worked as a Class Agent (1999-00, 2002-03), and is a member of The Heritage Society, the President's Circle Society and the William Peace Society. In 2005, Fay was recognized with the Distinguished Alumna Award during the same year that she and her late husband, W. Edward Anderson, established the W. Ed & Fay Jackson Anderson Athletic Endowment Fund. The fund provides support and enhances the athletics program and its facilities.  Also in 2005, Fay and Ed gave a generous gift to renovate the women's locker room in Hermann Student Center.  Fay continues to support Pacer Athletics as a member of the Peace Pacer Club and a former member of the Peace Pride Club.  As a student, Fay was a dedicated and talented basketball player, and she continues to attend and root for the Peace Pacers during as many home basketball games as she can.

From 1982 to 1989, the late Ms. Hopkins (1956-91) served as the College's Director of Athletics, head of the Physical Education department and as the Peace Green Giants Tennis Team coach.  Ruth's teams compiled a 120-55 record, won six Region X championships in six tries and finished seventh or higher six times in the national junior-college tournament.  In 1989, her last season, Peace achieved its highest ranking, fourth, and went 18-1. Ruth was known as a "gentle giant" by parents, students and faculty alike.  A.J. Carr, staff writer for the News & Observer at the time wrote, "She reigned with a gentle touch and a smile, but she could be tough. She kept one talented team home from the regional and national tournaments for disciplinary reasons!"  In that same 1991 article, S. David Frazier, President Emeritus, is quoted as saying, "The business part of the athletics department went so smoothly when she was athletic director. And, she worked so well with everybody, people in and out of the department."  After her untimely death at the age of 34 from a battle with cancer, The Carolyn Ruth Hopkins Fund was established by Ruth's estate and through gifts made in her memory.  The memorial fund supports the College's athletic department and the tennis team.  Ruth also received a posthumous induction in the Women's Tennis Hall of Fame (1994).

"It was a great day for Peace College Athletics as we honored two outstanding women, former Tennis Coach and Director of Athletics Ruth Hopkins as well as former Basketball and Tennis student-athlete Fay Jackson Anderson '54," Johnson said. "Both these ladies represent the best of college athletics as well as the best of Peace College athletics and are fine examples for our current student athletes."

This year's class doubles Peace's Athletics Hall of Fame membership to four. Past inductees were the 1976-77 Basketball Team (2002) and Dr. S. David Frazier (2009).