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< Back Vincent Hamilton 2018 A graduate from R-S Central Class of 1980. Hamilton played basketball for Central from 1977-1980. During his high school career, he was All Conference each year, All District in 1978-79 and helped R-S Central win the State 3A Basketball Championship with an undefeated season in 1979. His basketball team uniform was retired in 1983. Hamilton was also a member of the Track and Cross-Country teams 1979-1980. In 1980, he won the FIBA World Cup Silver Medal, and in 1981, he earned the Olympic National Sports Festival Silver Medal. Hamilton attended Clemson University on an athletic scholarship from 1981-1985 and graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Industrial Education. While there he was a member of the ACC All Legends Team, All ACC Rookie Team and was named ACC Player of the Week. In 1985, he was Clemson Athlete of the Year. He was selected for the Clemson Basketball All-Time Greats team, the Clemson Hall of Fame 2003, and the 2004 AIl ACC team. Hamilton was a 1985 NBA Draft Pick for the Indiana Pacers. He was named to the Continental Basketball Association All Star team/All Time Most Games Played. He was Team Captain of the CB World Champion Catbirds in 1990 and 1992, and his team uniform was retired in 1994. Hamilton was Director of Basketball Operations and Assistant Coach for the LaCrosse Bobcats 1994-99. Hamilton continues to coach as Founder and CEO of HAMFAMOUS, a health, wellness and fitness company in LaCrosse, WI. "I believe all great life endeavors should have a redeeming social value. Being involved with sports has given me the honor of being in service to many people in all walks of life, from faith to health, education to sports, volunteering to business. Oneness is always the goal I've strived for - serving to bring people together to Oneness," said Hamilton.

< Back Tonya Philbeck Hobbs 2019 Tanya Philbeck Hobbs only hit the pool one season for the East Rutherford Lady Cavaliers, but she certainly made quite a splash during that time. As a senior in 1988, Hobbs set numerous regional and state records and was ranked the top prep recruit in the country following her senior season, along with being named the Rutherford County Athlete of the Year. 1988 was a good year for Hobbs swimming on the club level as well. She qualified for the Olympic Trials in three different events (100 M backstroke, 200 M backstroke and the 100 M Fly) while representing the YMCA swim club of Spartanburg, South Carolina. Other highlights of Hobbs' club career include being ranked second in the nation and eighth in the world for the 100 M backstroke at the age of 17, while finishing third at the US Open and first at the YMCA Nationals (an all-time record that stood until 2015) that same season. Hobbs was also named the South Carolina Swimmer of the Year in consecutive seasons, 1988-1990. All of that success led Hobbs to join the University of Georgia Swim Team in 1988 on full scholarship. Though she battled injuries as a freshman, Tanya went on to have an outstanding collegiate career for the Bulldogs. While at UGA, Hobbs qualified for the 1992 Olympic Trials, finishing ninth. She also garnered All-SEC and All-American status in the 100 yard backstroke and the 200 yard freestyle from 1990-92. In 1992, Hobbs was part of the 800 yard freestyle relay team that broke a school record with a time of 1:44.14 and was a two time SEC Scholastic All-American. Hobbs retired from competition after finishing her UGA career, but made a comeback in the Olympic years of 1996 and 2000. She did not qualify in either attempt, but in 2000, Hobbs did set the Master Class World Record (ages 29-34). Hobbs overcame Hodgkins Lymphoma in 2012 and says it was the fight and tenacity learned during her swimming career that helped her win that battle. Hobbs was inducted into the East Rutherford Athletic Hall of Fame in 2004.

Nominate Someone to the Rutherford County Sports Hall of Fame WHAT DOES IT TAKE? Local to ROCO Must be a native, current or previous resident of Rutherford County, NC. Excellence Must have made an outstanding contribution to your sport or service. Good Character Exemplifies good character and worthy of being emulated. Eligibility Criteria for Hall of Fame Nomination Eligibility - A Nominee Must be a native, resident, or non-resident of Rutherford County, NC, who has played or contributed to a sport in Rutherford County or elsewhere. The nominee must have made an outstanding contribution in their sport(s) or a significant contribution as an athletic supporter. Typically, this may include the attainment of All-Conference honors, Regional honors, All-County, All-State honors, Athlete/Coach of the Year, player/ coach statistics, professional playing career and Hall of Fame inductions. The nominee must exemplify good character and worthy of being emulated. Nominees shall be considered without discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, gender, age, handicap or national origin. Athletes will become eligible for nomination ten years after high school. Coaches become eligible for nomination after retirement. In all circumstances, exceptions can be made by the board. Official Categories Athletic Excellence An athlete that was extraordinary in contributing to the success of the athletes team or as an individual performer in an individual sport. Nominees in this category must have been departed from high school for 10 years. Coaching Excellence A coach that was extraordinary in contributing to the success of a team. Nominees in this category must have been retired from coaching. Athletic Contributor Athletic Contributor can be defined as administrator or benefactor. This category recognizes those who have created lasting values to Rutherford County Athletics. Online Member Nomination Who are you nominating? Nomination Category (Select one of these three) Select an option Nominee Street Address City Region/State/Province Postal / Zip code Phone Email Nominee Occupation Tell us why your nominee should be a Sports Hall of Fame consideration: Upload File Upload supported file (Max 15MB) Nominator Name Street Address City Region/State/Province Postal / Zip code Home/Cell Phone Email Endorser (Phone#, Address, Email) Endorser (Phone#, Address, Email) Submit Application Thanks for nominating a member! We'll get back to you soon. Or Download the PDF - Don't Miss Out - SIGN UP FOR ALL THE LATEST NEWS‭, ‬INFO AND UPDATES‭!‬ SUBSCRIBE Thanks for submitting!

- Welcome - Entering Rutherford County's Finest Athletics Territory ABOUT US In January of 2017, a committee was commissioned by local citizens of Rutherford County to establish a Rutherford County Sports Hall of Fame (RCSHOF) for the purpose of recognizing the efforts and achievements of athletes, coaches, and contributors. Fourteen members make up the Board of Directors of RCSHOF and they created the guidelines and selection process. The inductees should embody the intent, spirit, and historical context or Rutherford County's finest. MEET THE BOARD MEMBERS GOLF TOURNAMENT UPCOMING EVENTS July 25th Ball in the air at 9 AM Click here to learn more! 2025 INDUCTION CEREMONY UPCOMING EVENTS April 24th at 6:00pm ICC Foundation Click here to buy your ticket! Our Mission The Rutherford County Sports Hall of Fame is established to provide a means to recognize the extraordinary efforts and achievements of athletes, coaches, teams and contributors throughout Rutherford County. Our Legacy Play Video Share Whole Channel This Video Facebook Twitter Pinterest Tumblr Copy Link Link Copied Share Channel Info - Don't Miss Out - SIGN UP FOR ALL THE LATEST NEWS‭, ‬INFO AND UPDATES‭!‬ SUBSCRIBE Thanks for submitting! SAY HI!

< Back Billy Ray Vickers 2022 Forest City native Billy Ray Vickers was a force on the football field for the CHASE Trojans on both sides of the ball during his high school playing career from 1972-76. He went on to have a productive four seasons at NC State before an injury cut a promising NFL career short. Vickers, who grew up working on his grandparents' cotton farm, played at CHASE under fellow RCSHOF member Coach John Keeter. In 1974 asa junior, Vickers rushed for 632 yards and two touchdowns, as the Trojans finished at 4-4-1 in the Southwestern Conference. Vickers came into his own during his senior season of 1975. He and teammate Ray Harris formed a fearsome backfield tandem with each crossing the 1,000-yard mark, the first pair of teammates to reach that milestone during the same season in CHASE history. In all, Vickers rushed for 1,241 yards and 19 touchdowns in 1975, helping CHASE to an undefeated regular season and a conference title. In CHASE'S first round playoff win versus Watauga, held at Gardner-Webb's Spangler Stadium, Vickers rushed for four touchdowns in the Trojans' 45-0 victory. He was also the team's leading tackler that day. As a result of his outstanding senior season, Vickers was selected to play in the 1975 Shrine Bowl where he was named Defensive Player of the Game. Vickers was recruited to NC State (where he majored in Animal Science) by legendary coach Lou Holtz and played for Bo Rein. As a sophomore, Vickers rushed for a career-best 726 yards, helping NCSU earn a 24-14 Peach Bowl victory over lowa State. Vickers was featured in a Sports Illustrated preview of that game. As a junior, he scored eight touchdowns, and even though he was hampered by injuries in 1979 as a senior, Vickers averaged 4.6 yards per carry for a Wolfpack team that won the ACC Title. In all, Vickers garnered 2,375 All-Purpose yards and 12 touchdowns during his college career. Vickers was drafted by the Washington Redskins and later signed by the Baltimore Colts, but a knee injury cut his NFL career short. Vickers turned his efforts to other endeavors, mainly the manufacturing industry. Through the years, he has built several successful businesses and now he is the founder, owner and CEO of seven companies. One of those companies is Modular Assembly Innovations (MAI), a $1.2 billion automotive component manufacturing enterprise based in Dublin, Ohio. It employs more than 350 workers in four states and is ranked in the top five on the Black Enterprise List of 100 Top Black-owned companies in the nation as of 2019.

< Back Lewis Jolley 2017 native of Bostic, NC and graduate from East Rutherford High School 1967, played his collegiate football career at UNC Chapel Hill from 1969-1971 as a running back, wing back and kick-off return, after receiving a scholarship in spite of not being able to play his senior year due to injury. He was later drafted in 1972 by the Houston Oilers as the highest NFL draft pick in Rutherford County history (56). From 1972-1974, Jolly played with the Houston Oilers, the Charlotte Hornets and the New York Stars. Jolley, because of his superb performance as a running back for UNC Chapel Hill, was also selected as a key member of the 1971 All-Atlantic Coast Conference football team, which consisted of American football players chosen by various selectors for their All-Atlantic Coast Conference ("ACC") teams for the 1971 college football season. While playing collegiately, during warmups against Notre Dame, a former teammate recalled this exchange: "Lewis Jolley was catching punts, running them a short distance, and turning around to go catch another one. As I kicked a field goal, Lewis jogged by and yelled, "We're in some deep $--t." I said, "What do you mean?" He said, "I will be back." He caught another punt, jogged by, and said, "These guys are huge." I said, "Lewis we knew that before today." He said, "'Il be back." He came back again, this time with a bit of laughter and bigger than normal eyes peering from his helmet, Lewis said, "They do not have their shoulder pads on yet." I turned and looked, he was right, they did not have their shoulder pads on and they were already huge!!"

< Back Jack Huss 2022 Frank Jackson Huss Sr. Jack) is something of a Rutherford County Renaissance Man. He has earned acclaim as a player, coach, administrator and official in multiple sports, as well as being involved in many philanthropic endeavors around the county. Huss was a three-sport athlete while attending R-S Central High School, as the Spindale native earned seven letters while playing football, basketball, and baseball. As a result, Huss was selected as Outstanding Male Athlete his senior year of 1965. Upon graduation, Huss attended Lenoir Rhyne University, where he lettered in both football and baseball. During his career on the college gridiron, Huss set single-season and career passing records for the Bears. He also held as many as 10 other school records during his college career. After completing an advanced degree at East Carolina, Huss returned to Lenoir-Rhyne in 1972 as an assistant coach and later the head coach, a position which he held for six seasons. In 1975, Huss led the Bears to a 7-3-1 record and a South Atlantic Conference Title. He was elected to the RU Hall-of-Fame in 1996 and has served as the Bears' Football Color Analyst since 2003. Huss also served as the offensive coordinator for East Tennessee State during his college coaching career. Huss found success as a coach on the high school gridiron, as well. He was head coach at Richmond Sr. High School from 1980-83, leading the Spiders to a playoff appearance his first season. Huss also coached at Hunter Huss from 1985-86 and the Huskies qualified for the postseason, too. As a result, Huss was the Southwestern Conference 4A Coach of the Year. Following the 1986 season, Huss returned to his alma mater as head coach of the Hilltoppers from 1987-95. He led R-S to their first-ever playoff appearance in 1987 and first-ever playoff win when they defeated Brevard on the road. Huss wore many hats for the Hilltoppers while at R-S. In addition to being head football coach, he also served as golf coach for the girls' and boys' teams, along with overseeing all sports programs as Athletic Director during his tenure. Huss coached 23 All-Conference golfers during his 12 years on the links and led them to four Rutherford County Championships in five seasons. Huss was also a four-time conference Coach of the Year and had four golfers earn Player of the Year honors under his tutelage. The Hilltoppers found team success, too, earning three-60 Western Regional Championships and five playoff appearances. As an Athletic Director, Huss guided the Hilltoppers to a pair of prestigious Wachovia Cups and was named the Region 8 Athletic Director of the Year in 2001. During his career, Huss found time to work as a basketball official at both the college and high school levels. Huss officiated for both the West Virginia Intercollegiate Conference and Conference Carolinas. Huss was a high school official for 40 years, calling many big games and receiving numerous honors. He officiated a NCHSAA Championship game five times and the East/West All-Star Game in 1998. Huss received the NCHSAA Distinguished Service Award, along with the Golden Whistle for outstanding officiating in 2012. Based on that body of work, Huss was inducted into the NCHSAA Hall of Fame in 2014. Huss is an active member of Advent Lutheran Church in Spindale, serving in numerous roles over the years.

< Back Tonya Sanford Boykins 2024 Antoniea (Tonya) Sanford-Boykins found success at every sport she tried during a decorated athletic career at East Rutherford. From 1981-85, Sanford-Boykins played basketball, softball, volleyball and ran track during her time with the Cavaliers. Upon graduation from East, Sanford-Boykins earned a basketball scholarship to Johnson C. Smith University in Charlotte where she also played softball. As a Golden Bull, she won numerous awards and honors and then began a successful coaching career on both the high school and college levels. Even though Sanford-Boykins was a four-year letter winner in track and volleyball at East Rutherford, she had the most success on the basketball court and the softball diamond. She captained the Cavaliers’ softball team in 1984 and 1985, winning All-Conference honors during those seasons. Sanford-Boykins was also named Best Offensive Player In 1984 and Best Defensive Player, along with Co-MVP during her Senior season of 1985. Sanford-Boykins was even more dominant on the basketball court. She earned All-Conference honors in 1984 and 1985, averaging 14.8 points and six rebounds as a Senior in 1985. Due to her success, Sanford- Boykins was awarded a basketball scholarship to play for the Johnson C. Smith Golden Bulls, becoming the first female athlete from East Rutherford to earn an athletic scholarship. Just as in high school, Sanford Boykins was also a multi-sport athlete at JCSU. As a Senior in 1988-89, she helped the Golden Bulls earn a 2 nd place finish at the CIAA Conference Tournament, while being selected for the All-Tournament Team. She also garnered the JCSU Coaches Award during that same season. Not to be outdone, Sanford-Boykins claimed multiple team awards for the Golden Bulls’ softball team, too including Rookie of the Year, Best Offensive Player, Best Defensive Player and team MVP. After graduating from Johnson C. Smith, Sanford-Boykins was an assistant coach for the Golden Bulls for one season. She returned to Forest City and took a break from playing but came back to the court 10 years later for one final season in 1998-99, playing overseas for a semi-pro team in Brunswick, Germany. When her basketball career was finished, Sanford-Boykins turned her attention to coaching where she was an assistant coach for the Lady Cavaliers’ Basketball and Softball programs for several seasons. Due to her success as an athlete and coach, Sanford-Boykins was inducted into the East Rutherford Hall Of Fame in 2010, while also being named one of Rutherford County’s Top 50 Female Athletes of all time. Sanford-Boykins has taught Business and Information Technology classes at East Rutherford since 2007 and she also serves as a Pastor at True Vine Church Of God in Forest City. Sanford-Boykins and her husband Robert have three children, DeVince, DeVonte and DeVoria.

< Back Rodney McSwain 2017 is from Caroleen, North Carolina. He attended Chase High School, went on to become one of Clemson University's Top 10 Defensive Line Players of the 1980s and is a former professional American football cornerback in the National Football League. In May of 1984, McSwain was originally drafted by the Atlanta Falcons following his college career at Clemson University. McSwain, who also anchored Clemson's 1982 conference champion 400-meter relay team, was one of nine defensive players drafted by the Falcons. McSwain was quickly acquired by the New England Patriots where he played seven seasons (1984-1990). He also played two seasons in the Arena Football League with the Detroit Drive, winning Arena Bowl VI in 1992. Cornerbacks, in the early 80's were from that of today's standards. While they were still expected to cover wide receivers, they were also basically linebackers who were lined outside of the eight-man box. Rod McSwain mastered this scenario and was a lock down cornerback. He had the size and power to play linebacker, but speed to play corner. In the 1985 season, the New England Patriots saw their first play-off game ever in the Super Bowl era when McSwain sealed the deal with a pass interception. They were the wild card that would not host a single game on their home field and yet would miraculously achieve the honor of squaring off in Super Bowl XX against the powerhouse Chicago Bears. While they did not win, this was a wonderful experience to be a part of.

< Back Carl Bartles 2024 Carl Bartles is one of the best Running Backs to ever come out of Rutherford County. The 1967 graduate of R-S Central led the Hilltoppers to an 8-3 record during his Senior Season in Rutherfordton. He was also a standout on the track team for the Hilltoppers, setting school records along the way. After graduation from R-S, Bartles attended Lenior-Rhyne where he also set records on the gridiron for the Bears. Bartles went on to sign a professional contract with the NFL’s Washington Redskins before playing in the Canadian and World Football Leagues. While not many statistics are known about Bartles’ high school career, it is clear he was an outstanding athlete. “As the quarterback, he made my job easy,” former North Carolina Lieutenant Governor Walter Dalton said. “Just get the ball to Carl and watch him run. He was also a phenomenal Defensive End.” Bartles was named to the All-Southwestern Conference Team, and as a result, got to play in an All-Star game held at East Rutherford at the end of the football season in 1966. Bartles showed off his speed on the track, as well. He set the Western North Carolina Athletic Activities record in the 100-yard dash, completing the race in 9.9 seconds. “I still hold that record because they changed to meters right after that,” Bartles joked. Bartles also had an impressive career at Lenior Rhyne, leading the team in rushing in three of his four seasons. In four years with the Bears, he rushed for 3,677 yards which was a school record at the time . As a Senior in 1970, he rushed for 1,261 yards which was a Lenior Rhyne school record that stood for over two decades. Bartles still holds the record for the number of carries in a game (47) and in a single season (297). As a result of his efforts, Bartles was named a NAIA All-American in 1970. In 1974, Bartles was third in career rushing yards among players from the Tarheel State, surpassing players from Duke, UNC and NC State on that list. Bartles continued to play football after his graduation from Lenior Rhyne in 1971. Beginning in 1972, he signed contracts with the NFL’s Wahington Redskins and the Canadian Football League’s Ottawa Red Backs. In 1974, Bartles played in 10 games with the World Football League’s Birmingham Americans, rushing for a pair of touchdowns. Bartles moved closer to home in 1975, playing for the WFL’s Charlotte Hornets. After his football career was finished, Bartles stayed involved with the game. He was a head coach and educator at Piedmont High School in Monroe for many years. When asked what his inclusion into the Rutherford County Sports Hall Of Fame means to him, Bartles was at a loss for words. “It’s really hard to describe,” he said. “It means a lot and it is a special moment for me.” Bartles currently resides in Indian Trail, North Carolina.

< Back Chris Michael 2023 Rutherford County native Chris Michael not only starred on the hardwood at R-S Central, he also brought home state championship hardware in the Long Jump, as well. After a post-graduate season at Fork Union Military Academy, Michael played basketball at Clemson University for legendary coaches Bill Foster and Cliff Ellis. During his time as a Hilltopper for R-S Central High School from 1978-81, Michael played basketball, ran Cross Country and was a member of the Track & Field team. He was a valuable piece of the historic Hilltoppers’ basketball team that won the 1980 State Championship and posted a perfect 32-0 season. During his senior season of 1981, Michael helped R-S Central to a 27-5 record, falling just short of back-to-back State Titles, losing the Championship game. During his prep basketball career, Michael was a part of three Freedom Christmas Tournament Titles, along with being selected to play in the 1981 NCHSAA East/West All-Star Game. Michael was equally at home on the track for the Hilltoppers, winning the 1980 State Title in the Long Jump. After graduating from R-S, Michael enrolled at Fork Union Military Academy in Virginia for a year of post-graduate studies. While there, he led the basketball team to a 23-2 record and set the school record for the Long Jump at 23.3 feet. Michael’s mark still ranks in the Top 5 in school history. Michael enrolled at Clemson in 1982 where he played basketball alongside fellow RCSHOF member Vincent Hamilton. As a freshman, he played in 28 games for the Tigers under Coach Bill Foster, averaging 7.5 points and nearly three rebounds per contest. As a sophomore, Michael’s performance remained consistent, as he also averaged 7.5 points per g ame. In 1984 under Coach Cliff Ellis, Michael had his best season for the Tigers, averaging 8.8 points per game. Even though his performance dipped a bit as a senior, Michael still finished his Clemson career averaging 7.3 points and 3.3 rebounds per game. Cliff Ellis, who is now the head coach at Coastal Carolina University, shares fond memories of Michael. “He was one of the hardest workers I have ever coached,” Ellis said. “What a joy to coach. He brought it every single day. (I) loved coaching him. What I remember about Chris Michael was one of the first times I had ever coached against Dean Smith, North Carolina came to Clemson. He hit a shot at the end of the game to win it for us. He could shoot the basketball, and he brought it every day. I am so proud of what Chris has been able to do and I know this is quite an honor for him.” After graduating from Clemson, Michael opened a lawn care business before becoming a sub-contractor and working in masonry. He currently resides in Charlotte, North Carolina.

< Back Anthony "Chuck" McSwain 2017 an All-American fullback and linebacker from Chase High School in Rutherford County, NC. McSwain attended Chase High School in North Carolina, where he was an All-American fullback and also played linebacker on defense. He lettered in basketball and track. His number 35 was retired by the school a couple years following his graduation. He accepted a scholarship from Clemson University and became a starter as a freshman, in place of an injured Lester Brown. He finished with 443 rushing yards and 5 touchdowns including 120 yards on 18 carries versus Duke University. He was named the conference's rookie of the year. In 1980, he was the team's second leading rusher with 544 yards, including 272 yards on 37 attempts (6.8-yard average) in the final three games. He gained a total of 2,320 yards as a running back with the Clemson Tigers, and was a member of the university's 1981 National Championship Team. McSwain was drafted by the Dallas Cowboys in the fifth round (135th overall) of the 1983 NFL Draft. In his first career pre-season appearance, he had a game to remember against the Miami Dolphins, scoring 2 touchdowns in less than 2 minutes (including a 37-yard touchdown run). It was the last preseason game, the last chance to make the team. The first and second quarter went by and McSwain was still on the bench, The third quarter rolled into the fourth with only two minutes remaining when Coach Landry finally put McSwain in for his final chance, With two touchdowns down, a screen play to McSwain would lead him to run 67 yards for a touchdown. Coach Landry walked up the McSwain and said, "Son, you were two minutes away from being cut. Congratulations, you are a Dallas Cowboy."