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MONTGOMERY, Ala. | The Alabama State University Athletics Hall of Fame will induct the class of 2023 on September 29 at the John Garrick Hardy Center Ball Room on the campus of ASU.

The Alabama State Athletics Hall of Fame will enshrine 13 former Hornet and Lady Hornets greats and one as the Distinguished Sportsman Award  Baseball (1), men's basketball (4), women's basketball (2), football (4), men's track and field (2) and women's track and field (1) make up the 14 inductees.

This year's inductees are Larry Watkins (baseball), Danny Crenshaw (men's basketball), Kevin Loder (men's basketball), James Oliver, Sr. (men's basketball), Willie Scott (men's basketball), Freda Freeman-Jackson (women's basketball), Barbara Williams (women's basketball), Severne Frazier (football), Frank Lewis (football), Zefross Moss (football), John Jones (men's track and field), Horace Crump (men's track and field), and Jennifer Morgan (women's track and field). 

Larry Shaw will be honored with the Alabama State Sports Hall of Fame's Distinguished Sportsman Award. Shaw, a corporate executive from Fayetteville, North Carolina, served in the North Carolina State House of Representatives from 1994-1997. He joined the North Carolina State Senate in 1997 and served in that position until 2011, representing the 21st District. He was the Co-Founder of North South Meatpackers and worked there from 1988-1993. He has been CEO/Contractor for Shaw Food Services since 1974. Shaw was an All-SIAC football player and had his number 51 jersey retired at Alabama State University for his heroics on the gridiron. 

Larry Watkins	Danny Crenshaw	Kevin Loder	James Oliver, Sr.	Willie Scott	Freda Freeman-Jackson	Barbara Williams
Severne Frazier	Zefross Moss	Larry Shaw	John Jones	Horace Crump	Jennifer Morgan

2023 ALABAMA SPORTS HALL OF FAME HONOREES

Watkins is synonymous with Alabama State baseball, having played for the team as a center fielder where he was nicknamed the "Toy Cannon." A member of the first Alabama State team to appear in the NCAA playoffs, the Hornet lifer coached the program for more than 30 years, amassing a school-record 513 victories and numerous postseason appearances. Watkins was named SWAC Coach of the Year in 1991 and twice won Eastern Division Coach of the Year honors.  Watkins is a 2018 SWAC Hall of Fame inductee. 

Crenshaw starred for the Alabama State basketball Hornets for four seasons. He left Ole Mother Dear averaging 24.5 points and 12.8 rebounds per game.  He netted 35 points against FAMU. Other highlights included scoring 51 points in a game against Stillman College during his sophomore year and he was a three-time All-SIAC selection. The Wetumpka, Ala., native was voted ASU men's player of the year, all-conference Post Herald- All-Alabama District 27 First Team, and NAIA All-American in 1970. Crenshaw left ASU as the second all-time leading scorer at ASU with 2,570 career points. The Philadelphia 76ers selected Crenshaw in Round 4 with Pick 12 in the 1970 NBA Draft. 

Loder was selected by the Kansas City Kings in the first round (17th pick overall) of the 1981 NBA draft after starring for the Alabama State Basketball Hornets. Loder was a two-time NAIA All-American and led the 1979-80 Alabama State's Basketball Hornets to a 32-2 record and the NAIA championship game. 

Oliver compiled a 291-191 record at ASU and won back-to-back Southwestern Athletic Conference Championships. His overall record was 360-209. The court in the Acadome basketball arena is named after him. He is a 2002 SWAC Hall of Fame inductee.

Scott averaged 30.6 points and 14 rebounds per game at ASU in the mid-to-late 1960s. During his four-year college career, he scored a total of 3,155.  The Baltimore Bullets selected Willie Scott in Round 2 with Pick 14 in the 1969 NBA Draft.

Jackson played two years for the Lady Hornets' basketball program, averaging 16.1 points per game and scoring 859 career points. Jackson has coached the Alabama State University women's basketball program for 26 seasons, compiling a 363-271 overall record that includes three SWAC Tournament, three SWAC Regular season titles, three trips to the NCAA Tournament and one WNIT berth. Freeman-Jackson is a 2019 SWAC Hall of Fame inductee.

Williams was the first coordinator of women's athletics at ASU.  In 1975, she took the helm of the women's program, crafting and executing a strategic plan to create athletic opportunities at ASU. In addition to her role as the coordinator of women's athletics, Williams also served as the women's head basketball coach and track coach. During her five seasons as head basketball coach, the Lady Hornets amassed an amazing 95-23 record.  Williams also excelled as a track coach for 25 years, leading her teams to 68 wins and 15 second-place finishes.

Frazier was a teacher, coach and principal in Alabama high schools and served as an official for more than 20 years. His most important contribution came as executive secretary of the Alabama Interscholastic Athletic Association when he was instrumental in bringing about a successful merger of the old black and white high school athletic associations in 1968. Frazier was inducted into SWAC Hall of Fame and AHSAA Hall of Fame in 1992.

Lewis was known as a specular four-sport student athlete at Alabama State University. He earned letters every year in baseball, basketball, track and football. He earned All- SIAC honors in football and All-American honors by the Pittsburgh Courier. As a coach, he was recognized as the SIAC basketball Coach of the Year and received the Service Award in Athletics from the SIAC.  Lewis is a 1995 SWAC Hall of Fame inductee and a 1994 SIAC Hall of Fame inductee.

Moss was an All-SWAC and Black College All-American at Alabama State University.  Moss played 12 seasons in the NFL and is frequently recognized as one the best undrafted free agents in NFL history. Moss is a 1995 SWAC Hall of Fame inductee and a1994 SIAC Hall of Fame inductee.

Jones was a standout track athlete at Alabama State. He placed first and third in the Amateur Athletic Union National Junior and Senior Championships and leaped 6 feet, 4 inches for first place in the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC) championship meet. He was appointed as ASU's head track and field coach in 1948 and served for 13 years (1948-61).  In 1985, Jones won four gold medals and a silver medal at the United States Recreational Team Championships. Jones was inducted into the SWAC Hall of Fame in 1993.

Crump coached for 31 seasons at ASU, winning 14 SWAC championships, with one each in the men's indoor and outdoor and four each in the women's cross-country, indoor and outdoor from 2001-2007.  At least one of his teams won a conference title each of those years. Crump was inducted in 2009 SWAC Hall of Fame Class. After graduating from Thomas A. Levy High School, he attended and earned a bachelor's degree from Alabama State University, where he was a member of the football and track and field teams. He also earned a master's degree from Southern University-Baton Rouge and an Education Specialist degree from Alabama State University. He served in numerous capacities at ASU, including Assistant Head Football Coach, Head Tennis Coach, and Director of the Olean Black Underwood Tennis Center. He retired as Assistant Professor in the College of Education, Department of Health, Physical Education, and Recreation and Head Track and Field and Cross Country Coach in 2008.

Morgan was part of the first-ever SWAC indoor title team and was the SWAC Most Valuable Runner in 2003. She was the fastest woman in the SWAC three times and was First-Team All- SWAC 13 times. Honored in 2003 by the national association for girls and women in sports as the Nell Jackson award winner for her achievements as a collegiate athlete.  She holds the distinction of being the only athlete to be a conference champion in four different individual events in the SWAC. 

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