The 12th induction class of the University of Mount Olive Athletics Hall of Fame was inducted during the 52nd Annual Pickle Classic weekend held on November 17-18. Women's basketball student-athlete Teneal Boone, men's basketball student-athlete Elton Coffield, baseball student-athlete Tom Layne, baseball student-athlete and coach Charlie Long, and women's soccer student-athlete Heather Ressler Warner were all inducted into the UMO Athletics Hall of Fame on November 18.
Teneal Boone '06 was an All-Conference first team selection in 2005 and is third in Mount Olive career scoring with 1,220 points. She ranks tied for eighth in rebounds in a game (17 twice), third in rebounds in a season (305), second in rebounds in a career (917), tied for second for blocks in a game (6), third in blocks in a season (53), and first in blocks in a career (145). She is also tied for the best single-game free throw percentage (10 for 10, 100%).
"This is an honor I do not share alone. To my teammates, coaching staff, and trainers that helped me both on and off the court, I thank you and appreciate you. Most importantly I want to thank my family and friends who believed in me and continued to help me through my collegiate career," said Boone.
Elton Coffield '07 was named the NCAA DII Men’s Basketball East Regional Tournament Most Outstanding Player in 2005, after leading the Trojans to the Elite Eight, and Mount Olive Outstanding Student-Athlete of the Year in 2004-05 and 2006-07. In the Mount Olive record books, he ranks 11th in points in a game (35), fourth in points in a season (600), third in points in a career (1,854), tied for first in 3-point field goals in a game (9), third in 3-point FG in a season (91), second in 3-point FG in a career (257), second in free throws made in a game (17), and third in free throw percentage in a career (79.0%). He was named to the North Carolina Collegiate Sports Information Association All-State first team in 2004-05 and second team in 2005-06. Coffield was also named to the All-Conference first team three times (2003-04, 2004-05, 2005-06).
"I would like to thank God for blessing me with the gift and talent to play the game basketball. I also want to thank my teammates at Mount Olive, without them, I would not have turned into the player and the man that stand before you today. I am truly honored to be inducted into the University of Mount Olive Athletics Hall of Fame," said Coffield.
Tommy Layne '07 was named the Conference Carolinas Pitcher of the Year and earned All-America honorable mention honors in 2007. During his one season in a Trojan uniform, Layne had a 9-1 overall record, one save, with a 2.87 ERA, and 71 strikeouts. The Trojans had a record of 49-13 and reached the NCAA regional final that year. Layne was drafted in 2007 by the Arizona Diamondbacks. During his six-year major league career, Layne pitched for the San Diego Padres, Boston Red Sox, and New York Yankees. He appeared in 216 games, throwing 149.2 innings with an 8-5 overall record, four saves, and a 3.61 ERA. He averaged 8.2 strikeouts per 9 innings.
"Unfortunately for me I only played here one year but I learned more about the game of baseball in my one year here from head coach Carl Lancaster, Coach Aiken, and Coach Watt than I had in my entire life up to that point. I can say that I'm truly indebted to these guys but it is not even a big enough word or phrase. I love coming back here, I love the university and I love everything about it and it was a great move to come here," said Layne.
Charlie Long '89 played second base for the Trojans from 1987-89 and had a career batting average of .371. He was named the team MVP in 1987 and Mount Olive Outstanding Student-Athlete of the Year in 1989. Following his playing days at Mount Olive, Long went into coaching. He began as a graduate assistant at Campbell University in 1989 and joined the NC Wesleyan College staff as head women’s volleyball coach and the first full-time assistant baseball coach in 1991. Long took over as the head baseball coach in 1999 and has amassed a 452-392-5 record over his 20 years at the helm of the Battling Bishops, highlighted by an NCAA Division III National Championship in 1999. Along with his coaching duties, Long was named the Assistant Athletics Director for Community Relations and Marketing in 2015. He was inducted into the NC Wesleyan Athletics Hall of Fame in 2016.
"I can never trade in those three years that I was here and play for a better man than Carl Lancaster. I appreciate this honor and it is great to be back here and I look forward to seeing everyone down the road," said Long.
Heather Ressler Warner '05 was a goalkeeper for the Trojans women’s soccer team and is the school’s all-time leader in single-season shutouts (10), career shutouts (22), single season goals against average (0.73), single match saves (23), and career saves (506). In 2001 she ranked third in the nation in saves per match (11.50), and in 2004 she ranked 18th in the nation in goals-against average. Ressler was a two-time All-Conference honorable mention honoree and helped Mount Olive win its first-ever conference championship in 2004 with a 20-3 record, which is the single-season school record. Mount Olive set (and still holds) the NCAA Division II women’s soccer record for Most Improved Won-Lost Record, going from a 3-15 record in 2003 to 20-3 in 2004 (14-1/2 games).
"My soccer career has been a collaborative effort of so many people to help me arrive at this moment, my parents, coaches, and teammates who deserve to be up here with me, the men's soccer team who were our biggest supporters, my college roommate, and many others. It is amazing to see how much the University of Mount Olive has grown and what it has become and I am very much proud to be a part of it," said Warner.
This year's class is the 12th Hall of Fame Class and brings the total number of inductees up to 51.
If you missed the ceremony or would like to view a video replay of the ceremony, Click Here.
