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From left: Sue Haynes Malone, Willie Thomas, Morey LeFeve, Athletic Director Lindsay Reeves, University President Bonita Jacobs, Dewayne Patrick, and Leon Ricketson and friend.

(Jan. 29, 2012) North Georgia College & State University inducted five new members to the prestigious Athletics Hall of Fame on Friday evening before an audience of nearly 200 people.

The newest members of the North Georgia Hall of Fame are former basketball and baseball player Dewayne Patrick, former baseball player Leon Ricketson, former women’s basketball players Sue Haynes Malone and Morey LeFeve and former men’s basketball standout Willie Thomas.

The Athletics Hall of Fame honors individuals who have earned outstanding athletic achievement or made substantial contributions to the university. A nine-member board of directors is responsible for the operations of the Athletics Hall of Fame and selects all honorees, based upon nominations.

Patrick, who graduated in 1957, was introduced by long-time friend Richard Coleman and is known as the “best of the best” by his classmates. He was a guard on the basketball team and was an outstanding ball handler, dribbler and shooter. During his junior season, Patrick led the team in scoring, averaging 18.8 points per game. He also played third base and was a pitcher for the baseball team.

Ricketson, who graduated in 1965, became the first North Georgia athlete to earn All-American honors from the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) in 1964. He was introduced Friday night by John Shope and an audio message from his former skipper, Coach Otte, was played. During his four-year baseball career, Ricketson had a batting average over .320 and caught every game for the Saints except two that he pitched. He was offered contracts with the Giants and the New York Yankees, but turned down those offers.

Sue Haynes Malone, the first woman in Georgia to receive an athletic scholarship, was introduced Friday night by former teammate Brenda Paul. In 1973, Haynes Malone played in and won the first-ever Georgia Association of Intercollegiate Athletics for Women conference basketball game and led the Lady Saints to a GAIAW title a year later. At the end of her collegiate career, she held the school record for scoring and rebounding and played semi-professionally for Atlanta during 1976-77.

Thomas came to North Georgia in 1980 and was introduced by former coach and fellow Hall of Famer Bill Ensley, who talked about recruiting one of the best players in school history. During his four-year career, Thomas appeared in 122 games, scoring 1,976 points, grabbing 1,038 rebounds and making 822 field goals. When he left North Georgia, he held the single-season record for field goal percentage at .645. Thomas is also second in school history in rebounds in a single season with 317. Thomas led the Saints to the NAIA National Tournament twice, received second-team NAIA All-American honors and was named the College Player of the Year in Georgia.

Morey LeFeve, one of the most decorated players in North Georgia women’s basketball history with 14 records, graduated in 2000. Buffie Burson coached the three-time All-American and introduced her Friday night. LeFeve set school records with 2,556 points, 1,326 rebounds and 913 field goals. She earned First-Team Kodak All-American and First-Team NAIA All-American honors her junior and senior years. Conference honors include Freshman of the Year, two-time Player of the Year and All-Conference team honors all four years. She also led the Lady Saints to three NAIA National Tournament appearances.

These five individuals join the inaugural class of 2011 that featured basketball players Brenda Hill-Gilmore and Jim Hyder, former basketball coach and athletic director Bill Ensley, and former baseball player and coach Bob Stein.

The induction ceremony and banquet were held as part of homecoming weekend activities at the university, which also included Saturday basketball games versus Flagler College where the inductees were introduced during halftime of the women’s game in front of a capacity crowd in Memorial Hall.