INSTITUTE, W.Va. — West Virginia State University’s (WVSU) athletic booster organization, the National ‘W’ Club, will induct seven new members into the Sports Hall of Fame with a brunch beginning at 8:30 a.m. on Saturday, Oct. 12, at the James C. Wilson University Union.
The 2024 Hall of Fame inductees are: Roy Brown; Tony Dwight Cornett, Jr.; Christopher Dunn; Earl Monroe; Jason Moore; Ellis Spann, Jr.; and, Scott Swayne.
Brown joined the Yellow Jackets football team in 1977 after playing two year for East Central Junior College. During his time in Institute, He was a two-year starter at defensive end and middle linebacker. He averaged 10 tackles and three quarterback sacks per game. At one point during his senior year he led the nation in quarterback sacks. His first season, WVSU had its first winning season in 10 years but fell short in the conference championship game. In his second season, State won the championship against Shepherd University when Brown blocked a punt to seal the win for the Yellow Jackets and a trip to the Coal Bowl.
Cornett was a four-year starter and letterman for the Yellow Jackets men’s basketball team. For the 2003-2004 season he was named Outstanding Freshman in the WVIAC, and in 2004-2005 he was named WVIAC first team and also won the WVIAC tournament Heart and Hustle Award. In 2005-2006 he was once again named WVIAC first team and in 2006-2007 he was named WVIAC second team as well as the 2006-2007 WVIAC tournament MVP. Following his graduation from State in 2007 he played professional basketball in Iceland.
Dunn was a member of the Yellow Jackets men’s basketball team. He earned WVIAC All-Freshman team honors and was named the WVIAC Freshman of the Year. He received multiple All-Conference awards during his time at WVSU and was the WVIAC tournament MVP during his senior year. At the time of his graduation in 2006, Dunn was a part of WVSU’s all-time wins in a season and achieved a finish for his career in the NCAA Top 10 all-time assists. At this time he also held multiple records at State for assists, steals, and shooting percentage.
Monroe served as the head coach of the WVSU football team as well as the head coach of the track team. Monroe began his coaching career at the university in 1987 as a part-time assistant coach. In 1996, Carl Lee was named head coach and appointed Monroe as the Defensive Coordinator. Under Monroe’s leadership, the Yellow Jackets’ defense consistently ranked highly in the WVIAC Conference. After the 2005 season, Monroe was named interim head coach before ultimately being named the full-time head coach. In his second season as head coach, he guided the Yellow Jackets to their first winning record in over 15 years finishing 7-3. The following season he led the team to back-to-back winning seasons and achieved the school’s first ever NCAA Division II national ranking.
Moore was a three-year letterman for the Yellow Jackets baseball team. During his first year in 1994, the team won the WVIAC Championship. In 1996, he earned WVIAC Player and Hitter of the Year honors as well as Great Lakes Regional Player of the Year, and was awarded the WVSU National “W” Club Male Athlete of the Year. In June 1996, he was drafted in the Major League Baseball Amateur Draft by the Arizona Diamondbacks. He played three total seasons professionally. After completing his professional career, he returned to WVSU and graduated in 1999.
Spann was a two-way player for the Yellow Jackets football team playing wide receiver on offense and cornerback on defense scoring multiple touchdowns. He was a part of the 1979 Yellow Jacket Football Team Southern Division Champs and was recognized as the most valuable defensive player of the Coal Bowl. He still holds the WVSU record with a 102 yard interception touchdown return in 1979 against Fairmont State. Spann was also a standout for the WVSU track team where in won conference champion in the 100 meter dash and the 200 meter dash.
Swayne is a 1974 graduate of WVSU who spent most of his career as a teacher and coach in Kanawha County. Over the years, Swayne has amassed numerous football, basketball, and track county championships. At Stonewall Junior High, he led his football teams to win 20 county championships; 15 conference basketball championships; 18 county basketball championships; and 10 track championships. His final two seasons as head basketball coach earned two more county championships finishing the 2012-13 season undefeated. Currently, Swayne is an assistant coach at Nitro High School where he has helped lead the team to the WVSSAC Girls Basketball AAA State Championship in 2021; a state tournament semi-final in 2022; and this past season another AAA Girls Basketball State Championship in 2024. In 2022, he was named to the West Virginia Coaches Hall of Fame.
The ‘W’ Club Hall of Fame ceremony brunch will take place at 8:30 a.m., Saturday, inside the James C. Wilson University Union on the WVSU campus. The event is open to the public. Tickets are $15 and may be purchased at the door.
The ‘W’ Club Hall of Fame induction ceremony is taking place as part of Homecoming activities this week at WVSU. For more information on WVSU Homecoming activities, including registration, visit https://connect.wvstateu.edu/Homecoming24.
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