UU Sports Hall of FameUnion University Athletics has announced five new members to be inducted into the Union Sports Hall of Fame. The 2025 Union Sports Hall of Fame Banquet is scheduled for Friday, January 31, 2025, at 6:30 p.m. in the Grant Events Center on Union’s campus. The five new members include:
Janey Berends (women’s cross country)
Barry Bishop (baseball)
Lavanda Ross (women’s basketball)
Rick Rudesill (men’s basketball)
Jeff Wyatt (baseball)
To purchase tickets for the Hall of Fame Banquet, visit (https://uuathletics.com/hofpay). Tickets are $30 per person and can be purchased online with a credit card, by calling Teresa Thomas at 731-661-5325, or by bringing a check or cash to the athletics office.
Below are highlights for each inductee. Additional information will be shared closer to the banquet.
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Janey Berends (women’s cross country, 2014-17)
– First women’s cross country runner in the Union Sports Hall of Fame.
– Four-time All-GSC (3 first-team, 1 second-team).
– Four-time All-Region and GSC All-Academic.
– Key player in winning the first-ever GSC Championship after joining the league.
– Recipient of the prestigious Fulbright Scholarship.
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Barry Bishop (baseball, early 1980s)
– Member of the 1983 team that finished third in the NAIA World Series (team is in the Hall of Fame).
– Holds notable records:
  – 10th-highest batting average in a season: .412.
  – Tied for first with 3 home runs in a single game.
  – Fifth-most home runs in a season.
  – Third-most home runs in a career (36).
  – Most RBIs in a season (82).
  – Third-most RBIs in a career (202).
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Lavanda Ross (women’s basketball, 2008-12)
– Named NAIA National Player of the Year in 2012.
– Three-time All-American and three-time All-Conference.
– Earned titles of Conference Player of the Year, Freshman of the Year, and Newcomer of the Year.
– Ranks 8th on Union’s all-time scoring list with 2,022 points.
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Rick Rudesill (men’s basketball, 1985-89)
– Scored 1,508 career points, ranking 18th all-time at Union.
– Set records for most 3-pointers in a season (94), career 3-pointers (220), and career 3-point percentage (.414).
– Averaged 14.5 points per game in the 1988-89 season.
– His father, Dan Rudesill, is also a Union Sports Hall of Fame inductee, making them one of the top 20 all-time scorers in Union history.
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Jeff Wyatt (baseball, early 2000s)
– Named NAIA All-American, All-Region, and Region Player of the Year.
– Two-time All-Conference and Conference Player of the Year.
– Holds impressive Union records:
  – Third-best all-time career batting average (.387).
  – Most hits in a season (89) and career (316).
  – Third and fourth-most home runs in a season (17 and 15).
  – Second-most home runs in a career (46).
  – Most doubles in a season (26) and second-most doubles in a career (68).
  – Most RBIs in a career (249) and third and fourth-most RBIs in a season (78 twice).
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For more details and updates, visit (https://uuathletics.com/hofpay) .
