Three former student-athletes, two coaches, and one athletic administrator were inducted Aug. 13 into the inaugural class of the Winthrop Athletics Hall of Fame.

The six honorees recognized at a banquet in McBryde Hall were: the late Lucile Ellerbe Godbold ’22, a track and field gold medalist in the 1922 Olympics; Harriet “Boots” Bandy ’58, a former high school girls’ basketball coach and South Carolina Hall of Fame member; Mary Roland Griffin ’50, Winthrop’s first athletics director; Horace Turbeville, the school’s first baseball coach; Lisa Kemme Raio ’91, an NCAA record-setting softball pitcher; and Bryan Link ’95, an NCAA Division I All-American pitcher.

Winthrop Athletics Director Tom Hickman said Winthrop established its Hall of Fame to honor former student-athletes and past and present athletics and university administrators, coaches, and supporters of the Eagle’s athletics program who have made a lasting impact on the school’s sports programs.

“We believe this is the right time in the history of Winthrop to honor the outstanding individuals who have left their mark on the Winthrop athletics program and to also recognize the pioneers and leaders who have helped direct the successful evolution of

 Winthrop athletics from its years as an all-female school, to a quality NCAA Division I coeducational program,” said Hickman.

Participants joked that the ceremony seemed to attract extreme weather conditions. The first scheduled banquet was cancelled due to an 18-inch snowfall. The event was then set for Friday the 13th and was held despite threatening storms due to Hurricane Charley.

Ann Ellerbe Copeland ’68, niece of Lucile Godbold, came to the inauguration on behalf of her aunt who passed away in 1981 after a long teaching career at Columbia College. The recipients said they were honored by the induction in the first class.

“This has to be my greatest achievement,” said Bandy, who was an outstanding high school girls’ basketball coach for 39 years.

A permanent exhibit space for the Athletics Hall of Fame is being created on the upper concourse level of the Winthrop Coliseum and is expected to be completed in October.

The inaugural class for Winthrop’s Athletics Hall of Fame was recognized on Aug. 13, in McBryde Hall. (sitting from left) Mary Roland Griffin, Harriet "Boots" Bandy, Lisa Kemme Raio; standing, Athletics Director Tom Hickman, Horace Turbeville, Ann Ellerbe Copeland (niece of Lucile Godbold), Bryan Link, Winthrop President Anthony J. DiGiorgio.
 

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