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ASU Athletics Announces 2012 Hall of Fame Class

Appalachian State Athletics Hall of Fame Class of 2012 - Top Row (L to R): Anthony Downs, Derrick Graham and Ole Larson. Bottom Row (L to R): Andy Salandy, Ronda White and Julia Adams. Photo courtesy of ASU Athletics

July 2, 2012. Four former student-athletes and a coach have been selected for induction in the Appalachian State University Athletics Hall of Fame, ASU’s Former Athletes Association announced on Friday. The honorees include football All-Americans Anthony Downs (1984-87) and Derrick Graham (1986-89), swimming coach Dr. Edgar “Ole” Larson (1968-79), men’s soccer standout Andy Salandy (1987-90) and women’s track and field record-holder Ronda White (2001-04).

Additionally, longtime volunteer and supporter Julia Adams has been selected as the recipient of the Former Athletes Association’s 2012 Special Service Award. 

All six honorees will be recognized at Appalachian athletics’ Hall of Fame Induction Breakfast on Sept. 8 at 9 a.m. at the Broyhill Center. A limited number of tickets are available at $15 per person and reservations can be made by contacting Lynda Young at (828) 262-3108 or younglt@appstate.edu. The group will also be publicly honored later that day at halftime of Appalachian football home opener versus Montana. 

ANTHONY DOWNS (Football — 1984-87)

Defensive lineman was a consensus first-team All-American as a senior in 1987, receiving the recognition from the Associated Press, American Football Coaches Association, Walter Camp, Football Gazette and The Sports Network … named 1987 Southern Conference Defensive Player of the Year after amassing 138 tackles, 19 tackles for loss, eight sacks, 15 quarterback pressures, four forced fumbles, a fumble recovery, an interception and seven pass break-ups in his final collegiate season (including three postseason games) … three-time first-team all-Southern Conference honoree (1985-87) … still ranks among program’s all-time leaders in single-season (4 — t-2nd) and career (8 — t-3rd) fumble recoveries and career quarterback hurries (41 — t-10th) … helped lead Appalachian to its first two Southern Conference championships and NCAA Division I-AA playoff berths (1986 and 1987) … member of Appalachian’s 75th Anniversary team.

DERRICK GRAHAM (Football — 1986-89)

Widely regarded as one of the best offensive linemen in Appalachian State history … earned first-team All-America recognition from the Associated Press, American Football Coaches Association and The Sports Network and second-team honors from Football Gazette as a senior in 1989 … 1989 recipient of the Jacobs Blocking Trophy, given to the Southern Conference’s top offensive lineman … two-time first-team all-SoCon honoree (1988-89) … helped lead Appalachian to its first two Southern Conference championships (1986 and 87) and three NCAA Division I-AA playoff berths (1986, 1987 and 1989) … member of Appalachian’s 75th Anniversary team … first Mountaineer ever invited to participate in the prestigious Blue-Gray Football Classic in 1989 … selected in the fifth round of the 1990 National Football League Draft by the Kansas City Chiefs (137th pick overall) … enjoyed a nine-year NFL career with Kansas City (1990-94), the Carolina Panthers (1995), Seattle Seahawks (1996-97) and Oakland Raiders (1998) … played in 99 games as a pro, including 60 starts. 

DR. EDGAR “OLE” LARSON (Swimming Coach — 1968-79)

Coached Appalachian State’s swimming program for 11 seasons … 1978 Southern Conference Coach of the Year … despite having a very young squad, led the Mountaineers to a second-place finish at the 1978 SoCon Championships, the program’s best-ever showing at the conference meet … coached Mike McCormick, the SoCon’s Most Valuable Swimmer in 1978 who broke five school and two conference records. 

ANDY SALANDY (Men’s Soccer — 1987-90)

Program’s all-time leader in matches played with 79 … four-time all-Southern Conference honoree, earning first-team recognition in 1988, 1989 and 1990 and second-team accolades in 1987 … earned all-South Region plaudits as a senior … helped lead Appalachian to the 1989 SoCon regular-season championship and 1990 SoCon Tournament title … named 1990 SoCon Tournament Most Valuable Player … served as team captain for each of his final three seasons … also excelled in the classroom, as a member of the Dean’s List for his entire four-year collegiate career and member of the school’s biological honor society … after earning a master’s degree at ASU, went on to play professionally for the Chattanooga Express of the United States International Soccer League in 1994 and 1995, helping lead the squad to the league’s divisional finals in ‘95.

RONDA WHITE (Women’s Track and Field — 2001-04)

Earned All-America honors in the outdoor triple jump in 2003 … three-time NCAA national championships qualifier (2003-04 outdoor triple jump and 2004 indoor triple jump) … qualified for 2004 U.S. Olympic Trials in triple jump … qualified for 2003 USA Track and Field national championships in triple jump … 15-time Southern Conference individual champion … won SoCon indoor titles in 55-meter hurdles (2003), 60-meter hurdles (2004-05), long jump (2002) and triple jump (2003-04) and outdoor championships in 100-meter hurdles (2002-04), long jump (2002-04) and triple jump (2002-04) … still holds four school records (indoor and outdoor triple jump, outdoor 4×300 relay and outdoor sprint medley relay) … also remains among the program’s all-time top five in indoor 55-meter hurdles (second), indoor 60-meter hurdles (second), outdoor 100-meter hurdles (second), outdoor long jump (second) and indoor long jump (fourth) … helped lead Appalachian to six Southern Conference team championships (three indoor, three outdoor).

JULIA ADAMS

Longtime Appalachian State athletics volunteer and supporter … has volunteered for many years in a variety of roles within the Yosef Club, including hostess in Yosef Club room and Chancellor’s Box for all Mountaineer home football games and at Yosef Club events across the Southeast … when not volunteering in an official capacity, can often be found cheering on the Mountaineers as a fan both at home and on the road … served as president of Appalachian Alumni Association in 2001-02 … active participant in Alumni Association’s Past Presidents’ Council and High Country alumni chapter … member of Alumni Association’s Black and Gold Society and University’s 1899 Legacy Society …  was a cheerleader as a student at ASU and an Appalachian cheerleading scholarship is in her name … wife of Gerald Adams, Yosef Club director for last 21 years.