SPRINGFIELD – Seven former student-athletes, a pioneering academic administrator, and an NCAA championship cross country team comprise the induction class for the 2023 Missouri State University Athletics Hall of Fame.

This year's Hall of Fame ceremonies will take place the weekend of Feb. 17-18.
 
JoBelle Hopper, the founder and former director of what is now known as the Dr. Mary Jo Wynn Academic Achievement Center for Intercollegiate Athletics will go into the Hall of Fame as the sixth recipient of the Don Payton Award. Hopper, who spent more than 20 years working with student-athletes, began as an academic counselor working with men's athletics and ultimately advanced into the director's role of the achievement center from its formation. Her efforts highlighted the department's initial coordination of academic support and study resources for its student-athletes.

The Payton Award was established in 2017 in conjunction with the Missouri State Athletics Hall of Fame to honor those individuals whose accomplishments related to MSU athletics are noteworthy but fall outside the Hall of Fame candidacy of coaches or student-athletes. The late Don Payton was MSU Director of Information from 1956 to 1985 and was given the inaugural award, while long-time faculty athletics representative Dr. Bruce Johnson (2018), former director of bands Jerry Hoover (2019), special contributors Larry Atwood and Paul Mullins (2020), and long-time radio announcer Art Hains (2022) have been subsequently honored.

The 1974 MSU men's cross country team captured the NCAA Division II national championship under coach Chuck Hunsaker and becomes the third team entry into the hall after the team category was added to the shrine in 2020. Hunsaker's teams won five straight MIAA from 1973 to 1977 and placed in the top four at the NCAA national meet four straight seasons, including the 1974 national title and runner-up finishes in 1973 and 1976.
 
The first team to be inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2020 was the men's basketball powerhouse clubs of coach Bob Vanatta that culminated in NAIA national titles in 1952 and 1953. In 2022, coach Kay Hunter's 1974 softball team was honored for its AIAW Women's College World Series championship that capped a run of World Series appearances over five seasons.

The rest of the Hall of Fame class includes: swimmer Matt Beasley (2002-06); sprinter Wendy Blocker (1996-98); football linebacker Ken Braden (1984-87); soccer defender Sarah Guenther (2001-04); baseball legend Kevin Medrano (2009-12); volleyballer Calli Norman Miller (2008-11); and football standout Tim Ries (1975-78).
 
Ries represents the first inductee into the Hall of Fame under the new Legacy category which was established to recognize individuals whose playing careers culminated more than 35 years ago and were deserving of consideration for induction.  


The 47^th Missouri State Athletics Hall of Fame class will be honored at halftime of the Lady Bears basketball game vs. Murray State on Friday, Feb. 17 at 6 p.m.; and also the Bears basketball game vs. Northern Iowa on Saturday, Feb. 18 at 3 p.m.
 
The induction ceremony and banquet for this year's class will take place at 11 a.m. on Feb. 18 at The Old Glass Place (521 E. St. Louis St., Springfield). Tickets for the induction ceremony and banquet are $22 apiece and may be purchased through the Bears Fund by phone (417) 836-4143 or email to ksmulczenski@missouristate.edu.
 
The 2023 induction class brings the total membership of the MSU Athletics Hall of Fame to 411 student-athletes, coaches, administrators, media, teams and support personnel.


Profiles on the 2023 MSU Athletics Hall of Fame induction class are as follows:
 
Matt Beasley (Men's Swimming & Diving, 2003-06)
A freestyler who won 17 conference gold medals -- seven individual and 10 relays – Beasley (Manchester, Mo.) helped coach Jack Steck's squad claim three MVC team titles in 2003, 2005 and 2006. Beasley was an NCAA Division I individual qualifier in two events in 2005, the 200 freestyle and 200 individual medley. He earned All-MVC honors all four seasons and was named MVC Swimmer of the Year in 2005. Beasley held school records in the 200=yard freestyle when he graduated and still holds a share of two school relay records.
 
Wendy Blocker (Women's Track & Field, 1996-98)
One of the top sprinters in school history, Blocker (Berkeley, Mo.) held three school records during her tenure at Missouri State, owning the program's top marks in the 200-meter dash (23.34), 4x100 relay and mile relay. Both relay records still hold up 25 years later.  Her 200-meter time currently ranks No. 5 in MSU history. She was a 1997 NCAA Division I outdoor national qualifier in the 4x400 relay and won five MVC titles, including the 1997 outdoor title in the 200 dash (23.72), while earning All-MVC honors four times -- indoors and outdoors in 1996 and 1997.
 
Ken Braden (Football, 1984-87)
An All-America linebacker and two-time All-Gateway honoree for a dominant Bears defensive unit under coach Jesse Branch, Braden (Memphis, Tenn.) was Missouri State's co-captain and 1986 Coors Player of the Year. Braden racked up 312 career tackles, currently ranking 15th in program history, while his 138 tackles as a senior in 1987 ranked No. 8 on MSU season list at the time of his graduation. He currently ranks in the program's top 10 in both season and career interception touchdowns and interception return yardage. He went on to play for the Ottawa Rough Riders of the Canadian Football League.
 
Sarah Guenther (Women's Soccer, 2001-04)
Guenther is one of the Missouri Valley Conference's top defenders of all-time, earning The Valley's Defensive Player of the Year in 2003 and 2004. She was a two-time NSCAA All-Region selection, earning first-team laurels in 2004. Guenther (Imperial, Mo.) was a three-time All-MVC honoree, with first-team laurels her junior and senior campaigns. She was one of two Bears on both the MVC 25-Year Silver Anniversary Team and MVC All-Centennial Team. She also was a two-time NSCAA Scholar All-American and member of the 2004 MVC Scholar-Athlete Team.
 
Kevin Medrano (Baseball, 2009-12)
Medrano became the first Valley player to earn All-MVC first-team honors four straight seasons (2009-12). He is the Bears career leader in singles (241) and sacrifices (28) while ranking No. 2 in hits (310), No. 2 at-bats (895), No. 4 in assists (568) and No. 5 in doubles (54). In 2009, Medrano (Lee's Summit, Mo.) earned Collegiate Baseball Freshman All-America honors and helped lead the Bears to the MVC regular-season championship. He batted .410 as a sophomore and earned MVC All-Tournament Team and MSU MVP laurels in both 2010 and 2011. He led the Bears to an NCAA Tournament appearance his senior season in 2012 and was drafted by the Arizona Diamondbacks.
 
Calli Norman Miller (Volleyball, 2008-11)
Norman became just the third volleyball player in Missouri Valley Conference history to earn first-team All-MVC honors all four years (2008-11). Her .364 attack percentage as a sophomore ranks No. 2 in team single-season history en route to AVCA All-Region distinction. Norman (St. Charles, Mo.) was a key part of Bears NCAA Tournament runs in 2008, 2010 and 2011 and currently ranks 7th in team history in attack percentage (.299), 11th in blocks (443), 11th in sets played (465), and 14th in kills (1,124).
 
Tim Ries (Football 1975-78)
A four-year letterman and standout cornerback and linebacker for coach Rich Johanningmeier, Ries (Blue Springs, Mo.) was drafted in 7th round of the 1979 NFL Draft by the Houston Oilers. He was a three-time All-MIAA selection in 1976, 1977 and 1978 and was a pivotal member of the Bears' 1978 MIAA championship team. Ries was MSU's top kick returner in 1978, averaging 21.9 yards per return. He had 13 career interceptions (No. 6), 18 pass break-ups (No. 5) and 6 blocked kicks (No. 2), all of which still rank among the program's all-time top tens in those categories. He broke up 12 passes in 1977 and blocked five kicks in 1978, which still stands alone as program single-season records.