John Abraham, Nancy Wilson Headline the SC Athletic Hall of Fame Class of 2019

Former University of South Carolina defensive lineman John Abraham and former Gamecock women’s basketball coach Nancy Wilson highlight the seven-member class of the 2019 South Carolina Athletic Hall of Fame, it was announced today.
 
The class also features Clemson punter Chris Gardocki and baseball player Shane Monahan, linebacker Dexter Coakley of Mt. Pleasant and Appalachian State, USC-Aiken and former major league pitcher Roberto Hernandez, and high-scoring basketball standout Miriam Walker-Samuels of Claflin College.
 
The seven individuals will be forever enshrined with the Palmetto State’s highest athletic honor on Monday, May 13 at the Columbia Metropolitan Convention Center. Tickets (table of eight for $600) and program sponsorships are available by securing a table from the SCAHOF office 803/779-0905. Payment and reservations must be made by Friday, April 12.
 
The SCAHOF Banquet is the largest annual celebration of Palmetto State sports stars under one roof. The traditional introduction of past inductees, the Walk of Legends, is one of the event’s highlights and more information may be secured at www.scahof.com.
 
Born in Timmonsville, Abraham prepped at Lamar High where he was primarily a track athlete. While there, he set the state record for the 200-meter dash (22.6) and played organized football for the first time as a senior. He played at USC for Coach Brad Scott and amassed 23.5 sacks, ranking second on South Carolina’s career list, and was a first-team All- SEC selection. Drafted in the first round in 2000, he made an immediate impact for the New York Jets. As a rookie, he recorded 12 tackles and 4.5 sacks in only six games before being injured. In 2001, he recorded 58 tackles and 13 sacks, and was named to the AFC Pro Bowl. In 2002, he recorded 48 tackles, with 10 sacks, and was again named to the Pro Bowl. In 2003, Abraham only recorded 37 tackles and six sacks, because of injury yet tied a franchise record set by Joe Kelcko and Mark Gastineau with four sacks in a 2001 game against the New Orleans Saints. Abraham was traded to the Atlanta Falcons and in 2008, he recorded a career-high 16.5 sacks and ranked third in the league. On December 12, 2010, Abraham recorded two sacks against the Carolina Panthers which gave him 100.5 for his career, making him only the 25th player in NFL history to eclipse 100. In 2010, Abraham was selected to his fourth Pro Bowl.  He signed with the Arizona Cardinals in 2013 and in his first season in Arizona, he recorded 11.5 sacks, ranking seventh in the NFL. He retired after the 2014 season with five pro bowl appearances, and three first-team and one second team All-Pro nods.

Lake City native Nancy Wilson and Coker College graduate (1973) served as the head basketball coach at College of Charleston from 1976-84, the University of South Carolina from 1985-97 and returned to College of Charleston from 2003-12 winning 542 collegiate games. She was the second women’s basketball coach in CofC history and posted at least 19 wins in all of her eight seasons which included a pair of 30-plus wins. Her 1980, ’81 and ’82 teams each finished second in the nation in AIAW Division II. At USC, she was the Metro Conference Coach of the Year (1985 & 1991), her teams were the Metro Conference Regular-Season Champions (1986, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991) and Conference Tournament Champions (1986, 1988, 1989), advanced to five NCAA tournaments, coached at South Carolina longer than any other women’s basketball head coach (13 seasons), and posted four 20-win seasons and finished the season ranked in the final AP Poll twice (17th in 1989-90, 19th in 1990-91). On the international level, she was head coach for the 1985 National Sports Festival Games and head coach of the 1992 USA World Junior Olympic Team. She returned to coach the Cougars from 2003-12, and in 2012, the Cougars reached the third round of the WBI.