2004


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ARKANSAS TRACK & FIELD HALL OF FAME, 2004 INDUCTEES

Brian Baker:
Batesville High School and University of Arkansas, Fayetteville. A Batesville native, he formerly held the state’s high school AAAA and overall record in the 1600 meter run, 4:11.5, set in 1989 and the overall 3200 meter run record, 9:09, also set in 1989. At UA, Baker was a 7-time All‑American and the 1994 NCAA Outdoor 5000 meter champion. He recorded a 5000 meter collegiate career best of 13:42.92. Baker was the SEC cross country champion in 1990 and 1991 and the 1991 outdoor 5000 meter champion.

Ray Dyck:
University of Arkansas, Fayetteville. At Moundridge H.S., Kansas, Dyck anchored the 880 and mile relay teams to state championships. At UA lettered four years, setting school 880 record of 1:54.9 as a freshman. Set SWC 880 record of 1:52.8. Was on three UA cross‑country championship teams, personally finishing 1^st, 4^th and 2^nd. Set new meet and university records at Fort Worth relays with 1:52. Anchored sprint medley relay team at Texas Relays at 1:50.5 and was named Outstanding Athlete at Shreveport Relays in 1959. Dyck was on four record-setting relay teams at UAF in the mile, sprint medley, two-mile and four-mile. From 1984 to 2002 ran in 18 consecutive 10K races and five marathons.

Sammy Epps:
Southern Arkansas University. All-AIC and NAIA All-American in 1982, 1983, 1984 and 1985. Led SAU to AIC track & field championships as high point in 1983, 1984 and 1985. Four 1^st places in 1983 and 1984. Holds SAU school records for 100-meter Dash (10.34), 200-meter Dash (20.84), 400-meter Dash (45.98), Long Jump (25’5˝”) and member of the 400-meter relay team (3:08.20). Holds AIC record in long jump (24’11Ľ”).

Bruce Fullerton:
Little Rock Central and University of Arkansas. At UA on freshman relay team that set UA 440-yard relay record at 42.2 sec. at Texas Relays in 1959. A track & football standout at Little Rock Central; a member of 3 state HS championship track teams 1956, 1957 and 1958, ran the 100‑yd, 220-yd, and 440-yd dashes and was a member of the state record holding 440-, 880- and Mile Relay teams. In 1957 he was the first Arkansas HS athlete to break 50 sec. in the 440 when he set the state HS record in the 440- in his junior year at 49.1. His best HS time in the 100-yard Dash was 9.9. At Pulaski Heights Jr. High earned Track letters in 1953-1955; participated in the Discus, Shot Put, Broad Jump, 50- yard, 100-yard, and 220-yard Dashs, 440- yard Run and the 440-,880-, and Mile Relays. His Jr. High team won the state championship in 1955 and he set state records in the 220-yard Dash (23.2) and 440-yard Run (51.8) and tied records in the 50- (5.8) and the 100-yard Dash (10.6).

Karl Koonce:
Genoa Central HS, Henderson State University, Lake Hamilton High School coach. High school state champion in the mile and 880 and has held the Class A mile record since 1969. Koonce set HSU records in the mile, 880 and 3-miles in 1973 and still holds the mile and 880 records of 4:08.00 and 1:51.6. He won the AIC championship in the mile run and was NAIA finalist in the mile in 1973. Named “Duke Wells Inspirational Athlete” in 1973. President of Arkansas Track Coaches Association in 1984-85 and 1997-2001. Conference Coach of the Year 5 times. Has coached five cross country state team winners and 18 state runners-up. Coached 12 conference championship track teams and 13 runners-up. Coaching at Lake Hamilton H.S., Koonce has had 53 All State boys and 25 All State girls in track & field since 1985 and 26 All State boys and 31 All State girls in cross country. Coached 1 All American pole vaulter in 1988. Coached two state runners-up teams in outdoor track and one state champion team in indoor track and has had one of the top teams in the state for most of his tenure at Lake Hamilton. Active in all ATCA projects including indoor track season, All Star Cross Country Meet, winter clinic, summer clinic and All Arkansas Track team. Instrumental in starting the Arkansas-Oklahoma All Star Cross Country meet.

Sammy May:
Arkansas Tech University. An all-sports performer at Atkins High School 1948-51 and 3-sport star at ATU in FB, BB and Track, 1952-55. In the 1951 HS conference meet Atkins won the meet with 90 points of which May scored 31, winning five 1^st places, three of them new records, and also ran on three winning relay teams. The next team scored only 33 pints. In the 1951 state HS meet Atkins won with 52˝ points, of which May scored 23ľ points, the next team just 24. May won the high hurdles, pole vault and high jump, was 2^nd in the broad jump and ran on three 1^st place relay teams. In the 1954 AIC meet May led ATU to a 2^nd place finish with 16ľ of their 40 points as the top individual scorer. He won the 100-yard Dash (10.0), the broad jump (22-2˝), had a 1^st place tie in pole vault (12-3) and ran on the winning 880-yard Relay, 2^nd place 440-yard Relay and finished 3^rd in the 220-yard Dash.

J.P. Moore:
Benton High School and Vanderbilt University. Was the dominant performer of his era in Arkansas high school track and later a football and baseball standout at Vanderbilt University. In the 1940 state meet, he set a record of 9.9 in the 100-yard dash, breaking a record that had lasted since 1916 and setting a record that would last until 1962, won the 220 yard dash in 22.2, second best ever, won the discus with a record throw of 137-10 and was third in the shot put. During the 1940 season he twice he ran 9.8 in the 100 yard dash. As a junior he set a state record of 25.1 in the 220-yard low hurdles. Moore played football at Vanderbilt University and was named to the All-Southeastern Conference sophomore team in 1941. He held the school punting record for 10 years, was fourth in the nation in 1942 with a 40.9 average, and was the SEC kickoff return leader in 1946. Vanderbilt did not have a track program.