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Colorado State University and CSU Athletics, in conjunction with the Rams Alumni Athletes Association (RAAA), will welcome eight individuals and the 1997 football team in its 2017 Hall of Fame class, the Athletic Department announced today.
The 2017 individual inductees – David Anderson (football), Ashley Augspurger (women’s basketball), Melissa Courtney-McKennon (volleyball), Janay DeLoach (women’s track & field), Martin Laird (men’s golf), Valerie Lang-McComb (women’s swimming), Barb Lawson-Alm (women’s track & field) and Cecil Sapp (football) – will be recognized as part of the official Hall of Fame induction ceremony on the evening of Friday, Oct. 27 at the new on-campus football stadium. The event is scheduled to begin at 5:30 p.m. that evening.
In addition, the 1997 football team will be the first team inducted into the Hall of Fame. That squad went 11-2 on its way to a WAC championship, a victory over No. 19 Missouri in the Holiday Bowl, and a final national ranking of No. 17.
CSU football legend Joel Dreessen and Colorado sports media personality Susie Wargin will serve as the emcees for the event.
The ceremony is open to the public. Ticket and registration information can be found online here. RAAA member tickets can be purchased for $35, while non-members can purchase tickets for $50. Sponsorships are also available for the CSU Athletics Hall of Fame induction ceremony and All-Sports Ram Legends Reunion Weekend. For more information on sponsorship opportunities, please contact the CSU Ram Club at 970-491-4666.
The event also will run in conjunction with the All-Sports Ram Legends Reunion Weekend event that same weekend. This reunion weekend also includes a reunion tent the morning of the CSU-Air Force football game on Oct. 28. All former Rams and Aggies letterwinners who register for the weekend will receive two complimentary tickets for the game. Returning letterwinners can register for both the Hall of Fame induction ceremony and the reunion weekend here.
Including the 2017 class, the CSU Athletics Hall of Fame has inducted 160 members since its inaugural group in 1988.
For more information regarding the CSU Athletics Hall of Fame induction ceremony and the All-Sports Ram Legends Reunion Weekend, please visit www.csurams.com/halloffame.
David Anderson (football, 2002-05)
Anderson proved to be one of the best and most productive wide receivers in CSU history. He finished his career in 2005 as the program’s all-time leader in receptions and had single-season records for receptions and receiving yards. Anderson still holds two of the top three single-season yards marks, including 1,293 as a sophomore in 2003. He also helped CSU win its most-recent conference title, when the Rams went 10-4 in 2002. Anderson received two university awards in 2006 – the Fum McGraw Award and the Nye Award). Anderson was drafted by the Houston Texans in 2006 and spent six seasons in the NFL.
Ashley Augspurger (women’s basketball, 1999-2003)
Augspurger was a Kodak Honorable Mention All-American as a senior in 2002-03. The three-time all-conference honoree led the Rams to the postseason in all four of her seasons, including a pair of NCAA Tournament births and a league title in 2001-02. She was also an academic all-conference recipient all four years, and was the 2003 winner of both the Virginia K. Frank Award and the Fum McGraw Award.
Melissa Courtney-McKennon (volleyball, 2001-04)
Courtney, twice named Mountain West Player of the Year, was a standout setter for CSU from 2001-04, earning First Team All-MW honors three times and also earning AVCA Honorable Mention All-America status twice. Courtney ranks sixth in CSU history in career assists (4,566) and third in assists per set (12.37). She owns three of the top-10 single-season assists marks in program history, including 13.66 in 2004. The Rams won league titles in all four of her seasons, and reached the regional semifinals of the NCAA Tournament twice (2001, 2003).
Janay DeLoach (women’s track & field, 2005-08)
DeLoach is the only female track athlete in CSU history to medal at an Olympic Games, taking bronze in the long jump in London in 2012. She followed up with another trip to the Summer Olympics in 2016 in Rio De Janeiro. DeLoach holds five school records and finished in the top six in the nation three times during her collegiate career on her way to four All-America honors. DeLoach is also a two-time recipient of the Virginia K. Frank Award.
Martin Laird (men’s golf, 2000-04)
Laird was CSU’s first All-American golfer, earning the honor twice (2003 and 2004). He was also a three-time all-conference honoree and earned Academic All-Mountain West recognition all four years of his collegiate career. Laird still holds the school record for wins with six. Laird, who was a Golf Coaches Association of America All-American Scholor, led CSU to the NCAA Regionals each year of his career. The Glasgow, Scotland native began his professional career in 2004 and has been a regular on the PGA Tour since 2007. He holds three wins on the PGA Tour, including a two-stroke victory over Rory McIlroy at the 2013 Valero Texas Open. Laird still holds CSU’s records for single-season scoring average, national ranking and the top career counting percentage mark.
Valerie Lang-McComb (women’s swimming, 1984-88)
Lang-McComb won six individual conference titles and helped earn three additional relay titles during her sterling swimming career at CSU. She was also an All-American in 1986 after placing eighth in the nation in the 100 meter breaststroke. She was an eight-time All-HCAC honoree, and won CSU’s Virginia K. Frank Award in 1987. Lang was named the Collegiate Swimmer of the Year by the Sportswomen of Colorado in 1987 and 1988.
Barb Lawson-Alm (women’s track & field, 1968-72)
Lawson-Alm was the first woman to win a national championship at CSU, taking the title in the 1,500 meters in 1970. To this day, Lawson still ranks second in CSU track & field history in the 1,500 meters (4:23.8). The two-time All-American was also a two-time champion at the prestigious Drake Relays (1971 and 1973, and won the Kansas Relays three consecutive years from 1969-71. In addition, Lawson won a Mt. SAC Relays championship in the 880 in 1970 and multiple top-five finishes in the mile and 1,500 meters at the Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) outdoor championships over her career.
Cecil Sapp (football, 1999-2002)
Sapp was a two-time All-MW honoree and was a part of three conference championships (1999, 2000, 2002). Sapp had 1,601 rushing yards in his senior season, setting a single-season record that stood until 2013. He was the MVP of the 2000 Liberty Bowl, rushing for 160 yards and a touchdown in CSU’s 22-17 win over Louisville. Sapp still ranks third in career rushing touchdowns (29), including 17 in 2002. The Miami native spent six years in the NFL, including five seasons with the Denver Broncos.