The University of Mississippi Athletics
Ole Miss Announces 2019 M-Club Hall of Fame Class
9/13/2019 | Cross Country, Football, Track and Field, Women's Tennis, M Club, Athletics
Five Former Rebels Inducted, Two Lotterhos Service Award Recipients Announced
OXFORD, Miss. – Ole Miss will honor its 2019 inductees into the M-Club Hall of Fame this fall, with five Rebels across four sports being enshrined. Additionally, two recipients of the Lotterhos Service Award have been announced.
The 2019 hall of fame class includes Senquez Golson (football and baseball), Barnabas Kirui (track & field and cross country), Brian Pettway (baseball), Mira-Lorelei Radu (women's tennis), and Seth Smith (baseball and football). Meanwhile, Ole Miss alums Mike Ely and Don Walker will be bestowed with the Lotterhos Service Award.
Visit OleMissAlumni.com/events to learn more about the Ole Miss M-Club Alumni Chapter, including membership, benefits and more. Follow the M-Club on Twitter and Instagram at @OleMissMClub.
Below are brief bios on the newest additions to the M-Club Hall of Fame, as well as the recipient of the 2019 Lotterhos Service Award.
Senquez Golson, Football and Baseball (2011-14)
Senquez Golson was a prominent fixture roaming the Ole Miss secondary from 2011-2014. The Pascagoula, Mississippi, native appeared in 49 career games during his four-year career with the Rebels. During his freshman year on campus, Golson also lettered in baseball, appearing in 22 games, including 15 starts in the outfield for Ole Miss.
As a senior, Golson tied a school record and finished second nationally with 10 interceptions on the season on his way to earning consensus first team All-America honors. He became the 56th first team All-American in school history and the first cornerback to earn the honor since 2000.
Golson also earned SEC Defensive Player of the Year honors from Scout.com and was a finalist for the 2014 Bronko Nagurski Trophy, awarded to the national defensive player of the year. Golson's signature moment came against then-No. 1 Alabama, when he sealed the Rebels' 23-17 victory over the Crimson Tide with an interception in the end zone. He was selected in the second round (56th overall selection) of the 2015 NFL Draft by the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Barnabas Kirui, Track & Field and Cross Country (2006-11)
Distance extraordinaire Barnabas Kirui is one of the finest to ever don an Ole Miss jersey, and one of the best steeplers in NCAA history. Kirui won the 2007 NCAA Outdoor 3000-meter steeplechase title at his school-record time of 8:20.36 – which ranked seventh in NCAA history at the time and still ranks No. 8 on the collegiate list. On the track, Kirui was the first Rebel to triple at an SEC meet, winning the steeplechase, 5K and 10K at the 2007 SEC Outdoor Championships. He won four total SEC track titles, along with two SEC Commissioner's Trophies and the 2007 and 2010 SEC Men's Outdoor Track Athlete of the Year awards. He was also a three-time Drake Relays champion on the track.
He was just as proficient in cross country, where he recorded the highest finish by a Rebel at the NCAA Cross Country Championships with an All-American finish in fourth in 2009. He was the 2006 South Region champion, a three-time All-Region honoree and a three-time SEC cross country champion. In the classroom he was no slouch either, earning two Academic All-American nods and the 2007 USTFCCCA National Scholar-Athlete of the Year award.
Brian Pettway, Baseball (2003-05)
Brian Pettway was a game-changer on the diamond for Ole Miss baseball and put together one of the best seasons at the plate in the program's history. The Vicksburg, Mississippi, native set program records with 102 hits and 184 total bases in 2005 and tied the Rebels' single-season home run record with 21. He's also the owner of the longest hitting streak in Rebel history at 28 games, including hits in each of the first 27 games in 2005.
For his efforts, Pettway was named All-South Region by the American Baseball Coaches Association, as well as First Team All-SEC. He was also the Rebels' second C Spire Ferriss Trophy winner. Pettway was selected in the third round of the 2005 MLB Draft by the Toronto Blue Jays and spent three years playing professionally in the organization.
Mira-Lorelei Radu, Women's Tennis (2000-03)
Mira-Lorelei Radu placed her name among the finest in Ole Miss women's tennis history, earning All-America honors in 2002 and 2003. She became just the fourth Rebel to record 100 wins, finishing with a 108-52 career mark.
In 2003, Radu was named the NCAA Woman of the Year for the state of Mississippi, advanced to the quarterfinals of the NCAA Singles Championships in her second appearance at nationals and finished ranked No. 18 in the nation. She earned All-America honors for the second time, becoming the fifth Rebel to earn the distinction multiple times. Radu received the ITA South Region Cissie Leary Sportsmanship Award and was a co-recipient of the Eugenia Conner Memorial Award for the most outstanding female athlete on campus. She became the sixth All-American in the history of the program in 2002. She led the Rebels with a 33-16 overall record, finished 14-8 at No. 1 singles and ended the year ranked No. 20 in the nation. She also posted a 35-12 mark as a freshman.
Off the court, Radu was named an ITA Scholar-Athlete and selected to the Verizon/CoSIDA District VI Academic All-America second team. She also made the SEC Academic Honor Roll three times and was a member of the Chancellor's, Dean's and UMAA Honor Rolls.
Seth Smith, Baseball and Football (2001-04)
Seth Smith came to Oxford as a two-sport athlete, playing quarterback on the football team and outfield for Ole Miss baseball. He left as a star on the baseball diamond destined for a professional career. Smith hit .402 in his first season for the Rebels, becoming the first player in program history to earn Freshman All-American honors from multiple publications.
After an outstanding collegiate career, Smith went on to the professional ranks, selected in the second round of the 2004 MLB Draft by the Colorado Rockies. Smith enjoyed 14 seasons in professional baseball, making his MLB debut for the Rockies in 2007. Smith spent time in the big leagues with the Oakland Athletics, San Diego Padres, Seattle Mariners and Baltimore Orioles, appearing in 1,249 games and maintaining a .261 lifetime average before retiring in 2017.
2019 Lotterhos Service Award Recipient: Mike Ely
Mike Ely is a 1977 graduate of the University of Mississippi and was a varsity football manager for the Ole Miss Rebels from 1973-1975. He has a long history of service to the M-Club and Ole Miss. Ely served on the M-Club Board of Directors for numerous years. He is a Past Vice President of the M-Club Alumni Chapter and a current member of the Executive Board.
Ely served as Vice President and President for the Middle Tennessee Ole Miss Alumni Chapter in Nashville, TN. He is a member of the Business Order for the UM School of Business and is a Past President and member of the UM School of Business Insurance Advisory Council.
In 2011, he received the UM Alumni Association Distinguished Service Award. Ely resides in Oxford, Mississippi with his wife, Peggy. They are the proud parents of two daughters, Julie and Katie, who both hold advanced degrees from Ole Miss, and three grandchildren, Parker, Ella and Wesley.
2019 Lotterhos Service Award Recipient: Don Walker
Don Walker was born and raised in Ripley, Tennessee. While on a visit to Ole Miss during his senior year of high school, he had a chance meeting with Doc Knight, the legendary head athletic trainer. After meeting with Knight, Walker agreed to attend the University of Mississippi as a student athletic trainer. During his time at Ole Miss, he worked with several different sports. However, the majority of his time was dedicated to football (1974-78) and baseball (1976-78).
After graduation, Walker spent one year at Newman High School in Georgia. He spent the following six years at Memphis University Schools. During this period, Walker took on a variety of roles including the position of classroom instructor, head baseball coach, head coach of ninth grade football, assistant varsity football coach and athletic trainer. It is believed that he was the first athletic trainer hired by a high school in the West Tennessee area. After his time with Memphis University Schools, Walker began a career in telecommunications that would span over 30 years. The name of the companies changed several times and is presently known as AT&T. His career with AT&T will soon come to an end, but he hopes to find something meaningful to which he can dedicate the next few years.
Walker would describe his greatest joy in life as the time spent with his children, Elizabeth and Andrew. That joy has now multiplied over time with the arrival of grandchildren Olivia, Williams, Kennedy and Hartley.
The 2019 hall of fame class includes Senquez Golson (football and baseball), Barnabas Kirui (track & field and cross country), Brian Pettway (baseball), Mira-Lorelei Radu (women's tennis), and Seth Smith (baseball and football). Meanwhile, Ole Miss alums Mike Ely and Don Walker will be bestowed with the Lotterhos Service Award.
Visit OleMissAlumni.com/events to learn more about the Ole Miss M-Club Alumni Chapter, including membership, benefits and more. Follow the M-Club on Twitter and Instagram at @OleMissMClub.
Below are brief bios on the newest additions to the M-Club Hall of Fame, as well as the recipient of the 2019 Lotterhos Service Award.
Senquez Golson, Football and Baseball (2011-14)
Senquez Golson was a prominent fixture roaming the Ole Miss secondary from 2011-2014. The Pascagoula, Mississippi, native appeared in 49 career games during his four-year career with the Rebels. During his freshman year on campus, Golson also lettered in baseball, appearing in 22 games, including 15 starts in the outfield for Ole Miss.
As a senior, Golson tied a school record and finished second nationally with 10 interceptions on the season on his way to earning consensus first team All-America honors. He became the 56th first team All-American in school history and the first cornerback to earn the honor since 2000.
Golson also earned SEC Defensive Player of the Year honors from Scout.com and was a finalist for the 2014 Bronko Nagurski Trophy, awarded to the national defensive player of the year. Golson's signature moment came against then-No. 1 Alabama, when he sealed the Rebels' 23-17 victory over the Crimson Tide with an interception in the end zone. He was selected in the second round (56th overall selection) of the 2015 NFL Draft by the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Barnabas Kirui, Track & Field and Cross Country (2006-11)
Distance extraordinaire Barnabas Kirui is one of the finest to ever don an Ole Miss jersey, and one of the best steeplers in NCAA history. Kirui won the 2007 NCAA Outdoor 3000-meter steeplechase title at his school-record time of 8:20.36 – which ranked seventh in NCAA history at the time and still ranks No. 8 on the collegiate list. On the track, Kirui was the first Rebel to triple at an SEC meet, winning the steeplechase, 5K and 10K at the 2007 SEC Outdoor Championships. He won four total SEC track titles, along with two SEC Commissioner's Trophies and the 2007 and 2010 SEC Men's Outdoor Track Athlete of the Year awards. He was also a three-time Drake Relays champion on the track.
He was just as proficient in cross country, where he recorded the highest finish by a Rebel at the NCAA Cross Country Championships with an All-American finish in fourth in 2009. He was the 2006 South Region champion, a three-time All-Region honoree and a three-time SEC cross country champion. In the classroom he was no slouch either, earning two Academic All-American nods and the 2007 USTFCCCA National Scholar-Athlete of the Year award.
Brian Pettway, Baseball (2003-05)
Brian Pettway was a game-changer on the diamond for Ole Miss baseball and put together one of the best seasons at the plate in the program's history. The Vicksburg, Mississippi, native set program records with 102 hits and 184 total bases in 2005 and tied the Rebels' single-season home run record with 21. He's also the owner of the longest hitting streak in Rebel history at 28 games, including hits in each of the first 27 games in 2005.
For his efforts, Pettway was named All-South Region by the American Baseball Coaches Association, as well as First Team All-SEC. He was also the Rebels' second C Spire Ferriss Trophy winner. Pettway was selected in the third round of the 2005 MLB Draft by the Toronto Blue Jays and spent three years playing professionally in the organization.
Mira-Lorelei Radu, Women's Tennis (2000-03)
Mira-Lorelei Radu placed her name among the finest in Ole Miss women's tennis history, earning All-America honors in 2002 and 2003. She became just the fourth Rebel to record 100 wins, finishing with a 108-52 career mark.
In 2003, Radu was named the NCAA Woman of the Year for the state of Mississippi, advanced to the quarterfinals of the NCAA Singles Championships in her second appearance at nationals and finished ranked No. 18 in the nation. She earned All-America honors for the second time, becoming the fifth Rebel to earn the distinction multiple times. Radu received the ITA South Region Cissie Leary Sportsmanship Award and was a co-recipient of the Eugenia Conner Memorial Award for the most outstanding female athlete on campus. She became the sixth All-American in the history of the program in 2002. She led the Rebels with a 33-16 overall record, finished 14-8 at No. 1 singles and ended the year ranked No. 20 in the nation. She also posted a 35-12 mark as a freshman.
Off the court, Radu was named an ITA Scholar-Athlete and selected to the Verizon/CoSIDA District VI Academic All-America second team. She also made the SEC Academic Honor Roll three times and was a member of the Chancellor's, Dean's and UMAA Honor Rolls.
Seth Smith, Baseball and Football (2001-04)
Seth Smith came to Oxford as a two-sport athlete, playing quarterback on the football team and outfield for Ole Miss baseball. He left as a star on the baseball diamond destined for a professional career. Smith hit .402 in his first season for the Rebels, becoming the first player in program history to earn Freshman All-American honors from multiple publications.
After an outstanding collegiate career, Smith went on to the professional ranks, selected in the second round of the 2004 MLB Draft by the Colorado Rockies. Smith enjoyed 14 seasons in professional baseball, making his MLB debut for the Rockies in 2007. Smith spent time in the big leagues with the Oakland Athletics, San Diego Padres, Seattle Mariners and Baltimore Orioles, appearing in 1,249 games and maintaining a .261 lifetime average before retiring in 2017.
2019 Lotterhos Service Award Recipient: Mike Ely
Mike Ely is a 1977 graduate of the University of Mississippi and was a varsity football manager for the Ole Miss Rebels from 1973-1975. He has a long history of service to the M-Club and Ole Miss. Ely served on the M-Club Board of Directors for numerous years. He is a Past Vice President of the M-Club Alumni Chapter and a current member of the Executive Board.
Ely served as Vice President and President for the Middle Tennessee Ole Miss Alumni Chapter in Nashville, TN. He is a member of the Business Order for the UM School of Business and is a Past President and member of the UM School of Business Insurance Advisory Council.
In 2011, he received the UM Alumni Association Distinguished Service Award. Ely resides in Oxford, Mississippi with his wife, Peggy. They are the proud parents of two daughters, Julie and Katie, who both hold advanced degrees from Ole Miss, and three grandchildren, Parker, Ella and Wesley.
2019 Lotterhos Service Award Recipient: Don Walker
Don Walker was born and raised in Ripley, Tennessee. While on a visit to Ole Miss during his senior year of high school, he had a chance meeting with Doc Knight, the legendary head athletic trainer. After meeting with Knight, Walker agreed to attend the University of Mississippi as a student athletic trainer. During his time at Ole Miss, he worked with several different sports. However, the majority of his time was dedicated to football (1974-78) and baseball (1976-78).
After graduation, Walker spent one year at Newman High School in Georgia. He spent the following six years at Memphis University Schools. During this period, Walker took on a variety of roles including the position of classroom instructor, head baseball coach, head coach of ninth grade football, assistant varsity football coach and athletic trainer. It is believed that he was the first athletic trainer hired by a high school in the West Tennessee area. After his time with Memphis University Schools, Walker began a career in telecommunications that would span over 30 years. The name of the companies changed several times and is presently known as AT&T. His career with AT&T will soon come to an end, but he hopes to find something meaningful to which he can dedicate the next few years.
Walker would describe his greatest joy in life as the time spent with his children, Elizabeth and Andrew. That joy has now multiplied over time with the arrival of grandchildren Olivia, Williams, Kennedy and Hartley.
2025 Ole Miss Celebrity Softball Game (Presented by RiverLand)
Thursday, June 05
Will Allen Wins 2025 Funky's Ole Miss Softball Celebrity Home Run Derby
Thursday, June 05
NGWSD '25 Video
Wednesday, February 05
RebTalk (1-23-2025)
Thursday, January 23