The University of Mississippi Athletics
Five Set For Induction In Ole Miss Athletic Hall Of Fame
Sept. 26, 2000
OXFORD, Miss. -- The M-Club Alumni Chapter of The University of Mississippi Alumni Association will induct five new members into its Athletic Hall of Fame here Saturday afternoon.
Induction into the M-Club Athletic Alumni Hall of Fame is the highest honor given to Ole Miss letterwinners by the chapter. The ceremony, which begins at 2:00 p.m. at the new Grove pavilion, will be hosted by Ole Miss Chancellor Robert Khayat and is free and open to the public.
The new inductees will also be recognized during pregame ceremonies at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium/Hollingsworth Field just prior to the 6:00 p.m. kickoff when Ole Miss hosts Kentucky in a key Southeastern Conference game.
Selected for induction this year are former Rebel quarterback Kent Austin of Brentwood, Tenn., women's tennis standout Paloma Collantes Barone of Jackson, Miss., track star George Kersh of Pearl, Miss., All-America golfer Dave Peege of Louisville, Ky., and basketball great Elston Turner of Sacramento, Calif.
"We're proud to be able to recognize such outstanding men and women as new members of the Athletic Hall of Fame," said Ole Miss Athletic Director John Shafer. "Their successes in their arenas of competition carried over to help them become successful in their professional lives."
A Rebel quarterback from 1981-85, Austin still holds several school records, including most pass completions in a single game with 37 against Tennessee in 1982, most career yards passing with 6,184, most career touchdown passes with 31, and most career 250-yard passing games with seven. His name also appears in second place on the Rebels' career total offense chart with 6,179 and in third place on Ole Miss' single-game passing list with 381 yards against Tennessee in 1982. A three-time pick for the Southeastern Conference Player of the Week award, Austin was an Academic All-SEC selection in 1982-85, and also received the National Football Foundation Scholar-Athlete Award in 1985 and the NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship in 1986. After leaving Ole Miss, he played professional football, first for the NFL's St. Louis Cardinals (1986) before gaining superstar status in the Canadian Football League from 1987 to 1996. Austin was named the CFL Grey Cup Most Valuable Player in 1989 and a CFL All-Star in 1990.
As a Lady Rebel tennis player from 1991-94, Collantes became the first Ole Miss tennis player to be ranked No. 1 in the nation in ITA National Women's Singles Rankings. During each year of her eligibility, she was an All-SEC first team selection and a four-time NCAA Tournament participant. Collantes earned Academic All-SEC accolades in 1992 and received the conference's Sportsmanship Award in 1993. Also in 1993, she was named the Mississippi Female Amateur Athlete of the Year and won the Rolex South Regional Singles Championship. Collantes was Riviera All-American Champion in 1991 and 1992. Since graduation from Ole Miss, she has been teaching tennis and playing professionally.
A five-time All-America selection, Kersh was a member of the Ole Miss track and field team from 1990-1991. He holds the University's record in the 800 meters in both the indoor (1:46.19) and outdoor (1:44.07) seasons. In 1990, he won the gold medal in the 800 meters at the Goodwill Games, and was also a member of the Rebels' sprint medley relay team that finished first at the prestigious Penn Relays. In 1991, Kersh won the NCAA indoor and outdoor titles and the SEC Indoor Championship in the 800 meters. He also competed in the 800 meters at the World Championships in 1991. He is currently a coach and teacher in Pearl.
Peege, a member of the Rebel golf squad from 1982-85, was named SEC Freshman of the Year in 1982 and the league's Player of the Year in 1984 and 1985. The 1983 SEC Medalist, he also earned All-SEC honors from 1983-85 and All-America accolades in 1984 and 1985. Peege also helped lead the Rebel golf squad to consecutive NCAA Championship appearances in 1984 and 1985, as Ole Miss finished 20th in 1984 and fourth in 1985. He is currently in private business in Louisville.
Turner, a Rebel basketball player from 1978-81, served as team captain in 1981. An All-SEC selection in both 1980 and 1981, Turner was named to the 1981 SEC All-Tournament Team, as he helped lead Ole Miss to the league's tournament title and the school's first-ever NCAA Tournament appearance. His name appears on the Ole Miss career charts for field goals (third, 754), field goal attempts (third, 1,495), scoring (fourth, 1,805), steals (fifth, 155), and consecutive double-figure scoring games (eighth, 31). He was drafted by the NBA's Dallas Mavericks in 1981 and is currently an assistant coach with the Sacramento Kings.
The five new members of the M-Club Athletic Hall of Fame bring the list of inductees to 150.