Jax State Names Four to Athletic Hall of Fame
6/28/2015 6:00:00 AM | General
JACKSONVILLE – Two All-Amercians, one 1,000-point scorer in basketball, and one of the most successful coaches in Gamecock history comprise the 2014-15 Class of the Jacksonville State University Athletic Hall of Fame.
James Hobbs, who has led the Gamecocks to 19 NCAA Regionals appearances in golf, Montressa Kirby, a football All-American and Conference Offensive Player of the Year, Craig Stevens, a two-time All-American golfer and Earl Warren, who scored 1,156 points on the basketball court will be formally inducted on Friday, Nov. 13, the night before the Gamecocks' home football game against Southeast Missouri State.
Hobbs has coached at Jacksonville State for almost 40 years, including 16 years as an assistant basketball coach and over 30 years as school's golf coach. Coaching both the men's and women's golf programs, Hobbs led the Gamecocks to 19 NCAA Regional Appearances, including 12 appearances after JSU moved to Division I in 1993.
On the men's side, the Gamecocks won nine conference championships and Hobbs was voted Coach of the Year six times. He had a pair of OVC Golfers of the Year and four OVC Freshman of the Year honorees.
On the women's side, the Gamecocks dominated the Ohio Valley Conference, winning the OVC Championship in 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008 and 2012, and making five total appearances in the NCAA Golf Regionals. Hobbs was named the OVC Women's Golf Coach of the Year in 2006, 2007 and 2008, with four OVC Players of the Year and five OVC Freshmen of the Year honors.
Individually, Hobbs has coached seven different players who have earned All-American honors, and former Gamecock Danny Willett, who is one of the world's top golfers on the European Tour, became the first JSU player to play in The Masters in 2015.
Hobbs served as an assistant basketball coach under Bill Jones for 16 years. During that time, the Gamecocks made eight appearances in the NCAA Division II Tournament, including a national championship in 1985, two Final Four appearances and three Elite Eight appearances.
Kirby, a former Gamecock quarterback, led Jacksonville State from 1995-98 and earned All-America honors. As a senior in 1998, he was named named the Southland Football League Offensive Player of the Year after completing 168-of-318 passes for 2,271 yards and 15 touchdowns. He also was the second leading rusher with 114 attempts for 310 yards and seven touchdowns.
The Anniston, Ala., native set 14 school records including most passing attempts in one game (48) and in a season (418), most completions in one game (28) and in a season (218), most touchdown passes in a game (5), most passing yards in a game (417) and the longest touchdown pass (93). Kirby completed 492-of-966 career passes and ranks second on the all-time JSU list with 6,587 career-passing yards.
He finished his career as the school's all-time total offense leader with 7,688 yards, including three outings with more than 400 yards and a school 433 total yards versus Southwest Missouri State in 1997. Kirby completed a JSU record 28 passes twice, versus Middle Tennessee State and Sam Houston State, and tossed a school-record five touchdown passes versus Southwest Missouri State. Kirby also set the JSU single-season records with 218 completions, 418 pass attempts and 2,817 yards during his junior season in 1997.
Stevens is one of the most decorated golfers in JSU history and is a two-time All-American for the Gamecocks. He set the school record for the all-time low stroke average with a 72.96 in 1985, which stood for more than 20 years, to earn his first All-America honor. Stevens led the team to a 111-32-1 record in 1985 and an eighth-place finish in the NCAA National Championships.
He played as an individual in the 1986 NCAA National Championships and finished in the Top 45 to earn his second straight All-America honor. He helped the Gamecocks post a 226-109-2 with five team championships during his career, and had the all-time team low stroke average of 297.5.
Stevens won five individual titles and was an All-Gulf South Conference selection in 1985 after winning medalist honors in the GSC Tournament. He played head-to-head with PGA professionals Lee Janzen and Hugh Royer during his collegiate career. Stevens also earned Academic All-America honors his senior year.
Warren, one of the best players in JSU's basketball history, played four seasons for the Gamecocks and became just the 12th player in JSU history to score 1,000-or more points.
The Oneonta, Ala., native finished his brilliant four-year career with 1,156 points, adding 461 assists and 226 steals. He led the Gamecocks to an impressive 93-28 recording during his career and helped Jax State advance to the NCAA Division II playoffs three times.
During his sophomore season in 1983, he helped JSU to the GSC Tournament Championship and to the Elite Eight after winning the Regional title. As a junior, he averaged 14.5 points and shot 55.9 percent from the floor to help JSU to a 23-8 record and into the NCAA Division II Regional finals.
As a senior, he made the key steal with just seconds remaining, then calmly sank two free throws to give the Gamecocks a one-point win over South Dakota State and the NCAA Division II National Championship. He averaged 13.9 points and helped JSU post a perfect 16-0 record in league play, the first team to go undefeated in GSC history.
James Hobbs, who has led the Gamecocks to 19 NCAA Regionals appearances in golf, Montressa Kirby, a football All-American and Conference Offensive Player of the Year, Craig Stevens, a two-time All-American golfer and Earl Warren, who scored 1,156 points on the basketball court will be formally inducted on Friday, Nov. 13, the night before the Gamecocks' home football game against Southeast Missouri State.
Hobbs has coached at Jacksonville State for almost 40 years, including 16 years as an assistant basketball coach and over 30 years as school's golf coach. Coaching both the men's and women's golf programs, Hobbs led the Gamecocks to 19 NCAA Regional Appearances, including 12 appearances after JSU moved to Division I in 1993.
On the men's side, the Gamecocks won nine conference championships and Hobbs was voted Coach of the Year six times. He had a pair of OVC Golfers of the Year and four OVC Freshman of the Year honorees.
On the women's side, the Gamecocks dominated the Ohio Valley Conference, winning the OVC Championship in 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008 and 2012, and making five total appearances in the NCAA Golf Regionals. Hobbs was named the OVC Women's Golf Coach of the Year in 2006, 2007 and 2008, with four OVC Players of the Year and five OVC Freshmen of the Year honors.
Individually, Hobbs has coached seven different players who have earned All-American honors, and former Gamecock Danny Willett, who is one of the world's top golfers on the European Tour, became the first JSU player to play in The Masters in 2015.
Hobbs served as an assistant basketball coach under Bill Jones for 16 years. During that time, the Gamecocks made eight appearances in the NCAA Division II Tournament, including a national championship in 1985, two Final Four appearances and three Elite Eight appearances.
Kirby, a former Gamecock quarterback, led Jacksonville State from 1995-98 and earned All-America honors. As a senior in 1998, he was named named the Southland Football League Offensive Player of the Year after completing 168-of-318 passes for 2,271 yards and 15 touchdowns. He also was the second leading rusher with 114 attempts for 310 yards and seven touchdowns.
The Anniston, Ala., native set 14 school records including most passing attempts in one game (48) and in a season (418), most completions in one game (28) and in a season (218), most touchdown passes in a game (5), most passing yards in a game (417) and the longest touchdown pass (93). Kirby completed 492-of-966 career passes and ranks second on the all-time JSU list with 6,587 career-passing yards.
He finished his career as the school's all-time total offense leader with 7,688 yards, including three outings with more than 400 yards and a school 433 total yards versus Southwest Missouri State in 1997. Kirby completed a JSU record 28 passes twice, versus Middle Tennessee State and Sam Houston State, and tossed a school-record five touchdown passes versus Southwest Missouri State. Kirby also set the JSU single-season records with 218 completions, 418 pass attempts and 2,817 yards during his junior season in 1997.
Stevens is one of the most decorated golfers in JSU history and is a two-time All-American for the Gamecocks. He set the school record for the all-time low stroke average with a 72.96 in 1985, which stood for more than 20 years, to earn his first All-America honor. Stevens led the team to a 111-32-1 record in 1985 and an eighth-place finish in the NCAA National Championships.
He played as an individual in the 1986 NCAA National Championships and finished in the Top 45 to earn his second straight All-America honor. He helped the Gamecocks post a 226-109-2 with five team championships during his career, and had the all-time team low stroke average of 297.5.
Stevens won five individual titles and was an All-Gulf South Conference selection in 1985 after winning medalist honors in the GSC Tournament. He played head-to-head with PGA professionals Lee Janzen and Hugh Royer during his collegiate career. Stevens also earned Academic All-America honors his senior year.
Warren, one of the best players in JSU's basketball history, played four seasons for the Gamecocks and became just the 12th player in JSU history to score 1,000-or more points.
The Oneonta, Ala., native finished his brilliant four-year career with 1,156 points, adding 461 assists and 226 steals. He led the Gamecocks to an impressive 93-28 recording during his career and helped Jax State advance to the NCAA Division II playoffs three times.
During his sophomore season in 1983, he helped JSU to the GSC Tournament Championship and to the Elite Eight after winning the Regional title. As a junior, he averaged 14.5 points and shot 55.9 percent from the floor to help JSU to a 23-8 record and into the NCAA Division II Regional finals.
As a senior, he made the key steal with just seconds remaining, then calmly sank two free throws to give the Gamecocks a one-point win over South Dakota State and the NCAA Division II National Championship. He averaged 13.9 points and helped JSU post a perfect 16-0 record in league play, the first team to go undefeated in GSC history.
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