By Danielle Daniels
Limited tickets remain for banquet to honor Marshall Athletics’ Class of 2024
2024 Hall of Fame Banquet Tickets
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Tickets are now on sale to the general public for the 2024 Marshall Athletics Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony.
There is a limited supply of tickets left so it is recommended that those wishing to attend act fast to reserve their spot. Cost for the event is $75. You can purchase tickets HERE.
The banquet will take place Friday, Sept. 27, at 6 p.m. in the Don Morris Room of the Memorial Student Center.
Marshall is inducting the following athletes into its Athletics Hall of Fame:
– Dave Allie, Baseball, 1971-74 (Legend)
– Aaron Blair, Baseball, 2011-13
– Rakeem Cato, Football, 2011-14
– Vanessa Jules, Track & Field, 2009-13
– Nate McPeek, Football, 2000-03
– Tommy Shuler, Football, 2011-14
– Shonda Stanton, Softball, 2000-17 (Coach)
– Crystal Walker, Track & Field, 2011-13
– Andi Williamson, Softball, 2011-13
Marshall Athletics 2024 Hall of Fame Class
Dave Allie, Baseball
1971-1974
Dave Allie, who is representing the Class of 2024 as the “Legends” selection, will go down as one of the superior baseball talents and most successful baseball players to ever come out of Marshall University. Over four seasons of playing for the Herd, the Logan, W.Va., native sported a .295 batting average. At the time his career ended, Allie led Marshall in all-time games played (108), at-bats (336), and runs scored (75). Marshall went a combined 69-55 over Allie’s career, which included the Herd’s first-ever trip to the NCAA Tournament in 1973 where they set a new wins record. During that 1973 season, Allie won the Cam Henderson Award, which honored student-athletes who excelled on the field and in the classroom. He went on to medical school and later established a scholarship for Marshall University medical students. In 2019, Allie also won the Marshall University Distinguished Alumnus Award.
Aaron Blair, Baseball
2011-13
Aaron Blair will go down in Marshall lore as one of the most dominant pitchers to have come through the Thundering Herd’s baseball program. The Las Vegas native was a First-Team All-Conference USA Pitcher in the 2013 season after a junior season in which he was named National Pitcher of the Week by Louisville Slugger and the NCBWA. Blair made 10 quality starts in that 2013 season – seven of which came during his eight starts in Conference USA action that season. He set the tone from the beginning in 2013, going 3-0 with a 1.07 ERA in four starts – one of which was a six-inning performance in which he allowed no hits against West Virginia on a cold March day in Charleston. Following the 2013 season, Blair became Marshall’s highest draft selection in history when he was chosen 36th overall as a compensatory pick in between the first and second rounds of the MLB Draft. Blair ranks in the top-10 in Herd history in strikeouts and starts. In 2016, Blair made his Major League debut for the Atlanta Braves and went on to start 16 games for the Braves in his career.
Rakeem Cato, Football
2011-14
Rakeem Cato cemented his name on the “Mount Rushmore” of Marshall quarterbacks, leading the Thundering Herd from his true freshman season of 2011 until the end of his Marshall career in 2014, which culminated with a 52-23 win over MAC Champion Northern Illinois in the inaugural Boca Raton Bowl. Cato is Marshall’s all-time leader in completions (1,153), attempts (1,838) and touchdown passes (131). He is also No. 2 all-time in passing yards (14,079) and most wins by a starting quarterback (33). Perhaps the most memorable of those wins was the 2014 Conference USA Championship in which Cato hit Deon-Tay McManus with a game-winning touchdown with 1:50 left to lead the Herd to the win. In addition to leading the Herd to that title and a subsequent win in the Boca Raton Bowl, Cato still holds the national record for consecutive games with a touchdown pass (46) – a mark he set in his hometown of Miami while the Herd took on FIU. He and fellow 2024 Hall of Fame inductee Tommy Shuler provided one of the top quarterback-receiver combos in all of college football.
Vanessa Jules, Track & Field
2009-13
Vanessa Jules is one of the most decorated athletes in Marshall history, regardless of sport. The Silver Spring, Maryland, native saved her best year for her last when she was named as an All-American and USA Championship qualifier in the Heptathlon in 2013. In addition to those honors, Jules was named the Mid-Atlantic Region Field Athlete of the Year, the C-USA Field Athlete of the Year, a 2013 Conference USA Champion and First-Team selection. Throughout the course of her career, Jules set the bar high for Marshall track & field, becoming a three-time National Qualifier in the High Jump (2011-13) while also being a national qualifier in the 100-meter hurdles. Jules also has the school record for several events, including the Indoor 300-meter dash, Outdoor 200-meter dash, Indoor and Outdoor High Jumps, Pentathlon, Heptathlon, 60-meter hurdles and 100-meter hurdles.
Nate McPeek, Football
2000-03
One of Marshall Football’s top offensive linemen in history, McPeek started all four years for the Thundering Herd at tackle with the first three years being at right tackle before he switched to the left side for his senior season where he played through a ruptured disk in his back to continue to lead the Herd. Despite the injury, McPeek was named as a First-Team All-Mid American Conference selection in 2003 – the second such nomination of his career (also in 2001). McPeek was a part of three bowl teams with the Herd – all of which were victorious with a Motor City Bowl win in 2000 and a pair of GMAC Bowl wins in 2001 and 2002. In addition to success on the field, McPeek was also a success in the classroom, being named as an All-MAC Academic Team nominee in 2001. Since then, McPeek has dedicated his life to academics and athletics, serving as head coach at Frederick Douglass High School while also teaching.
Tommy Shuler, Football
2011-14
Tommy Shuler, or “Shuuuu” as many Marshall fans will know him as at Joan C. Edwards Stadium, etched his name into the record books, teaming with fellow 2024 Marshall Hall of Fame nominee Rakeem Cato to become one of the most productive quarterback-receiver duos in recent memory. Shuler is Marshall’s all-time leader in receptions with 322, which stood as a Conference USA record upon his exit. In his final game with the Thundering Herd, Shuler caught 18 passes for 185 yards and a score as Marshall defeated Northern Illinois, 52-23, to finish 13-1 and ranked No. 23 nationally at the end of the 2014 season. Ironically, that was not the top performance of Shuler’s career; that distinction came in a 2012 contest at Purdue in which he hauled in 19 receptions for 200 yards against the Boilermakers. Shuler eclipsed 1,000 yards receiving in three separate seasons (2012-14) and is No. 4 all-time in Marshall history in receiving yards (3,563) while placing No. 6 in touchdown receptions. Shuler finished his career with 12 games in which he had 100 yards receiving.
Shonda Stanton, Softball (Coach)
2000-17
The lone coaching addition to the 2024 Marshall Hall of Fame class, Shonda Stanton coached the Thundering Herd for 18 seasons and is the all-time leader in wins with an overall record of 560-430-2. During her tenure with the Thundering Herd, Stanton led Marshall to four championships. Marshall earned the Conference USA Championship in 2013 and 2017, advancing to the NCAA Tournament in both of those seasons after winning the tournament. In 2003 and 2005, Stanton also led Marshall to the Mid-American Conference Regular Season Championship. Stanton was a three-time Coach of the Year, winning it in the MAC in 2003 and 2005 while also earning the nod in Conference USA in 2017 when she led the Thundering Herd to a 42-12 record, which was the most wins in program history at the time. Stanton helped develop many of the top players in Marshall Softball history and also served as coach and mentor to current Marshall Softball coach Morgan Zerkle while also coaching fellow Marshall Hall of Fame Class of 2024 nominee Andi Williamson. In addition to the success on the field, Stanton made sure that Marshall Softball was a fixture within the community, starting up a mentorship program for Marshall players with youth in the Tri-State to keep the program connected to its community while growing the sport.
Crystal Walker, Track & Field
2011-13
It’s safe to say that success came in leaps and bounds for the Marshall Track and Field team with Walker as part of the program – especially in 2013 where she joined with fellow 2024 Marshall Hall of Fame inductee Vanessa Jules to give the Herd two of the nation’s top track athletes on one team. Walker earned the distinction of First Team All-American in the Long Jump in 2013 after she posted a 6.41-meter jump, which was good for fifth in the NCAA Championships. Walker also was a Conference USA Champion and First Team All-Conference USA in the Triple Jump after posting a 12.71-meter jump in the conference meet. The Dallas, Texas native also was the school record holder as part of 4×100 and 4×200 relay teams that saw success in 2013. Walker came to Marshall in time for the 2011-12 Outdoor Track season and posted a win in the 100-meter at the Ohio Open.
Andi Williamson, Softball
2011-13
One of the most dominant pitchers and players in Marshall Softball history, Andi Williamson was known for her durability and tenacity in the circle. In 2013, Williamson carried the Herd on her shoulders, going 3-0 with three complete-game wins and a 0.00 ERA in the Conference USA Tournament. She earned Tournament MVP honors in the process while leading Marshall to the NCAA Softball Regional in Lexington where the team picked up its first-ever NCAA Tournament win with a 3-1 victory over Notre Dame. Williamson is Top-3 in Marshall history in appearances, starts, wins and strikeouts. In addition to those honors, she was also a Capital One Academic All-American in 2013 and the Dot Hicks Award winner at Marshall in 2012. Following her Marshall career, she was a 2013 National Pro Fastpitch All-Star selection and Rookie of The Year while playing for the Chicago Bandits.
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