CLEVELAND, Tenn. — In the immediate aftermath of the devastating earthquake in Haiti in January 2010, Avis Smith was there, working as a field engineer for CNN.
She also was in London in 2012 for the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee, and she’s been involved with several presidential events, including President Obama’s much-publicized trip to Martha’s Vineyard last summer. She was there longer than he was, in fact, but she wasn’t on vacation.
Saturday the Atlanta resident was back in Cleveland as one of 18 inductees in the third class of the Cleveland State Cougar Athletics Hall of Fame. Among those inducted with her were tbree teammates from the 1980-81 basketball season: Anita Myers Barker, Jill Ross and Lisa Partain Elrod. Ross and Elrod actually were inducted for their fastpitch softball exploits.
Bob Taylor, who started the school’s softball program in 1979 and later revived its tennis program, was inducted as a former Cleveland State coach and administrator along with Tom Losh and Dan Trotter. Those two both coached men’s basketball, and Losh had other CSCC jobs later.
Louis Royal was inducted for tennis and Steve Myers and Buster Goins went into the hall for their golf achievements in the mid-1970s, and 1978-80 baseball teammates Mike Connolly, Wes Ivey, Gary Rominger and Dale Scott also were celebrated at the brunch ceremony and later at the basketball doubleheader against Chattanooga State.
Ed Thacker, Jon Miller and Morris Lyons were inducted for men’s basketball, although the last two were not in attendance. Lyons, a Memphis native, went on to star at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga after his 1984-86 Cougars career. Thacker, who also played baseball at Cleveland State in the athletic program’s early years, became a longtime middle school teacher and coach in Chattanooga.
Mark Smith was inducted for meritorious service.
Smith was a photography student at Cleveland State, where another of her teammates also is Avis Smith. That one was Avis Wilkerson then, and the two Avises played together at Kirkman Technical High School in Chattanooga.
The original Avis Smith went on to star in basketball at Carson-Newman. And now she’s a globe-trotter.
“When we were at the G20 (Summit), that was different, but I think my most memorable assignment was when the earthquake hit Haiti,” she said. “That was life-changing just to be there and be able to help bring that story to the world. I was really glad to go. I went back for the five-year anniversary.”
Barker, who averaged 12.6 and 15.5 points a game in her two Lady Cougars seasons — the first with All-American and previous Cougars Hall inductee Melinda Shell Strickland as the sophomore leader — went on to help Tennessee Tech win an Ohio Valley Conference championship. It took a while, but she circled back to basketball for her professional career.
“My degree was in medical technology, and I did that for 12 years,” she said Saturday. “But with two little girls I felt I needed to be more on their schedule, so I made a career change.”
Tech coach Bill Worrell welcomed her back as a graduate assistant, and she got newly educated as a teacher. She’s taught 15 years at Sequatchie County High School and coached there for 12 years, with notable success. Those two daughters, by the way, played for her and then went on to college basketball.
“What I remember most about my time at Cleveland State was the people,” said Barker, who came from Maryville Heritage after changing her plans to play for Roane State when coach Andy Landers left there for Georgia.
She specifically cited Lady Cougars teammates as well as coach Hugh Walker, a previous inductee.
“And there were so many other great people here,” Barker told the audience. “My career at Cleveland State has been an important part of my journey. I couldn’t have picked a better place.”
Contact Ron Bush at rbush@timefreepress.com or 423-757-6291.