Two Georgia Tech Legends to Be Inducted Into Georgia Sports HOF

image – ramblinwreck.com

Two legends from the Georgia Tech athletic department will be inducted into the Georgia Sports Hall of Fame this Saturday evening in Macon. Ga. An honor that is well-deserved by both former head basketball coach Bobby Cremins, and former athletics director, Homer Rice.

Cremins coached the men’s basketball team for 19 seasons, and resurrected what had been a floundering program prior to his arrival. He led the team to a school record 28 single-season wins, as well their first ever Final Four appearance in 1990. He was named ACC Coach of the Year three times – in 1983, 1985 and 1996.

Some of the names that went on to great success after being coached by Cremins at Tech include Mark Price, John Salley, Duane Ferrell, Tom Hammonds, Dennis Scott, Brian Oliver, Kenny Anderson, Jon Barry, Travis Best, Stephon Marbury, Jason Collier and Matt Harpring.

The other man being inducted had the foresight to be the one to hire Cremins – his former AD, Homer Rice.

Rice, who served as athletic director for 17 years, is credited with many things during his tenure on the Flats, including  the development of the student-athlete Total Person Program, so successful that later the NCAA adopted it as a model for its Life Skills Program, currently in place nationwide.

The former AD is also greatly responsible for the development of women’s sports program at Tech, having raised $100 million for facilities, increasing athletic fund-raising and bringing national respect to the women’s sports teams at Georgia Tech.

While in his position at Tech, Rice saw the Yellow Jackets earn No. 1 national rankings in football, basketball, baseball and golf.

Per the Georgia Tech athletic dept., the Jackets won a share of the national championship in football in 1990, appeared in the men’s basketball Final Four in 1990, made nine consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances in men’s basketball, won three ACC men’s basketball tournament titles, earned 13 consecutive NCAA baseball tournament appearances and produced three Olympic gold medalists in track and field while Rice was in place as AD.

Both Cremins and Rice are a strong representation for Georgia Tech in this year’s Georgia Sports Hall of Fame class, whose induction ceremony begins at 7 p.m. on Saturday in the Macon City Auditorium.

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