Greenville College Athletic Hall of Fame Banquet Set for April 8

Published: April 13, 2021

Six former student-athletes and a team to be honored GREENVILLE, Ill. - Four individuals and one team are slated for induction into the Greenville College Athletic Hall of Fame on Saturday, April 8. The class of 2006 inductees include Roy Yarbrough, meritorious achievement category; Johnny Branch and Judith (Arnold) Fritz, athletic category; W. Richard Stephens, Jr., coaching category; and the 1987 volleyball team, team category.The evening will also recognize Beau Meredith and Julie (Kaufmann) Shultz as the recipients of the Order of the Orange and Black.The festivities begin at 6:30 p.m. in the Armington Center on the campus of Greenville College. A limited number of tickets for $25.00 currently remain. Contact the athletic department at (618) 664-6622 for further information.Hall of Fame Inductees Roy Yarbrough, Meritorious Achievement CategoryDr. Roy Yarbrough, a class of 1970 graduate, has achieved national leadership and prominence as a leading pioneer in the field of sports administration. An AAU all-American race walker and a Lieutenant Commander who served 26 years in the US Coast Guard, Dr. Yarbrough has been recognized by the National Intercollegiate Soccer Officials Association as a top soccer official and member of the National Soccer Hall of Fame.A former Panther mascot, Dr. Yarbrough is currently regarded as our country's number one authority on the subject of athletic mascots, being named in 2003 by Sports Illustrated as the "Guru of Mascotology." As an athlete at Greenville College, he set a school record in the shot put and was a captain of the soccer team.Dr. Yarbrough currently resides in California, Pa., with his wife, Claudia. They have three adult children and three grandchildren.Johnny Branch, Athletic CategoryJohnny Branch, a class of 1991 graduate, is widely considered as one of the most exciting offensive players ever to play at Greenville College. He excelled for three and a half years on the basketball court, astonishing everyone with his remarkable achievements.Branch concluded his career as the all-time leading scorer in Panther basketball history, scoring 2,111 points. In the 1988-89 season, he led the team to 18 wins, which was the highest number of victories for a men's basketball team in over 30 years. He was a former NAIA District 20 player of the year, two-time NCCAA all-American, and NAIA honorable mention all-American.After finishing his career at Greenville College, Branch moved on to play 11 years professionally in Europe and Latin America, where he averaged 12.5 points per game.Branch currently resides in Harvey, Ill.Judith (Arnold) Fritz, Athletic CategoryJudith Arnold Fritz, a four-sport athlete at Greenville College, graduated in 1974. She participated in tennis, field hockey, basketball and softball.In 1971 and 1973, Fritz led the basketball team in scoring. Over her basketball career, she helped the team earn 40 wins and top finishes in state competitions. In 1972, Fritz helped guide the team to the championship of the first Illinois State Small College Tournament.Fritz played softball for four years and was the leading hitter in 1972. In 1974, she was a member of the women's field hockey team, and she was part of the tennis team in 1973 and 1974.Fritz currently resides in Jerseyville, Ill., with her husband, Darrell. They have three children and one grandchild.W. Richard Stephens, Jr., Coaching CategoryDr. Rick Stephens, a former Sociology professor, tennis player, and tennis coach at Greenville College, graduated in 1977 and coached tennis from 1985 until 2001. As a player, he was voted team MVP for each of his four years. He also won Prairie College Conference championships in both singles and doubles competition.As a coach, Dr. Stephens led his teams to an overall record of 445-191. He received coach of the year recognitions from the NAIA, SLIAC, and NCCAA.In 1996, Dr. Stephens founded the NCCAA national tournament for men's tennis, and followed with the women's national tournament in 2001. In 2000 and 2001, he was chairman of the tournament committee for the NCCAA national tennis championships.From 2000 through 2002, Dr. Stephens served as the first vice-president of the NCCAA. He is a member of the U.S. Tennis Association and certified by the U.S. Tennis Academy.Dr. Stephens currently resides in Quincy, Mass., with his wife, Debbie. They have two children.1987 Volleyball Team, Team CategoryThe 1987 volleyball team is considered the best volleyball squad in the history of Greenville College. The team finished the year with a record of 42-14.Coached by Lynn Adams, the team was the NCCAA national runner-up, took second place in the Trinity Christian College tournament, and won the Asbury and Greenville tournaments. They were able to win all 16 of their matches on their home court and went undefeated through the Prairie College Conference season for their fourth consecutive title.They achieved third place in the NAIA District 20 tournament, which was the highest finish for any Lady Panther volleyball team. The unit took second place in the NCCAA District Tournament.Ronda Ford, Michelle Hobbs, Susan Pitol, and Holly Sarver received individual postseason awards.Order of the Orange and Black Recipients Beau MeredithBeau Meredith, a class of 2004 graduate, was a standout in track and field and cross country. He also excelled in the classroom.In track and field, Meredith set numerous records in distance running. In 2004, he was presented the NCCAA Wheeler Track and Field Award as a reflection of Christ-like participation and excellence in track and field competition.In cross country, Meredith was a two-time SLIAC champion and two-time SLIAC runner-up. He was also a two-time member of the NCAA midwest all-region team.For his efforts in the classroom, Meredith received the President?s Citation at commencement. He graduated summa cum laude with a 3.99 grade point average and a bachelor of science degree in physics and mathematics. He was an eight-time NCCAA academic All-American and four-time NCAA academic All-American.A member of "Who's Who Among Students in American Universities and Colleges," Meredith is currently pursuing a doctorate in physics at the University of Illinois.Julie (Kaufmann) ShultzA 2004 graduate, Julie (Kaufmann) Shultz was a standout on the basketball and volleyball courts and in the classroom.Over her four-year career as a Lady Panther basketball player, Shultz was a team captain, a four-time SLIAC all-conference selection, SLIAC Newcomer of the Year, and a member of the All-Tournament team at the NCCAA national tournament. In volleyball, she won two SLIAC all-conference awards.As a student, Shultz received merit for her academic performance at Greenville College. She was a member of Kappa Delta Pi, an academic scholar, and recipient of the John Strahl Award as the top physical education major.Currently residing in Springfield, Ill., with her husband, Kyle, Shultz is a seventh grade social studies teacher at Pleasant Plains Middle School, where she also coaches middle school softball and volleyball.