Middle Tennessee State University Athletics
Four greats to enter HOF Saturday
10/15/2015 11:30:00 AM | General
40th class inducted pregame
MURFREESBORO, Tenn. – The 2015 class of the Middle Tennessee State University Blue Raider Athletic Hall of Fame features four stars from the past, each rightfully earning the label "champion" during his playing days on campus.
Standout tailback Kippy Bayless, stellar infielder/slugger Josh Renick, nationally-ranked track star Mardy Scales and golf legend Brett Alexander comprise the 2015 class and join an elite group of Blue Raider hall of famers. The 40th class in school history will be officially inducted at an 8:30 AM ceremony Saturday morning on the back lawn of the Kennon Sports Hall of Fame.
Kippy Bayless, another one of former football head coach Boots Donnelly's bevy of highly-gifted running backs, proved to be an elite multi-purpose threat as he carried the ball, caught the ball and returned kickoffs with excellence, amassing more than 4,000 total yards in his career, from 1991 to 1994. With this total, he ended his career ranked 5th all-time in total yards gained.
Ohio Valley Conference foes took note of Bayless' prowess on the playing field as they not only honored him with all-conference honors in 1993 and 1994, but they went one step further and named him the conference's offensive player of the year in those back-to-back campaigns.
On 16 occasions in his star-studded career, the Knoxville, Tennessee native darted and dashed his way past the 100-yard mark.
Overall, Bayless helped the Blue Raiders win 32 games, earn an OVC title and three NCAA 1-AA playoff appearances in four seasons.
Josh Renick spent two years with the Blue Raiders at the turn of the 21st century (2000-2001) and quickly made his mark known on the baseball diamond, helping MT to two conference championships (one OVC, one SBC) and two NCAA regional appearances. The Sarasota, Florida native came to MT from Manatee Community College.
An outstanding second baseman, batsman and base-stealer, Renick drew high praise from Blue Raider foes as they honored him as the Sun Belt Conference's player of the year in 2001. He was also named a 3rd-team All-American that year.
He ended his career with a .381 batting average, ranking him 3rd all-time in the Blue Raider record book. In that 2001 season, Renick batted a stunning .420, third highest in school history, to lead the Blue Raiders' march to the NCAA playoffs.
Renick's name is found throughout the program's record book as noted in the categories of singles, doubles, hits, on-base percentage, stolen bases and hit batsmen.
Mardy Scales has the unique distinction of being the only Blue Raider trackman to ever win an esteemed NCAA championship in the sprints. The year was 2003 and the event was the coveted 100-meter dash. He sprinted to the title in a blistering time of 10.25, earning one of his seven career All-American honors.
In that same 2003 NCAA championship meet, Scales earned a second All-America honor as a member of the third-place 4 x 100 relay team. This relay team's performance set a school record.
The native of Franklin, Tenn. closed his career with school records in the 55 meters, 60 meters, 100 meters and 200 meters, as well as running on record-setting relays in the 4 x 100, 4 x 200 and 4 x 400 events.
Scales won numerous Sun Belt Conference individual titles in his career and was honored as the Sun Belt's Athlete of the Year in 2003, topping the ballot of the conference's best in all sports.
During his Blue Raider career, Scales helped MT win three Sun Belt Conference indoor titles and one outdoor title.
Brett Alexander is quickly a name that rises to the top of the conversation of Ohio Valley Conference golfing greats. Blue Raider head coach Johnny Moore set a new standard with the recruiting of the gifted Alexander.
During a three-year span (1998-2000), Alexander not only was named all-conference, but he was more notably also named the conference's golfer of the year after winning the individual low-medalist title in each conference championship tournament. He is the only conference golfer to ever be named the golfer of the year three times.
The Blue Raiders rallied around their top golfer each year and captured OVC team titles in 1998 and 2000 and a third-place finish in 1999. The 2000 Blue Raiders also earned an invitation to the NCAA East Regional and finished 18th.
In 2000, Alexander became the first Blue Raider golfer to be nationally-ranked in NCAA Division 1 competition.
Overall, he won six tournament titles for the Blue Raiders, a career total that ranks second in the school's record book.
Standout tailback Kippy Bayless, stellar infielder/slugger Josh Renick, nationally-ranked track star Mardy Scales and golf legend Brett Alexander comprise the 2015 class and join an elite group of Blue Raider hall of famers. The 40th class in school history will be officially inducted at an 8:30 AM ceremony Saturday morning on the back lawn of the Kennon Sports Hall of Fame.
Kippy Bayless, another one of former football head coach Boots Donnelly's bevy of highly-gifted running backs, proved to be an elite multi-purpose threat as he carried the ball, caught the ball and returned kickoffs with excellence, amassing more than 4,000 total yards in his career, from 1991 to 1994. With this total, he ended his career ranked 5th all-time in total yards gained.
Ohio Valley Conference foes took note of Bayless' prowess on the playing field as they not only honored him with all-conference honors in 1993 and 1994, but they went one step further and named him the conference's offensive player of the year in those back-to-back campaigns.
On 16 occasions in his star-studded career, the Knoxville, Tennessee native darted and dashed his way past the 100-yard mark.
Overall, Bayless helped the Blue Raiders win 32 games, earn an OVC title and three NCAA 1-AA playoff appearances in four seasons.
Josh Renick spent two years with the Blue Raiders at the turn of the 21st century (2000-2001) and quickly made his mark known on the baseball diamond, helping MT to two conference championships (one OVC, one SBC) and two NCAA regional appearances. The Sarasota, Florida native came to MT from Manatee Community College.
An outstanding second baseman, batsman and base-stealer, Renick drew high praise from Blue Raider foes as they honored him as the Sun Belt Conference's player of the year in 2001. He was also named a 3rd-team All-American that year.
He ended his career with a .381 batting average, ranking him 3rd all-time in the Blue Raider record book. In that 2001 season, Renick batted a stunning .420, third highest in school history, to lead the Blue Raiders' march to the NCAA playoffs.
Renick's name is found throughout the program's record book as noted in the categories of singles, doubles, hits, on-base percentage, stolen bases and hit batsmen.
Mardy Scales has the unique distinction of being the only Blue Raider trackman to ever win an esteemed NCAA championship in the sprints. The year was 2003 and the event was the coveted 100-meter dash. He sprinted to the title in a blistering time of 10.25, earning one of his seven career All-American honors.
In that same 2003 NCAA championship meet, Scales earned a second All-America honor as a member of the third-place 4 x 100 relay team. This relay team's performance set a school record.
The native of Franklin, Tenn. closed his career with school records in the 55 meters, 60 meters, 100 meters and 200 meters, as well as running on record-setting relays in the 4 x 100, 4 x 200 and 4 x 400 events.
Scales won numerous Sun Belt Conference individual titles in his career and was honored as the Sun Belt's Athlete of the Year in 2003, topping the ballot of the conference's best in all sports.
During his Blue Raider career, Scales helped MT win three Sun Belt Conference indoor titles and one outdoor title.
Brett Alexander is quickly a name that rises to the top of the conversation of Ohio Valley Conference golfing greats. Blue Raider head coach Johnny Moore set a new standard with the recruiting of the gifted Alexander.
During a three-year span (1998-2000), Alexander not only was named all-conference, but he was more notably also named the conference's golfer of the year after winning the individual low-medalist title in each conference championship tournament. He is the only conference golfer to ever be named the golfer of the year three times.
The Blue Raiders rallied around their top golfer each year and captured OVC team titles in 1998 and 2000 and a third-place finish in 1999. The 2000 Blue Raiders also earned an invitation to the NCAA East Regional and finished 18th.
In 2000, Alexander became the first Blue Raider golfer to be nationally-ranked in NCAA Division 1 competition.
Overall, he won six tournament titles for the Blue Raiders, a career total that ranks second in the school's record book.
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