CULLMAN, Ala. – Local sports legends gathered with family and friends at Stone Bridge Farms Saturday night to celebrate one of Cullman County’s most important sporting traditions. 12 new members were inducted into the Cullman County Sports Hall of Fame and the Class of 2023 is packed with men and women who inspired sports fans all over the state as well as Cullman County.
Before each of this year’s inductees were introduced, this year’s scholarship recipients were recognized.
Carley Davis, Cold Springs – Victoria Rouse Memorial Scholarship
Olivia Britton, Cullman – Jimmy Dale Burgess Scholarship
Aliyah Ryan, Holly Pond – Charlotte Cummings Foundation for Girls Athletics Scholarship
Bailey Keef, Good Hope – Gussie Shabel Memorial Scholarship
Zach Campbell, Hanceville – Cullman County Sports Hall of Fame Scholarship
Noah Zane Roberts, Fairview – Peoples Bank Scholarship
Cole Bissot, St. Bernard Prep – Coach Charlie Richard Memorial Scholarship
Berkely Gable, Vinemont – Cullman County Sports Hall of Fame Scholarship
Aiden Dujoud, West Point – James Shabel Memorial Scholarship
After each of this year’s student athletes received their scholarships, Cullman County Sports Hall of Fame Chairman Jackie Satterfield introduced each of this year’s Hall of Fame inductees.
Paul Bailey
Graduated from Hewitt-Trussville High School in 1979 – baseball player and cheerleader
Cheerleader at Jefferson State Junior College
Graduated Auburn University in 1989 with a Bachelors Degree in Exercise Science
Masters Degree in Athletic Administration UAB 1997
Athletic trainer Auburn University 1985-89 for coaches Joe Champi, Pat Dye and Sonny Smith
Started Sports Medicine program at Cullman Regional Medical Center
Started Sports Medicine Program as well as serving as WSCC’s athletic trainer
WSCC Athletic Director since 2011
WSCC Athletics has won national championships in Tennis (4), Track (1) and Softball (1) as well as multiple conference championships in all sports
Worked with several future professionals such as Craig Kimbrel, Derrick Holland and Jake Elwood
Member of the Auburn Football Letterman Club
Lifetime Auburn Alumni member
Part of two SEC Championships at Auburn
Kelley Freeman
Graduated from Cold Springs High School on 1996 – played basketball and baseball
Played on two junior high county championship teams and two high school county championship teams (basketball)
Received award for scoring 1,000 points
All county, All area three times, All region two times
Played in state tournament final four
Made all-state tournament team
Scored over 1,800 points in high school career
Signed basketball scholarship to Shelton State Community College
Made varsity baseball team in eighth grade and played five years
Played on one county championship team
All Area three years, All Region two years
Played on two Dizzy Dean state champions and one World Series champion
Jeremy Gardner
Graduated from Fairview High School in 1992
Played football, baseball, basketball and ran track
Three years football running back, cornerback and punter – most valuable player; most valuable back
Rushed for over 1,000 yards Junior and senior season, scored five touchdowns in one game
Team captain; All County
Basketball one year team captain; All Area; County Tournament Champions – led team in assists, recognized by AHSAA for most assists in a game
Three years baseball catcher and pitcher, team captain, most valuable player, led team in stolen bases
Played in East-West All Star Game
Track one year tied for All Sports Trophy
Played two years college football at Cumberland College
Played for five Hall of Fame coaches, Dafford Smith, Wade Knight, Mark Moore, Hobsin Hite and Marty Hardman
Son of 2014 CCSHOF inductee Connie Gardner
Randy Jones
Graduated West Point High School 1986
Lettered in baseball, basketball and football
Cullman County junior high champions 1981-82
4A, Area 13 playoffs first West Point team to make playoffs
Cullman County B Team champions 1983-84, 1984-85
4A, Area 13 basketball champions 1984-85, Cullman County champions 1985-86
4A, Area 13 basketball champions 1985-86
Sub state basketball runner up 1985-86
County baseball champions 1986
Head basketball coach at Jones Chapel Jr. High for six years
Won six boys jr. high county championships and three girls junior high/middle school county championships
Coached basketball 25 years at West Point High School, 10 years as varsity head coach
Won one county championship, three runner ups, an Area championship and three area runner ups
Four-time sub regional qualifier
Assistant football coach for 11 years, softball coach for five years
Charlie Krenkel
Graduated Banks High School in 1967
Lettered in golf
Attended St. Bernard College on golf scholarship
Part of national championship team at St. Bernard
Second team All-American 1968; First Team All-American 1971
First ever All-American from St. Bernard
Birmingham Golf Association Champion 1971 & 1972
Winner of 20 invitational golf tournaments
Won Alabama state amateur tournament
Won Dixie Amateur Tournament at County Club of Miami
Winner of multiple mini-tour professional events
Played on PGA Tour 1981-83
Played on senior chapter tour winning multiple events
Played in Senior PGA Championship
Holds several course records
Golf pro and teacher in Cullman County for over 20 years
Jeff Lovell
Graduated from Holly Pond High School in 1989
Played baseball, football and basketball
All county basketball junior and senior year
Led Broncos to two state tournament appearances awarded basketball scholarship to WSCC
Set single season assist record (158) Sophomore season; team captain
Made basketball team at University of Alabama as a walk-on
Senior season, awarded partial scholarship by head coach Wimp Sanderson
Voted “Mr. Hustle” by teammates and coaches back to back years
Played for coaches Wimp Sanderson and David Hobbs
Played with future NBA stars Robert Horry, Latrell Sprewell, James Robinson, Jason Caffey and Roy Rogers
Served as graduate assistant at Livingston University
Assistant women’s basketball coach at university of Alabama 1995-97
Boys and girls basketball coach Lowndes Academy
Coached girls teams to three state championships and five runner up titles
2014 Alabama independent school coach of the year
Dee Merriweather Castille
Graduated Hanceville High School 2001
Four-year letter winner in basketball; two time state 3A player of the year
Led Hanceville to 2001 3A state championship
Three time All-County, All-Region, All-Area and All-State player
Led Hanceville to three straight county championships
Played in Mississippi-Alabama All Star Game
Averaged 22 points and 16 rebounds per game senior season
Signed basketball scholarship to play at university of Alabama; three year starter
Played in 27 of 28 games as a freshman
As a junior led Alabama and was fourth in the SEC in blocked shots
As a junior and senior led Alabama in field goal efficiency
During her career she played in 110 of 111 games
Three-time academic All-SEC
Second all-time at Alabama in blocked shots (138)
Career rebound leader at Alabama (8.4 per game)
Fifth all-time SEC leader in rebounds
Stanley Parker
Graduated from Vinemont High School in 1980
Three year letterman in football; all county, all area, all state
Played on first team in Vinemont history to win an area championship and qualify for state playoffs, elected team captain
Alabama’s first winner of the Alabama Chapter of the National Football Foundation Scholarship
Signed football scholarship to Memphis State University, transferred to University of North Alabama
Played four years at UNA starting at offensive tackle, three year letterman in basketball
All county junior and senior year; all tournament team junior and senior year; Al area senior year
President of student council; National honor society; boys state representative; class valedictorian
Pinnacle award winner
Coached pee wee football two years
Coached girls softball three years
Mark Putman
Graduated Hanceville High School in 1986
Three year letterman in football, three year starter
All county 1984 and 1985
All area and all state 1985
Most valuable offensive back 1984 and 1985
Hanceville First Baptist player of the week 1985
Two time McDonalds player of the week 1985
1985 permanent team captain
Rushed for 155 yards and three TDs in playoff win vs Sheffield
Played in class that had 28-8 three-year record
Considered one of the toughest running backs and linebackers in Hanceville Football history
Played for Hall of Fame coaches Ray Talley, Rodney Terry and Keith Burns
Ivan Richard
Graduated Cullman High School in 1972
Three year letterman in football and basketball and four year letterman in baseball
Most valuable back two years
All Tennessee Valley Conference junior and senior year
Basketball and baseball captain senior year
All state baseball team, selected for Alabama East-West All Star game at Rickwood Field
Football scholarship to play at UNA for coach Mickey Andrews; four year letterman, three year stater
Selected to the Ohio Valley Conference team as a junior and senior
Gulf south conference player of the week in win vs Jacksonville state
Has been coaching high school sports for 45 years, football and baseball
Has coached in five different states
Had 27 teams in the state finals and has been named coach of the year numerous times
Tracy Rutledge Means
Graduated Good Hope in 1988
Participated in softball, volleyball, basketball, track and cheerleading
Member of Good Hope’s first softball team
Three year letter winner in softball, volleyball and basketball
Five year letter winner in track
All county, all area volleyball, competed in state tournament three straight years
All area basketball, led team in rebounds
Head volleyball coach at Good Hope one season and 24 years at Fairview
County champions 1997, 1999, 2016, 2017, 2018
Super regional 1997, 2002, 2013, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020
Area champions 1996, 1997, 2002, 2018, 2019, 2020
State elite eight 1998, 2018, 2019, 2020
Softball coach eight years, elite eight 1999
David Schaffer
Graduated Cullman High School 1973
Three sport letterman in baseball, basketball and football
1972 super all state football Birmingham News/Post Herald
1972 all state football Birmingham News/Post Herald
1972 AHSAA all star game selection
1972 most valuable player
1971 & 1972 most valuable lineman
1971 & 1972 all Tennessee valley conference
1973 Faculty good sportsmanship award
1971 & 1972 WKUL Player of the year
1971 & 1972 WKUL multiple player of the week awards
Led 1972 Cullman team to play in the state playoff championship game appearance
1972 signed football scholarship to Jacksonville state University
1973 president of the “C” Club
1972 most rebounds on basketball team
1995 head coach eighth grade Gwinnett County, GA football champions
Copyright 2023 Humble Roots, LLC. All Rights Reserved.
