Clemson will induct 11 members into its Athletic Hall of Fame

CLEMSON, S.C. — Eleven former Clemson student-athletes and coaches, including eight who earned All-America honors, will be inducted into the Clemson Athletic Hall of Fame this fall, Bob Mahony, director of the Clemson Block C Club, announced on Tuesday. 

The class will be inducted the weekend of Sept. 23, 2023 in conjunction with Clemson’s football game against Florida State.

The class includes student-athletes and coaches from eight different sports. The group includes two former Tiger gridders, two from men’s track and field, and one each from men’s tennis, men’s basketball, baseball, women’s tennis, women’s track and field and a former golf coach.   

The class features multi-sport athlete Kyle Parker, who starred for Clemson in baseball and football between 2008-10. After earning All-ACC honors in baseball in the spring of 2008 when he should have been a senior in high school, Parker starred in football and baseball during the 2009-10 academic year.

In the fall, Parker threw 20 touchdown passes in quarterbacking Dabo Swinney’s football team to its first Atlantic Division Championship. In the spring he hit 20 home runs in leading the Tiger baseball team to the College World Series. He remains the only athlete in Division I college sports history to throw 20 touchdown passes and hit 20 home runs in the same academic year.

DeAndre McDaniel and Raymond Priester are the two additional former Tiger football players in the class. McDaniel was an All-America safety in 2009 and 2010 and is the only player in Clemson history with at least 15 interceptions and 15 tackles for loss. McDaniel is in his eighth season on staff with the football program and his first as Clemson’s senior defensive assistant. Priester rushed for 3,966 yards in his career as a Clemson running back, still second in school history, holding the record for 24 years until Travis Etienne broke it two years ago.

Yehzekel Halifa and Miller Moss are the two men’s track and field athletes who will be inducted. Halifa was an All-American in the 3,000, 5000 and 10,000 meters over his career and finished second at the NCAA Cross Country Championships, the highest finish for a Clemson runner in that national event. Moss won an NCAA Championship in the Indoor Heptathlon and was an All-American outdoors in the decathlon.

Lawson Duncan and Ani Mijacika are two tennis players who will be inducted this year. Duncan was the number-four ranked player in the nation in 1984 when he posted a 70-14 record. He led the nation in wins that year and it is still the Clemson single-season record. Mijacika was a singles and doubles All-American in 2009 when she was the ACC Player of the Year, and was ranked as high as No. 1 in the nation in singles.  She ranked second in the nation in singles in 2008 and fourth in 2009.

Will Solomon and Gary Burnham are two new Hall of Famers who came to Clemson after high school careers near Hartford, CT.  Solomon led the ACC in scoring in 1999-00 and was first-team All-ACC, the only sophomore guard so honored in Clemson history. Burnham was a third-team All-American in 1995 when he helped the Tigers to the College World Series. He hit .340 for his Clemson career and later played 13 years of professional baseball.

April Sinkler was a seven-time All-American for the Clemson women’s track program between 2009-12. She has the third most All-America certificates in the school’s women’s track history. Additionally, she was an eight-time ACC Champion in field events.  Six times (indoor and outdoor) she was an ACC field events Most Valuable player, more than any track athlete in Clemson history.

Larry Penley, the head coach of the Clemson golf program from 1983-2021, will also take his place in the Hall. Penley coached Clemson to the 2003 NCAA Championship. Seven times he led Clemson to an NCAA regional title, more than any other coach. He led the Tigers to 83 tournament victories, most in ACC history, including 10 ACC Championships. He was inducted into the College Golf Hall of Fame in 2004.

Clemson Hall of Fame Class of 2023

DeANDRE McDANIEL, Football, 2007-10

• Two-time All-American safety. Named first team by Football Writers Association, third team by Sporting News, first team by CBS Sports in 2009.  Named third-team by Rivals.com and Phil Steele in 2010.
• Two-time first-team All-ACC.
• Only player in Clemson history with 15 interceptions and 15 tackles for loss.
• His 15 career interceptions are tied for second in school history.
• Had eight interceptions in 2009 to lead the ACC, and he ranked third in the nation.
• National Defensive Player of the Week against Miami in 2009.
• Graduated from Clemson in 2010.

RAYMOND PRIESTER, Football 1994-97

• Clemson’s career rushing leader between 1996 and 2020, so he held the record for 24 years, a mark that was broken by Travis Etienne.
• Finished with 3,966 yards on Clemson-record 805 carries. The 3,966 yars are still second in Clemson history and 11th in ACC history.
• Rushed for 112 yards per game in 1996, still the single-season record. His 110 yards per game in 1995 is still third best in school history.
• Still holds the Clemson single-game rushing record with 263 yards against Duke in 1995.
• Had 15 100-yard rushing games, third in Clemson history.
• Three-time All-ACC, second team as a sophomore and junior and first—team as a senior.
• 18th in the nation in rushing as a sophomore and 21st as a junior.
• Second in the ACC rushing in 1995 and 1996 and third in 1997
• Second in the ACC in yards per rush in 1995, third in 1996 and seventh in 1997
• Fifth-round draft choice of the St. Louis Rams.

YEHEZKEL HALIFA, Men’s Cross Country & Track, 1987-89

• 1988 All-American in the 10,000 Meter Run
• 1988 All-American in the 3000 Meters
• 1989 All-American in the 5000 Meters
• 1989 ACC Champion in the 5,000-Meter Run (Indoors)
• 1988 and 1989 ACC Champion in the 10,000 Meter Run
• 1988 NCAA Cross Country All-American as he finished second at the NCAA Meet
• 1988 All-District Cross Country
• 1988 Second-Place Finisher in the ACC Cross-Country Meet
• 1987 and 1988 All-ACC in Cross Country

 LAWSON DUNCAN, Men’s Tennis, 1984

• 1984 Finalist, NCAA Singles
• 1984 All-American
• TCA Rookie-of-the-Year in 1984
• Second on the Clemson career list for best winning pct. in singles play with a .833 mark.
• Duncan had a 70-14 record in singles, still a Clemson record for singles victories in a season.
• Named to the ACC 50th Anniversary Team
• 1984 All-ACC
• 1984 ACC Champion at number-one singles
• Finished fourth nationally in the final ITA Singles poll

WILL SOLOMON, Men’s Basketball, 1998-01

• First-team All-ACC as a sophomore, the only Clemson guard to make first-team All-ACC as a sophomore.
• Led the ACC in scoring in 1999-00 as a sophomore with a 20.9 average, ranked 16th in the nation
• Second-team All-ACC selection as a junior
• Set 15 Clemson records over his last two years, including 1,218 points in consecutive years
• Had a school-record 52 consecutive double-figure scoring games.
• Had a pair of 40-point games in his career, 43 against Virginia in 1999-00 and 41 against Georgia Tech in 2000-01
• Averaged 20 points per game in 13 games against top 25 teams in 2000-01.  Averaged 19 a game in six games against North Carolina his last two years.
• First-team All-District as a sophomore and junior. Turned pro after his junior year.
• Named as one of the top 25 players in Clemson history in conjunction with the 100-year celebration of Clemson basketball in 2012.

MILLER MOSS, Men’s Track & Field, 2007-11

• 2011 National Champion indoors in the heptathlon, Clemson’s only hepathlon national champion
• His championship was remarkable in that he was 55 points behind entering the final day and won by scoring 5,986 points
• At the time, Moss’s 5,986 heptathlon points were fifth-most in NCAA history
• Named ACC Indoor Track and field athlete of the year in 2011.
• Southeast Region Field Athlete of the Year in 2011
• 2011 ACC Champion in the Heptathlon with 5,881 points
• Member of ACC Championship 4X400 relay team.
• In the outdoor season, Moss was USTFCCCA All-American in the decathlon
• Finished second at the ACC outdoor meet in the decathlon
• Finished third to win All-America honors in the decathlon at the NCAAs in 2011, then finished third at the USA Outdoor Championships.
• Two-time All-American in the indoor heptathlon, he finished eighth at the 2010 indoor meet.

GARY BURNHAM, Baseball, 1994-97

• Consistent starter on four NCAA Tournament teams and two College World Series teams (1995, 1996).
• Led the ACC in doubles in 1995, when he left Clemson he was second in that category on career basis.
• Still third in Clemson history in career doubles with 77.
• Fifth in Clemson history in career runs scored with 215, and fifth in career walks with 157.
• Third-team All-American by National College Baseball Writers in 1995 when he hit .344 with 27 doubles, and eight home runs. He drove in 62 runs and scored 83.
• Hit career-high .391 in 1997 with 15 home runs and 82 RBIs. His RBI total is still sixth in Clemson history for a season.
• For his career a .340 hitter with 29 home runs and 209 RBIs.
• Spent 13 years in the minor leagues with Philadelphia Phillies, Toronto Blue Jays, St. Louis Cardinals, and Cincinnati Reds. Reached as high as AAA 
• He also played in Taiwan, and in the Japan Major Leagues, and finished his professional career in Italy in 2010.  

ANI MIJACIKA, Women’s Tennis, 2006-09

• Six All-America honors – three in singles, three in doubles
• 2009 ACC Player of the Year
• Ranked second in the nation in the final singles rankings in 2008 and fourth in 2009.
• Ranked fourth in the nation in final doubles rankings in 2007, fifth in 2008 and 11th in 2009. 
• Three-time first-team All-ACC, 2007, 2008, 2009
• Reached a #1 singles ranking in the ITA in 2008 and 2009
• 2007 ITA Southeast Regional Rookie of the Year
• Finalist for the 2008 Honda Sports Award for tennis
• Had four-year record of 84-24 in singles and a 79-22 mark in doubles
• Named to the ITA Collegiate All-Star team for 2008

APRIL SINKLER, Women’s Track & Field, 2009-12

• Seven-time All-American in jump events, tied for the third most All-America certificates in Clemson history.
• Had three indoor All-American certificates and four outdoor.
• Eight-time ACC Champion, fifth most in Clemson history.
• 14-time All-ACC selection, all in individual events. Fourth in Clemson history for most All-ACC selections.
• ACC Indoor MVP in field events three times, the only Clemson athlete to be named three times.
• Also ACC Outdoor MVP three times, one of just three Clemson female track athletes to do it.
• Her six ACC MVP Awards are most ever.
• Indoor ACC Champion in high jump and long jump in 2009 and 2010.
• Outdoor ACC Champion in high jump and long jump in 2010.
• Still holds Clemson record in the high jump indoors and outdoors.
• Big reason Clemson finished fourth in the nation outdoors and fifth indoors in 2011.

LARRY PENLEY, Men’s Golf Coach, 1983-2021

• Will be inducted into South Carolina Athletic Hall of Fame in May 2023
• Inducted into College Golf Hall of Fame in 2004
• Inducted into South Carolina Golf Hall of Fame in 2009
• All-time leader in tournament victories among ACC coaches with 83. Won 19 tournaments in the 1980s, 25 in 1990s, 15 in the 2000s, 18 in the 2010s and six in the 2020s.
• Coached Clemson to the 2003 National Championship with a victory on Oklahoma State’s home course
• Won NCAA-record seven NCAA regional championships.
• Led Clemson to 10 ACC Championships, including 2021, his final year as head coach.
• ACC Coach of the Year nine times, including his final season of 2021
• First coach in NCAA history to win conference, regional and national championship in same year
• National Coach of the Year in 2003
• Eight time NCAA District Coach of the Year, including 2021
• One of two ACC Coaches in any sport named Coach of the Year in five different decades.
• Led Clemson to 37 NCAA Tournament appearances, tied for second in ACC history among all coaches in all sports.
• Took Clemson to the NCAA national championship tournament 21 consecutive years.
• Led Clemson to 25 top 20 finishes, most among all coaches in all sports.
• Led Clemson to 13 top 10 finishes, second in Clemson athletics history.

KYLE PARKER, Football and Baseball, 2008-10

• Only student-athlete in NCAA history to hit 20 home runs in baseball and throw 20 touchdowns in football in same academic year.

Baseball, (2008-10)

• First-team Ping/Baseball All-American in 2010.  Second-team Baseball America, second team NCBWA, and third-team American Baseball Coaches Association.
• All-ACC in 2008 and 2009.
• Hit .344 with 20 home runs and 64 RBIs to lead the team in 2010 and helped the Tigers to the College World Series.
• Hit .302 with 46 home runs and 166 RBIs in his three-year career.
• Hit 14 home runs as a freshman when he was first-team All-ACC.
• In his final season, 2010, ranked fifth in the nation in runs scored with 85, 15th in walks, 25th in home runs.
• His 85 runs in 2010 are still fifth in Clemson history for a season.
• Still ranked in top 10 in Clemson history in home runs (46).
• First-round draft pick of the Colorado Rockies

Football, (2009-10)

• Quarterbacked Clemson to its first Atlantic Division championship in 2009.
• Did that as a red-shirt freshman, leading the Tigers to nine wins.
• Totaled 4,902 yards of total offense in his two years at quarterback.
• Had 4739 passing yards and 32 touchdown passes, still in top 10 in Clemson history.
• Threw for 2526 yards and 20 touchdowns in 2009.
• Honorable Mention All-American by some services.