Photo Gallery:
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10152721190057792.1073741887.91013667791&type=3 DURHAM, N.C. – Seven
North Carolina Central University student-athletes and one team inducted into the Alex M. Rivera Athletics Hall of Fame on Saturday, Sept. 13 at the Durham Convention Center in downtown Durham, N.C.
The seven individual inductees are
Brandon Gilbert (football, 2004-08), the school's all-time leading scorer and MVP of the 2005 CIAA Championship Game;
Katerina Glosova (cross country/track, 1999-2002), winner of 15 individual conference championships and a NCAA Division II national champion;
Riccardo T. Jones, DDS (tennis, 1972-75), three-time conference champion at No. 1 singles and member of four conference championship teams;
Amba Kongolo (basketball, 1999-2002), two-time CIAA Player of the Year and WNBA draft pick;
Shari Matthews (volleyball, 2006-07), the 2006 NCAA Division II National Player of the Year and the school's career record holder in kills and aces;
Greg Pruitt, Jr. (football, 2004-06), the school's all-time leading rusher and MVP of the 2006 CIAA Championship Game; and
Jason Smoots (track, 1999-2003), six-time NCAA Division II national champion and the 2003 NCAA Division II Male Outdoor Track Athlete of the Year.
The
2006 football team was also inducted. Under the direction of head coach Rod Broadway, the Eagles were declared Sheridan Broadcasting Network Black College National Champions, repeated as CIAA Champions, earned the school's highest national ranking at No. 4 in NCAA Division II, posted the most wins in school history with an 11-0 regular-season record, and broke the NCCU single-season record by scoring 371 points.
For more information about the Alex M. Rivera Athletics Hall of Fame, visit
www.NCCUEaglePride.com.
Brandon Gilbert – Football (2004-08) – Graham, N.C.- NCCU football's all-time leading scorer with 279 points;
- Holds or shares every kicking record in school history;
- Holds school records for career field goals made (44), career extra-point kicks made (147), single-season field goals made (16), single-season extra-point kicks made (48), single-game extra-point kicks made (10), and consecutive extra-point kicks made (104);
- Shares the school record for field goals made in a game (4), accomplished during the 2005 CIAA Championship Game, including the game-winner with three seconds remaining;
- Booted the longest field goal in school history with a 51-yard, last-second, game-winning kick in the 2006 CIAA Championship Game;
- Named to NCAA Division II All-America Second Team as a junior in 2006;
- Two-time First Team All-CIAA selection (2005, 2006);
- Two-time NCAA Division II All-Southeast Region First Team honoree (2005, 2006).
Katerina Glosova – Cross Country/Track (1999-2002) – Cernotin, Czech Republic- 2002 NCAA Division II Indoor Track & Field National Champion – 800-meter run;
- 2002 Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA) Female Scholar Athlete of the Year;
- 2002 Verizon Academic All-American;
- 2000 NCAA Division II Southeast Regional Cross Country Champion;
- Four-time NCAA Division II All-American;
- Winner of 15 conference championships, including four straight cross country titles;
- Earned all-conference honors 27 times.
Riccardo T. Jones, DDS – Tennis (1972-75) – Greenbelt, Md.- Played at No. 1 singles position from 1972-75;
- Winner of three consecutive Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) individual championships at No. 1 singles;
- Posted undefeated singles record in conference play for four years until a loss in the 1975 MEAC championship match;
- Winner of three consecutive conference doubles championships at No. 1 doubles;
- Led team to four straight MEAC Championships;
- Achieved Academic All-America recognition as a double-major in chemistry and biology from 1973-75..
Amba Kongolo – Basketball (1999-2002) – Kinshasa, Congo- Two-time CIAA Player of the Year (2001 and 2002);
- Three-time First-Team All-CIAA honoree;
- Three-time CIAA All-Tournament Team selection;
- 2002 NCAA Division II First-Team All-American;
- 2002 NCAA Division II South Atlantic Region Championship All-Tournament Team;
- Amassed 41 career double-doubles;
- CIAA's first WNBA draft pick.
Shari Matthews – Volleyball (2006-07) – Bridgetown, Barbados- Became NCCU's first volleyball All-American when she was voted as the 2006 NCAA Division II National Player of the Year;
- In just two seasons, broke the school record for career kills with 1,447 and career service aces with 229;
- Two-time NCCSIA All-State honoree;
- Voted 2006 CIAA Player of the Year;
- Selected 2006 CIAA Tournament MVP;
- Named 2006 NCAA Division II Atlantic Region Player of the Year;
- Picked to 2006 NCAA Atlantic Region All-Tournament Team;
- Led the nation with an average of 6.37 kills and 0.92 service aces per game in 2006;
- Broke the NCAA Division II record for kills in a season with 974 in 2006;
- Guided the team to its third consecutive CIAA championship title.
Greg Pruitt, Jr. – Football (2004-06) – Cleveland, Ohio- NCCU's all-time leading rusher with 3,008 career rushing yards in just three seasons (2004-06);
- Holds two of the top four NCCU single-season rushing marks with 1,172 yards in 2005 (2nd) and 1,103 yards in 2004 (4th) – making him the only Eagle with two 1,000-yard seasons;
- Posted NCCU's fourth-best rushing yards in a game with 220 on 29 carries at Livingstone on Oct. 22, 2005;
- Named Most Valuable Player of 2006 CIAA Football Championship Game, rushing for 117 yards and a touchdown on only 13 carries;
- Selected Second-Team All-Southeast Region by Don Hansen's Football Gazette (2005);
- Voted All-CIAA Second Team (2004);
- Honored as Offensive Most Valuable Player of 2005 Aggie-Eagle Classic.
Jason Smoots – Track (1999-2003) – Gadsden, Ala.- Six-time NCAA Division II National Champion (2001 indoor 55m, 2001 outdoor 100m, 2002 indoor 60m, 2002 outdoor 100m, 2002 outdoor 4x100m, 2003 indoor 60m);
- Winner of three consecutive indoor track sprint (55-meter and 60-meter dashes) national titles, the first NCAA Division II sprinter to three-peat;
- Eight-time NCAA All-American;
- Six-time individual conference champion;
- Selected as the 2003 NCAA Division II Male Outdoor Track Athlete of the Year;
- Twice named CIAA Most Outstanding Male Track Athlete (2002 indoor, 2001 outdoor);
- Twice honored as the NCAA Division II Southeast Regional Men's Indoor Track Athlete of the Year;
- Winner of the 100-meter dash at the 2003 Penn Relays.
