The Southwestern College Athletic Hall of Fame will induct six new members Saturday, Nov. 13, in Stewart Field House.  There will be a social time at 10 a.m. followed by the induction at 10:30 a.m.  The inductees will also be introduced at halftime of the Southwestern-Kansas Wesleyan football game in Richard L. Jantz Stadium.  The new members are Carrie Plumley, Randy Rowley, Mike Kirkland, Ann Currier, Gary Langley, and Bob Strano

Carrie Plumley, Cherryvale, is a 2000 graduate of Southwestern.  In 1997, Plumley became the first female national champion in Southwestern College history in the sport of track and field.  She was a four-time NAIA All-American, a six-time KCAC champion in the 100-meter hurdles and the 4x100 meter relay, and a ten-time NAIA national qualifier in indoor and outdoor track.  She is the current record holder in the 55-meter hurdles, 100-meter hurdles, and the 4x200 relay.

Randy Rowley, Liberal, graduated from SC in 1984.  Rowley was a successful tennis player at SC and has continued that success as a coach.  While at Southwestern, Rowley was a four-year letterman and captain.  Following his playing career, he was an assistant coach at Southwestern (1979-1984) for women’s tennis and earned four KCAC championships.  He then was an assistant at the University of Kansas (1986-87) where KU won the Big 8 title and were ranked nationally.  He became the head coach for the University of Louisiana-Lafeyette (1993-1995) and once again had his team ranked nationally.  He moved on to become the director of tennis at the University of Louisiana-Monroe (1999-2000) compiling a record of 52-36 and a conference record of 14-2.  Rowley spent three seasons at Texas Tech University before moving on to coach at the University of Southern Mississippi.  He turned a 3-21 program into a team that became the winningest in school history.  He is currently at West Point at Army as an assistant tennis coach.

Mike Kirkland, Winfield, graduated in 1982.  Kirkland is the head women’s track coach at Southwestern College.  He has been named KCAC Women’s Track Coach of the Year 13 times and NAIA Region IV Women’s Track Coach of the Year four times.  He has coached the women’s teams to 15 consecutive KCAC Track championships (1995-2009).  Individually, he has coached two NAIA national champions and three national runner-up performances.  In his 28-year career at SC, he has coached 14 KCAC “Most Valuable Performers,” 260 KCAC individual champions (both men and women),  and 31 athletes that have earned NAIA All-American honors a total of 61 times.

Ann Currier, Coffeyville, graduated from Southwestern in 1984.  Currier made an immediate difference on the 1982 SC women’s tennis team.  She was the KCAC and NAIA District 10 champion at #1 singles.  She helped pace Southwestern to their fifth consecutive KCAC team championship and a second place finish in the NAIA District 10 championships.  In 1983 Currier went to the NAIA National Women’s Tennis Championships and was seeded 26 in the nation.

Gary Langley, Collinsville, Ill., is a 1961 graduate of Southwestern.  While at SC, Langley starred in basketball and track.  He was a four-year letterman in both sports.  He was a three-year starter on the basketball team.  In 1959, SC finished in second place in the CIC.  Then SC moved to the KCAC and with Langley in the starting lineup, the Moundbuilders were conference champs in 1961.  In track Langley was All-CIC in the high hurdles in 1959 and All-KCAC in high and low hurdles in 1960 and 1961.  He currently has the second-best time at Southwestern in the 120-yard high hurdles. 

Bob Strano, Baytown, Texas, graduated from SC in 1970.  Strano was a tight-end on the 1967 undefeated KCAC champion football team.  After graduating from Southwestern he became a teacher and eventually a principal in Leavenworth.  In 1985 he became the athletic director for Leavenworth High School.  Strano was regarded as one of the top athletic administrators in the state of Kansas.  During his tenure as athletic director, Leavenworth High School won 16 state titles in his 21 years.  The Pioneers also were rewarded with six sportsmanship awards at the state level.  Strano had 37 years of service as a coach, teacher, and athletic director in Leavenworth.

For more information about the SC Athletic Hall of Fame or the induction ceremony, call (620) 229-6218