Idaho State University will induct six into Sports Hall of Fame on Sept. 12

POCATELLO – The Idaho State University Office of Alumni Relations and ISU Alumni Association will induct six new members into its Sports Hall of Fame Sept. 12.

The new members include Stacey (Peterson) Allen of Idaho Falls, soccer; Maureen Griffin of Arlington, Texas, track and field; Rod Childs of Rancho Cucamonga, California, football; Ashley Toner McNeal of Boise, women’s basketball; Selena Frazier of Eugene, Oregon, track and field; and Greg Smith of Pocatello, football.

The induction ceremony will be held at noon Sept. 12 in the Bistline Thrust Theatre in the Stephens Performing Arts Center. Those attending are asked to RSVP to the Office of Alumni Relations, (208) 282-3755 or alumni@isu.edu. The new inductees will be introduced at halftime of that afternoon’s ISU football game against Portland State, which kicks off at 4:05 p.m.

Biographies of the ISU Sports Hall of Fame Class of 2015 inductees follow:

• Stacey (Peterson) Allen, ’04 BS Dietetics, Soccer – Nominated by her former coach, Gordon Henderson, and heartily endorsed by ISU’s current coach, Allison Gibson, Allen was a player who made an impact on the ISU soccer program both on and off the field. Her attitude, work ethic, steely determination to succeed, epitomized the culture of success that became the cornerstone of ISU’s very successful program.

Allen played from 2000-2003. She was first team All-Conference in 2001 and 2002, Big Sky conference all-tournament team in 2002, and Academic All-Conference in 2002, the same year she scored the game-winning goal in overtime in the Big Sky Conference final. She holds a record in points per game, second for total points, second in career goals and first with game-winning goals.

• Maureen Griffin, ’03, BS Physical Education, Track and Field ¬– Griffin was nominated by Sports Hall of Fame Selection Committee vice-chairman Debbie Akers and endorsed and supported by ISU Head Track Coach Dave Nielsen and Assistant Track Coach (and former teammate) Hillary Merkley, also a member of the ISU Sports Hall of Fame.

Griffin was a four-time All American, eight-time Big Sky Conference champion, and two-time Olympic Trials competitor. She holds the record for the indoor and outdoor weight throw and still holds the Holt Arena record. She holds the record for hammer throw and still holds the Davis Field record for the hammer throw. ISU Athletic Director Jeff Tingey said that other teams knew they would lose whenever they competed against Griffin. Her coach, Dave Nielsen commented that she is the epitome of a successful student athlete and a winner in every sense.

• Rod Childs, ’82 Ex., Football – Nominated by ISU Sports Hall of Fame member, Mike Machurek, Childs was one of the team captains for the 1981 National Championship football team. Childs is the only tight end in ISU history to lead the league in receiving and the only ISU tight end to receive first-team All-Conference honors. He was third team All-American in 1981. Childs’s nomination was supported by ISU Sports Hall of Fame member Case deBruijn who cited Childs’s leadership, work ethic and talent.

Childs was considered a leader by his teammates. Even though he was humble and mild mannered, he was a tenacious competitor. His integrity was evident in all he did and deBruijn commented that he never heard a negative or disrespectful comment from Childs.

• Ashley Toner McNeal, ’03, BA Mass Communications, ’08 MA Health Education, Women’s Basketball – Nominated by ISU Executive Director of Bengal Athletic Boosters, Donna Hays, McNeal came to ISU on a basketball scholarship in 1999 from Burley High School. At 6 feet tall, McNeal was a center and an aggressive and physical player. Her inside dominance earned her the nickname of “Baby Jordan.”

McNeal still holds the single game record for field goals made in a game, is fourth in career field goals, fifth in career points, fifth for free throws made and tied for sixth for most games played at ISU. She was first team All-Big Sky in 2000-01 and honorable mention in 2002-03. She was Big Sky Conference player of the week three times and was named ISU Women’s Basketball MVP in 2002-03.

Her senior year, Toner interned for the Bengal Foundation and was critical in their fundraising efforts that year. Ashley and her husband, former ISU football player Donell McNeal, are living in Boise and both are educators. They are actively involved in ISU alumni activities attending legislative receptions and ISU Brown Bag speaker events. The couple travels to Pocatello regularly for ISU football games.

• Selena Frazier, ’02 BS Physical Education, ’04 MA Athletic Administration, Track and Field – Frazier was one of the most dominant and decorated track athletes to ever attend ISU. During her career at ISU from 2001-2003, she held the indoor and outdoor records in the 200-meter and 400-meter runs and 4×100-meter relay. She is also in the top-five record holders in the indoor 55-meter and 60-meter dashes and the top-five record holder in the outdoor 400-meter and 100-meter events.

She was named the Bennion Track Athlete of the Year in 2001, 2002 and 2003. She was named Big Sky athlete of the week multiple times in 2001, 2002 and 2003. She had first-place finishes in 2001, 2002 and 2003 in the 200-meter and 400-meter dashes, and the 4×100-meter relay and 4×400-meter relay.

Frazier was named MVP Track Athlete in 2003. She was lauded as both a team leader and a team player. In the classroom at ISU, Sports Science and Physical Education Professor Gerald Lyons noted her desire for perfection and her wonderful demeanor. He indicated she was exceptionally positive, would voice her opinion, engage in passionate conversation and was a joy to have in his classes.

• Greg A. Smith, ’80 Ex., Football – “Smitty,” as Smith has been called most of his life, had the unfortunate timing to be on an ISU football team as a receiver when the offensive philosophy was to run the ball. However, in spite of that, he was named first-team All-Big Sky conference wide receiver in 1978 and second-team All-Big Sky conference wide receiver in 1979. He was an All-American in 1978 and 1979 and was ISU football MVP in 1978. He was named a team captain in 1979. He played football for ISU for four years and played in every game except the first game of his freshman season. Former ISU football quarterback Dirk Koetter, in his letter of support, cited Smith as a force to be reckoned with who was well respected by opposing defenses. He had exceptional size, speed and strength but his best qualities were his outstanding ball skills and body control.

Smith was a leader on teams that struggled, but stayed positive and motivated his teammates. ISU Sports Hall of Fame member Warren Whitaker noted that Smith had 10 catches in one game, which at the time was a Holt Arena record. He also had 28 consecutive games with a catch, a record that stood for 30 years.