of 2012 Special Awards

Cremins, Wilmot, Hamilton & Wheat to be Recognized on May 14

For immediate release:  April 30, 2012

Contact: Ephraim Ulmer 803/779-0905

COLUMBIA, SC – South Carolina Athletic Hall of Fame president Charles R. Thompson, Jr. has announced that Bobby Cremins, Steve Wilmot, Bill Hamilton and Ken Wheat will be honored for their various contributions to sports in the Palmetto State when the organization hosts its 52^nd annual banquet and induction ceremony on May 14 at the Columbia.

Cremins, who recently retired as College of Charleston’s basketball coach, will receive the Bobby Richardson Sportsmanship Award that is sponsored by Pete and Ane DiVenere, while Wilmot, executive director of The RBC Heritage Golf Classic on Hilton Head Island, will be honored with the Willie Jeffries Ambassador Award that is sponsored by Piggly Wiggly.  Hamilton, the long-time sports information director at South Carolina State, will be bestowed with the Herman Helms Media Excellence Award that is sponsored by Boyd Management of Columbia and Wheat will receive the inaugural Dom Fusci Leadership in Action Award that is being sponsored by Founders Federal Credit Union.

The four will be distinguished along with the new inductees of the SCAHoF during the 52^nd annual banquet, which is set for Monday, May 14, at the Columbia Metropolitan Convention Center.  Being enshrined this year are Clemson’s legendary baseball coach Bill Wilhelm, USC baseball coach June Raines and former Augusta National Club Chairman Hootie Johnson.

The Class of 2012 also consists of South Carolina football great Duce Staley, Clemson basketball standout Dale Davis, Spartanburg High’s Stephen Davis, NASCAR executive Jim Hunter and AAU legend Evelyn “Eckie” Jordan.

Wilhelm and Hunter will be enshrined posthumously.

Tickets (table of eight for $500) and program sponsorships may be purchased by calling the SCAHOF office at 803/779-0905. The affair, which includes a reception and dinner, begins at 5:30 p.m.

Bobby Cremins

Bobby Cremins, a veteran of 31 seasons as a college basketball head coach and the winningest coach in Georgia Tech history, spent six seasons as head coach at the College of Charleston.  He was named the Cougars’ coach on July 3, 2006 and is the third-winningest coach in program history with a 125-68 (.648) record.

Prior to his recent retirement from coaching on March 19, Cremins ranked 14th among active NCAA Division I coaches in career victories (579) which currently stands as the 46th-most all-time in NCAA history.  He ranks ahead of former CofC coach John Kresse (53rd, 560) and his mentor and former coach, Frank McGuire (56th, 549) – both members of the SC Athletic Hall of Fame.

The Bronx, N.Y. native, who coached six seasons at Appalachian State (1976-81, 100-70) and 19 at Georgia Tech (1982-2000, 354-237) compiled a 579-375 (.607) overall record in his illustrious 31-year coaching career.  He led Appalachian State to one NCAA Tournament berth and Georgia Tech to 10.  He led the Cougars to four 20-win campaigns in his previous five years, before taking a medical leave of absence in his sixth season on Jan. 27, 2012.  A year ago, the program enjoyed a memorable run to the NIT Quarterfinals and a 26-11 overall record.  CofC would claim its first Southern Conference regular-season championship title as well as boast the program's first NBA draft pick and All-American since 1997 in all-time leading scorer Andrew Goudelock, who is currently with the Los Angeles Lakers.

Bill Hamilton

Bill Hamilton is concluding his 39^th year as S.C. State’s publicist.  He is the only full-time sports information director in the university’s history, having begun his career at State in July 1973.

A Baltimore, MD native, Hamilton grew up in Chesterfield, where he attended public schools and earned a diploma from the former Gary High School.  He earned a bachelor’s in English Language and Literature at S.C. State in 1973, and received a Master’s of Education degree from the Orangeburg institution in 1979.

Hamilton has earned numerous professional awards during his long career, including the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) Bob Kenworthy Community Service Award, the CoSIDA Trailblazer Award and the CoSIDA Arch Ward Award.  Other citations include the All-American Football Foundation Scoop Hudgins Outstanding SID Award, and the BCSIDA Cal Jacox-Champ Clark Award.  In February of 2011, he was featured by ESPN.com during Black History Month

He is enshrined in the MEAC Hall of Fame, the CoSIDA Hall of Fame and the S.C. State Athletic Hall of Fame and the S.C. State Physical Education Hall of Fame.  In addition, Hamilton was named Staff Employee of the Year at S.C. State in 1999 and a NAFEO (National Association for Equal Opportunity in Higher Education) Distinguished Alumnus in 2005, and was designated a Stellar Alumnus on the S.C. State National Alumni Association’s 2010 calendar.

Steve Wilmot

Steve Wilmot, who has been associated with the RBC Heritage Classic Presented by Boeing for more than two decades, recently concluded his 15^th event as tournament director, his 26^th overall after having served as assistant director for 11 years.  The April tournament was the 44^th consecutive event staged over the famed Harbour Town Golf Links.

Wilmot was an all-around athlete at Moorestown (NJ) High School and Guilford College.   He holds a degree in Sports Management from Guilford as well as a master’s from St. Thomas University in Miami, Fla.

Besides serving as The Heritage’s tournament director, Wilmot sits on the board of directors of the Hilton Head Island - Bluffton Chamber of Commerce.   He also sits on the board of the South Carolina Junior Golf Foundation, the Ben Hogan Award Selection Committee and the Savannah Harbor Foundation.

Ken Wheat

Ken Wheat is president of Boyd Management Company of Columbia, an apartment complex management company with locations throughout the Southeast.  A former offensive-turned-defensive lineman from the University of South Carolina (1969-71) who prepped at Georgia Military College at Milledgeville, Wheat was named one of the game captains for the 1971 game against Memphis State.  He also sacked N.C. State quarterback Pat Korsnick on an attempt for a 2-point conversion in the Gamecocks’ 24-6 win over the Wolfpack.

The inaugural Dom Fusci Leadership in Action Award is named for the late South Carolina Athletic and the University of South Carolina Athletic Hall of Famer, who passed away in February.  Wheat, a member of the SCAHOF board of directors as was Fusci, is being recognized for his leadership within the board and for being a team player who is selfless in sharing credit with the “team,” very much like the award’s namesake.