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Furman University

2020 Athletic Hall of Fame

Men's Golf Hunter Reid

Willie Miller Headlines 2020 Furman Athletic Hall Of Fame Class

Football's Bell, Women's Golf's Kenoyer, Volleyball's Braun Anthony Also Elected

Furman Athletic Hall of Fame Class Of 2020
GREENVILLE, S.C. -- Wiilie Miller, who as a head coach played a key role in the success of Furman golf for nearly two decades, headlines Furman University's Athletic Hall of Fame Class of 2020, it was announced today.

Miller is joined by Paladin football All-American Joel Bell '09, women's golf standout Stephanie Kenoyer '11, and volleyball great Natalie Braun Anthony '13, who will be enshrined in ceremonies on Friday, Nov. 13, at a location and time to be announced.

Miller served as head coach of men's golf program from 1978-96, during which time he directed the Paladins to five Southern Conference Championships and the 1986 NCAA Championships.  A five-time league coach of the year selection, he coached three All-Americans, including Brad Faxon, who captured the 1983 Fred Haskins Award as collegiate golf's national player of the year.  A Travelers Rest, S.C., native, he also directed Furman's women's program for four years (1978-82), during which time he coached All-Americans Sherri Turner and Cindy Davis.  In addition to his coaching duties, Miller was highly active in collegiate golf administrative roles, serving in a variety of roles, including chairman of the NCAA Golf Committee.

Bell was a three-time All-SoCon selection as a tackle who garnered SoCon Jacobs Blocking Award and All-America honors as senior in 2008.  The Spartanburg, S.C., native helped clear the way for Paladin fullback great Jerome Felton, who rushed for 2,652 yards and a school record 63 touchdowns on the way to a multi-year NFL career.  Bell also played professionally, spending three years in the Canadian Football League with the Saskatchewan Roughriders, where he was a two-year starter (2010-11) and member of the Roughriders' 2010 Grey Cup runner-up team, and Edmonton Eskimos (2012).

A Golfweek All-American honorable mention selection in 2010, Kenoyer was voted the SoCon Player of the Year in both 2009 and 2010.  A native of Lighthouse Point, Fla., she finished 28th at the NCAA Championships as a freshman in 2008, leading the Paladin team to a 24th-place finish.  The four-time All-SoCon selection captured individual medalist honors at the league championships as both a freshman and sophomore and boasts a career stroke average of 74.68 over 121 rounds, which ranked third at the conclusion of her career.  Kenoyer competed in the 2009 U.S. Women's Open as an amateur, where she missed the cut by just one shot, and went on to appear on the Golf Channel's "Big Break Mexico" and "Big Break NFL Puerto Rico".

Anthony led the 2009 Furman volleyball team to a perfect 16-0 SoCon record and regular season league title, marking the program's lone perfect conference campaign.  A two-time All-SoCon selection, the Lincoln, Neb., native is one of only 10 players in Furman history to reach the 1,000 kills/1,000 digs mark, finishing her career with 1,183 kills and 1,453 digs.  An outside hitter who led the Paladins in service aces three out of her four seasons, Anthony was a true utility player, stepping in at setter as a junior and leading Furman to a 50-14 league record and two SoCon Championship game appearances over her four seasons.

WILLIE MILLER — Men's Golf Head Coach (1979-96) / Women's Golf Head Coach (1978-82)...as men's golf coach was a six-time Southern Conference Coach of the Year selection (1983, '84, '85, '86, '88, '93)…named NCAA District III North Coach of the Year in 1986...directed Furman to five SoCon titles (1984, '85, '86, '88, '93)…helped the 1986 Paladins to a 19th-place finish at the NCAA Championships…under his tutelage Brad Faxon qualified for the NCAA Championships as an individual in 1980, '82, and '83, as did Eddie Kirby (1984) and Todd White (1989)…coached three All-Americans: Brad Faxon (1982, '83) and Jack Kay (1985)…Faxon captured national player of the year honors with the 1983 Fred Haskins Award and was honored that same year as Furman Male Athlete of the Year and South Carolina Male Amateur Athlete of the Year…helped the Paladins to 12 tournament titles during his career…under Miller's direction, Furman's men's golf program earned 38 All-SoCon citations...served as chairman of the NCAA Golf Committee, SoCon Golf Committee, and NCAA District III North Selection Committee...as women's golf coach directed the Lady Paladins to a 20th place finish at the 1980 AIAW Championships, the predecessor to the NCAA Championships, and a 13th-place finish in 1982…coached Sherri Turner as an individual in the 1979 AIAW Championships and Kris Allen at the 1981 AIAW Championships…two Paladins reached the inaugural 1982 Women's NCAA Individual Championships under Miller: Cindy Davis, who finished 30th, and Joan Ellis, who placed 82nd…coached two All-Americans: Sherri Turner (1979) and Cindy Davis (1982)...selected to the Golf Coaches Association of America Hall of Fame in 2006...native of Travelers Rest, S.C.

JOEL BELL — Football (2005-08)...three-year starter and consensus three-time All-Southern Conference selection as an offensive tackle, including twice as a first team pick in 2007 & '08...earned the SoCon's Jacobs Blocking Award and collected Sports Network, Associated Press, and Walter Camp Foundation FCS All-America honors in 2008, his senior year...helped clear the way for All-America fullback and future NFL Pro Bowler Jerome Felton...2009 NFL Combine invitee...free agent signee of the Buffalo Bills...played three years in the Canadian Football League with the Saskatchewan Roughriders, where he was a two-year starter (2010-11) and member of the Roughriders' 2010 Grey Cup runner-up team and Edmonton Eskimos (2012)...native of Spartanburg, S.C.

STEFANIE KENOYER -- Women's Golf (2008-11)...four-year letterwinner...earned an All-American honorable mention citation from Golfweek in 2010...helped the Paladins to Southern Conference Championships in 2008 and 2009 and to NCAA regionals appearances in 2008, 2009, and 2010...a member of the Paladin 2008 team that finished 24th at the NCAA Championships, where Kenoyer finished 28th among individuals...competed at the NCAA regionals all four years -- three years with the team and as an individual in 2011...named to the WGCA All-Scholar team all four years...claimed the Furman Student-Athlete Achievement Award as a senior in 2011...named SoCon Player of the Year in 2009 and 2010...a four-time All-SoCon selection...captured individual medalist honors at the SoCon Championships as a freshman and sophomore...at the conclusion of her career ranked third on the Paladin career stroke average list  with 74.68 over 121 rounds...posted the third-best season stroke average in Furman history with a 73.61 average as a junior...her 74.70 stroke average her sophomore year is 12th on the Paladin all-time list...competed in the 2009 U.S. Women's Open as an amateur, where she missed the cut by just one shot...went on to appear on the Golf Channel's "Big Break Mexico" and "Big Break NFL Puerto Rico"...native of Lighthouse Point, Fla.

NATALIE BRAUN ANTHONY  – Volleyball (2009-12)…outside hitter...member of Southern Conference regular season championship team (2009), the only Furman team to ever go undefeated (16-0) in conference play...two-time All-SoCon selection (second team, 2011; first team, 2012)...two-time SoCon All-Tournament pick (2009, 2011)…named to the SoCon All-Freshman team in 2009…one of 10 players in Furman history to reach 1,000 kills/1,000 digs (1,183 / 1,445)…was Furman's leader in service aces for three out of four years (2009, 2010, 2012)…led the Paladins in digs in 2010 (345)…led the Paladins in kills in 2011 (272)…ranks 8th all-time in attack attempts (3560)…ranks 6th all-time in digs (1453)...stepped in at setter as a junior, turning in 511 assists on the year... played a key role in Furman going 50-14 in SoCon play over her career...led Furman to two SoCon Championship game appearances…earned one Offensive Player of the Week nod and one Offensive Player of the Month selection...native of Lincoln, Neb.
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