GREENVILLE, S.C. – A prolific scorer on the hardwood, legendary women's soccer coach, All-American track star, and the architect of one of Furman's most successful programs highlight Furman University's Athletic Hall of Fame Class of 2024, which will be inducted Friday night at the L in downtown Greenville.
Men's basketball standout Stephen Croone '16, former women's soccer coach Brian Lee '93, cross country and track star Troy Reeder '18, and honorary inductee and benefactor Chris Borch '78 will join cross country/track athlete Allie Buchalski '18, a member of the 2023 class, in enshrinement ceremonies.
Buchalski finished her Furman career as the most decorated runner in school history with a program-record seven All-American citations. She captured Edna Hartness Furman Female Athlete of the Year accolades twice, posted a national runner-up finish in the 5,000m at the 2018 NCAA Outdoor Track and Field National Championship, and finished fifth in the 5,000m at the 2021 and 2024 Olympic trials. Buchalski, who runs professionally for Brooks Beasts, also was the recipient of an NCAA Post-Graduate Scholarship.
Croone, a three-time All-Southern Conference selection by the league's head coaches, garnered SoCon Player of the Year honors and Associated Press Honorable Mention All-American accolades as a senior in 2016 after guiding the Paladins to the 2015 SoCon Tournament finals, marking Furman's first appearance in the finals in over a decade. The Covington, Ga., native became the first Paladin to average 17 points per game in three consecutive seasons and first guard to receive three all-league citations since Jonathan Moore (1978-80). Croone led Furman in assists and steals in each of his four seasons while averaging 16.0 points per game over 177 career contests. His 40-point performance versus Liberty in December of 2014 marked the first by a Paladin since Roy Simpson accomplished the feat in 1972.
The inaugural head coach of the Furman women's soccer program, Lee guided the Paladins for their first 11 seasons. He led Furman to five SoCon regular season titles, three SoCon Tournament crowns, and four NCAA Tournament appearances while capturing SoCon Coach of the Year honors five times. Lee, who posted a 144-80-10 (.637) overall record and 76-16-3 (.816) league mark at Furman, went on to successful stints as a head coach at both LSU and Rice. Prior to his coaching success, Lee won three SoCon titles as a member of the Furman men's soccer team and helped the Paladins to their first ever NCAA Tournament appearance – a Sweet Sixteen trip – in 1991.
Reeder became just the second first-team All-American in Furman men's track and field history and the first since 1968 when he finished seventh in the 3,000m Steeplechase at the 2016 NCAA Championships. He remains the only Paladin men's track and field athlete to win multiple first-team All-America citations after repeating the feat the following year when he placed tenth nationally in the event. Reeder, who was Furman's first four-time All-SoCon first team selection for cross country, won eight SoCon titles for indoor and outdoor track combined and continues to hold Paladin records in the Steeplechase (8:36.51) and the 4x1,500m relay (3:15.70).
Borch began his Paladin career as a walk on for the Furman cross country/track and field team, rising through the ranks and eventually earning a modest scholarship. In 2005, he established the Blue Shoes XC/T&F scholarship fund, named for the pair of blue running shoes that Borch was given by then head coach Bill Keesling on his first day of practice as a Furman student. He has been the visionary and lead donor for the XC/T&F endowment, personally contributing over $10 million to Furman, including a $5 million gift in the fall of 2021. With Borch's gifts, along with those of others and investment growth, the endowment is on track to grow to $20 million, allowing the program's scholarships to be funded off investment earnings. Borch's leadership, along with the coaching of Robert and Rita Gary, has led to 11-straight men's and women's SoCon cross country championships and national prominence in the track and field community.
