AIKEN, S.C. - The University of South Carolina Aiken athletic department inducted four new members into the school's Athletic Hall of Fame on Friday, Feb. 19.
The foursome included three former student-athletes and a former team physician.
Inducted into the USC Aiken Athletic Hall of Fame were Dr. James Barham (former team doctor), Jami Cornwell (softball and women's basketball), Derek Moore (men's basketball) and Dru McPherson Nix (women's basketball and volleyball).
The 17-member USC Aiken Hall of Fame committee selected the foursome on Monday, June 8, 2009.
The four new members of the USC Aiken Athletic Hall of Fame joined the 13 inaugural members inducted during a ceremony at the Convocation Center on Friday, Nov. 30, 2007.
The initial class included: Lew Perkins (former Athletic Director and men's basketball coach), Johanna Gibbs (former volleyball and women's basketball coach), Roberto Hernandez (baseball), Bill Weeks (men's basketball), Faye Ryans Norris (women's basketball), Charlie Colclough (baseball), Greg Gibson (men's basketball), Tisha England (women's basketball), Kim Merrill Brooks (volleyball), Roxanna Rivera Tirado (volleyball), Brian Kassel (golf), Brooks Blackburn (golf) and Jamie Stanley (golf).
This year, USC Aiken added a new honor to the members of the Hall of Fame as all 17 members of the Hall of Fame were given USC Aiken Athletic Hall of Fame blazers to honor their admission into the school's Athletic Hall of Fame.
This year marks the first year that the blazer honor has been bestowed upon the USC Aiken Athletic Hall of Fame members.
"This was truly a great night for us as we honored the induction of four more into USC Aiken's second Hall of Fame class," noted USC Aiken Athletic Director Randy Warrick. "Without exception, all of them certainly made a tremendous impact to our athletic program. They are a great addition to an already top-tier athletic Hall of Fame."
Barham was USC Aiken's first team doctor. He served in that role for over three decades from the 1970's into the 1990's. Through his unselfish dedication to USC Aiken athletics, he evaluated, treated and healed hundreds of Pacer student-athletes. Dr. Barham also served as a member of the American College of Sports Medicine and he was on the South Carolina Medical Association's Commission on Sports Medicine.
Dr. Barham was a member of the Pacer Pioneers and in his honor a permanently endowed scholarship was established at USC Aiken by his friends, family, university supporters and former Pacer student-athletes. Now deceased, Dr. Barham will be inducted posthumously.
Cornwell was a two-sport star at USC Aiken, earning numerous accolades in both softball and women's basketball.
Cornwell was a three-time All-Peach Belt Conference selection in softball (2001, 2002 and 2004). She was also named to the All-Tournament team in the Peach Belt Conference in 2001.
A shortstop, Cornwell (1999-2004) led the Pacers to two 30-win seasons during her time with the program, leading the team in batting average in all four of her seasons with the Pacers.
Cornwell concluded her Pacer softball career second in school history in batting average, hits, on-base percentage, total bases and sacrifice hits. She concluded her career owning the Peach Belt Conference record for most assists with 561. She still holds the mark to this day.
In total, Cornwell concluded her softball career in the top five in school history in 12 different categories.
Cornwell was named the Peach Belt Conference Softball Freshman of the Year in 2000, which was the same year that she was named the Peach Belt Conference Women's Basketball Freshman of the Year. She is the only student-athlete in Pacer history to claim Freshman of the Year accolades in two sports in the same year.
In addition to claiming Freshman of the Year plaudits in 2000, Cornwell, a point guard, was a three-year team captain on the women's basketball team at USC Aiken. She helped lead the Pacers to back-to-back Peach Belt Conference North Division titles (2000-01 and 2001-02) and the program's first ever appearance in the NCAA Division II top 25.
A four-time All-PBC selection (2000, 2001, 2002 and 2003) in women's basketball, Cornwell was a Dodge Trucks Honorable Mention All-America selection in 2001. She was a women's Division II Bulletin Freshman All-American in 2000.
Strong in the classroom as well, Cornwell was a three-time ESPN The Magazine/CoSIDA Academic All-District choice (2001, 2002 and 2003).
A three-time Peach Belt Conference women's basketball Player of the Week, Cornwell is one of three women's basketball players at USC Aiken to have their jerseys retired. She is the only softball player to have their jersey retired.
Both of Cornwell's jerseys were retired at the USC Aiken annual athletic banquet in May of 2004.
Moore (1995-99) was a four-time second team All-Peach Belt Conference selection as a center, claiming the award in 1996, 1997, 1998 and 1999. He is the only four-time All-PBC player in program history.
The PBC Freshman of the Year in 1996, Moore was named a preseason All-America selection by the Division II Bulletin prior to the 1998-99 season.
Moore is USC Aiken's and the Peach Belt Conference's all-time leader in blocks (408) and blocked shots per game average (4.0). Moore's 12 blocks in a Dec. 5, 1998 game with Coastal Carolina is also a PBC record.
Moore also owns the school record for most rebounds in a career, corralling 841 in his time in a Pacer uniform.
A three-time Peach Belt Conference Player of the Week, Moore just recently retired from professional basketball. While playing in Australia in 2000, Moore was ch osen as Australia's National Basketball League Rookie of the Year.
Nix (1978-81) was a two-sport standout at USC Aiken in women's basketball and volleyball.
Nix was named to the South Carolina Intercollegiate Athletics for Women's All-State women's basketball team in 1981. She was also named NAIA District 6 All-District in 1981.
The team Most Valuable Player for both volleyball and women's basketball, Nix coached both the women's basketball and volleyball teams at USC Aiken for one season.
Nix guided the 1981 volleyball team to a 30-21 record (.588 winning percentage), leading the squad to the NAIA District 6 championship.
The same year, Nix led the Pacer women's basketball team to the NAIA District 6 Championship and a 17-10 (.630 winning percentage) overall record.
Nix, who was also strong academically, was named the Education Student of the Year at USC Aiken. She helped start the intramural sports program at USC Aiken.
