BUIES CREEK, N.C. – Campbell celebrated its annual Hall of Fame Day by inducting four past Fighting Camel greats. Martha Covington (softball), Jonathan Rodriguez (men's basketball), Ryan Thompson (baseball) and Mary Weiss (women's basketball) were enshrined at the Oscar Harris Student Union and recognized at halftime of the men's basketball game vs. Monmouth.
Director of Athletics
Hannah Bazemore and University President Dr. William Downs addressed the gathering in the Keith Family Ballroom. Nine past Hall of Fame inductees were also recognized. Charles Koonce '64, Bob Etheridge '65, Cordell Wise '70, Sam Brewer '71, Wanda Watkins '79, Ronda Mueller Johnson '82, Denise Ford Shipman '89, April Cromartie '02 and Coach John Crooks joined in the ceremony as Campbell celebrated the induction of its 100th member of the Hall of Fame.
Martha Covington '99 was a four-time Atlantic Sun first-team all-conference performer in softball and is one of just 10 student-athletes to accomplish that feat since 1986. She was a three-time All-Southeast Region selection and was the A-Sun batting champion in 1997, 1998 and 1999. Her .474 batting average in 1999 is still the second-highest all-time in league history.
Covington started the Richard Bland College softball team and was named NJCAA Region 10 coach of the year in 2013. From 2017-2020, she served as assistant coach at Virginia State University before moving into public education.
Jonathan Rodriguez '10 was a four-time Atlantic Sun all-conference selection and finished his career as one of only 101 players in NCAA Division I history to reach both the 2000-point and 1000-rebound plateau. "J-Rod" led Campbell to its first-ever conference regular season title on the Division I level in 2010 and also set A-Sun career records for double-doubles, free throws made and attempted.
Only Chris Clemons, who concluded his career in 2019 as the NCAA's third all-time leading scorer, has scored more points than J-Rod in Campbell men's hoops history. Since turning pro in 2010, Rodriguez has been a member of 10 league championship teams. He is a three-time Colombian League MVP, and a three-time All-Star in Puerto Rico and Mexico. He is a member of the Puerto Rican National Team.
Ryan Thompson '14 earned All-American honors in back-to-back seasons for the Camels and was named 2013 Big South Pitcher of the Year. He was a two-time first team All-Big South selection and named 2014 Big South Tournament MVP.
More than a decade after he graduated, Thompson still owns the lowest season and career ERA in Big South Conference history. He helped lead Campbell to its winningest season in program history in 2013 as the squad went 49-10 and earned the Big South regular season championship. As a senior, he led Campbell to the 2014 Big South title and the program's first NCAA postseason berth in 24 years.
He has pitched in two World Series – in 2020 for the Tampa Bay Rays and 2023 for the Arizona Diamondbacks. In six major league seasons since making his MLB debut on July 24, 2020, Thompson has made 254 pitching appearances with 208 strikeouts in 241 innings.
Mary Weiss '85 has devoted nearly her entire professional career to her alma mater. A standout guard for the Camels from 1983-85, she started led the team to a 31-20 record in two seasons. She was named to the District All-tournament team as a senior.
Forty years after graduating in 1985, Weiss still holds the school record for career assists average. Her 14 assists against High Point in 1985, still stands as the second-most in a single game in Campbell women's basketball history.
She joined Wanda Watkins' coaching staff in 1986-87 – the team's first NCAA Division I season – and spent 30 years – including 12 as associate head coach – helping to guide the program. During her tenure, Campbell won 465 games, including 290 conference games. In addition, the Camels won the 1989 Big South and 2000 A-Sun tournament titles and made the program's first-ever NCAA tournament appearance in 2000.
After retiring from coaching in 2016, Weiss joined the faculty at her alma mater and serves as an instructor of exercise science in the College of Arts and Sciences. She was also inducted into the Chowan College Sports Hall of Fame in 1994.
With the induction of Covington, Rodriguez, Thompson and Weiss, membership in the Hall of Fame, which began recognizing Campbell athletic greats in 1984, will include 100 honorees.
Campbell Athletics Hall of Fame Members
1984
Gaylord Perry
Jim Perry
1985
Fred Emmerson
Richard Murphy
1986
Earl Smith
Bob Vernon
1987
Cal Koonce
Len Maness
1988
Jim Bromley
Jay Overton
Don Prince
Dr. Mike Reidy
1989
Archie Brigman
Jim Gurkin
Dr. Don Laird
1990
Sam Brewer
Rob Cole
George "Buck" Hardee
1991
Howard Auman
Walter Deal
1992
George Graybill
Charles Koonce
Bruce Shelley
Don Whaley
Billy Williams
1993
Ronda Mueller Langdon
Billy Mason
James Sessoms
Gary Woodward
1994
Wayne Dale
Marion Hargrove
1995
Hank Currin
Fred McCall
Fred Whitfield
1996
Sam Bishop
Antionette Matthews Carr
Horace "Bones" McKinney
1997
James "Catfish" Cole
John T. Johnson
1998
Ollie Harrell
Frances Lloyd
1999
Ken Faulkner
Regina McKeithan Wadsworth
2000
Dave Amsler
Wendell Carr
2001
Betty Jo Clary
Hargrove B. Davis (posthumously)
Clarence Grier
2002
Bob Etheridge
Gary Hobgood
Bill Holleman
Carl Ivarsson
James Nisbet
Tammy Brown Tew
2003
Barry Howard
Danny Roberts
Dr. Pete Wish
2004
Willard B. Harris
Leanne Plum Mann
Orville Peterson
2005
Bobby Bowie
Janet Wooten
Captain Eugene "Red" McDaniel
2006
David Doyle
John Marshbanks
2007
Denelle Hicks
Maria Maldonado
Ernie White
2009
Juha Miettinen
2010
Toni Siikala
Joe Spinks
2011
Brad Childress
Denise Ford Shipman
2012
Sam Staggers
2015
Brad Fritsch
Kylie Pratt
Bill Young
2017
Bob Burke
Anthony Cox
Wanda Watkins
2022
Marshall Lovett
2023
April Cromartie
Jerry Hartman
Heather Lee Magill
John Payne
Brittany Stanley Lee
2024
Rodrigo Cagide
Barbara Foxx
Earl Stephenson
Erin Switalski
Cordell Wise
2025
Pat Brogden
Jerry Brooks
John Crooks
Bev Shepard Marley
Dale Steele
2026
Martha Covington
Jonathan Rodriguez
Ryan Thompson
Mary Weiss
