MOUNT VERNON — Five athletes, one coach and one contributor were inducted Aug. 29 into the Knox County Sports Hall of Fame.
Athletes William “Brownie” Corcoran, Charles “Hop” Collier, Curt Reppart, Brett Coffing and Lissi Fuller joined coach John Rice and Phil Houbler as members of the Hall of Fame’s sixth class.
“I want to welcome everyone, first and foremost the inductees, the friends and family they brought, for coming out today to help us honor these incredible athletes and coaches,” said John Lambert, chairman of the Hall of Fame committee.
William “Brownie” Corcoran
Corcoran was a 1921 graduate of Mount Vernon High School, starring at running back for four years for the Yellow Jackets’ football team. The 155-pound “stick of dynamite” scored 53 touchdowns in his junior and senior seasons and scored 61 points in a game against Newark.
He went on to Ohio State but withdrew after his freshman season. Later, he enrolled at West Virginia Wesleyan where he earned 10 varsity letters and led the team to victory in the 1924 Dixie Bowl.
“Today, we are honored to celebrate our grandfather, Brownie Corcoran and to accept this recognition from the Knox County Sports Hall of Fame on behalf of our family,” said Melissa Pearson, Corcoran’s granddaughter.
“The stories passed down through our family told us something even more important. They spoke of dedication, perseverance, discipline and a strong work ethic. As grandchildren, we grew up hearing about what Brownie accomplished on the field. But looking back, what is most remarkable is not just that he excelled in sports, but that his legacy has endured.
“Today, this hall of fame induction is proof that Brownie Corcoran’s impact reached far beyond the playing field.”
Charles “Hop” Collier
Collier was one of the finest athletes ever to play for St. Vincent High School. He played quarterback for the football team, was a strong rebounder and scorer on the basketball squad and won the hurdles and high jump events at the Knox County Track Meet.
He moved on to Walsh University where he played basketball for four years. He was team MVP his sophomore and junior seasons and was one of seven members of the inaugural Walsh University Athletics Hall of Fame class.
“I’d like to thank the hall of fame committee for this honor. When I see the names of the greats who are already county hall of famers, along with the others who are going in this year, I’m humbled. Some were my boyhood idols,” Collier said. “I was so fortunate to have grown up in Mount Vernon and Knox County, I consider it home to this day.”
Curt Reppart
Reppart excelled in three sports while at Fredericktown High School. The 1972 graduate earned all-conference accolades twice in both football and basketball, earning All-Ohio honors in football.
Reppart went on to play basketball at Virginia Military Institute and was instrumental in its 1976 run to the Elite Eight in the NCAA tournament. He and Mount Vernon’s Richie Hoyt (Ohio State) are the only two Knox County basketball players to play in the Elite Eight.
“It was very humbling to hear from Tom (Foster, a member of the committee) that I was going to be inducted into this Hall of Fame with such distinguished athletes from Knox County,” Reppart said. “It’s the teammates that make you better. You can be good, but you can only be as good as your team.”
Brett Coffing
Coffing was the first Mount Vernon track and field star to win an individual state championship, taking the Division I title in the discus in 1999. He was fifth in the state in the discus his junior season, and sixth in the shot put his senior year.
He still owns MVHS records in both the discus and the shot put.
His success carried over to Cornell University where he was named to the second-team All-Ivy twice. Coffing had five top-six finishes in the Ivy League meet during his college career.
“I was a bit shocked when I received the letter to be inducted because on a weekly basis as I am trying to coach discus to my teenage son, he tells me that I don’t know what I’m talking about,” Coffing joked. “When I read the names and accomplishments of the people who have been inducted before us, and as I listen to all the stories of the inductees, it makes being included in this group incredibly humbling.”
Lissi Fuller
Fuller, a 2004 graduate, was one of the top basketball players in Mount Vernon history. She finished her high school career with the most assists in school history and was second on its scoring list. Fuller was a three-time first-team all-conference player and led the Yellow Jackets to a 20-0 regular-season record her sophomore year.
She went on to play at the University of the Cumberlands, leading her NAIA team to three conference titles in her four years. Fuller earned all-American honors as a senior and was a three-time first-team all-conference selection. She finished her college career with 1,338 points and 580 assists, becoming just the second player in school history to score 1,000 points and dish out 500 assists.
“I am truly grateful to be selected into this hall of fame for this great community,” Fuller said. “I also want to thank the women trailblazers who came before me who laid the foundation for me and many other girls to come to have opportunities to play and compete in the sports they love.”
John Rice
Rice was a sharpshooting guard for Bladensburg High School but found his mark as a coach. The 1963 graduate went on to coach at Danville High School before moving on to Ottawa Lake Whiteford in Michigan. During his first stint there, he won 410 games in 30 years, and his teams won five district titles.
He attempted to retire from coaching but was called back to the hardwood in Whiteford to coach his grandchildren. He finished with 510 victories over a 50-year career.
“I had three things (as a coach). Know your role, be in your role and excel in your role. Everybody had a role on the team … and you had to know your role,” Rice said. “I appreciate Knox County and everybody (for this honor).”
Phil Houbler
Without Houbler, the Knox County Sports Hall of Fame might not exist.
The Mount Vernon car dealer and sports enthusiast was instrumental in forming the YMCA basketball program as well as the local Babe Ruth baseball program. After living in Florida for nearly 40 years, Houbler returned to Mount Vernon and realized a lifelong dream when he helped create the sports hall of fame.
“His love for people was so deep. He cared for every person that came into his life,” said his wife, Barbara. “He kept telling me about this hall of fame he always wanted Mount Vernon to have, a hall of fame to recognize local athletes.
“Today I celebrate that he’s being recognized for what his dream became — a lasting gift to Knox County.”