ST. JOSEPH - Griffon Athletics in conjunction with the Hall of Fame Committee is pleased to announce the newest members of the Missouri Western Athletics Hall of Fame induction class of 2020 presented by Rogers Pharmacy. This year's Hall of Fame inductee class consists of three former MWSU student-athletes, a current head coach, and one team.
The 2020 induction class includes:
Roger Allen
Football (2005-2008)
Roger Allen was a standout offensive lineman for Griffon Football for which he was a staple in the starting lineup all four years of his career. He was named First Team All-MIAA three times as well as being a three-time Don Hansen Gazette Honorable Mention All-America selection. In his first season, Allen was named MIAA Co-Freshman of the Year and Honorable Mention All-MIAA. He was named Second team Don Hansen All-Region in 2006. His junior season brought more high honors as he was a First Team All-Region selection, and Honorable Mention D2Football.com All-American. During his final season as a Griffon, Allen was named First Team D2Football.com All-American, First Team Associated Press Little All-American, and First Team AFCA All-American. After college, Allen went on to play four seasons in the NFL spending time with the then St. Louis Rams, Carolina Panthers, and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Head Softball Coach (2002-Present)
Coach Jen Bagley Trotter has cemented herself among the all-time great coaches in NCAA Division II Softball. Her 649 career wins not only ranks her first all-time in MWSU history, but also makes her the winningest coach in MIAA history. Coach Trotter has been named MIAA Coach of the Year four times, has led her teams to two MIAA regular season championships and two MIAA Tournament Championships which have resulted in eleven NCAA Regional Tournament appearances. Outside of the diamond, Coach Trotter is a fantastic leader within the community. She was named the 2016 Woman in the Workplace Award winner by the St. Joseph YWCA for her efforts in leading the young women within her program. Also, in 2008 Coach Trotter was inducted into the Hall of Fame of her alma mater, Minnesota-Moorhead as she remains the career strikeout leader.
Jackie Bishop
Softball (2011-2014)
Jackie Bishop was a dominant presence in the circle for the Griffon Softball team. Her name tops the record books with 96 wins, 977 strikeouts, a 1.44 ERA, 828 innings, 142 appearances, 105 complete games, and 29 shutouts. Bishop was named First Team All-MIAA all four years of her career. She was named MIAA Pitcher of the Year twice and in 2011, was named MIAA Freshman of the Year. That 2011 season brought the Griffons their first MIAA Softball Regular Season Championship to which Jackie also was dominant in the circle as they won the MIAA Tournament Championship in 2014, also a program first. Bishop was named Daktronics All-South Central Region Pitcher of the Year in 2012 and first team Daktronics All-South-Central Region in 2012 and 2014. She was also named NFCA Second Team All-South Central Region in 2012 and NFCA First Team All-Region in 2014. In her final year, Jackie was named Daktronics All-American.
Brandon Simmons
Baseball (2010-2013)
Brandon Simmons arrived on campus as an immediate aide to the Griffon Baseball starting rotation and left as the best starting pitcher in program and MIAA history. Simmons was a three-time All-MIAA selection including twice being a first team selection. His senior season was special as he went 11-1 with a 2.91 ERA which garnered him the status of MIAA Pitcher of the Year, First Team All-MIAA, First Team All-Region and Honorable Mention All-American status. Simmons was the ace of a staff that was vital in helping the Griffons win their first MIAA Championship in 2013 which produced a berth in the NCAA Regional Tournament. He is the all-time leader in wins in MWSU and MIAA history with 35 to which he also holds the following MWSU records; games started - 48, complete games - 20, innings pitched – 318.1 and strikeouts – 228.
1997-1998 Griffon Men's Basketball Team
One of the most successful Division II Basketball programs of the 1990's, the 1997-98 Griffon Men's Basketball team becomes the third of Coach Tom Smith's teams to be enshrined into the Hall of Fame. The team finished with a 23-7 record including going 13-3 in the MIAA which tied for a conference championship. The team then ran off three straight home victories to claim the MIAA Tournament Title including a 65-62 victory over Northwest Missouri State in the championship game. In winning the MIAA Tournament, the squad secured the programs then, seventh selection to the NCAA Tournament. Four players averaged in double figures led by guards Jessie James and Mitch Garrett (12 points per game), forward Trey Parks (11 points per game) along with forward and MWSU Hall of Fame member Nick Jenkins (10.9 points per game). Other team members include: guards - Rod Smith, Doug Lee, Albert Collins and Donald Guyton; forwards – Sterling Rachal, Kevin Bristol, Ronnie Steed and Terry Polk along with assistant coaches – Mike Nicholson and Josh Keister.
The Missouri Western Hall of Fame began in 1984 with Charlie Burri being named the first inductee. Following the 1991 & 1992 inductions, a class has been enshrined each year since 2000. The current Hall of Fame is composed of: five administrators, two sports medicine personnel, 12 baseball student-athletes and coaches, 38 football student-athletes and coaches, 14 men's basketball student-athletes and coaches, 12 women's basketball student-athletes and coaches, two men's golf student athletes, eight softball student athletes and coaches, six volleyball student athletes, 12 teams, seven meritorious service inductees and one corporate partner.
Formal induction weekend was scheduled for October 23-24 but has been postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. A new induction date will be announced in the near future.