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Ferrum College Recognizes Sports Hall of Fame Class of 2022

Ferrum College recognized the Sports Hall of Fame Class of 2022 during a ceremony on Saturday, November 12, 2022, in the Blue Ridge Mountain Room in Franklin Hall on campus. These individuals excelled in one or more sports while at Ferrum College, exemplifying the highest ideals of small college athletics, sportsmanship, and the spirit of Ferrum’s motto, “Not Self, But Others.” They have since gone on to achieve significant success in a career field.

The Class of 2022 included three former football players, a three-sport student-athlete, and a golfer.

• Matthew Jordan ’95 of Lynchburg, VA, who played golf at Ferrum for Coach Ray Corron from 1992–95. He earned Dixie Academic All-Conference in 1992, All-District in 1993 and 1994, and was Ferrum’s first-ever NCAA Division III Men’s Golf Tournament qualifier in 1993.Now, he is the co-owner of two businesses (Hawkins-Graves, Inc. and Scaffolding Solutions LLC), and a current member of Associated General Contractors.

• Jim Kitts ’94 of Carolina Beach, NC, who played football for Coach Hank Norton from 1990–93. Kitts was named to the 1993 Virginia Sports Information Directors All-State Team, as well as the 1993 Roanoke Times Small College All-State Team. He went on to play for multiple teams including the Arena Football Albany Firebirds, the NFL Washington Commanders, Green Bay Packers and the Miami Dolphins. Now, Kitts is the Founder/Organizer of Carolina Beach Surf Church, and is the President/ Owner of Carolina Beach Realty.

• Andra Thomas ’90 of State College, PA, who was a three-sport student-athlete for Ferrum from 1987–90. She played volleyball two years for Coach Donna Doonan and two years for Coach Kelly Caputo, tennis two years under Coach Doonan, and basketball four years under Coach Doonan. Thomas has been employed at Penn State University Sports Medicine Staff for the past 31 years, currently serving as associate director of Athletic Training Services.

• Don Testerman ’73 of Danville, VA, who played football for Coach Hank Norton in 1973. He earned a scholarship to play football at Clemson University after leaving Ferrum, and also played college football at Virginia Tech and Lenoir-Rhyne. Testerman graduated from Clemson with honors, and served a year in the United States Navy. He was drafted in 1976 by the Miami Dolphins, and also played for the Philadelphia Eagles, Seattle Seahawks and Washington Commanders. Testerman passed in 2018 and his son, Troy, accepted the award on his behalf.

• Frank C. Haywood, Jr. ’72, of Hayes, VA, who played football at Ferrum under Coach Hank Norton in 1971 and 1972. He earned All-Conference in 1972, before signing a scholarship to play at North Carolina State University in 1973. Haywood graduated from NC State in 1975 and was drafted by the Cincinnati Bengals, but opted to play in the Canadian Football League, signing a contract with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers. After retiring from professional football, he taught at Gloucester High School before establishing his own masonry/ construction business he has owned for the past 35 years.

of Athletics

Gary Holden was recently promoted to associate director of athletics, after serving the Panthers as sports information director since October 1991, assistant athletic director since January 2004, and acting director of athletics for six months in 2019.

“I am extremely happy that we are able to reward Gary with this promotion,” stated Director of Athletics John Sutyak. “Gary has been an unbelievable leader to so many people at Ferrum College, past and present. He represents everything that the College stands for in serving others above himself and in being an inspirational member of the entire community.”

While still serving as the sports information director, Holden will oversee 12 varsity sport programs in the department, as well as athletic facilities and various compliance functions. Holden will also lead Ferrum’s operations as the Panthers host the 2023 NCAA Division III Men’s Wrestling Championship at the Berglund Center in Roanoke, VA, in March 2023.

“Ferrum has been good to my family and me over the past 30+ years. I hope I’ve done my small part to make things better for studentathletes, coaches and teams,” said Holden.

of Ferrum College students are student-athletes

Allison Setlak Named Old Dominion Athletic Conference/Virginia Farm Bureau Insurance Women’s Soccer Scholar-Athlete of the Year

Ferrum College women’s soccer player Allison Setlak was named the 2022 Old Dominion Athletic Conference/Virginia Farm Bureau Insurance Scholar-Athlete of the Year by the conference’s athletic communications personnel.

Setlak, a senior midfielder from Cary, N.C., maintains a 3.98 grade point average as a Business Administration major with an emphasis in Business Management and a Spanish minor. The Boone Honors Program member and Ferrum Student Athlete Advisory Committee co-chair, is a threetime honoree on the ODAC All-Academic Team in addition to five appearances on the College’s President’s List and one Dean’s List distinction. Setlak led the team in total points with 17 during the 2022 season.

Setlak is a member of the Alpha Chi national honor society and the National Society of Leadership and Success. She is a two-year honors program mentor and tutors fellow students in biology and Spanish. She is a four-year volunteer for Habitat for Humanity, has served as a volunteer tax assistant for the VITA Program, and has also volunteered for Ferrum’s sports information operations.

This marks the first time a women’s soccer player has won this award and the fourth time a Ferrum student-athlete has been honored.

Jaylyn Gray-Palmore Awarded Inaugural Bob Davis Academic Grit Award as Football Player With Most Improved GPA

The Carter Center for Academic Success and the Panther Academic Den (PAD) awarded the inaugural Bob Davis Academic Grit Award to Jaylyn Gray-Palmore.

Gray-Palmore is majoring in Health and Human Performance and is an outside linebacker for the Ferrum College football team where he was selected as a 2022 team captain. He earned 2021–22 ODAC All-Academic Team honors and has earned Dean’s List recognition. Gray-Palmore is also a member of Ferrum’s Brother4Brother peer mentor program.

The Bob Davis Academic Grit award is given to the Ferrum football player who made the most improvement in GPA. Gray-Palmore is a cancer survivor. His positive and effervescent personality has led to teammates referring to him as a hype guy.

The award, named in memory of Coach Bob Davis, was made possible through a memorial gift from the Davis family following Coach Davis’ passing in May of 2021. The father-in-law of former head football coach Rob Grande, Coach Davis was an assistant defensive coach for the Panthers. He also served student-athletes as an academic tutor in the PAD. Coach Davis was loved and appreciated by all students with whom he interacted.

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