Father of NFL head coach among legends headed to Hall of Fame

Courtesy of Hampton Athletics

HAMPTON, Va. – Hampton Director of Athletics Anthony D. Henderson Sr. announced the inductees in the 2024 Athletics Hall of Fame. Five HBCU greats from Hampton will be honored including Johnnie Barnes (football), Bruce Foxworth (men’s tennis), Fred Freeman (football), Francena McCorory (women’s track & field), and Ed Tomlin (football). Ed Tomlin is the father of Mike Tomlin , NFL head coach of the Pittsburgh Steelers.

“Hampton has a rich tradition of success in athletics. We have produced elite student-athletes and legendary coaches for more than 100 years,” said Henderson. “It is an incredible achievement to be honored with induction into the Hampton Athletics Hall of Fame. We are excited to acknowledge the remarkable successes of this year’s inductees and their contributions to the storied tradition of Hampton athletics. We look forward to celebrating their enduring impact and honoring their legacies.”

The Hampton Athletics Hall of Fame induction ceremony is slated for Friday, Sept. 6. Cocktails begin at 5:45 p.m. with dinner and the program commencing at 7:00 p.m. Tickets for the event are $50 for individual tickets and $350 for a table of eight. Tickets are available at www.hamptonpirates.com/hoftickets.

Proceeds benefit Pirate student-athletes through the Hampton Athletics Foundation.

Johnnie Barnes
Football

The most prolific receiver in Hampton history, Johnnie Barnes went on to play four seasons in the NFL with the San Diego Chargers and Pittsburgh Steelers. Barnes played with the Pirates from 1988-91 and finished as Hampton’s all-time leading receiver with 3,090 yards. He was the team’s leading receiver in each of his four HBCU football seasons (1988: 941 yards, 1989: 584 yards, 1990: 621 yards, 1991: 924 yards). He had 219 receiving yards vs. Livingstone in 1988, the third most in school annals, and had 176 receiving yards against Virginia State, 10th most in Hampton history. A four-year letterman, he was named All-CIAA three times. Barnes was a seventh-round draft choice by the Chargers in 1982 and played three seasons with the Chargers before finishing his NFL career with the Steelers. A standout track athlete, Barnes also earned Indoor All-America honors in 1988-89, 1989-90, and 1990-91 in the 400m dash and outdoor recognition in 1989, 1990, and 1991 in the 400m dash as well as the 400m hurdles in 1991.

Bruce Foxworth
Men’s Tennis

A four-year HBCU letterman from 1975-78, Bruce Foxworth teamed with Roger de Santis Guedes to win the 1976 NCAA Division II doubles championship. He played in the USTA (21 and under) circuit in 1976 and 1977. He won the National Amateur Clay Court Championship in 1977 and advanced to the semifinals of the singles competition at the 1977 NCAA Division II National Championships. He played at No. 2, helping Hampton win the 1976 NCAA Division II national championship. The Pirates advanced to the championship in 1978, finishing second. Foxworth finished his Hampton career with a 71-11 record in singles play and a 50-18 record in doubles action. During his career, he made the main draw at the French Open, Wimbledon, and U.S. Open. He passed away in 2021 after a two-year battle with prostate cancer. “Next to Arthur Ashe, I believe that Bruce Foxworth is the finest Black tennis player in America,” Dr. Robert Screen said.

Fred Freeman
Football

One of Hampton’s most successful football coaches, Fred Freeman spent two seasons as defensive coordinator for the Pirates (1981-83) before being elevated to the head coaching position, replacing Ed Wyche. He served as head coach from 1984-91 and his teams posted a 49-31-4 record in eight HBCU football seasons. Freemans’ 49 wins place him third on Hampton’s all-time wins list behind legendary Joe Taylor and Gideon Smith. His 1995 Pirate team finished with a 10-2 mark, won the CIAA crown, and advanced to the NCAA Playoffs. From 1987-89, Hampton compiled a 24-7-1 record including finishes of 9-3, 7-3, and 8-1-1. Freeman played his collegiate football at Mississippi State and was drafted by the New York Giants in the 1967 NFL Draft.

Francena McCorory
Women’s Track & Field

Francena McCorory won the gold medal in the 4x400m at both the 2012 and 2016 Summer Olympics and at two World Championships. She also took home the bronze in the 400m at the 2011 World Championships. “Francena is the greatest female track & field athlete to ever come out of the Hampton Roads Area,” said Coach Maurice Pierce. While attending HU, she won three national titles. Those included the 2009 NCAA Indoor Track and Field Championship and both 400m titles in 2010 (both indoor and outdoor). When she crossed the finish line in the 400m at the 2010 NCAA Indoor Track and Field Championship, McCorory set the NCAA and American record with a time of (50.54). She attended Bethel High School where she set a National High School Indoor Record in 2006 with a 400m time of 51.93. She was inducted into the MEAC Hall of Fame in 2017, and the Hampton Roads Sports Hall of Fame in 2023.

Edward Tomlin
Football

Edward Tomlin played football at Hampton from 1965-67. He led the team in scoring all three years (30 points in 1965, 66 points in 1966, and 67 points in 1967). Tomlin played under Coach Mel Labat and helped lead the Pirates to a 6-3 record in 1966. The Pirates were 11-15 during Tomlin’s career. A native of Ocala, Fla., Tomlin was a star HBCU halfback at
Howard High where he was also a standout baseball player. He was a 10th-round (270 overall) pick in the 1968 NFL draft by the Baltimore Colts but signed with the Montreal Alouettes after a bidding war between the Alouettes and Colts. He played for Montreal until an ankle injury sidelined his career. After his retirement, Tomlin became active in the civil rights movement. His son, Mike Tomlin, is the highly successful head coach of the Pittsburgh Steelers. Tomlin passed away on Jan. 16, 2012.

Lifetime Achievement
Donovan Rose

Donovan Rose has worn many hats at Hampton since first arriving on campus in the fall of 1975. A former HBCU student-athlete, NFL player, football coach, and executive director of JET (Job Education Training) Corps, and the H.O.P.E. program (Hampton Opportunity Program for Enhancement), Rose currently serves as Assistant Director of Athletics for Event Management. Rose served as an assistant football coach and was head coach of the Pirates from 2009-13. The 1979 Hampton graduate was an All-CIAA performer and was named the league’s Defensive Player of the Year as a senior. He signed to play in the NFL with the Kansas City Chiefs in 1980, and also played for championship teams in the Canadian Football League, winning the Grey Cup with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers in 1984. In 1986, Rose joined the Miami Dolphins and led the team in interceptions, before retiring in 1988. In 2003, he was awarded the AFCA Assistant Coach of the Year in Division I-AA and the All-American Football Foundation Mike Campbell Top Assistant Coach Award.

Team of Distinction
1972 Hampton Baseball

Hampton’s 1972 baseball team was highly motivated and determined. They were a team on a mission. The reason was simple. They had been informed that the team would be disbanded at the end of the season. Playing with a chip on their shoulders, the Pirates would go out winners by capturing their first CIAA Championship in nearly half a century. The Pirates would finish the season with a 10-2 record in CIAA play. Hampton clinched the CIAA title by defeating Virginia State in Petersburg in the final game of the season. Among the highlights of the season was a 6-2 victory over Division I William & Mary. Bobby Martin was named CIAA Coach of the Year and outfielder David Neverson, second baseman Doug Palmer, and pitcher Al Barley earned All-CIAA honors in HBCU baseball.

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