Ace Hunt
GoSycamores.com
TERRE HAUTE, Ind. -- Four former Sycamores were inducted into the 25th Indiana State Athletics Hall of Fame Class on Thursday, September 29 at the Sycamore Banquet Center. Those inducted were: Brian Boland (tennis), Dick Grapenthin (baseball), Carrie Myers (women's track & field) and Quintin Mikell (football). The Indiana State Athletics Hall of Fame banquet is presented by the ISU Credit Union.
“It is always exciting to induct our Hall of Fame Class,” Clinkscales said. “We have a rich tradition and history of impressive student-athletes. Our 25th class is a special one as we honor four individuals who have meant so much to Sycamore Athletics. It is with great pride that we welcome this group into our Athletics Hall of Fame. Please join me in congratulating them on their dedication and success in their respective sports.”
Brian Boland was a men's tennis student-athlete from 1991-95 and later served as head coach of the program from 1997-2001. He was named the Missouri Valley Conference Coach Of the Year four times in 1997, 1999, 2000 and 2001. His teams earned the MVC Championship three times from 1999 through 2001 when the Sycamores also made NCAA Tournament appearances in each of those years. He was named the ITA Region V Coach Of The Year in 2000.
Boland led Indiana State to a 121-32 overall record and a 57-3 mark in conference play. His last three Sycamore teams went undefeated in MVC play from 1999-01. His team set a school record for victories in a season with 31 wins during the 2000 campaign. That 2000 team also set school records for consecutive victories with 16 and single-season winning percentage (.861).
He coached 11 student-athletes to All-MVC recognition in singles play while 16 were honored for their performance in doubles action. He also had 11 players named to the MVC Scholar-Athlete First Team. Among the first for the Sycamore program under Boland include: first NCAA Tournament victory (2000 vs. Purdue), first ITA National Team Indoor Championship appearance (2000) and first ITA Top 20 National Ranking (No. 18 in 2001). His teams won 22 individual conference championships in singles and seven in doubles.
Since leaving Indiana State, Boland has been the head men's tennis coach at the University of Virginia where he has led the Cavaliers to NCAA Championship victories three times in 2013, 2015 and 2016.
Dick Grapenthin played baseball at Indiana State from 1979-80. In 1979 he led the Sycamores in strikeouts with 45. He led in the 1980 team in strikeouts (53), wins (9) and innings pitched (76). The 1979 Indiana State team won the Missouri Valley Conference Tournaments and played in the NCAA Midwest Regional. He signed as a free agent with the Montreal Expos in 1980.
Grapenthin made his Major League debut on May 3, 1983 with the Expos. He played 10 seasons of professional baseball, including six seasons with Montreal, one season with San Diego, two seasons with the St. Louis Cardinals and split the 1989 campaign with the New York Yankees and Detroit Tigers. He was named to the 1988 AAA All-Star team as a member of the Louisville Cardinals.
Quintin Mikell played football at Indiana State from 1980-1984. When his collegiate playing career ended he ranked second all-time at Indiana State with 129 tackles in a season. He finished his career second all-time with 300 tackles, including 146 solos and 154 assists. He was named First Team All-Missouri Valley Conference in 1983.
Mikell posted 95 total tackles in 1982 and added 57 more in 1981. He shares the school record for most total tackles in a game as he posted 25 against Illinois State on October 1, 1983. In that same game he set the school record for most assisted tackles in a game with 21. He led the 1983 team with 129 tackles, including 54 solos and 75 assists.
His son with the same name, Quintin Mikell finished his career at Boise State with 401 total tackles and signed a free agent contract with the Philadelphia Eagles. The younger Mikell played in Super Bowl XXXIX with the Eagles. He played in the 2009 Pro Bowl and is currently the Director of Player Engagement for the Eagles. Quintin's younger son Devyn is a member of the Indiana State Track and Field Team.
Carrie Myers was a women's track & field student-athlete from 1997-2000. She finished fourth in the weight throw at the 2000 NCAA Indoor National Championships and was ninth in the same event at the 1999 NCAA Indoor Nationals. She is tied for second all-time in program history in the indoor weight throw with a mark of 67-9.25 set in 2000. She is second all-time at ISU in the hammer throw with a mark of 202-9 also set in 2000.
Myers was a four time participant in the NCAA Outdoor National Championships in the hammer throw (1997, 1998, 1999, 2000). She qualified twice for the NCAA Indoor National Championships in the weight throw (1999 & 2000). Myers won the MVC Indoor Championship in the weight throw during the 1998 & 2000 campaigns. She won the 1997 & 2000 MVC Outdoor Championship in the hammer throw. In 2000, Myers was named the Missouri Valley Conference Indoor Most Valuable Field Athlete.
