Emmanuel Inducts Five Lions to Athletic Hall of Fame!

Emmanuel College had the honor of inducting five new members to the Emmanuel Athletics Hall of Fame during Homecoming Weekend. 

The Hall of Fame was started in 2012 by the members of the National Alumni Association and coaches, with the effort spearheaded by Bett and Sherm Smith. Today, the ceremony is an effort to acknowledge and honor some of Emmanuel’s finest athletes and greatest athletic supporters. 

This year’s inductees included:

Dick Armstrong – 

Armstrong played basketball for Emmanuel from 1965-67 under coach, Charles Fleming. In his sophomore season with the Lions, he led the conference in scoring with 28.6 points per game. On several occasions, Armstrong scored more than 40 points in a single game, before the 3-point line was introduced. 

Natasha Pittman-Bolden –  

Natasha played basketball for the Lady Lions from 1989-91, under coach, Mike Bona. After suffering a season ending injury her freshman year, Natasha went onto average 20 points and 12 rebounds per game for the Lions over the next two years. Following her time at Emmanuel, Natasha finished her career at the University of Auburn at Montgomery where she broke the single game scoring record and became an All-Conference All American.

Frank Arthur – 

Arthur played basketball for the Lions under coach, Lloyd Turlington from 1968-70. He became the first African American to be introduced into the Lion’s starting lineup in October of 1968 and the first to play two consecutive seasons for the Lions. When he left the college in 1970, Arthur recorded the most rebounds in team history, with an average of 16.3 per game. In his final game in a Lions uniform, Frank scored 30 points and dominated the boards with 32 rebounds, becoming the only 30-30 player in the 60-year history of the program. 

The 1969 Men’s Basketball team – 

The 1969 Men’s Basketball team broke barriers at Emmanuel, becoming the first integrated basketball team in school history. On the court, the team compiled a 19-game home winning streak which lasted from January of 1969 to November of 1970. The team finished the season with a runner-up performance in the 1969 SCAC tournament, with three Lions earning All-American honors. 

Coach Lloyd Turlington – 

Coach Lloyd Turlington became the third head basketball coach at Emmanuel on August 12, 1967. He arrived at Emmanuel with great expectations of changing the direction of the program through the addition of athletic scholarships. Coach Turlington began recruiting in 1968-69, ultimately finding James Rix and Frank Arthur, who became the first African Americans to be recruited and offered scholarships to play at Emmanuel. On the court, Turlington saw great success, compiling a home win streak that lasted 19 games. In his five seasons with the Lions, Coach Turlington accumulated a 67-50 overall record. Over his final for seasons at the helm, he recruited 25 athletes on scholarship with the assistance of prominent alumni. 

Congratulations to all of the inductees! We are proud to call you Emmanuel Lions!