Class of 2003 announced for Missouri Southern Athletics Hall of Fame

Matt Cook and Rod Smith hooked up for 34 touchdown receptions and led the Lions to their last football conference title in 1993 during their All-America football careers at Missouri Southern. This fall, the duo will create one more memory.

Cook, then the quarterback, and Smith, now an All-Pro wide receiver with the NFL’s Denver Broncos, are two of the five inductees that comprise the Class of 2003 for the Missouri Southern Athletics Hall of Fame. Four former All-Americas make up the class, which will be officially inducted on Oct. 11 at the Missouri Southern-Truman homecoming football game.

In addition to the quarterback-receiver tandem, Colon Kelly (baseball, 1985-88), Diane “Dink” Miller (softball, 1989-92) and Kenny Simpson (men’s basketball, 1990-92) will be enshrined.

Smith, a two-time first-team All-America during his days with the Lions (1988, 1990-93), led the nation in receiving yards in 1991, racking up 1,439 yards on 60 receptions. That year, he was named the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association’s Offensive MVP and collected one of his two first-team All-MIAA awards. Smith, a two-time Pro Bowl selection, is the only Missouri Southern receiver ever to post a 1,000-yard season and holds or shares 11 school records. He’s the Broncos’ all-time leader in receiving yards (7,783), receiving touchdowns (49) and 100-yard games (27), and the two-time Super Bowl champion ranks second on the Broncos’ list for career receptions (559).

A finalist for the 1993 Harlon Hill Award, Smith joined the Denver squad as a rookie free agent in 1994 after leaving Southern as its Outstanding Graduate for that year. He completed his collegiate studies with three degrees: economics & finance, general business and marketing & management. Smith also lettered on the MSSC basketball team in 1990-91.

Cook, too, was a two-time first-team All-MIAA selection. In 1993, he was named the league’s co-MVP and an honorable mention All-America by Football Gazette. A four-year starter, Cook holds or shares 22 school records relating to passing and total offense and still ranks as Southern’s career leader in passing yards (6,715) and touchdown passes (63) and is No. 2 on the Lions’ career total offense chart (6,871 yards). He was responsible for a school record 79 TDs during his career (1989-93).

Cook, who passed for a school record 2,637 yards in 1991, currently resides in Aztec, N.M.

Kelly was a four-time All-Central States Intercollegiate Conference selection at third base, outfield and shortstop. A first-teamer at shortstop in 1988 after earning honorable mention accolades in 1985-87, he holds Missouri Southern career records for games played (225), runs (244) and stolen bases (89). Kelly, now living in Elgin, Ill., also ranks second on the Lions’ career list for walks (171), third in RBI (153), fourth in doubles (46) and sixth in hits (210).

Miller went in last fall as a member of the only team currently enshrined in the hall, the 1992 national champion Lady Lions softball team. Now the three-time second-team All-America goes in as an individual. Miller, a four-time all-conference pick and a three-time all-region honoree, currently ranks second on the Missouri Southern career lists for doubles (53), triples (22) and at-bats (598). She’s also third with 203 career hits and fifth with 103 runs scored and 199 games played.

Miller, now residing in Longmont, Colo. and working as an assistant softball coach at Colorado State University, was also a two-time second-team GTE (now Verizon) Academic All-America.

Simpson was a third-team All-America in 1991-92 by both the Basketball Times and Division II Bulletin and earned honorable mention All-America honors from the Basketball Gazette. A two-time first-team All-MIAA performer, he is the last Lion to earn MIAA Player of the Year accolades, doing so in 1992. He was tabbed the conference’s newcomer of the year in 1991 and is one of 13 players in MSSC history to score 1,000 or more points (1,097), and accomplished the feat despite playing just two years with the Green & Gold. Now a resident of Los Angeles, Calif., he ranks third in Lions’ history with a career scoring average of 19.2 points per game

The Missouri Southern Athletics Hall of Fame was established to pay tribute, to give deserved recognition and to enhance school tradition by honoring former athletic letterwinners and/or coaches who have shown distinctive, unique or exceptional ability while on campus of the school or since graduation. The honorees must be graduates of Missouri Southern and there must have been a lapse of at least 10 years since the athlete last participated in athletics at Southern.

With the addition of the 2003 Class, the Hall of Fame will have inducted 65 members and one team.


	May 21, 2003 Class of 2003 announced for Missouri Southern Athletics Hall of Fame

	Matt Cook and Rod Smith hooked up for 34 touchdown receptions and led the Lions to their last football conference title in 1993 during their All-America football careers at Missouri Southern. This fall, the duo will create one more memory. Cook, then the quarterback, and Smith, now an All-Pro wide receiver with the NFL’s Denver Broncos, are two of the five inductees that comprise the Class of 2003 for the Missouri Southern Athletics Hall of Fame. Four former All-Americas make up the class, which will be officially inducted on Oct. 11 at the Missouri Southern-Truman homecoming football game. In addition to the quarterback-receiver tandem, Colon Kelly (baseball, 1985-88), Diane “Dink” Miller (softball, 1989-92) and Kenny Simpson (men’s basketball, 1990-92) will be enshrined. Smith, a two-time first-team All-America during his days with the Lions (1988, 1990-93), led the nation in receiving yards in 1991, racking up 1,439 yards on 60 receptions. That year, he was named the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association’s Offensive MVP and collected one of his two first-team All-MIAA awards. Smith, a two-time Pro Bowl selection, is the only Missouri Southern receiver ever to post a 1,000-yard season and holds or shares 11 school records. He’s the Broncos’ all-time leader in receiving yards (7,783), receiving touchdowns (49) and 100-yard games (27), and the two-time Super Bowl champion ranks second on the Broncos’ list for career receptions (559). A finalist for the 1993 Harlon Hill Award, Smith joined the Denver squad as a rookie free agent in 1994 after leaving Southern as its Outstanding Graduate for that year. He completed his collegiate studies with three degrees: economics & finance, general business and marketing & management. Smith also lettered on the MSSC basketball team in 1990-91. Cook, too, was a two-time first-team All-MIAA selection. In 1993, he was named the league’s co-MVP and an honorable mention All-America by Football Gazette. A four-year starter, Cook holds or shares 22 school records relating to passing and total offense and still ranks as Southern’s career leader in passing yards (6,715) and touchdown passes (63) and is No. 2 on the Lions’ career total offense chart (6,871 yards). He was responsible for a school record 79 TDs during his career (1989-93). Cook, who passed for a school record 2,637 yards in 1991, currently resides in Aztec, N.M. Kelly was a four-time All-Central States Intercollegiate Conference selection at third base, outfield and shortstop. A first-teamer at shortstop in 1988 after earning honorable mention accolades in 1985-87, he holds Missouri Southern career records for games played (225), runs (244) and stolen bases (89). Kelly, now living in Elgin, Ill., also ranks second on the Lions’ career list for walks (171), third in RBI (153), fourth in doubles (46) and sixth in hits (210). Miller went in last fall as a member of the only team currently enshrined in the hall, the 1992 national champion Lady Lions softball team. Now the three-time second-team All-America goes in as an individual. Miller, a four-time all-conference pick and a three-time all-region honoree, currently ranks second on the Missouri Southern career lists for doubles (53), triples (22) and at-bats (598). She’s also third with 203 career hits and fifth with 103 runs scored and 199 games played. Miller, now residing in Longmont, Colo. and working as an assistant softball coach at Colorado State University, was also a two-time second-team GTE (now Verizon) Academic All-America. Simpson was a third-team All-America in 1991-92 by both the Basketball Times and Division II Bulletin and earned honorable mention All-America honors from the Basketball Gazette. A two-time first-team All-MIAA performer, he is the last Lion to earn MIAA Player of the Year accolades, doing so in 1992. He was tabbed the conference’s newcomer of the year in 1991 and is one of 13 players in MSSC history to score 1,000 or more points (1,097), and accomplished the feat despite playing just two years with the Green & Gold. Now a resident of Los Angeles, Calif., he ranks third in Lions’ history with a career scoring average of 19.2 points per game The Missouri Southern Athletics Hall of Fame was established to pay tribute, to give deserved recognition and to enhance school tradition by honoring former athletic letterwinners and/or coaches who have shown distinctive, unique or exceptional ability while on campus of the school or since graduation. The honorees must be graduates of Missouri Southern and there must have been a lapse of at least 10 years since the athlete last participated in athletics at Southern. With the addition of the 2003 Class, the Hall of Fame will have inducted 65 members and one team.