The Chattanooga Mocs announced the Class of 2024 Athletics Hall of Fame inductees Thursday at lunch time. This group includes six new members that represent varying eras of championships in the history of Mocs athletics.
Kim Bush Franklin (Women’s Basketball – 1985-86), Jim Foster (Women’s Basketball Head Coach – 2014-18), Brooke Loudermilk Hodge (Softball - 2007-10), Greg Moore (Football – 1983-86), Derek Rende (Men’s Golf - 2007-10) and Kathlene Turchin (Cross Country/Track and Field – 2003-07) are the six newest entries into this ledger.
The Hall of Fame also recognizes four individual award winners. Those include Eddie & Kathy O’Brien (Gordon Davenport Award), Quonta Vance (Joe Morrison Award), Neva Clark (Scrappy Moore Award) and Bud Hennebaul (Harold Wilkes Award).
The inductees and award winners are honored at the annual Hall of Fame Banquet on Friday, Oct. 18, at the Chattanooga Golf & Country Club. The banquet is open to the public, but seating is limited with reservations are required.
The cost is $50.00 per person and includes dinner. Payment and RSVPs can be submitted online here. For more information, email jay-blackman@utc.edu.
The UTC Athletics Hall of Fame was established to formally recognize outstanding contributions to the heritage and tradition of the University's intercollegiate athletics program. A total of 245 individuals have been inducted during special ceremonies held each year.
Below is a brief biography on each member of the 2024 class. Be sure to check back with GoMocs.com over the next few weeks for a more in-depth look at each inductee, as well as photos from their days at Chattanooga.
Class of 2024 UTC Athletics Hall of Fame
Kim Bush (Franklin) – Women’s Basketball – 1985-86
Jim Foster - Women’s Basketball Head Coach – 2014-18
Brooke Loudermilk (Hodge) – Softball - 2007-10
Greg Moore – Football – 1983-86
Derek Rende – Men’s Golf - 2007-10
Kathlene Turchin - Cross Country/Track and Field – 2003-07
Award Winners
Gordon L. Davenport Award – Eddie & Kathy O’Brien
Joe Morrison Award – Quonta Vance
A.C. "Scrappy" Moore Award – Neva Clark
Harold Wilkes Award – Bud Hennebaul
Kim Bush – Women’s Basketball – 1985-86
Bush was an All-American member of the Mocs women’s basketball team from 1985-86. She earned honorable mention All-America recognition from the American Women's Sports Foundation (AWSF) following her senior year in 1986. A two-time All-Southern Conference pick, Bush helped the Mocs to back-to-back SoCon regular season and tournament championships in 1985 and 1986. She averaged 12.5 points and 8.5 rebounds in two seasons at UTC. She is fifth in career rebounds-per-game for the Mocs. Bush set a school record with 23 rebounds in a 78-76 win against Mercer on Jan. 21, 1986. She added 27 points in that victory against the Bears, one of six 20/20 games in UTC history.
Jim Foster - Women’s Basketball Head Coach – 2014-18
Foster won four Southern Conference titles in five seasons as head coach at UTC from 2014-18. He posted a 120-40 (.750) overall record with the Mocs, including an impressive 64-10 (.865) mark in SoCon action. The 2015 SoCon Coach of the Year, Foster opened his time at UTC with back-to-back 29-win seasons, tying the school record for wins in a year. He led Chattanooga to historic wins over #4 Tennessee and #7 Stanford, as well as a #17 national ranking in the 2014-15 season. Foster was inducted in the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame in June 2013. His credentials include 35 years of head coaching experience at St. Joseph's, Vanderbilt, Ohio State and Chattanooga. He finished with a 71.8% lifetime winning percentage to go along with four Big Ten Coach of the Year awards.
Brooke Loudermilk – Softball - 2007-10
Loudermilk was a two-time Southern Conference Pitcher of the Year for the Mocs softball program in 2007 and 2008. She helped lead UTC to SoCon regular season titles all four years and SoCon tournament championships in 2008 and 2009. The 2007 SoCon Freshman and Pitcher of the Year, Loudermilk led the league in ERA 2007, 2008 and 2009 and opponent batting average all four seasons. Her 8.59 strikeouts per game are still the SoCon record and she is second all-time in the SoCon with 873 career Ks. She posted a 65-35 career record and is fourth all-time in wins. The 2008 SoCon Tournament MVP, Loudermilk is one of six in SoCon history to earn three pitcher of the month honors and one of four the league’s record books with nine or more pitcher of the week recognitions. Her 16 Ks against Elon on March 29, 2009 are still the program’s single-game record and her .192 opponent batting average is still third all-time in the SoCon.
Greg Moore – Football – 1983-86
Moore was one of the top linebackers to play for the Mocs on their outstanding defenses of the mid-1980s. He twice led the team in sacks, topping the list as a junior in 1985 and again as a senior in 1986. He was a key piece in UTC outstanding defense that led the squad to the 1984 Southern Conference Championship and the school’s first appearance in the FCS Playoffs. Following his career with the Mocs, he spent the 1987 season in the NFL, playing for the New England Patriots.
Derek Rende – Men’s Golf - 2007-10
Rende was a three-time Ping All-Region performer for the men’s golf program. He made the All-Southern Conference team all four years at UTC and was the 2007 SoCon Freshman of the Year. His career 73.067 scoring average is still third-best all-time. Academically, he was a two-time All-American Scholar. He helped the Mocs to SoCon titles in 2007, 2008 and 2009. He was also a part of the first UTC men’s golf team to advance to the NCAA Championships in 2009.
Kathlene Turchin - Cross Country/Track and Field – 2003-07
Turchin is one of five cross country/track and field All-Americans in school history. She earned her All-American honor by finishing 36th at the 2004 NCAA Cross Country Championships. Turchin guided the Mocs to three Southern Conference Cross Country titles in 2004, 2006 and 2007. In her first season, she was the SoCon Freshman of the Year in Cross Country (2003), Indoor Track (2004) and Outdoor Track (2004). She was the 2007 SoCon Cross Country Individual Champion and the 2007 SoCon Runner of the Year. In outdoor track & field, Turchin won the 2004 SoCon 10000M, the 2005 SoCon 5000M Champion and was a member of the 2007 SoCon DMR Champions. She was a two-time NCAA Championships Qualifier, one of only three in school history. She made the 2007 NCAA All-Region squad in outdoor track and is a member of the Southern Conference All-Century team announced in 2021.
2024 Hall of Fame Award Winners
Gordon L. Davenport Award – Eddie & Kathy O’Brien
Presented for outstanding commitment to UTC Mocs Athletics. Eddie and Kathy have been outstanding supporters of the Mocs for years. A fixture at all Mocs events, they are currently leading an effort to remodel the basketball film room in the Lawson Center. They are members of Mark Wharton’s One Chattanooga program and Kathy is a current member of the UC Foundation board. Eddie has served in many roles including the Chancellor’s Roundtable, Chancellor’s Community Council, UT President’s Council, the Student-Athlete Career Development Institute and the UTC Alumni Board.
Joe Morrison Award – Quonta Vance
Presented to a former UTC student-athlete or coach for notable accomplishments and life experience. Quonta Vance was a four-year letterwinner and three-year starter for the Mocs from 1992-95. He was the team’s offensive lineman of the year during both his junior and senior seasons. Professionally, Vance has served in corporate management at Target and Home Depot. Hs is currently the executive vice president, Pro and home services, at Lowes. There he is responsible for the day-to-day execution and strategic direction of the Pro and home services pillars of Lowe’s business.
A.C. "Scrappy" Moore Award – Neva Clark
Given to the student-athlete who best personifies the athletic department's vision of achieving excellence. Clark is a two-time Ohio Valley Conference Beach Volleyball Player of the Year. In just program’s fifth year of existence, Clark guided the Mocs to the OVC regular season and tournament titles with an appearance in the NCAA Championships. She is the first in OVC history to win two player of the year honors and be a part of two pairs of the tandems. She is a 4.0 student who is consistently listed on the honor roll and Dean’s List.
Harold Wilkes Award – Bud Hennebaul
Established to recognize a volunteer, coach, staff member or University administrator who has demonstrated exemplary leadership in furthering Chattanooga Athletics. Hennebaul is a longtime fixture in the Mocs wrestling program. He served as an assistant coach in the 1980s but has more recently served as the driving force behind the Southern Scuffle. He has been the tournament director for the event since it came to UTC in 2012. His tireless efforts have helped make the annual event one of the premier in-season collegiate tournaments in the country.