Baseball | 8/6/2013 3:25:00 PM

 
The Methodist University Department has announced its 16th Hall of Fame class, with three former outstanding student-athletes being tabbed for inclusion. Additionally, the department announced plans to begin honoring "Teams of Distinction".
 
Former softball player and women's golfer Lisa Wymer '88, former baseball player Rodney Jones '90, and former men's golfer Brion McLaughlin '00 make up the induction class of 2013.
 
Jones was a two-time All-American on the hill for the Monarchs, helping lead the team to four NCAA appearances, including a South Regional title in 1988. A two-year captain, he posted a career record of 33-5 (.868) while appearing in 46 games with 41 starts in four seasons. He never lost more than two games in a single season and posted three consecutive campaigns with nine wins. His 15 complete games are third best at Methodist, as are his 33 career wins. In 293.1 career innings, he struck out 190 and posted a career ERA of just 2.98.
 
McLaughlin was a standout golfer in a program rich in history. The 1997 NCAA Individual National Champion and National Freshman of the Year, he was a two-time All-American ('97, '98) while also earning First Team All-USA South honors in 1998 and Second Team All-USA South accolades in 1997. He helped lead Methodist to four straight USA South conference titles, three NCAA Championships ('97, '98, '99), and an NCAA National Runner-up finish in 2000.In winning the Individual National Title as a freshman in 1997, he used a final-round score of 74 to post a four-day total of 297 and edge teammate Mike Adamson by a single stroke. The following year, he took third place individually with a four-round score of 285 to finish two strokes back of teammate, and fellow MU Hall of Fame inductee, Chad Collins.
 
Wymer rounds out the 2013 class and stands out as one of the most accomplished softball players to have ever played for the Monarchs. She was also a member of the women's golf team and participated on the 1988 team that won the national championship. A three-time first team all-conference selection, she was also a Second Team All-American following her sophomore season, in which led  the country in wins (34) and was sixth in ERA (0.64). That year she set NCAA Division III marks for games pitched (48), complete games (45) and innings pitched (307.2), which all stand today. Wymer led the country in wins as a freshman with 29 and is the Methodist and USA South career leader in the category with 87 wins (done in just three seasons), a number that also ranks 19th in NCAA Div. III.
 
The "Teams of Distinction" designation has been created to honor the many teams at Methodist that have distinguished themselves as special, with great performances at the conference, regional and national levels. Beginning in the fall of 2013, a permanent wall unit will hang in the Riddle Center recognizing teams that are selected. Nominations will close by June 1 for the following fall's recognition and teams may be nominated at any time by contacting the Athletic Director or the Sports Information Director. A team will become eligible a minimum of 10 years after their season(s) of distinction have been completed, and once nominated will never be taken off the ballot. The selected teams will be honored in conjunction with the HOF activities each fall.
 
This year's Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony will take place in the Berns Student Center on Oct. 25 beginning at 6:30 pm.