The University of South Carolina Lettermen's Association Hall of Fame revealed the Class of 2024 on Aug. 22. From Olympic medalists to school record holders, the Class of 2024 boasts numerous esteemed athletes.
The Hall of Fame was established in 1967 to recognize significant players, coaches and administrators, who once were apart of South Carolina. Today, the Hall of Fame has 213 members.
The nine athletes selected for the Class of 2024 were Pharoh Cooper, Melvin Ingram, Tiffany Mitchell, Jocelyn Penn, Bob Kaczka, Jason Richardson, Shalonda Solomon, Dana Fulmer and Tommy Moody.
For an athlete to be nominated they must have an athletic achievement, such as being a National/Conference player of the year, an All-American/All-Conference or a school record holder. Coaches, broadcasters or administrators can also be nominated for the Hall of Fame.
Football
Two of the nine inductees are former South Carolina football players: Cooper, who played receiver from 2013 to 2015, and Ingram, who played defensive end from 2007 to 2011.
Cooper was a part of the Freshman All-SEC team in 2013 and the All-SEC team in 2014 and 2015. The Los Angeles Rams selected Cooper with the 117th pick in the 2016 NFL draft. Cooper spent seven seasons in the NFL with multiple teams.
In 2010, Ingram led the Gamecocks with nine sacks, tying the school record for the second-most sacks in a single season. In his senior year, he was named an All-American. The San Diego Chargers drafted Ingram with the 18th pick in the 2012 NFL Draft. During his career, he also spent time with Pittsburgh, Kansas City and Miami.
Women's Basketball
The women's basketball team will also have two of its former members inducted into the hall of fame, Mitchell and Penn.
Mitchell played from 2012 to 2016. The three-time All-American and member of the first Final Four team in program history. She scored over 1,500 points in her collegiate career. Mitchell was drafted 9th in the 2016 WNBA Draft by the Indiana Fever and currently plays for the Connecticut Sun. Her jersey was retired by South Carolina on Nov. 12, 2023.
Penn played from 1998 to 2003, and in those five years, she was a member of the All-SEC team and was an All-American in her senior year. She also holds the program record for most points in a single game with 51 points. Penn was drafted 9th in the 2003 WNBA Draft by the Charlotte Sting where she played for two seasons.
Track and Field
The sport with the most Hall of Fame inductees this year was Track and Field, containing three former Gamecocks: Kaczka, Richardson and Solomon.
Kaczka was a member of the track and field and cross country team from 1968 to 1971. He was an eight-time ACC track and field champion, with four of these championships coming from the 4x400-meter relay. He also holds the second-fastest time in school history in the 1,000-meter run.
Richardson competed for the Gamecocks from 2005 to 2009. Richardson was the 2008 NCAA outdoor 110-meter hurdles champion and a seven-time All-American in his career. In the 2012 London Olympics, Richardson took home the silver medal in the 110-meter hurdles.
Solomon ran track at South Carolina from 2005 to 2007. She was the 2006 NCAA Champion in the 200 meters for both indoor and outdoor and was a member of the 2005 NCAA Champion 4x400 meter relay team. She held the record for the 200-meter indoor until this year when her time was beaten by JaMeessia Ford.
Softball/Baseball
The final two inductees both had success on the diamond, Fulmer for softball and Moody for baseball.
Fulmer was a member of the softball team from 1992 to 1995. Fulmer tallied over 100 hits and 100 RBI, one of only 12 players in school history to accomplish this. She then became a Division I head coach for 15 years, eight of which were at the University of Providence.
Moody was a South Carolina baseball player from 1970 to 1972. Once his playing career was over, Moody served as the President of the Letterman’s Association and was on the Hall of Fame selection committee. Moody also was a part of the radio broadcast team starting in 2000. Moody passed away on Oct. 18, 2023.
This year's class will be inducted on Nov. 1, 2024, and the class will be honored at the South Carolina vs. Texas A&M football game on Nov. 2, 2024.