COLUMBIA, S.C. — The stars were out Monday at the Columbia Metropolitan Convention Center as the South Carolina Athletic Hall of Fame inducted the classes of 2020 and 2022.
There was no class of 2021 due to the pandemic which is the reason the induction ceremonies were last held in 2019.
A total of 11 inductees entered the Hall of Fame. In the Class of 2020, former Gamecock quarterback Todd Ellis is a part of that group. The Voice of Gamecock football on the radio, Ellis’ playing career ended with him setting more than 20 schools records and he was the school’s winningest quarterback until the Connor Shaw era.
CJ Spiller, a major playmaker in the Tommy Bowden era, spent nine years in the NFL. Back in December, Spiller was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame. He is currently on the Clemson football coach staff as the Tigers’ running backs coach.
In the Class of 2022, former Gamecock receiver Sidney Rice was very grateful to be inducted into the SCAHOF.
A seven-year NFL career had its ups and downs. When he was with the Seattle Seahawks, a torn ACL prevented him from playing in Super Bowl XLVIII. The Seahawks dominated the Broncos so Sidney does have a Super Bowl championship on his resume.
Before coming to South Carolina, Rice starred at Gaffney High School and he gave credit to Phil Strickland for helping him along the way. Strickland recently retired from coaching and he left a legacy at numerous schools including Batesburg-Leesville, Gaffney and his last stop, Newberry.
The South Carolina Athletic Hall of Fame Class of 2020 includes Columbia native and NFL defensive end Peter Boulware, Hilton Head native and Cincinnati Reds infielder Dan Driessen, South Carolina quarterback Todd Ellis, South Carolina pitcher and Chicago Cubs general manager Ed Lynch, Limestone coach and MLB Hall of Fame pitcher Gaylord Perry, Clemson and NFL running back C.J. Spiller and S.C. State basketball standout Roberta Williams of Charleston.
The Class of 2022 features Wofford football coach Mike Ayers, Clemson’s Fred Hoover, the “Father of Sports Medicine in South Carolina”, USC and NFL wide receiver Sidney Rice of Gaffney and Blacksburg native Judy Wilkins Rose, a former Winthrop basketball player and longtime UNC Charlotte director of athletics.