CHARLESTON, S.C. – Chris Lemonis, one of the best pure hitters in The Citadel's storied baseball history, and John Carlisle, who has taken The Citadel Football Association to unprecedented heights, lead a list of six individuals who make up The Citadel Athletic Hall of Fame's Class of 2016. 

Also entering the Hall are football offensive lineman Creig Tyler, wrestler Jeff Hartsell, track and field standout Gary Pinder and supporter Bufort Blanton. Blanton and Carlisle will be enshrined as honorary members.

"I am thrilled that we are able to recognize these six outstanding Bulldogs," The Citadel athletic director Jim Senter said. "Between success on the field and in life, all six of this year's inductees have epitomized The Citadel's mission of developing principled leaders. Every year brings many nominees, and I want to express my gratitude to the Hall of Fame committee for their diligent work in selecting this year's class. I'm looking forward to officially inducting Chris, John, Creig, Jeff, Gary and Bufort on what will be a fantastic weekend in October."

The six will be inducted during a banquet that is sponsored by The Citadel Alumni Association on Friday, Oct. 14, at the Holliday Alumni Center on campus and recognized at halftime of The Citadel's football game against Chattanooga on Oct. 15. 

This year's induction class increases the membership of the Hall of Fame to 189 individuals. The Hall, which originated in 1977, is located in the lobby of McAlister Field House on campus.

CHRIS LEMONIS '92 (Baseball; Myrtle Beach, SC)
Chris Lemonis twice earned All-Southern Conference recognition as he led the Bulldogs in home runs three times. A member of the 1990 team that participated in the College World Series, he paced the team his senior year with a .367 batting average, 10 doubles, 52 runs, 10 homers and 66 RBI. Playing in spacious College Park, Lemonis was also named to the 1993 All-Southern Conference Tournament Team and ranked among the career leaders in Citadel history for home runs (23), RBI (152) and slugging percentage (.538) when he graduated. He spent 12 years as an assistant to Fred Jordan at The Citadel and then joined his best friend, Dan McDonnell, for eight years at the University of Louisville where in 2013 Lemonis was named the nation's top assistant baseball coach and twice helped the Cardinals reach the World Series. He currently is the head baseball coach at Indiana University. 

JOHN CARLISLE '64 (Honorary, Greenville, SC)
The president of The Citadel Football Association, John Carlisle has led that organization since he retired from a 41-year high school coaching career that included 32 years as an athletic director and head football coach. From 2008-16, the CFA, under Carlisle's leadership, has raised more than $1.3 million which has gone directly in support of the football program. Membership has increased from roughly 75 former players to more than 450 individuals, and the number continues to increase. A recipient of the Order of the Palmetto, Carlisle is a member of the National Interscholastic Athletic Administrator Association Hall of Fame, the Eastside High Hall of Fame, the SC Athletic Coaches Association Hall of Fame and the SC Athletic Administrators Association Hall of Fame and received the SC High School League Meritorious Service Award. 

JEFF HARTSELL '62 (Wrestling, Albemarle, NC)
Establishing the standard for wrestling at The Citadel, Jeff Hartsell in 1961 and 1962 was named the Southern Conference's Most Outstanding Wrestler in the 157-lb. weight class and the 147-lb. class, respectively, gaining the distinction of being the first Citadel grappler to win a league championship and the first ever to compete in the national tournament. During the 1961 national tournament in which Hartsell reached the Round of 16, he scored enough points for the Bulldogs to finish 24th in the country. Referred to as the first "elite" wrestler in The Citadel's history, Hartsell was unbeaten during his senior year.

GARY PINDER '66 (Track and Field, Miami, Fla.)
One of the more celebrated runners in The Citadel's track history, Gary Pinder was the 1965 and 1966 Southern Conference champion in the outdoor 440-yard run, and captured the indoor conference title in the 330-yard dash. He earned all-conference accolades three times in the 220-yard run, finishing second each time. He also ran the 880-yard run and was the anchor leg of the mile relay team and the 440-yard relay team. Earning numerous medals at state-wide meets, Pinder was undefeated at home for three consecutive years in the 440, and was never defeated in the 880. He was the track team captain and also played wide receiver on the football team. After graduation, he served as a fighter pilot in the US Air Force and worked as a commercial airline pilot for Delta Air Lines.

CREIG TYLER '70 (Football, Beaufort, SC)
Beaufort native Creig Tyler was a walk-on in 1966 and started every game as a guard for the next three seasons under head coach Red Parker. Selected as a co-captain for the 1969 season along with All-American John Small, Tyler earned first team All-Southern Conference and honorable mention All-America accolades after the 1969 season. Receiving the coveted Joe Missar Outstanding Offensive Lineman Award in 1969, Tyler blocked for all-league running backs Jim McMillan and Bob Duncan and record-setting quarterback Tony Passander. Tyler enjoyed a tremendous career in the South Carolina high school ranks as an assistant football coach and later as a principal, and served in leadership roles for more than two decades with the South Carolina High School League and the South Carolina Association of School Administrators.

BUFORT BLANTON '54 (Honorary; Summerville, SC)
A native of Summerville, Bufort Blanton lettered in football, baseball and track and field at The Citadel but was best known for his baseball skills. After graduating, he served as a pilot in the Air Force's Strategic Air Command and then returned to teach and coach at Summerville High, and later served on the Dorchester County and Dorchester County 2 School Board. A former professional baseball player and pro golfer, Blanton later purchased Miler Country Club (now Summerville Country Club), where he donated the use of the golf course and amenities for countless Citadel fundraising and social functions, golf team practices and Citadel Musters and pre-knob events.

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