McNeese Athletics selects Hall of Fame Class of 2022

LAKE CHARLES – Five all-time McNeese Athletics greats have been selected for the McNeese Sports Hall of Fame Class of 2022.

The induction class was chosen by the McNeese Sports Hall of Fame Committee and this year’s class includes softball pitcher Jamie Allred, football place kicker Jose Larios, football wide receiver Diontae Spencer, softball utility player Emily Vincent, and football wide receiver Steven Whitehead.

“The committee did a great job in selecting this class, which includes five of the best of the best in McNeese sports history,” said committee chair Matthew Bonnette, Associate AD for Sports Communications at McNeese. “It’s a detailed process because you want to uphold the integrity and prestige of the Hall by selecting the best McNeese athletic programs have offered over time. We only select five a year but there are many on the ballot for consideration, all who are worthy.”

The new class will be presented at halftime of the Cowboys January 21 basketball game against Nicholls in the Legacy Center. A banquet featuring the five will be held the Friday night before. Details will be announced in the coming days.

2022 McNeese Sports Hall of Fame Inductees:
Jamie Allred – Pitcher – Softball (2013-2016): Three-time All-Southland Conference selection… two-time All-Louisiana… All-Region… CoSIDA Academic All-District (2014)… 2014 SLC Pitcher of the Year… Led the Cowgirls to a 157-66 record in her four years, including a school record 43 wins in 2016… won three SLC championships and a conference tournament and participated in the 2016 NCAA tourney… SLC All-Tournament (2014)… NFCA All-America Scholar-Athlete… SLC All-Academic… School record hold with 68 career wins… posted a career record of 68-26… school single season record holder with 27 wins (2014) which also led the SLC… led the league in 2014 with a 1.57 ERA… single-season shutout record with 10 (2014)… ranked 2nd all-time with 20 career shutouts… 2nd in career ERA (2.02)… 2nd in career appearances (132)… 3rd in career games started (91)… 4th in career innings pitched (614.1)… 4th in career strikeouts (529)… three-time SLC Commissioner’s Honor Roll.

Jose Larios – Place Kicker – Football (1992-95): Continues to hold the school record for most points scored in a career with 356 on 158 PATs and 66 field goals which are also career school records… Ended his career connecting on 158 of 163 PATs and 66 of 100 field goals… Still holds the school record with 93 consecutive made PATs… First Team All-Southland Conference in 1993 and 1995… All-Louisiana in 1992 and 1993… Continues to hold 10 school records…Named to the Associated Press All-America team in 1993… Led the nation in field goals per game (2.0) in 1993… Member of 1990s Southland Conference Team of the Decade… The Cowboys posted a 42-11 record during his career including two conference championships (1993, 1995), four playoff appearances with a semifinal appearance in 1995.

Diontae Spencer –Wide Receiver/Return Specialist – Football (2010-13): 2013 CFPA National All-Purpose Performer of the Year… 2013 All-SLC First Team… 2013 Beyond Sports Network All-American… Team MVP and Special Teams MVP in 2013… Ended his career ranked eighth all-time in school history with 3,315 all-purpose yards… Tied career record with two kickoff return TDs… Ranks 12th all-time in receiving with 101 catches and 13th with 1,496 receiving yards… Continues to hold the school, conference and national record with three returns for TDs – two kickoffs and one punt at Stephen F. Austin on Nov. 9, 2013… Recorded a school record 365 all-purpose yards in that game at SFA… School record single-game kickoff return average of 40.5 yards vs. Arkansas-Pine Bluff in 2013 (4 returns for 162 yards)… Had 50 catches for 835 yards in 2013, ranking tied for 9th in receptions and 6th in receiving yards for the most in a single-season… Also hauled in 9 touchdown catches in 2013, ranking as the third-most in a season… Signed with the St. Louis Rams in 2014 and from 2015-18 played in the CFL with Toronto and Ottawa… A two-time CFL East All-Star selection and a 2018 CFL All-Star… Set a CFL single-game record with 496 all-purpose yards on Oct. 27, 2017… Signed with the Pittsburg Steelers in 2019 and was on the 56-man roster for the Denver Broncos in 2020 and 2021… Currently with the New York Jets.

Emily Vincent – Utility – Softball (2013-16) – Four-time All-SLC selection, two as a designated player and two as a pitcher… Earned first team All-SLC honors as a pitcher in 2016 when she led the league with 158 strikeouts… Also led the league that season with a 1.45 ERA to go along with a 17-3 record… Compiled a career record of 36-13 on the mound with nine career saves, which is the school all-time record… Holds the single-season saves record of 5, that coming in the 2014 season… 4-time All-Louisiana selection… All-Region as a pitcher in 2016… NCAA Regional All-Tournament (2016)… Other career top 10 marks as a pitcher include ERA (3rd, 2.07), strikeouts per 7 innings (3rd, 6.32), career wins (6th, 36), career appearances (6th, 85), career strikeouts (6th, 312), career shutouts (6th, 8), starts (8th, 45), complete games (t-9th, 25), innings pitched (10th, 345.1)… As a hitter, she ranks 2nd in career triples (12), 3rd in RBIs (141), 4th in doubles (43), 5th in hits (201), 6th in slugging percentage (.526), 7th in runs scored (122) and walks (78), tied for 7th in home runs (21), 8th in batting average (.320) and on-base percentage (.400), and 9th in at bats (629)… Second overall pick in the 2018 ASBA (American Softball Association) Inaugural Draft by the Outkast… Played for the Texas Charge in the NPF league in 2017.

Steven Whitehead – Wide Receiver/Return Specialist – Football (2004-2008) – 2006 All-American by Associated Press, Walter Camp and STATS… Three-time All-SLC selection, earning first team honors in 2005 and 2006… 2006 All-Louisiana… 2006 Team MVP… 2005 and 2008 Team Offensive MVP… 2005 and 2008 team outstanding offensive player… 2006 Southland Conference Player of the Year, one of only six Cowboys to receive the honor… 136 career receptions rank him tied for No. 2 all-time in school history while his 1,696 receiving yards is ranked 8th… Had 57 catches for 810 yards in 2008 which continues to rank as the 6th-most receptions and 9th-most receiving yards in a single season in school history… Tied for the SLC lead with 47 catches in 2006 and ranked second with 596 receiving yards and with 1,560 all-purpose yards… In 2005, led the conference with 255 punt return yards and a 13.4 return average and was third with a 22.8 kickoff return average… Member of the 2006 and 2007 SLC Championship teams.