Southeastern Athletics announces 2023 Hall of Fame Class

HAMMOND, La. – Five former Southeastern Louisiana University student-athletes comprise the 2023 Southeastern Athletics Hall of Fame class announced Wednesday.

The newest Hall of Famers include Sam Bowie (men’s basketball, 1994-96), Isiah Corbett (football, 2013-14), Katie Lacour Godwin (softball, 2013-16), Bonnie Phillips Boyer (tennis, 2005-08) and Xavier Roberson (football, 2012-15).

The 2023 class will be inducted at the inaugural Southeastern Athletics Hall of Fame Banquet presented by North Oaks Health System, set for Aug. 12. The banquet will be an annual tradition on the second Saturday of August and provide a special recognition to those receiving the highest honor for Lion and Lady Lion athletes.

“During the past decade, we’ve strived to elevate many aspects of Southeastern Athletics and our next step is to elevate how we celebrate the accomplishments of our student-athletes,” Southeastern Director of Athletics Jay Artigues said. “Our Hall of Fame Banquet will be an outstanding opportunity to put the focus on the achievements of these great Lions and Lady Lions.”

As part of the new tradition, a historic Southeastern team will be honored each season at the Hall of Fame banquet. The first team to be honored will be the 1976-77 AIAW national championship women’s basketball team.

“We’ve had many great teams in the history of our program,” Artigues said. “We want to honor a past team each year and we couldn’t have picked a better inaugural honoree than the 1976-77 women’s basketball team. We have so many positive things going on with Southeastern Athletics both past and present, we just want to take as many opportunities as possible to shine the light on our successes.”

The addition of the 2023 class will bring the total number of inductees to 162. Corbett and Roberson will bring the total number of football inductees to 68. Bowie is the 17th men’s basketball student-athlete to be honored.

Lacour Godwin joins former SLU softball players Voncia Bookman, Sarah Gascon, Tara Maus, Rachel Ray Fitzgerald and Karin Smith Gadberry in the Hall of Fame. Phillips Boyer joins Emilija Arnaudovska, Renata Smekalova, Iva Velkovska and Renee Villarreal among Southeastern tennis Hall of Famers.

Bowie was a two-time NABC All-District 6, All-Louisiana and All-TAAC selection for the Lion basketball team. On the way to being named the 1995-96 SLU Male Athlete of the Year, he averaged 21.9 points per game – the second-highest single-season scoring average in program history – and helped SLU to the TAAC West Division title.

His 590 points scored in his senior season are still a school record and his career scoring average of 19.6 is the second-highest in program history. Bowie scored 39 points versus Central Florida on Jan. 13, 1996, which is also the second-most ever by a Lion.

Corbett was an All-Southland Conference selection in both of his seasons on the gridiron and helped SLU to its first two SLC championships and NCAA FCS playoff appearances. A 2014 Buck Buchanan Award finalist and first team All-Louisiana selection, Corbett finished his career ranked in the program’s career top 10 in sacks (13.5, 8th) and tackles for loss (28, 6th). He was also a standout in the classroom, earning Southland Conference Student-Athlete of the Year honors as a senior.

Lacour Godwin is the only three-time first team All-Southland Conference selection in softball program history. A four-time All-Louisiana selection, she finished her time as a Lady Lion with a conference record .425 career batting average and a school record 277 career hits.

She won the Golden Shoe Award after leading Division I with 58 stolen bases as a senior. That same season, she set single-season school records with 89 hits and a .484 batting average.

Phillips Boyer was the first SLU women’s tennis player to be named first team All-Southland Conference in singles play in three consecutive seasons. A two-time All-SLC doubles, All-Louisiana and SLC All-Academic selection, she ranks third in school history with 74 career singles wins. Phillips Boyer was a key member of squad that won 48 consecutive conference matches on the way to three regular season championships, three tournament championships and three NCAA Tournament appearances.

Roberson was a two-time All-American kick returner for the Lions and was selected to the FCS 2010’s All-Decade Team. His 32.4 career kickoff return average and five career kickoff return touchdowns are both Southland Conference records. His 17 rushing touchdowns and 24 total touchdowns both are among the top totals in program history.

A two-time All-Southland Conference selection at both kick returner and all-purpose player, Roberson is the single-season school record holder with three kickoff return touchdowns in 2013 and was a dynamic playmaker for the first two Southland Conference championship and NCAA FCS playoff teams in program history.

Student-athletes must be at least seven years removed from their final season to be eligible for inclusion in the Southeastern Athletics Hall of Fame. Nominations can be sent to Assistant Athletic Director for Sports Information Kemmler Chapple by e-mail (Kemmler.chapple@southeastern.edu) or by mail (SLU 10309, Hammond, LA 70402).