UAFS Lions Hall of Fame

Established in 2010, the UAFS Lions Hall of Fame was created to honor those who have been involved with the athletics department at the University of Arkansas at Fort Smith (UAFS) in Fort Smith (Sebastian County) following the university’s initial departure from the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) to join NCAA’s Division II sports.

The NCAA Division II status was granted only provisionally in 2009, with the NCAA noting that two of the ten required sports lacked a sufficient number of participants. However, in 2011, UAFS was granted active member status. Prior to joining NCAA Division II, UAFS was in the NJCAA from 1928 until 2009. UAFS won three national championships in the NJCAA in men’s and women’s basketball (1981, 1995, and 2006). UAFS has been in three athletics conferences since joining NCAA Division II: Heartland Conference (2009–2019), Lone Star Conference (2019–2024), and the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Conference (2024–). The athletics program supports men’s baseball, men’s and women’s basketball, cross country, golf, tennis, women’s volleyball, and co-ed cheerleading.

Calls for nominations for the UAFS Hall of Fame are held in the fall by the UAFS Athletics Department and announced in late winter, with the induction banquet and ceremony hosted in the spring. Nomination materials include stories from newspaper clippings on the nominee, recommendation letters, and a list of awards. All nominees must have a good moral character, leadership skills, and the admiration of their fellow colleagues, coaches, and athletes. An induction banquet is hosted on the UAFS campus at the Pendergraft Campus Center in the Reynolds Room, with the induction ceremony being hosted at the Gayle Kaundart Arena at the Stubblefield Center. Honorees include past student athletes, coaches, athletics administrators, and supporters of the athletics program at UAFS.

For additional information:
Anderson, Ryan. “UA-Fort Smith to Change Athletic Conferences to Cut Down on Travel.” Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, Northwest edition, June 27, 2023. https://www.nwaonline.com/news/2023/jun/27/ua-fort-smith-to-change-athletic-conferences-to/ (accessed June 12, 2024).

Gipson, Jonathan. “Five Named UAFS Athletic Hall of Fame.” Talk Business & Politics, February 7, 2011. https://talkbusiness.net/2011/02/five-named-to-uafs-athletic-hall-of-fame/ (accessed June 12, 2024).

McIlvain, Harold. “University of Arkansas at Fort Smith Inducts New Class into School’s Hall of Fame in Front of Packed House.” Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, April 16, 2023. https://www.arkansasonline.com/news/2023/apr/16/university-of-arkansas-at-fort-smith-inducts-new/ (accessed June 12, 2024).

“NCAA Grants UAFS Active Member Status; Adds Soccer.” Talk Business & Politics, July 8, 2011. https://talkbusiness.net/2011/07/ncaa-grants-uafs-active-member-status-adds-soccer/ (accessed June 12, 2024).

Silvester, Ian. “UAFS Hall of Fame Grows with 2023 Class Induction.” University of Arkansas at Fort Smith, April 12, 2023. https://uafs.edu/news/2023/uafs-hof.php (accessed June 12, 2024).

University of Arkansas at Fort Smith Athletics, Hall of Fame. https://uafortsmithlions.com/honors/hall-of-fame (accessed June 12, 2024).

James Wethington
UA Little Rock Center for Arkansas History and Culture