General 10/6/2026 9:18:00 AM Turner Kirby - Director of Athletic Communications

Lander Athletics to Induct Five Into Hall of Fame

GREENWOOD - Lander University Athletics announced Monday that it will induct five accomplished Senators and Bearcats into the Lander Athletics Hall of Fame, recognizing their outstanding contributions and lasting impact on their respective programs. The five inductees will bring the Hall of Fame's total membership to 47 and represent the first class to be inducted since 2022.

The 2026 inductees into the Hall of Fame are Roger "Chipper" Bagwell (Coach, Men's Basketball, Women's Basketball, Men's Golf, Women's Golf, 1977-2018), Marko Huttunen (Men's Soccer, 1994-97), Tiara Good (Women's Basketball, 2006-08), Breshay Johnson (Women's Basketball, 2014-18) and Jordan Skelton (Men's Soccer, 2015-18).

The inductees will be officially enshrined at a banquet Jan. 29, 2027, at the Inn on the Square in Uptown Greenwood.

To be eligible for the Hall of Fame, a nominee must be nominated in one of three categories and receive approval from 80 percent of the Hall of Fame Selection Committee.

An individual can be nominated in the following categories:

Player: Must have participated a minimum of two seasons and is normally expected to have graduated. Must have been recognized for outstanding athletic accomplishments with acceptable academic performance and good citizenship. Must have been separated from the University for at least five years.

Coach: Must have demonstrated extremely high professional achievement while at Lander in their respective sport.

Service or Community Member: Must have made significant contributions toward the enhancement of a sport or the entire athletics program. Nominees are generally expected to have been involved with the program for at least 10 years.

"We are proud to welcome this new class of Hall of Famers into the highest honor that Lander Athletics can bestow on an individual associated with athletics," said Director of Athletics Brian Reese. "A Hall of Fame serves as a recognition of the people whose stories need to be told as part of Lander Athletics, and these five individuals without a doubt tell their own unique stories. Whether it's coaching at a high level for four different programs for over four decades in the case of Chipper Bagwell, rewriting the history book of a historic program with Tiara Good and Breshay Johnson, helping build the foundation for what became one of the best programs in the country with Marko Huttunen, or leading a team through one of the most successful periods in program history with Jordan Skelton, these inductees helped shape Lander Athletics into the department it is today, and we cannot wait to celebrate them."

Roger "Chipper" Bagwell (Coach, Men's Basketball, Women's Basketball, Men's Golf, Women's Golf, 1977-2018)

Roger "Chipper" Bagwell spent more than four decades at Lander, serving as a coach in men's basketball, women's basketball, men's golf and women's golf from 1977-2018. His career at Lander began with women's basketball and concluded on the golf course after helping establish both the men's golf program in 2006 and the women's golf program in 2011 while also serving as the men's basketball coach from 1997-2004.

Bagwell compiled a 159-126 record as the men's basketball coach and guided the men's basketball program to its first NCAA Division II Elite Eight appearance in 1999. That same season, Lander captured the Peach Belt Conference regular-season championship.

His success continued on the golf course, where Bagwell was named Peach Belt Conference Coach of the Year three times in men's golf. He also earned PBC Women's Golf Coach of the Year honors in 2013 and 2015. In 2015, Bagwell swept the men's and women's golf Coach of the Year awards, while his women's golf team captured the 2013 PBC Championship.

Bagwell guided four different Lander programs to national rankings during his coaching career and established a legacy that extended across multiple sports and generations of Bearcats.

Marko Huttunen (Men's Soccer, 1994-97)

Marko Huttunen was a standout member of the Lander men's soccer program from 1994-97, helping establish the Bearcats as one of the Peach Belt Conference's premier programs during the early years of the conference.

A two-time All-PBC selection and two-time PBC Tournament MVP, Huttunen led Lander to four consecutive PBC Tournament championship appearances from 1994-97. The Bearcats captured the tournament title in 1996, when Huttunen also helped lead the program to its first NCAA Tournament appearance.

Lander won two PBC regular-season championships during Huttenen's career in 1995 and 1996. A three-time team MVP, he finished his career third in program history in both single-season assists and career assists.

Tiara Good (Women's Basketball, 2006-08)

Tiara Good established herself as one of the most dominant players in Peach Belt Conference history during her two seasons with Lander women's basketball. A two-time PBC Player of the Year, Good became one of just five players in conference history to win the award in back-to-back seasons and one of only three to win it outright in consecutive years.

Good scored 1,308 points during her two seasons with the Bearcats and set the Lander program record for points in a single season. Her 695 points during the 2007-08 season remain the most in program history and the second-most in Peach Belt Conference history for a single season.

She finished her Lander career second in Peach Belt Conference history with a 20.7 points-per-game average and led the Bearcats to the 2007-08 PBC regular-season championship and 2008 tournament championship. Good was named the 2008 PBC Tournament MVP after helping Lander capture the tournament title.

Good also led Lander to the first NCAA Tournament victory in program history and finished her career second in program history in made three-pointers. Her single-season three-point total is tied for second in Peach Belt Conference history.

Breshay Johnson (Women's Basketball, 2014-18)

Breshay Johnson established herself as one of the most dominant players in Lander women's basketball history from 2014-18. A two-time All-Region selection and three-time All-PBC selection, Johnson finished her career as Lander's all-time leading scorer with 1,927 points and ranked fifth in Peach Belt Conference history at the conclusion of her career.

Johnson also remains Lander's program leader in field-goal percentage at .595. She helped the Bearcats capture two PBC West Division championships and the 2016 PBC Tournament championship, earning All-Tournament Team honors.

Her junior season in 2016-17 was among the finest individual seasons in program history. Johnson was named D2CCA Southeast Region Player of the Year and Peach Belt Conference Player of the Year after leading the league in field-goal percentage at 61.3 percent, free throws made with 141 and scoring with 537 points. She averaged 16.8 points and 9.9 rebounds per game, recording 14 double-doubles and scoring in double figures 26 times.

Johnson followed that performance with another outstanding senior season in 2017-18, earning D2CCA All-Southeast Region Second Team and First-Team All-PBC honors. She averaged a team-high 16.1 points per game and led the PBC in field-goal percentage at .609, free throws made and free-throw attempts.

She surpassed Shannon McKever as Lander's all-time leading scorer on Feb. 12, 2018, scoring 17 points in a 94-53 victory over Georgia Southwestern. Johnson finished the season with eight double-doubles and scored in double figures in 25 games.

Jordan Skelton (Men's Soccer, 2015-18)

Jordan Skelton was one of the most decorated players in Lander men's soccer history, earning four All-American selections and six All-Region selections during his career from 2015-18.

A team captain during his final three seasons, Skelton helped lead Lander to PBC regular-season championships in 2016 and 2017, the 2017 PBC Tournament championship and the 2018 NCAA Southeast Regional championship. The Bearcats reached the NCAA Tournament in each of his four seasons and won four NCAA Tournament matches during his career.

Skelton earned First-Team All-American honors from the United Soccer Coaches and Second-Team All-American recognition from the D2CCA in 2018. He was also named a United Soccer Coaches First-Team Scholar All-American, United Soccer Coaches All-Southeast Region First Team selection, D2CCA All-Southeast Region First Team selection and First-Team All-PBC honoree. He also received the M.V. Wells Award.

He finished his career with 17 goals, including eight game-winning goals. His most memorable came in the 2018 NCAA Southeast Regional championship, when he scored the game-winning goal in a 1-0 victory over Young Harris to send the Bearcats to the next round of the NCAA Tournament.

Skelton earned three Peach Belt Defender of the Week awards in 2017 and four more in 2018, while also being named PBC Player of the Week in 2018. He anchored a defense that recorded seven shutouts in 2017 and eight in 2016 while contributing offensively throughout his career.

More information about the banquet and how to get tickets will be released later. Follow landerbearcats.com and Lander Athletics social media platforms for more information when it becomes available.

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