MORROW, Ga. – Clayton State University has announced the fourth class to be inducted into its Athletic Hall of Fame, a group that includes Keith Herring of men's basketball, Warren Van Der Westhuizen of men's soccer, women's soccer's Olaitan Yusuf and special inductee Leonard Moreland, who has supported Clayton State as President of Heritage Bank almost since the program's inception in 1990.
 
This class not only represents the total 27-year history of the program with members who helped to make Clayton State Athletics great during both the NAIA and NCAA era's, each of the three student-athletes ushered in the championship era for their respective programs. Each was a member of their programs first ever championship while our special inductee helped to make those accomplishments possible.
 
They will be inducted as the 2017 class and will be honored at the Athletic Hall of Fame Ceremony on Friday, February 10.
 
KEITH HERRING (Men's Basketball 1991-94)
Joining the men's basketball program in just its second year of existence following a year at Lewis-Clark State College in Idaho, Keith Herring made an immediate impact on a young program.
 
A 6-5 forward, Herring teamed with fellow future Hall of Famer Carlos Head (Class of 2014) to destroy opposing teams offensively and defensively. In his first year as a Laker he averaged a team leading 17.9 points and 9.2 rebounds while starting all 26 games he played in. He also averaged 1.3 steals and 1.9 assists and shot an impressive .501 from the field.
 
He would be limited to just six games in 1992-93 but continued to be a force as he notched 14.2 points, 9.5 boards and 1.7 steals per game. As a senior the following year he came back with a vengeance and not only had one of his best campaigns but helped deliver what is still the best season in program history.
 
The Lakers started out 7-2 that season, the best start in the program's young history, on their way to a 25-7 overall record. That is still the most wins in team history and tied for the fewest losses with the 2005-06 squad. That year, even as he dealt with personal tragedy, Herring was Clayton State's quiet and consummate leader and helped develop the team into a contender.
 
"I'm a quiet leader," said Herring at the time. "I lead by example. The difference this year is in the personnel. Many of the players want to win. The big difference is a winning attitude."
 
Future Hall of Fame coach Mason Barfield also credited Herring's style and effort during the Lakers tremendous run.
 
"He's very diverse. He's one of our best defensive players and our best rebounder and he has a nose for the ball. He's not flashy but he gets the job done. Keith thrives on the success of the people around him".
 
And get the job done he did. In 1993-94 he was twice named Georgia Athletic Conference Player of the Week, first on February 4, 1994 for averages of 19.3 points and 10.3 rebounds, and again on February 25, 1994. In earning the latter he averaged 20.0 points and 8.5 rebounds while shooting a blistering .760 from the field.
 
That particular stretch of games included a 9-of-9 performance from the field against Southern Poly Tech (2/19/94) that is still a program record, clinching a share of the first title in Clayton State Athletics history as they eventually went on to win the Georgia Athletic Conference regular season and becoming just the second 1,000-point scorer in team history. He accomplished the latter with 18 points at LaGrange on February 23, 1994.
 
Over the course of his career, Herring posted career averages of 17.3 points, 8.8 rebounds, 1.9 assists and 1.3 steals while shooting .547 from the floor and was named to the All-NAIA District 25 Second Team (1991-92), All-Georgia Athletic Conference Team (1993-94). He was also a preseason selection to both of those teams as a junior and senior.
 
One of the best rebounders in Laker history, Herring holds the single game rebounding record with 19 against Brewton-Parker on January 11, 1992 and the highest career rebounding average (8.8 rpg.). He is also No. 1 all-time in field goal percentage for a single season (.589 in 1993-94) and defensive rebounds (156 in 1993-94).
 
His 17.3 points per game is the third highest for a career while his offensive (209) and defensive rebounds (344) are both third on the all-time list. Herring is also second with 553 career boards more than 20 years after his playing career concluded.
 
WARREN VAN DER WESTHUIZEN (Men's Soccer 1999-2002)
Quite simply one of the best soccer players in the history of Clayton State, Warren Van Der Westhuizen becomes the first goal keeper to be named to the Hall of Fame.
 
Over the course of his career he would be go 48-19-6 with a 0.71 goals against average and mind blowing 37 shutouts. Van Der Westhuizen anchored the program's first two NCAA Division II Sweet 16 teams in 2000 (18-3-1) and 2001 (11-4-5) and led the Lakers to the first championship in program history, claiming the 2000 Peach Belt Conference Tournament Championship with a 1-0 victory over USC Upstate on November 5 of that year.
 
The native of Johannesburg, South Africa joined the Lakers in 1999 and immediately set forth on a career that has been unrivaled by any goalkeeper in the team's history. He would go 7-7 that first season, notching seven shutouts with a 0.71 GAA. Taking over midway through the year, it would be the only time he would not notch double-digit victories in his career.
 
He would come into his own in the 2000 season as he recorded a Peach Belt Conference record 2,093 minutes in goal while going 18-3-1 with an incredible 14 shutouts. The latter is still tied for the third most in NCAA Division II history, trailing the all-time mark of 16 set in 1986.
 
In 2001 Van Der Westhuizen would go 11-5-4, once again helping the Lakers reach the postseason. It would be a season that would see him notch a 0.78 GAA, career-best 101 saves and another 10 shutouts, including a pair of 0-0 efforts, as the team claimed the PBC Regular Season Championship. He would conclude his playing career with a 12-4-1 mark and another six shutouts in 2002.
 
During his time in the Orange & Blue, Van Der Westhuizen rewrote the Laker record book when it came to goalkeepers. He currently owns four career marks, including first place in minutes (6,840), goals against average (.643) and shutouts (37). The latter is a whopping 22 ahead of second place. He is also second with 313 career saves.
 
In terms of single season records he is first in minutes (2,093 in 2000), GAA (.473 in 2000) and shutouts (14 in 2000) with the last one also being a Peach Belt Conference record. His 10 shutouts in 2001 rank in a tie for third and his seven as a freshman in 1999 are fifth.
 
Additionally, Van Der Westhuizen is 17^th in career minutes in NCAA Division II history and never posted a goals against average above 0.94 in any of his four seasons. For his efforts he was a three-time All-Southeast Region and All-PBC selection (2000, 2001, 2002) and led the team in every pertinent goalkeeping category during his four years.
 
Beyond his exploits on the field, the imposing 6-4 keeper also made a name for himself as a field athlete for Clayton State's track & field program. Competing in his senior year of 2002-03 he set the program record in the javelin with a mark of 54.04-meters.
 
Van Der Westhuizen continued to make an impact on Lakers soccer even after his playing career as he served as an assistant coach from 2003-07. During that time he mentored two-time All-PBC goalkeeper Heath Padgett and had a hand in four more championships as Clayton State won the PBC Tournament in 2005 and 2007 and regular season titles in 2006 and 2007.
 
OLAITAN YUSUF (Women's Soccer 2004-07)
Perhaps the most decorated player in the history of Clayton State women's soccer, Olaitan Yusuf becomes the second member of that program to be inducted into the Hall of Fame.
 
Teaming with fellow future Hall of Famer Nkiru "NK"Okosieme (2014) for one year and then taking over for her, Yusuf obliterated the Lakers offensive records in her four years, finishing with an incredible 83 goals, 19 assists and 185 points. She is currently 15^th all-time in goals scored in NCAA Division II history and accomplished that feat in just 68 games. For her career she averaged 1.22 goals and 2.72 points per game.
 
She burst onto the national scene in her first season of 2004 as she led DII in both points per game (3.7) and goals per game (1.75) while drilling 35 goals and finishing with 74 points. Both of those totals would break Okosieme's 2001 program records of 33 goals and 72 points, respectively, and both still stand to this day. Her goal total also broke the Peach Belt Conference record.
 
As a sophomore in 2005, Yusuf produced 21 goals and a career-high eight assists for 50 points and finished No. 12 in the nation in points per game (2.5) and 14^th in goals per game (1.05). After driving home eight game-winners as a freshman, she would add seven more in her second season.
 
An early season injury limited her to 13 games and 10 starts in 2006 but Yusuf still managed to score seven goals along with five assists for 19 points. She would be back in form as a senior, however, as she scored 20 goals and added a pair of assists for 42 points, ranking No. 2 in the nation in goals per game (1.333).
 
While the numbers she put up over her four years were certainly gaudy, what they helped accomplish is even more impressive. In 2004 she helped lead the Lakers to just their second Peach Belt Conference Tournament title game and the first ever appearance in the NCAA Division II Tournament.
 
The following year she and Clayton State stepped it up a notch, sweeping the 2005 PBC Regular Season and Tournament Championships for the first titles in program history and reached the NCAA's for the second consecutive season.
 
An incredible talent, Yusuf was recognized for her accomplishments on numerous occasions, but perhaps never so highly as when she was named an All-American by the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) in back-to-back years of 2004 and 2005. She was named to the Second-Team as a freshman and First-Team as a sophomore.
 
She was also a three-time NCAA Division II All-Southeast Region selection (2004, 2005, 2007) and is the only two-time PBC Player of the Year winner (2005, 2007) in team history. Along with that she was an All-PBC selection three times (2004, 2005, 2007) and PBC All-Tournament in 2004.
 
The Laker Award Winner in 2008 as a senior, which represents to top female student-athlete at Clayton State, Yusuf still holds multiple high level records. In addition to her career goals (83) and points (185) ranking first all-time, her 19 assists is the third highest by a Laker.
 
For single season, her 35 goals and 74 points in 2004 are the most all-time and she is second in points (50 in 2005), tied for second in assists (eight in 2005), third in goals (21 in 2005), tied for third in games played (20 in 2004 and 2005) as well as 20 games started (2005) and fourth with 20 goals in 2007. She also holds the single game goal (five) and point (10) record, having accomplished both against USC Aiken on October 9, 2004.
 
LEONARD MORELAND (Special Inductee – Heritage Bank President and CEO 1996-Present)
One of the most influential individuals in the success of Clayton State Athletics, Leonard Moreland becomes the fourth special inductee to be selected for the Hall of Fame.
 
A native and fixture of the Atlanta, Georgia community for more than 40 years, Moreland has served as President and CEO of Heritage Bank since 1996 and was part of the group that founded Southern Crescent Bank in 1990. In his career he has been named the Eastern Regional winner for the Independent Community Bankers Association and serves as Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Henry County Chamber of Commerce.
 
One of his most impressive honors came in 2015 when he was elected to the University System of Georgia (USG) Regents' Hall of Fame for his work with Clayton State. He is one of only two individuals associated with the institution to be so recognized by that organization.
 
During his time at Heritage Bank, Moreland has been instrumental to the growth and continued success of Laker Athletics. For the past 17 years Heritage has sponsored at least one regular season basketball tournament and, in 2002, donated $25,000 to Clayton State Athletics. Until just recently it was the largest single donation in the Department's history.
 
In addition to his financial contributions over the years, he has been an integral part of Clayton State itself, serving on both the Advisory Board of the University's School of Business as well as as a Trustee for the Clayton State University Foundation. Through his involvement in these areas Moreland has helped to drive initiatives that include the expansion of student housing on campus.
 
He was also presented with an Honorary Degree from Clayton State in December of 2015 in recognition of all of his efforts in advancing the mission of the institution. It is one of the highest honors that the school and the Board of Regents can bestow.
 
Moreland is a graduate of Morrow High School and then West Georgia College in Carrollton, Georgia. Leonard and his wife Kay have one child and reside locally in Jonesboro, Georgia.
 
History
Established in 2013, the Clayton State Athletics Hall of Fame was created to honor former Laker student-athletes, coaches, administrators, faculty/staff and community members who have, by their outstanding achievements, contributed to the ideals of the Clayton State Department of Athletics. Including this year's honorees, the Clayton State Athletics Hall of Fame has named four classes and enshrined 12 former student-athletes, coaches, administrators and special inductees. This year's class of four will be inducted on Friday, February 10, bringing that total to 16 honorees.
 
Purchase Tickets Online for 2017 Hall of Fame Ceremony
For the third consecutive year, individuals will be able to purchase their Clayton State Athletics Hall of Fame Ceremony tickets online. Tickets for the event at 7 p.m. on Friday, February 10 are $30 each prior to February 5 and $40 after that date. Tables of eight are available for purchase at $220 before February 5 and $300 afterward.
 
They can be purchased online at the following link:  http://www.clayton.edu/Homecoming/HOF. This year's Hall of Fame Ceremony will be held on campus at the Clayton State Harry S. Downs Continuing Education Center in Room 101.