Davis & Elkins College proudly recognizes the 2024 Athletic Hall of Fame Inductees on Saturday, October 12. The event takes place in the McDonnell Center and is part of Homecoming Weekend for the College, which is celebrating its 120th year of operation.
Inductees: Jennifer “Kay” Kirby Jeter, ’78, Field Hockey; Kevin Logan, ’78, Baseball; Jared Meabon, ’01, Men’s Golf; Steve Meddings, ’94, Cross Country; Nicole “Cole” Dant Morris, ’11, Women’s Soccer; Kendall Walkes, ’84, Men’s Soccer.
Jeter is a D&E graduate of the Class of 1978 and boasted many trailblazing qualities through her athletic, coaching, and educational careers. She started as a goalkeeper for the Women’s Field Hockey team, securing the Blue Ridge II Tournament Team and WVIAA Championship titles in 1975. Jeter’s successes would repeat with back-to-back WVIAA Championships in 1976 and 1977. During this time, she served as the Women’s Basketball manager and Vice President of the Physical Education Majors Club. Jeter had the honor of escorting Olympian Jesse Owens during his visit to campus. After graduating, she would pursue a Master’s in Community Health Education at NYU and became certified to officiate field hockey and lacrosse, all while playing field hockey at the club level and winning the National Club Championship in 1985. Her coaching career offered similar success, as she would invest time in a litany of sports programs in the Woodbridge Township School District, earning multiple Coach of the Year honors. Jeter made history as the only coach to lead both boys’ and girls’ NJSIAA Individual State Bowling Champions in the same tournament. She retired from coaching in 2008 and teaching in 2014 and is the recipient of a 2016 NJ Senate and General Assembly Citation and induction into the Woodbridge Township Athletic Hall of Fame.
Logan, also a graduate of the Class of 1978, was a standout athlete and scholar. Graduating cum laude with a Bachelor of Science degree in Accounting, Finance, Management, and Marketing, he would boast a similarly impressive athletic career at D&E. Logan earned four varsity letters in baseball, serving as the team’s captain in 1978. As a starting pitcher, he made First Team All-WVIAC in ’78, posting an impressive 4-0 record and ranking second in the conference with a 1.16 ERA. Logan pitched 31 innings and recorded 48 strikeouts, as well as playing a pivotal role in leading the College to the WVIAC playoffs. After a successful academic and athletic career, Logan went on to become the President and CEO of Kelco FCU, where he served from 1998 until his retirement in 2021.
A 2001 graduate of D&E, Meabon was of vital importance to the Men’s Golf team. He was a 3-year team captain and winner of four individual events including the Northern Regional. Meabon was a three-time First Team All-Conference selection (’99, ’00, ’01) and a one-time Second Team All-Conference selection (’98). Meabon had his most successful athletic season in 2001, where he was named the Davis & Elkins Athlete of the Year, earned Academic All-American honors, and qualified individually for the NCAA Division II National Championship Regionals. Following college, he has enjoyed a successful career in the hotel industry, currently leading Wyndham Hotels and Resorts’ development team for North America. He resides in San Antonio, Texas, with his wife of 18 years, Brooke, and their two children, Harper and Harris. He remains closely connected to D&E, continuing the tradition of “Senator Weekend” with former teammates for over two decades.
Meddings graduated from D&E in 1994 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Chemistry and features a multi-sport historical relationship to the College. He was a member of the cross-country, tennis, and basketball teams, earning accolades as the three-time WVIAC Conference Champion and Runner of the Year, as well as four-time All-Conference selection and NAIA National Qualifier. Meddings is another Athlete of the Year recipient at D&E, earning the award in 1994. Following his athletic career with the College, Meddings would pursue further educational and coaching opportunities, serving as a mentor for many youth and high school teams and organizations and earning his master’s degree in Teaching at Waynesburg University. He has remained dedicated to teaching and growing his community, becoming Head Coach and Vice President of the Pacer Youth Track Club in Pittsburgh, and growing the group from six members to over 150. Meddings’ time as Chemistry/Physics teacher at Allderdice has led to top-ten finishes in the National Science Bowl, sponsorship of four students to first place finishes at the Pennsylvania Junior Academy of Science State Competitions, and teacher sponsorship of the Pittsburgh Allderdice Student Government. Meddings continues to run competitively and serve in leadership roles within the U.S.A. Track and Field community, and he resides in Pittsburgh with his wife of 27 years and their two children.
Morris, graduate of the Class of 2011, is the youngest inductee among those mentioned in this class. Her academic and collegiate athletic careers are both similarly outstanding, as she graduated with a 4.0 GPA with a degree in Physical Education, specializing in Health Education, along with minors in Education and Athletic Training. As a freshman in 2007, she became the first D&E Women’s Soccer player to earn All-America honors, being named to the Daktronics NCAA Division II Third Team. Morris’ remarkable debut season earned her the WVIAC Freshman of the Year award and Davis & Elkins Freshman Athlete of the Year. Her excellence continued in her sophomore and senior seasons, with an injury and redshirt year in the ’09 and ’10 seasons, respectively, winning the Daktronics Atlantic Region Player of the Year, NCAA Division II Statistical Champion for points-per-game, First Team All-WVIAC, and multiple additional regional honors. Her academic awards included the Freeman J. Daniels Honoree and the 2010 Dr. R. B. Purdum Memorial Honoree. She has also been recognized with the 2015 Friends of Senators Soccer (FOSS) Young Alumna Award.
Kendall Walkes, PhD, is a 1984 graduate of D&E and a decorated student, athlete, and coach both in relation to the College and across areas of the northeastern United States. As a student of D&E, Walkes earned myriad prestigious awards, including four-time recognition for Athletic Department Academic Award and All-Conference Men’s Soccer and two-time recognition as captain for the Davis & Elkins Men’s Soccer team, among others. He is another recipient of the Athlete of the Year at D&E, taking the honors in 1983, and was a member of the NAIA National Champion Final Four and WVIAC Mid Atlantic Champion teams. Following graduation, Walkes found further success in coaching and education, earning multiple Coach of the Year honors and a PhD in Exercise Physiology from Temple University, respectively. He continues to impact the soccer community as head coach of several high school and youth academies and serves as a professional instructor. His legacy in soccer is highlighted at D&E by his lifetime achievement recognition from FOSS.
Davis & Elkins College Athletic Director, Jennifer Riggleman, says, “We are thrilled to have six deserving inductees for the Athletic Hall of Fame this weekend. Athletics is such an integral part of the rich history at D&E, and the athletic accomplishments and contributions of these six people are spectacular! Their athletic performance during their time here at D&E has helped to provide a strong foundation for the athletic department to build on, continues to provide motivation for elevating levels of competition, and encourages us to strive for a winning culture on and off the field. Our honorees have made us proud as Senators and beyond.”
