Columbus State Inducts 2011 Hall of Fame Class

Columbus – The Columbus State athletic department welcomed four new members to their Hall of Fame including three former student-athletes and one contributor.  Yandel Brown, LaShawn Mincey, Candace Turner and John Walden are all part of the Class of 2011.

“This was a very special night,” said Hall of Fame Committee President Scott Miller.  “To induct three of the best basketball players to ever play here at Columbus State University and also John Walden, one of the biggest CSU supporters all in one night was really neat.”

The quartet brings the CSU Hall of Fame member total to 68.  Mincey, Turner and Walden were all present for the ceremony which included presentations by their inductors.

Brown, a native of Eastman, GA, came to CSU from Pearl River (Miss.) Community College. He became the most prolific scorer in Cougar history during his short, two-year career as he set a single-season record for points in 892 in the 2004-05 season, his senior year. He also holds the second-best single-season total with 712 in his junior season (2003-04). He is second all-time in career scoring to Hall of Fame member Tim Thomas (1,723, set in three seasons of play). He was a two-time All-American for head coach Herbert Greene and the Cougars and still holds 14 school records and eight Peach Belt Conference marks. He owns the highest scoring average in a season and a career at CSU, scoring 27.9 points per game as a senior and finishing his career with a loft 25.5 points-per-game average. He also holds the records for most three-point field goals made in a game and a season and most free-throws in a season. He was named the 2005 Peach Belt Conference Player of the Year, and also earned PBC Tournament MVP honors that season.

Mincey, a Stone Mountain native, was a four-year starter at point guard for Jay Sparks and the Lady Cougars. She helped CSU to its most successful four-year period in its women's basketball history as her teams posted a 109-22 record during her career. That mark included one Peach Belt Conference championship, two PBC Tournament titles, two South Atlantic Region championships, and two trips to the Division II Elite Eight. CSU advanced to the Division II Final Four in both 2000 and 2001, with the 2001 squad posting an undefeated regular season record. That team won 31 consecutive contests and was ranked #1 in the nation for 11 straight weeks before falling in the national semifinal to eventual national champion Cal Poly - Pomona. Mincey still holds CSU records for most games played in a career (130), most games started in a career (128), career assists (698), career steals (407), steals in a season (120), and steals in a game (10). She also still holds PBC records for steals in a season and a career and for assists in a career.

Turner, now the head girls' basketball coach at Northside High in Columbus, was also a four-year starter for CSU and helped the Lady Cougars to a 108-24 record in her career. She was a part of two NCAA Elite Eight and Final Four appearances, two South Atlantic Regional championships, two Peach Belt Conference championships, and two PBC Tournament titles. She was named MVP of the 2001 South Atlantic Regional, was named First Team All Peach Belt Conference in and made the PBC All-Tournament team in 2003. She was the team's captain and MVP in 2002 and 2003. She still holds CSU records for free-throws made and attempted in a season and a career, and sits second on the all-time scoring list with 1,377 points. She is fourth all-time in rebounding with 600 and fourth in assists with 326. She led the PBC in steals in the 2001-02 season with 108. She was also named CSU's Homecoming Queen in her senior year of 2003.

Walden is a long-time supporter and benefactor of CSU athletics. The CSU soccer facility is named the Walden Soccer Complex in honor of John and his brother Rankin, whose gifts made the completion of the facility possible. John has been a cheering on every CSU team in person for years at home, as well as on the road and has also helped student-athletes attend CSU by funding the Walden Athletic Scholarship. He has gone out of his way to help many CSU athletes find employment after their playing careers ended and has always been there to lend a helping hand to the athletic program and the University as a whole.