Former football coach Joe George, Belton; tennis and basketball standout Dana (Souter) Pannell; San Saba; volleyball player and coach Ruth (Roman) McWilliams, Marfa; and John Curry, Monahans, will be inducted into the Sul Ross State University Hall of Honor during Homecoming 2007. Induction ceremonies will be held Saturday, Oct. 27, 7:30 p.m. in the Becky Ramos Espino Conference Center, University Center. This year's class increases Hall of Honor membership to 104.
Joe George, presently an assistant football coach at the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor, compiled a 28-12 record during four years at the Lobo helm. His 1982 team went undefeated in the regular season and qualified for the NAIA playoffs.
A native of Mineola, he earned bachelor's (1966) and master's (1967) degrees from Baylor University, then launched a coaching career that now extends 42 years. High school stops include Reicher Catholic, Carthage, New Caney, Texas City and Del Rio. He served as defensive coordinator (1978) for football and head track coach at Sul Ross after coaching at New Caney. He then assumed the head football post a year later, serving four years. His 1981 team finished ninth in the final NAIA poll and the 1982 squad was ranked fourth, after losing a triple-overtime playoff thriller to William Jewell (Mo.) College at Jackson Field.
George, named NAIA and Texas Intercollegiate Athletic Association Coach of the Year in 1982, left to become head football coach and athletic director at Texas City. From 1991-1995, he was the head coach at McMurry University, then coached at Del Rio before assuming his present position at UMHB in 1999. He has coached 10 NAIA All-Americans and five NCAA Division III All-Americans. He was inducted into the Mineola Sports Hall of Fame in 1994.
"Twenty-five years have passed since I coached my last football game at Jackson Field," George wrote. "The memory of my five years at Sul Ross is very special to me, my wife Corliss and our daughters Julie and Joanna. The friendships developed by living and working in Alpine have been rewarding and long lasting."
"Not a day passes that I don't reflect on the players and coaches who worked together to build two championship teams. As I look back, it is easy to see why they were successful: our roster was filled with outstanding young men."
"I am grateful to the Sul Ross community and the citizens of Alpine for their support of our efforts. I will always be indebted to Chet Sample who gave me the opportunity to be a college football coach and to be a part of the Lobo tradition," he noted.
