ATHENS — Trinity Valley Community College inducted its third Hall of Fame class last Saturday at the campus in Athens.

Seven were enshrined into the class.Each inductee received a plaque and a Cardinal Red blazer, as is tradition.

Here’s a brief look at each inductee:

• Linzy Cole (1966-67): Cole, a two-time All-America wide receiver, played a huge role on the 10-1 1967 football team that claimed a 40-13 win over Pasadena Community College in the Junior Rose Bowl.

He went on to become the first black football player at Texas Christian University and played four seasons in the NFL.

• Tyrone Foster (1993-95): Still the holder of six school records, Foster is one of the most dominant guards in Cardinal basketball history. He is the record holder for consecutive free throws in a game (15), career three-pointers (149), best career three-point percentage (41.5), assists in a game (17), assists in a season (288) and assists in a career (463).

• Danny Hughes (1985-87): Hughes, who played basketball and coached at TVCC under and then alongside legendary former Head Coach Leon Spencer, led the Cardinals to a 44-15 record in his two seasons as a player. He moved on to play at TCU, where he was a two-year starter and one of the most prolific three-point shooters in the university’s history.

After coaching with the legendary Leon Spencer at TVCC, he has coached at the University of Houston; St. John’s University and currently at Southern Methodist University.

Out of high school, Hughes chose to attend Panola College in Carthage but soon returned to play at TVCC.

“I chose to go away,” Hughes said, “but I knew where my home was and I was very happy to come back here. ... We never won a national title here, but we competed with the best of ’em, I guarantee that.”

• Carlene Mitchell (1993-94): In her one season at TVCC, Mitchell helped the Lady Cardinals to their first of an unprecedented five national basketball championships and was named all-conference and was selected to the all-NJCAA Tournament team. She still holds the record for assists in a single season with 337.

Mitchell is about to begin her 10th season as assistant coach – third as associate head coach – at Rutgers University for legendary coach C. Vivian Stringer.

• Randy Pippin (1990-95): The Cardinal football program rose to national prominence under Pippin’s watch. In his three seasons as head coach, he led the Cardinals to a No. 4 national ranking in his first year at the helm in 1993 and to the college’s first national championship and first unbeaten season (12-0) a year later.

Pippin, who was 24-8-2 as head coach at the college, was named the NJCAA Coach of the Year in 1994.

“It’s such an honor to be here with all of the inductees,” said Pippin, who became emotional several times during his speech. “I think there’s a special anointing over this city and this community. This is just such a blessed place. It’s amazing a small time like this can have so many great people come through here.”

• Orval Pirtle (1946-71): Pirtle, the college’s first president, helped with the creation of Henderson County Junior College. He was responsible for establishing the athletic program which, in the early years, consisted of football, men’s basketball, baseball and track. He served as president for 25 years and died in 1979.

• Donald Sellers (1993-94): In two years as a quarterback, he lost just once, compiling a 20-1-2 record.

Included in his impressive ledger is the college’s first national football championship in 1994, which came on the heels of a No. 4 final ranking and Real Dairy Bowl victory the year before. As a result of the Cardinals’ first-ever unbeaten season, Sellers received all-conference honors and was named All-America.

Sellers transferred to the University of Mexico, where he was a two-year starter at quarterback and was named all-conference as a senior. He became the first Lobo player to pass for more than 3,000 yards and rush for more than 1,000 yards in a single season.

He was killed in an automobile accident in 2001.

His father, Donald Sellers Sr., accepted the award on behalf of his son.

“It’s a great privilege to be here,” Sellers Sr. said. “It’s just an honor to come here and have all these great things said about him.”

Sellers’ son, Damien — who never got a chance to meet his father — was presented with a replica TVCC jersey and a highlight video of his father.