Hall of fame
MOREHEAD, Ky. — Paul Conner, Shawn Johnson, and Craig Unger will be inducted into the Morehead State Athletic Hall of Fame this fall.
Conner, one of the best offensive tackles to play for the Eagles, Johnson, the 1985 OVC Baseball Player of the Year, and Unger, a two-time Pioneer Football League Defensive Player of the Year, will be inducted on Friday, Oct. 14 and recognized during the Homecoming football game on Saturday, Oct. 15.
“The Athletic Hall of Fame is the ultimate individual accolade our department can award,” Director of Athletics Brian Hutchinson said. “It’s my pleasure to welcome Paul, Shawn, and Craig to that list. They all made indelible marks on Morehead State through their athletic accomplishments.”
Conner, a native of Jesup, Ga., played football at Morehead State from 1964-67. He is considered one of the best offensive tackles to play at Morehead State and was named First-Team All-OVC following his junior season in 1966. The 1967 Morehead State Football information guide called him, “one of the quickest, strongest, and most rugged (players) in the (Ohio Valley) Conference.”
He helped lead the Eagles to one of two OVC Championships in school history in 1966.
Following his time at Morehead State, Conner was a long-time athletic director and coach at Jesup High School in his hometown.
Johnson, a native of Grayson, Ky., played baseball at Morehead State from 1982-85. He was named 1985 OVC Player of the Year, and no other Eagle won that award until 2005. He was named All-OVC in 1982 and 1985 and was also named CoSIDA Academic All-American. He concluded his career with an impressive .336 career batting average. At conclusion of Johnson’s career, he held records for most doubles in a season with 17 and a career with 38. He also tied the school record for doubles in a game with three against Akron.
In 1983, he helped lead the Eagles to an OVC Championship and an NCAA Regional runner-up appearance at Michigan, where he was named to the Mideast Regional All-Tournament Team.
Johnson is currently the head softball coach and Director of Pupil Personnel at Raceland Independent Schools in Raceland, Ky.
Unger, a “devastating tackler” from Greenfield, Ohio, played linebacker for Morehead State from 2002-04. He was named Pioneer Football League Co-Defensive Player of the Year in 2003 and 2004. He was a three-time All-PFL selection (2002, 2003, 2004) and led the team in tackles all three of those seasons. He was also recognized as a Football Gazette All-American in 2002, 2003, and 2004 and was named Division I-AA Mid-Major All-American.
He also excelled in the classroom and was named CoSIDA First-Team Academic All-American in 2003, First Team Academic All-PFL, and to the PFL Academic Honor Roll. Following the 2002 season, he was named to the Division I-AA Athletic Director’s Association Academic All-Star Team.
The two-time team captain finished his career with more than 350 tackles and helped lead the Eagles to three straight PFL South Division Championships from 2002 to 2004.
Established in 1985, the Athletic Hall of Fame honors former Eagles whose achievements in athletics and as ambassadors of the university have had a positive impact on Morehead State. The Hall of Fame has enshrined 140 members.
