Wayne State College athletics will induct a new Hall of Fame class for the 2025 athletics season. The inductees are former WSC soccer player Melissa Benson, former WSC swimmer James Brown, former WSC cross-country and track and field athlete John Kern, former WSC women’s basketball coach and former associate athletic director Mike Barry and the 1972 softball team that went unbeaten in the regular season and captured the Nebraska State Women’s Championship.
“It was never any kind of a goal that I had,” Barry said. “And it was really unexpected. It wasn’t something I thought about, but I guess I feel fortunate to be in the Hall of Fame, because of the people I know that were in it already. Watching for 35 years, we’ve seen a lot of people go in that really appreciate what they did and understand what they did. So, I feel fortunate, humble and just appreciative.”
Barry served as the women’s basketball head coach for seven years from 1989-1996 with a coaching record of 96-91. During that time, the ‘93-94 team went 22-5 and still holds the school record for points in a game, averaging 82.4 points per game. He then transitioned to the director of the sport and recreation center and was later promoted to associate athletic director.
Mike Powicki, athletic director for WSC and member of a committee that inducts WSC alumni into the hall of fame, shared what stood out to him about this hall of fame class.
“Yeah, we have a couple interesting things, honestly” Powicki said. “James Brown is a former swimmer. We don’t have swimming anymore, and so that’s one of those – he’s been in a nomination for a long time. Just goes to show that we don’t want to forget our history and where we’re at with certain sports, so that’s a unique thing.”
“And then I think the other thing is the ‘72 softball team going in,” Powicki said. “I mean, that’s a special year in women’s athletics with the evolution of Title IX, and that’s really the launch-off year and kind of what those women accomplished – really being a part of being pioneers for women’s athletics. So those two things kind of stand out to me in this class being just a little bit unique.”
Wayne State Hall of Fame class will be inducted on Saturday, Oct. 11 during the Hall of Fame Day activities on the WSC campus.