SPARTANBURG, S.C. – The Southern Conference announced its 2027 Hall of Fame Class Thursday, with six individuals and one team comprising the Hall's 12th group of honorees. The ceremony will be held at Battery Park Hall in Asheville, NC, on Thursday, March 4. Doors open at 7:00 pm.
 
Tickets for the event are available now by visiting this link.
 
Furman men’s basketball great Darrell Floyd (1954-1956), Samford quarterback Devlin Hodges (2015-2018), Furman running back Louis Ivory (1998-2001), Mercer women’s basketball star Kahlia Lawrence (2014-2018), ETSU cross country and track titan Seamus Power (1990-1994), and Samford women’s soccer standout Alyssa Whitehead (2008-2011) were selected for the 2027 class. Furman’s 1988 NCAA Division I-AA Football National Championship team was also chosen for the Hall of Fame.
 
The Hall of Fame selections for Mercer and Samford are the first for each school since joining the SoCon. The inaugural SoCon Hall of Fame class was introduced on May 4, 2009, in Spartanburg.
 
“This is another exceptional group, and we are thrilled to honor the SoCon Hall of Fame Class of 2027,” said SoCon Interim Commissioner Geoff Cabe. “Our conference has produced an abundance of extraordinary student-athletes and teams throughout more than 100 years of competition. The SoCon Soirée is a terrific event to tip off another memorable SoCon Week in Asheville, and we couldn’t be happier with the support of the community and our corporate partners. We are particularly thankful to Explore Asheville for their continued presence as our presenting sponsor for this night and look forward to recognizing the latest collection of SoCon legends on March 4.”
 
Floyd starred for Furman as an elite scorer in the 1950s, netting 2,281 career points from 1954 to 1956. A native of Thomasville, NC, Floyd averaged 32.1 points per game for his career and led the nation in scoring for two seasons. That scoring average remains eighth all-time in NCAA Division I history, ahead of many of the sport’s most famous stars, including Elgin Baylor (31.2 ppg), Larry Bird (30.3 ppg), Wilt Chamberlain (29.9 ppg), and Rick Barry (29.8 ppg). He poured in a career-best 35.9 points per game as a junior and followed with an impressive 33.8 points per game in his final season. Floyd scored more than 50 points in a game five different times and topped the 40-point mark 15 times during his time with the Paladins. Two of his best games came as a junior, when he scored a career-high 67 points vs. Morehead State on January 2, 1955, and came through with 56 points against Clemson on February 24, 1955 – leading the Paladins to a dominant 124-87 victory. His 946 points in 1955-56 remain the third-most in SoCon history for a single season, just behind former teammate Frank Selvy (1,209 points) and Davidson legend Steph Curry (974 points). Floyd was named SoCon Player of the Year twice, South Carolina Player of the Year twice, and was a two-time All-America selection. His No. 33 jersey is one of only four to be retired by Furman. After Furman, the St. Louis Hawks selected Floyd in the third round of the 1956 NBA Draft. Floyd passed away on March 7, 2000, at the age of 67 in Greenville, SC.
 
Hodges finished his career at Samford as the program's most decorated player, regularly rewriting the SoCon aerial records from 2015-2018. The Kimberly, AL, native broke Steve McNair’s FCS career passing mark with 14,584 yards – moving past the former Alcorn State legend on November 17, 2018, with 404 yards through the air in a win over ETSU. That record remains intact nearly eight years later. Hodges broke the Samford single-season mark for passing yards in 2016 and broke his own record again in 2018 with 4,283 yards – leading the nation in passing yards and total offense (417.8 ypg) that season. When the dust settled in 2018, Hodges had completed 388-of-550 passes and 32 touchdowns. He added 313 yards rushing and eight more scores on the ground to power the Bulldogs’ offense. For his efforts, Hodges won that season’s Walter Payton Award and earned his third SoCon Offensive Player of the Year plaque. He was also named FCS ADA National Offensive Player of the Year in 2018 and became one of only six players in SoCon history to earn consensus FCS All-America honors. Hodges was a three-time All-America selection, a three-time All-SoCon choice, and a member of the 2015 SoCon All-Freshman Team. His passing elevated Samford to two FCS playoff appearances in 2016 and 2017. Hodges also set FCS national career marks for completions (1,310) and attempts (1,896), completing a strong 69.1 percent for 111 touchdowns. He topped the 300-yard mark passing on 31 different occasions and had 12 games with at least 400 yards through the air. Hodges topped 500 yards twice, including a then-SoCon record 562 yards and six touchdowns in a 66-28 win over Western Carolina on October 6, 2018. In an amazing October, Hodges threw for 1,437 yards and 14 touchdowns in just three games. Hodges was crisp in Samford’s first win over a top 5 team since 1992, tossing three touchdowns and throwing for 427 yards in a 24-21 upset of No. 5 Wofford on October 21, 2017. Hodges' exploits weren't limited to FCS foes. He passed for 468 yards and four scores at Mississippi State in 2016 and had 475 yards and two touchdowns in a near-upset of Florida State in 2018. Soon after his Samford career was complete, Hodges earned a roster spot with the NFL’s Pittsburgh Steelers in 2019 and started six games for one of the sport’s most storied franchises. 
 
Ivory was a stalwart in the offensive backfield for Furman, running for 5,353 yards and 53 touchdowns on 847 carries from 1998-2001 under head coach Bobby Johnson. The Fort Valley, GA, native is firmly woven into Furman football history 25 years later, with his name appearing in the 2026 Paladin football record book 153 times. His conference and national accolades remain impressive as well. Ivory was named to the All-SoCon Team three times during his career, SoCon Offensive Player of the Year twice, and was named SoCon Male Athlete of the Year in 2001. He was a two-time FCS All-America selection and won the Walter Payton Award in 2000. Ivory’s 2000 campaign stands out as statistically superior in a stellar career stuffed with impressive numbers. He led the nation with a school-record 2,079 yards and 16 touchdowns that season on 286 carries, topping the 100-yard mark in all but one game. He pummeled top-ranked Georgia Southern for a career-high 301 yards and three scores on 33 carries on November 4, leading the Paladins to a 45-10 win. Ivory finished his career with 31 career 100-yard rushing games, with one of the most notable coming in a 28-3 win over ACC foe North Carolina on October 30, 1999. Ivory ran for 177 yards that day in a dominant road win – the program’s sixth win over a Football Bowl Subdivision opponent. Ivory’s individual success also had a profound impact on the Paladins’ team success. He led Furman to 30 wins over his final three seasons, with two SoCon regular season titles (1999, 2001) and three appearances in the NCAA I-AA Playoffs. The Paladins went 12-3 and finished as national runners-up in 2001. Furman’s overall record during Ivory’s time in Greenville was 35-15, with a 23-9 SoCon mark. Ivory’s No. 34 jersey was retired by Furman, and he was inducted into the school’s athletics Hall of Fame in 2007. Ivory was also named South Carolina Athletic Hall of Fame Male Amateur Athlete of the Year (2000), Greenville Touchdown Club South Carolina Player of the Year (2000), and The State Newspaper South Carolina Player of the Decade (2009). South Carolina Governor Jim Hodges proclaimed January 23, 2001, as Louis Ivory Day around the Palmetto State.
 
Lawrence is the first Mercer student-athlete to earn a place in the Southern Conference Hall of Fame, and her dominance on the court in the Bears’ early years in the conference was memorable. The Columbus, Ga., standout scored 2,275 career points over four seasons, earning SoCon Women’s Basketball Player of the Year honors three times during that stretch. She remains the only women’s basketball player to be named Player of the Year three times in conference history. Lawrence averaged 17.1 points, 5.2 rebounds, 2.0 assists, and 1.4 steals per game in her career, starting 132 of 133 games. She scored in double figures 110 times during her time with the Bears and scored 20 points or more 46 times. She burst onto the scene quickly, earning 2015 SoCon Freshman of the Year honors after supplying 13.4 points per game in her first season. She moved into an exclusive category after that, winning her first SoCon Player of the Year award as a sophomore. Lawrence was also a three-time All-SoCon selection, earned SoCon All-Tournament honors three times, and was the 2018 SoCon Tournament Most Valuable Player. She was voted as the 2017-2018 SoCon Female Athlete of the Year and was named the Georgia Women’s College Player of the Year twice. In her senior season, Mercer finished 30-3 with a 14-0 SoCon regular-season record. Behind Lawrence’s MVP effort, the Bears won their first SoCon Tournament. Lawrence scored 29 points in the 68-53 title game win over ETSU and averaged 25.0 points per game that week in Asheville. The Minnesota Lynx selected her with the 24^th overall pick in the WNBA Draft. She spent several successful seasons playing professionally in Italy and Portugal.
 
Power was a part of legendary coach Dave Walker’s famed Irish Brigade during his time at ETSU and remains the only runner in SoCon history to win four individual Cross Country championships, doing so in 1990, 1991, 1992, and 1993. Power was named SoCon Cross Country Runner of the Year in both 1992 and 1993 and led the Bucs to four consecutive team titles from 1990-1993. Power also excelled on the track, winning 11 individual titles during his indoor career and eight more outdoor. A five-time All-American, Power finished fourth at the 1993 NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships in the 10,000m run, sixth at the 1992 NCAA Championships in the 5,000m run, and fifth at the 1993 NCAA Cross Country Championships. He finished his indoor career as a four-time champion in the mile, four-time champion in the 5,000m run, and three-time champion in the 3,000m run. Power also won the outdoor title four times in the 5,000m run, four times in the 10,000m run, and added a title in the 1,500m run at the 1991 SoCon Outdoor Championships. His record time of 8:05.37 in the indoor 3,000m in 1992 stood for 30 years before falling. Power was also a decorated runner on the international circuit, representing his native Ireland 12 times at the World Cross Country Championships. Power won nine consecutive All-Ireland national championships from 1995-2003 and narrowly missed qualifying for the 2000 Sydney Olympics in the 10,000m run.
 
Whitehead finished her career at Samford as one of the program's most decorated players. A goalkeeper from Hattiesburg, MS, Whitehead set a Samford record with 34 career shutouts – tied for second in SoCon history. Her presence between the posts helped Samford flourish in its early SoCon years, with the Bulldogs posting a stellar 32-4-8 mark in conference play over her four seasons under Coach Todd Yelton. After leading Samford to a third-place finish as a freshman, Whitehead manned the net for teams that finished second in both 2009 and 2010 and won a regular season title in 2011. Whitehead went 14-6-2 in 2011 with 120 saves and eight shutouts, with her final shutout that season coming in the SoCon finals against College of Charleston – a 1-0 win that catapulted the Bulldogs to a berth in the NCAA Tournament. In 2009, Whitehead posted a 12-1-5 mark in goal with 63 saves, 10 shutouts, and a national-leading 0.31 goals-against average – also a new SoCon single-season record. She posted a career-high 12 shutouts in 2010, the second-best season in SoCon history, and concluded her career with an overall record of 44-16-12, a 0.74 goals-against average, 316 saves, and 34 shutouts. She started the final 50 matches of her college career and set a Samford record with 730 consecutive shutout minutes. Her accolades matched the production, with three All-SoCon selections, NSCAA All-Southeast Region honors in 2009, and a spot on the 2011 SoCon All-Tournament Team. She played three professional seasons in Sweden before returning to Yelton’s staff as an assistant for three seasons (2015-2017). She helped the Bulldogs to a 24-2-1 record as an assistant coach, including the 2016 SoCon title and NCAA berth.
 
The 1988 Furman Paladins were the first team from the Southern Conference to win a I-AA (now FCS) national title and remain one of the icons in the sport’s history. Picked to finish fourth in the preseason SoCon poll under Coach Jimmy Satterfield, the Paladins defied those projections. They rolled to a 6-1 league mark, tying Marshall for the regular-season SoCon crown. After a 24-10 setback at Marshall on October 8, Satterfield’s squad went on a decisive win streak that ended with a national title in Pocatello, ID, on December 17. The nine-game win streak was hatched on October 15 in Boone, NC, when Furman outgained App State 302-60 on the ground in a decisive 24-9 road win. Four more wins to close out the regular season set the Paladins up for a playoff run, with the No. 15 Blue Hens of Delaware as the first test. Furman’s defense forced four turnovers, Glenn Connally kicked two field goals, and the offense totaled 219 yards on the ground in a 21-7 win. A rematch with No. 6 Marshall in front of 16,820 fans in Huntington, WV, was next, and behind another strong defensive effort and Dwight Sterling’s 105 yards rushing – including the game-winning touchdown with 2:09 to play – Furman won 13-9. A 38-7 home win over top-ranked Idaho in the I-AA semifinals set the stage for a championship showdown with No. 2 Georgia Southern on December 17 inside the Holt Arena Minidome in Pocatello, ID. A scoring pass from Frankie DeBusk to Greg Key late in the first quarter put the Paladins up 7-3, and the lead grew to 17-6 by the end of the third quarter after a short scoring run by Sterling. A late special teams score by the Eagles was not enough, and Furman hoisted the national championship trophy. Furman also became the first private school to win a I-AA national championship and avenged a 1985 title game loss to Georgia Southern. Furman’s defense was the story of the season, leading the nation by allowing a scant 9.7 points per game during the regular season and limiting each playoff opponent to fewer than 12 points. Consensus All-America linebacker Jeff Blankenship was also named I-AA National Defensive Player of the Year by the Football News, and offensive tackle Fe Cowan was a third-team All-America choice. Five Paladins earned first-team All-SoCon honors that season, with center Steve Duggan, defensive end Kelly Fletcher, and corner Julius Dixon joining Blankenship and Cowan. Guard Elton Bailey, fullback Kennet Goldsmith, defensive tackle Brian Pitts, and punter Bruce Leicht earned second-team honors. Goldsmith also won the SoCon’s prestigious Jacobs Blocking Trophy in 1988 – and remains the last fullback to win the award.
 
The Southern Conference’s Executive Committee approved creating a Hall of Fame in 2008. With the most recent class, the Hall of Fame includes 670 individual members and two teams. 
 
Current and former members submit nominations, which an internal committee vets before creating a final ballot. A panel representing each current SoCon member institution, along with voters with historical ties to the league, determines the final class.