MACON — Four athletes and coaches with ties to the University of Georgia highlight the Class of 2018 for the Georgia Sports Hall of Fame.
Football standout Champ Bailey, swimming and track letterman and philanthropist Tom Cousins, current men’s golf coach Chris Haack, and women’s golf star Terri Moody Hancock were among those chosen by the Georgia Sports Hall of Fame’s Honors Court.
The additional members of the Class of 2018 are Atlanta Falcons and Atlanta United owner Arthur Blank, Lombardi and Outland award winner and longtime collegiate coach Tracy Rocker, Olympic gold medal sprinter Angelo Taylor and basketball standout Kenny “Sky” Walker.
The official induction will take place Saturday, Feb. 4, 2018, at the Macon City Auditorium. Tickets and sponsorships for the induction ceremony are available by calling (478) 752-1585.
Bailey, one of the most versatile players in Georgia history, starred for the Bulldogs from 1996-98. He was a consensus All-American in 1998 as he logged snaps at cornerback and receiver and on returns. Bailey won the Bronko Nagurski Award as the nation’s top defender in 1998. He also was a member of the track and field team and set a school indoor long jump record at the 1998 SEC Championship. Bailey continued his success in the NFL as a 12-time Pro Bowl performer for the Washington Redskins and the Denver Broncos. He was named to the NFL’s All-Decade Team for the 2000s.
A Georgia swimming letterman in 1950 and 1951 and a member of the 1950 SEC track and field championship squad, Cousins is a real estate developer who brought the Hawks (NBA) and the Flames (NHL) to Atlanta and later spearheaded the revitalization of East Lake Golf Club, the current home of the PGA Tour Championship. The Cousins Foundation has been a generous benefactor to UGA and the Athletic Association, including gifts to endow the head coach positions for baseball and swimming and diving.
Haack is in his 22nd season as the Bulldogs’ head coach for golf. He has guided Georgia to a school-record 60 tournament titles, including two national and eight SEC championships. Haack is a 2-time National and a 5-time SEC Coach of the Year. He has produced 60 All-Americans, many of whom currently are starring on the PGA Tour. Haack previously was inducted into the Golf Coaches Association of America and the Georgia State Golf Association halls of fame.
Moody Hancock was the first female to receive a full athletic scholarship to Georgia. A two-time All-American, she was named 1981 National Golfer of the Year after she captured medalist honors at the AIAW National Championships that spring -- becoming the first UGA female student-athlete to claim a national title -- and leading Georgia to a runner-up finish. She finished her career with four individual titles and 12 team crowns. Moody Hancock is a member of UGA’s Circle of Honor and Women’s Golf Coaches Association’s Hall of Fame.
