ABILENE – ACU Athletics will mark the opening of Anthony Field at Wildcat Stadium by inducting nine former football players into the ACU Sports Hall of Fame in a special Football Celebration Class ceremony Friday night just hours before the first home game of the 2017 season.
The Sept. 15 induction ceremony for the Football Celebration will get started with a reception at 4:30 p.m. in the club level of Anthony Field at Wildcat Stadium with the ceremony set to go from 5-6:30 p.m., ending just before the concert by best-selling Christian rock band Needtobreathe starts at 8 p.m. in the stadium.
The Wildcats will open Wildcat Stadium the next evening (Sept. 16) when it hosts Houston Baptist at 6 p.m. in the first game played on campus since a 1958 game against Howard Payne.
The nine football players who will be inducted in September are all former first team all-America selections, all at the NCAA Division II level. The inductees are defensive back Mark Wilson, offensive lineman Richard Van Druten, offensive lineman John Layfield, defensive lineman Junior Filikitonga, defensive back Victor Burke, linebacker Jay Jones, offensive lineman Britt Lively, defensive end Clayton Farrell, and offensive lineman Nathan Young.
With the addition of the nine members of this year's Football Celebration Class, the ACU Sports Hall of Fame now includes 194 men and women.
Here are bios on each of the inductees:
FOOTBALL CELEBRATION CLASS
• DB Victor Burke (1994-97) – A four-year letterwinner from Coppell, Burke earned first team NCAA Division II all-America honors from the Associated Press as a senior in 1997 and was ACU's first selection for the NCAA Division II all-star game in Fargo, N.D. … During a fine senior season, he led the Lone Star Conference, ranked as the runner-up in NCAA Division II and set an ACU school record with 10 interceptions in 1997. … He also had 84 tackles, one fumble recovery, six pass breakups and scored three touchdowns. … he was also runner-up in interception return yards in the NCAA with 229. … Coaches voted him first all-LSC and LSC Defensive Back of the Year, and he was voted first team all-West Region by the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA). … He was also first team all-America on at least three other teams, including Daktronics, Fotball Gazette and Football Quarterly.
• DE Clayton Farrell (2002-05) – First team NCAA Division II all-America in 2005 and third team and honorable mention NCAA Division II all-America in 2004. … First team all-region in 2004 and 2005 and first team all-LSC selection in 2004 and 2005. … He was an honorable mention all-LSC as a sophomore in 2003. … Tied for 15th in ACU history with 227 career tackles. … Fifth in ACU history with 28 career sacks, including a career-best 10.5 sacks in 2005, which is the 10th-best single-season total in ACU history. … Selected to the all-Decade Team for the 2000s and was the Team Defensive MVP in 2005. … Also selected as the team's Best Tackler in 2004. … Team captain in 2004 and 2005. … Lone Star Conference Outstanding Defensive Lineman in 2004 and 2005.
• DT Junior Filikitonga (1996-97) – First team NCAA Division II all-America and ACU Defensive Team MVP in 1997. … Two-time first team all-Lone Star Conference in 1996 and 1997. … As a senior he was the LSC Defensive Lineman of the Year and a first team all-region selection. … As a junior in 1996, he was a first team all-LSC and first team all-region performer and an honorable mention all-America pick. … Went to training camp with the Dallas Cowboys in 1998. … 2013 inductee into the Hearst-Euless-Bedford (HEB) School District Hall of Fame after an outstanding career at Euless Trinity High School. … Selected to ACU's all-Decade Team for the 1990s, and was a first team all-Century selection in 2005.
• LB Jay Jones (1990-91) – First team NCAA Division II all-America in 1991 after earning third team all-America honors in 1990. … His 137 tackles in 1991 is fourth on ACU's all-time single-season list. … Had a career-best 25 tackles in a 1991 game against Eastern New Mexico, which is the third-best single-game total in ACU history. … Winner of ACU's Best Tackler Award in 1991 and team captain in 1991. … First team all-Lone Star Conference in 1990 and second team all-conference in 1991. … Selected to ACU's all-Decade Team for the 1990s.
• OL Britt Lively (2001-03) – First team NCAA Division II all-America in 2003. … First team all-Lone Star Conference in 2003. … Second team all-Lone Star Conference in 2002 when ACU tied Texas A&M-Kingsville for the LSC South Division championship. … Three-time winner of ACU's Best Blocker Award (2001-03). … Honorable mention all-LSC selection in 2001.
• OT John Layfield (1986-89) – First team selection to ACU's all-Century Team in 2005, and also selected to ACU's all-Decade Team for the 1980s. … First team NCAA Division II all-America in 1989. … Second team NCAA Division II all-America in 1988. … Selected ACU's Best Blocker in 1988 and 1989. … Went on to a professional wrestling career, working for the World Wrestling Federation / World Wrestling Federation from 1995-present. … Layfield won 24 total championships including one reign as WWE Champion.
• OT Richard Van Druten (1984-87) – First team NCAA Division II all-America and unanimous first team all-Lone Star Conference in 1987. … Selected ACU's Best Blocker in 1987. … Van Druten was a newcomer to American football when he enrolled at ACU, but become a four-year letterman (1984-87) and moved into the starting lineup for his senior season of 1987. … He earned his first letter as a freshman defensive lineman in 1987 before moving to offensive tackle where he spent his final three seasons. … He was forced to miss most of his 1985 sophomore season after suffering a knee injury. … Went on to play for the Kansas City Chiefs in the NFL and his son, tight end Noah Cheshier, later played for the Wildcats.
• DB Mark Wilson (1980-83) – First team selection to ACU's all-Century team, and member of all-Decade Team of the 1980s. … First team NCAA Division II all-America DB in 1983. First team all-Lone Star Conference in 1983. … ACU's all-time leader in single-game interceptions (4 vs. Angelo State, 1983) and career interceptions (21 from 1980-83). … Member of ACU's all-Decade Team for the 1980s, and a first team selection to the ACU all-Century team in 2005.
• OG Nathan Young (2003-07) – First team NCAA Division II all-America in 2006 and 2007. … Honorable mention NCAA Division II all-America in 2007. … 2007 winner of an NCAA Post-Graduate Scholarship and ESPN The Magazine first team academic all-America selection. …Young was a two-time LSC South Division Offensive Lineman of the Year (2006 and 2007) and NCAA all-region and first team NCAA Division II all-America. … Young was a two-time LSC Offensive Lineman of the Year (2006 and 2007), and was named first team all-LSC South Division, NCAA all-Southwest Region and NCAA Division II all-America. … He was the key cog on an offensive line that allowed the fewest sacks in NCAA Division II (eight) and the fewest sacks per game (0.62) in the division. … The Wildcats' offensive line also opened holes for running back Bernard Scott, who set two NCAA Division II single-season records (234 points scored and 39 touchdowns) while rushing for an LSC and ACU single-season record 2,165 yards. Scott went on to finish as the runner-up for the Harlon Hill Trophy. … Young started 42 games in four years as a Wildcat and helped turn the program from an LSC also-ran to a back-to-back NCAA playoff team. … Joined the ACU coaching staff after his playing career ended, serving as the team's offensive coordinator from 2013-16.
