Badon, Gidley Heading to Big Country Hall of Fame

ABILENE – Abilene Christian assistant football coach Jerale Badon and former ACU tennis standout Kim Gidley are part of the Big Country Athletic Hall of Fame's 2023 induction class, the organization recently announced.
 
The induction ceremony is set for 6:30 p.m., Monday, May 1. For ticket information, call 325-704-1759 or email museum@bigcountryhalloffame.org.
 
Badon, an all-state wide receiver, was a three-sport letterman at Abilene High. He finished his high school career with 116 receptions for 1,853 yards and 17 touchdowns, ranking him in the top five in all three categories. He then went to Abilene Christian University where he became the Wildcats' all-time leader in receptions and receiving yards until he was passed by a player that he coached this year as a member of the ACU coaching staff. Badon helped lead ACU to their first two NCAA Division II playoff appearances in 2006 and 2007 and was inducted into the ACU Sports Hall of Fame in 2019.
 
Gidley played tennis at Abilene High and Abilene Christian University, earning all-American honors while leading ACU to an NCAA Division II national runner-up finish. She was ranked No. 5 nationally in singles and No. 6 in doubles and was invited to the 1984 Olympic Trials. She finished her playing career at Southern Illinois-Edwards, helping the Cougars win the Division II national championship. She was an assistant coach at Abilene High from 1990-93 helping the Eagles win the 1993 Class 5A state championship. She was then the head tennis coach at Abilene High from 1993-97. For the last 25 years, Gidley has been the head women's tennis coach at the Air Force Academy. Her 338 wins going into this season are the most in program history. Her team entered this season with the longest active win streak of the 27 sports teams at the Air Force Academy.
 
The class also includes Hugh Sandifer, Mike Kinsey, Adree Lakey Whitefield, David Salas, Mike Standly, Harry Craft, Harold Hudgens and Wendell Robinson.