The Shadow
RADFORD, Va. – Radford University Athletics has announced five new members that will be inducted into the Radford Athletics Hall of Fame in October. The Class of 2025 will include Mike Jones (Men’s Basketball), Javonte Green (Men’s Basketball), Yvette “Pebbles” Smith (Women’s Basketball), Rachel Wiechecki (Volleyball) and Vincent Wyatt (Men’s Track and Field).
The five-member class will be the 22nd to be inducted into the Radford Athletics Hall of Fame. This year’s induction ceremony will once again help kick off Homecoming Weekend festivities and will be held inside Kyle Hall on October 10th. For more information on the Radford Athletics Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony, click here.
MIKE JONES
Men’s Basketball | 2011-21
One of the winningest men’s basketball coaches in program history, Jones built the Highlanders back into a powerhouse achieving new heights in the New River Valley. Guiding two Big South Players of the Year, a Freshman of the Year, and 18 all-conference selections, Jones storied tenure brought a Big South Tournament title, NCAA Tournament appearance, the program’s first-ever NCAA Tournament win, the program’s first-ever NIT appearance, plus two regular season championships to the Dedmon Center. The Highlanders made a habit of taking down power conference foes under Jones, collecting wins over Northwestern, Texas, Notre Dame, Georgetown, Oregon State, Virginia Tech and Penn State. His 174 wins and 99 Big South wins both rank second-most in program history while he also became the first Highlander men’s basketball coach to record five 20-win seasons.
JAVONTE GREEN
Men’s Basketball | 2011-15
Green earns the Hall of Fame nod as one of the most electrifying forces on the offensive and defensive ends to ever play inside the Dedmon Center. During his Radford career, Green caused chaos for opponents setting the single-season and career program records for steals which still stand to this day. His 1,911 points and 1,064 rebounds both ranks second-most in program history, with Green becoming the first and one of just two Highlanders to ever crack 1,000 points and 1,000 rebounds in their Radford career. After the 2014-15 season, Green was named the conference’s Defensive Player of the Year earning four total all-conference nods across his career. Green is one of just four Highlanders to earn two NABC All-District team honors. Following his excellent Radford career, Green brought that same exhilarating talent onto the international stage with an ongoing six-year career in the NBA playing with the Boston Celtics, Chicago Bulls, New Orleans Pelicans and most recently the Cleveland Cavaliers.
YVETTE “PEBBLES” SMITH
Women’s Basketball | 1981-85
A pivotal member in Radford Women’s Basketball’s history bridging the success of past and present teams, Smith helped guide Radford into the Division I era during her time as a student-athlete. Captaining the offense throughout her career, she led the team in assists in four straight seasons setting the program record with 467 assists in her career, a mark that stands the test of time and still ranks top 3 to this day. Her 205 career steals also rank top 10 in program history, leading the team on the defensive end of the court during her freshman and senior seasons. Smith champions the legacy of greatness in Radford’s women’s basketball program to this day as a friendly face on the sidelines of every home game.
RACHEL WIECHECKI
Volleyball | 2011-2014
One of the greatest offensive players to ever step foot in the Dedmon Center, Wiechecki broke the program record for kills (1,465) and set the single season record for kills (504) which still stands today. Her marks for digs (1,461), double-doubles (63), aces (151), solo blocks (250), and points (1,723) all also rank top 10 in the record books all while leading the team to back-to-back regular season titles in her final two campaigns. For her efforts, she was named the Big South Attacking Player of the Year in 2013 on her way to leading the team to the 2013 Big South Tournament Title and Tournament MVP nod. Wiechecki was a two-time Big South first-team all-conference nod and was named to the conference’s all-decade team for 2010-19. She is one of just two Highlanders to ever earn AVCA All-Region honors.
VINCENT WYATT
Men’s Track and Field | 2011-2014
An incredible student-athlete breaking records at all levels, Wyatt enters the Hall of Fame as one of the most decorated track and field athletes to ever compete at Radford. The 2014 All-American and first-ever Big South Men’s Track Athlete of the Year claimed 10 individual titles, set the Big South record (13.60) for the 110m hurdles in the finals of the NCAA outdoor championships, and placed sixth for the highest-ever finish by a Radford student-athlete at the NCAA Championships. Wyatt was also a Big South champion for the 60m hurdles and advanced to the semifinals of both the USATF indoor and outdoor national championships. Following the conclusion of his 2013-14 campaign, Wyatt was selected to compete for Team USA at the NACAC U23 Championships. His prestigious career saw program top-10 indoor and outdoor marks for the 60m hurdles, 110m hurdles, 4x400m. His marks for the 110m hurdles and 60m hurdles set Big South records, with both still ranking top-3 all-time among all Big South student-athletes.
