Michigan State University Athletics
A Look at the 2007 MSU Athletics Hall of Fame Inductees
9/7/2007 12:00:00 AM | General
Sept. 7, 2007
Michigan State University will induct 11 members into its Athletics Hall of Fame on Saturday, Sept. 8 prior to the Spartans' home football game against Bowling Green. The Class of 2007 includes: Richard Frey (cross country/track & field) from the Pioneer Era; Shirley Cook (basketball/field hockey/track & field), Jim Ellis (football), George Guerre (football) and Dean Look (football/baseball) from the Early Era; Marshall Dill (track & field), Tom Ross (hockey), Scott Skiles (basketball) and Valerie Sterk Kemper (volleyball) from the Contemporary Era; and Grady Peninger (wrestling) and George Perles (football) from the former coach/administrator category.
Throughout the week, msuspartans.com will take an in-depth look at each of this year's inductees. Today Tom Ross, Scott Skiles, George Perles and Valerie Sterk Kemper are featured.
Tom Ross
Hockey (1974-76)
Dearborn, Mich.
Tom Ross rewrote the record books while playing for Michigan State in the 1970s and 30 years later, they look the same - with his name splashed across the top. In the long and illustrious history of the Spartan hockey program, no player has been as dominant of an offensive force. Ross holds MSU career records with 324 points, 138 points and 186 assists. He set an MSU single-season record with 105 points his senior season, scoring 51 goals with 54 assists. A two-time All-American, Ross was just the second college player to reach the 300-point mark and remains the NCAA record-holder with 72 power-play goals.
"It is certainly a great honor to be selected to join so many wonderful athletes in the MSU Athletics Hall of Fame," said Ross. "As I reflect on this honor, I can only think about all of the support I received from my teammates, coaches and family that made everything possible. Hockey is a team sport and I was very fortunate to play with many dedicated, talented and skilled teammates, so I thank them for their camaraderie, friendship and support over the years. Coach (Amo) Bessone was like a father figure, and he afforded me every opportunity to succeed on the ice as well as off the ice. The example he set for us was nothing short of top notch. I especially want to thank my parents and family for their support, as none of this would have been possible without their nurturing and guidance.
"It was always an honor to wear the Green and White Spartan hockey jersey and represent this great University, its alumni and fans. As I get older, I reflect back on my years at MSU and I take great pride in all of the team and individual accomplishments. I also think that my time at MSU went by way too fast, but for me, I have continued to play hockey at various levels and along the way, I meet so many people associated with MSU hockey. In that way, my time to some degree has been extended. I will always feel proud to have played for Coach Bessone and the Spartans. I have met so many great people associated with the University and its hockey program."
Scott Skiles
Basketball (1983-86)
Plymouth, Ind.
 Scott Skiles holds the MSU record for most field goals in a game with 20.  | |
Scott Skiles was a scoring machine in his four years playing for the Spartans from 1983-86. When his career was finished, he left East Lansing as the all-time leading scorer with 2,145 points. His senior season, he averaged 27.4 points per game to lead the Big Ten, set an MSU single-season record with 850 total points, was named the Big Ten Player of the Year, and earned All-America honors. He was a second-team All-Big Ten selection as a junior and garnered Big Ten Freshman of the Year honors in 1983. Skiles holds the MSU record for most field goals in one game with 20 as he poured in 45 points against Minnesota on Jan. 18, 1986.
"My fondest memories come from my senior year (1985-86) because I had my best individual season and the team enjoyed success," said Skiles, who led the team to a 23-8 record and a Sweet 16 appearance. "It was a great way to cap off my career. I came from a small town (Plymouth) in Indiana, and many people didn't think I could play at the Division I level. I felt like I had a lot to prove. I wound up starting all four years at Michigan State, and I was fortunate to play with a great group of guys. After Magic (Johnson) left, Michigan State was down for a few years, but we were able to put the basketball program back on the national map."
Skiles credits Jud Heathcote for his successful career at Michigan State - and beyond.
"I was fortunate to play for a great coach," said Skiles. "Jud played a major role in my individual development because he was so good working with perimeter players. Jud sent a bunch of guards to the NBA. He understood what it took for a guard to be successful, and he really helped me improve my shot.
"I took a lot of what I learned from Jud into the NBA. He knew how to push players hard while using his sense of humor. I think he got players to reach their full potential because his humor broke the monotony of practice."
George Perles
Football Coach (1983-94)
Allen Park, Mich.
George Perles led the Spartan football program from 1983-94 and guided the Spartans to two Big Ten titles (1987 and 1990) and seven bowl appearances in his 12 seasons. Three of his teams finished among the nation's Top 25, including the 1987 Big Ten championship team that ranked No. 8 in the final polls. Perles tutored nine first-team All-Americans and three first-team Academic All-Americans.
 George Perles led the Spartans to the 1987 Big Ten Championship and a victory in the Rose Bowl over USC. | |
Prior to coaching at Michigan State, Perles spent 10 years as an assistant coach with the NFL's Pittsburgh Steelers, winning four Super Bowl championships (1974, 1975, 1978 and 1979).
"In terms of recognition, this honor is the most meaningful thing to happen to me," said Perles. "It chokes me up to think about being inducted into the MSU Athletics Hall of Fame. It's truly something special. In terms of professional acknowledgement, this is everything I could ever have hoped for in life."
Perles said one word describes his most successful team he coached at MSU.
"Toughness: that's why the 1987 team became Big Ten and Rose Bowl champions," he remarked. "Don't get me wrong, the 1987 team had some ability, but I coached several more talented teams. Toughness was the trademark of the '87 team. Before games, I used to tell the team to forget about the X's and O's and to forget about winning or losing. I told the players to concentrate on knocking their opponent's block off. I could accept any outcome as long as they were willing to leave everything out on the field. If they played with that toughness, I'd greet them in the locker room with a hug, regardless of the outcome.
"I don't miss the games, but I miss chasing the players around and teaching them life lessons. Those teaching moments came when you had to make them do things that they didn't want to do. At last year's Homecoming game, I received one of the greatest compliments I've ever heard when Andre Rison hugged me and told me that he loved me. Now as a student-athlete, Andre was a challenge-and-a-half, but you know what, he's matured and grown up. Life is tough, but there is so much a student-athlete can learn on the field and in the classroom. If you take those lessons and apply it to life, you'll survive the tough times."
Valerie Sterk Kemper
Volleyball (1993-96)
Byron Center, Mich.
At the center of MSU's leap to the national scene in volleyball in the mid-1990s was Valerie Sterk Kemper. In just two years, Sterk Kemper and the Spartans went from a last-place finish in the Big Ten to the greatest season in school history in 1995 with 34 wins and a berth in the Final Four. She led the Spartans to back-to-back Big Ten titles in 1995 and 1996 as MSU compiled a 60-10 record during her final two seasons in East Lansing.
 Valerie Sterk Kemper was a two-time All-American at MSU. | |
Sterk Kemper was the first female team sport athlete at MSU to earn First-Team All-America honors twice. She led the nation with an impressive .449 hitting percentage as a senior in 1996 and was also named an Academic All-American. Sterk Kemper accomplished another first when she became the first volleyball player at MSU to earn First-Team All-Big Ten honors three times.
Sterk Kemper's favorite moment during her career was going to the Final Four in 1995.
"Even through all of the memories, the one that stands out for me is when our team beat Hawaii on its home floor in the regional finals to advance to the Final Four," she said. "Hawaii was undefeated and ranked No. 2, and we were definitely a huge underdog. With the time difference, the match was televised late back in East Lansing, and we lost the first two games. A lot of people told me they turned off their TV after that point. But we came back to win in front over their home crowd, more than 10,000 people. What a great feeling. That whole year was really special. It was so exciting to be a part of the program's turnaround. We went from finishing last in the Big Ten my freshman year to winning the conference and going to the Final Four two years later.
"I want to thank my coach, Chuck Erbe, for molding me into the player I became. He believed in me and encouraged me my entire career. I give him a ton of credit and owe a lot of the success I had to him. He had a vision for the team and helped Michigan State become one of the top volleyball programs in the country."
