On Saturday, May 22nd, Glenville State College will induct five of its alumni into the Curtis Elam Athletic Hall of Fame, which was established in May 2001 through the generosity of the late Curtis Elam, a 1949 graduate.

This year’s inductees are:
Hunter Jack Conrad ’51 will be inducted posthumously. A native of Glenville and long time, former operator and co-owner of Glenville’s Conrad Motel, Jack passed away in the early morning hours of May 19, 2010. Jack was a powerful freshman basketball player, winning all tournament honors on GSC’s 1941-42 WVIAC tournament team. He is also known for his record setting 49 points in the 1941 Glenville High School Class B state basketball tournament game. Jack married Mamie Jo Bush in September1942 and worked in Charleston’s war industries plant that fall prior to serving in the US Army’s 79th Division from 1943-1945. He was twice wounded in France and medically discharged with the Purple Heart and Cluster. Upon returning to the states, Jack worked in the Conrad family restaurant and motel business from 1945-1948 and pursued his AB degree in Secondary Education from Glenville State College. While working on this degree, which he obtained in 1951, Jack became enrolled at WVU (1950-1953), and earned a MA in Educational Guidance in 1953. Then attending part time, he earned a Secondary Principal’s certificate and a full Public Administrative certification. He began teaching at Morgantown High School in 1951, while a student at WVU, and later became Assistant Principal at the school. Jack worked in Student Services as a Guidance Counselor at Fairmont State College from 1961 - July 1973 when he took a leave of absence, at his parent’s request, to return to the family business in Glenville. In 1977, he went back into college administration at Potomac State College of WVU (Keyser, WV), first in Administrative Research and then as Registrar and Director of Admissions. Jack retired in 1985 and took over management of the Conrad Motel. The following year (1986), he became legally blind, due to Macular Degeneration. Jack received the GSC Alumni Association’s Alumni Service award in 1995, was Glenville High School’s Alumnus of the Year in 2005, and was inducted into Fairmont State University’s Student Services Hall of Fame in 2007. In July of 2008, Jack and his niece, Suzie Kidd Shipe, sold the Conrad Motel to Glenville State College with an agreement that he retain his motel apartment. Jack and Jo (deceased) were parents of three children, Jack, Jr. (deceased), Stephanie, and Charlie. He has four grandchildren and six great grandchildren.

David L. Darst, Jr., a native of Point Pleasant. Dave graduated from Glenville State College in 1987 where he was a 4 year starter and letterman in football and a 4 year letterman in track and field. He was 2 Time WVIAC All Conference in football, a WVIAC Defensive Player of the Week, and nominated National Defensive Player of the Week. Dave had a single season quarterback sack record of 17, a career quarterback sack record of 38, and led his football team in tackles during his sophomore year. He was 4 Time WVIAC All Conference in Track and Field, 3 year WVIAC Shot-Put Champion, and 3 year WVIAC Discus Champion. Darst is GSC’s Shot-Put record holder, GSC’s Discus record holder with heave of 157.10 feet, and WVIAC Conference Shot-Put record holder. He earned 9th place finish in Shot-Put at the 1985 National/NAIA Track and Field Championship and 2nd place finish in Shot-Put at the 1986 National/NAIA Track and Field Championship (with 56.4 feet). Dave won NAIA All-American Shot-Put honors in 1986 and received GSC’s prestigious Frank Montrose Award in 1987. He holds a Master plus 30 from Marshall University and presently teaches Physical Education at Pt. Pleasant High School. Additionally he is head football coach at Pt. Pleasant High School and assistant track coach. Dave has coached football for twenty-three years and been head coach for the last three of these years. He has coached track for thirteen years and was previously head coach for seven of these years. Versatile in all fields of coaching, Darst was also wrestling coach for twenty years and coached baseball one year and softball one year. Dave and his wife, Brenda, are parents of one daughter, Alissa, who attends Alderson Broaddus on a softball scholarship, and one son, Anthony, who is a sophomore at Pt. Pleasant High School and plays football for his dad. Both Dave and his son, Anthony, are enjoying the school’s new football field with artificial turf.

Robert O. “Bob” Hardman II, of Jane Lew and a Glenville native. Bob graduated from Glenville State College in 1975. He was a 4 year starter in football for Coach Bill Hanlin and Whitey Adolfson. Bob played basketball for Jesse Lilly and Tim Carney, and participated in the newly re-established track program under Coach Hanlin. He was the last three sport player at GSC. Bob played both defensive end and line backer in football and was a member of the 1973 NAIA National Runner-Up Team. He was elected co-captain of the football team his senior year (1974) and received the College’s prestigious Montrose award in 1975. After graduation, Bob was a 19 year sports official, officiating both football and basketball on the high school level and women’s basketball and football in the WVIAC. He was a member of Jack Prettiman’s officiating team in the WVIAC, which was regarded as one of the WVIAC top officiating teams. Additionally he was the referee in several West Virginia high school football playoff games before going inactive and later retiring from officiating. Bob was also clock operator for football and basketball for both Gilmer County High School and Glenville State College for several years. He served as assistant men’s basketball coach under Head Coach Gary Nottingham during the 1989-1990 season. As a charter member and past president of the Glenville Jaycees, Bob helped re-established the little league and Babe Ruth baseball program. He coached little league and Babe Ruth baseball, elementary basketball, Gilmer County middle school and freshman football and basketball. He is a Charter member of the GSC End Zone Club (now Pioneer Athletic Club). Bob was CFO and Office Manager of Trio Petroleum from 1975-1987 and Assistant Vice President of Business Development and Marketing and Sales as well as Branch Manager of CB & T’s Glenville Branch from 1988-1992. He came to GSC in November 1992 as the College’s CFO and Business Manager and presently serves as the College’s Executive Vice President for Business and Finance. Hardman is Past President of the West Virginia Association of Higher Education Fiscal Officers; Past Master of Gilmer County Lodge No. 118 of Ancient Free and Accepted Masons; and a member of the Scottish Rite Masons, Royal Arch Masons, and Shriners. Additionally, he is past president of Glenville Lions Club and Associate Patron of Glenville Chapter No 90 Order of Eastern Star. Bob is married to Susan Morris Hardman and the son of Robert O. “Hooks” Hardman (1951) and Peggy Wiant Hardman (attended GSC 1949-1950). He has three sisters, Debbie (1973), Mary Kay (1976), Pam, and brother Richard (attended 1975-1976). Several of his aunts and uncles are graduates of Glenville State College. He has two children, son, Robbie (deceased); daughter, Hillary Lancaster; and one granddaughter, Lilli Lancaster. He counts among his hobbies horse farming, hunting, and operating/maintaining rental properties.

James “Dobby” Laughlin a native of Ravenswood. Jim graduated from Glenville State College in 1951, lettering in football and baseball. He played at WVU for one year before transferring to Glenville for three years of football and baseball. “Dobby” was an All-Conference back on the 1950 All-WVIAC football team. He was tied for team scoring honors that season with 18 points. Jim was Two Time All WVIAC in football and in baseball. Team members and coaches remember him as an exceptionally tough baseball player. He served one year as assistant football and baseball coach at Ripley High School then coached football and baseball at Clifton Forge (VA) High School (1952-1955), winning the state conference title with an undefeated and unscored upon season in 1954. Jim coached football at Martinsville (VA) High School before moving to administration first as a principal and later as a superintendent (Allegheny County VA schools) for twenty years before retiring in 1986. He holds a Master in Administration and Elementary Education from Appalachian State in Boone, NC and received additional hours at the University of Virginia in Charlottesville. Laughlin served twice as Interim City Manager for the City of Clifton Forge, VA – these terms being in 1987 and 1989. Additionally he was Recreation Director for the City of Martinsville, VA from 1956-1959. He counts being named to the WVIAC All Time All Conference Team in 1975 among his finest honors and fondly remembers playing in the 1947 North South Football game in Charleston after high school. A WWII veteran, he served the Navy in the South Pacific (Guan) before coming to GSC. Jim and his wife, Mary Ann, reside in Clifton Forge, VA. They count among their blessings, their son, Reid; daughter in law, Sheila; and their two grandchildren, Jacob and Zac Laughlin.

Frank Vincent a native of West Newton, PA. Frank graduated from Glenville State College in 1955, lettering in football. As an All WVIAC conference center and linebacker for the Pioneers, he played for coaches Joe Hall and Nick Murin, was 3 time All WVIAC, and was drafted by the Pittsburg Steelers. Well known in West Virginia and throughout the region for his coaching accomplishments, Frank coached at Charleston High School for eighteen years and led them to three consecutive State Championships in 1968, 1969, and 1970 (a record), compiling a 101-74-4 record at CHS. He was named Coach of the Year in 1968, 1969, and 1970 (another record). Coach Vincent returned to his alma mater in July 1980 as head football coach and held this position for seven years before moving his family to Stafford, VA where his daughter could be closer to medical care. Frank holds a Masters degree in Physical Education from West Virginia University and a Masters degree in Industrial Safety from Marshall University. He is married to the former Jo Ann Spicer, a Gilmer County native and Glenville State College alum. Their only child, Jennifer, passed away on January 27, 2010.

The May 22nd banquet and induction ceremony will begin at 6:00 p.m. in the Ballroom of the Alan B. Mollohan Campus Community Center on the campus of Glenville State College. A meet and greet social time for banquet attendees will be held in the pre-function area of the Mollohan Center from 5:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. that evening. For planning purposes, prior reservations are required. $25 tickets to this special event, which is open to the public, can be purchased by contacting Glenville State College’s Alumni Office at (304) 462-4122, local or (866) 239-0285, toll free.