Michigan State Athletics Announces 2013 Hall of Fame Class

Michigan State Athletics Announces 2013 Hall of Fame Class

The class will be formally inducted in a ceremony on Thursday, Sept. 12.

EAST LANSING, Mich. – Michigan State University will induct five members into its Athletics Hall of Fame on Thursday, Sept. 12, as part of the “Celebrate 2013” weekend. The Class of 2013 includes: Henry Bullough (football), Kip Miller (hockey), Ryan Miller (hockey), Morris Peterson (basketball) and Jenna Wrobel (volleyball).

The “Celebrate 2013” weekend includes the fourth-annual Varsity Letter Jacket Presentation and Hall of Fame induction ceremony on Thursday, Sept. 12; announcement of the Varsity S Club award winners on Friday, Sept. 13; and culminates Saturday, Sept. 14 with a special recognition of the Hall of Famers during the Michigan State-Youngstown State football game in Spartan Stadium (2 p.m. ET kickoff).

“We’re excited about inducting another elite class into the MSU Athletics Hall of Fame,” Michigan State Athletics Director Mark Hollis said. “We really look forward to the unique opportunity to celebrate the achievement of student-athletes being awarded their first varsity letter jacket in conjunction with honoring our best of the best with the Hall of Fame induction ceremony.

“The Bulloughs have become known as the first family of Spartan football, so it’s a fitting honor for Henry. He truly had a remarkable career in football, first as a player, then as a coach and now as the executive director of the MSU Football Players Association. Henry has a proven track record as a winner.

“If the Bulloughs are the first family of MSU football, then the Millers are the unquestioned first family of Spartan hockey. It’s special for Kip and Ryan Miller to be honored as part of this 2013 class.

“Kip Miller became one of the most prolific scorers in MSU history and twice led the NCAA in scoring. As a senior, he became the first Hobey Baker Memorial Award winner in school history.

“Ryan Miller ranks as one of the greatest goaltenders in college hockey history. A decade after his collegiate career ended, Ryan remains the NCAA’s all-time leaders in save percentage and shutouts. He truly helped set the standard for goalies, becoming only the second at his position to win the Hobey Baker Memorial Award.

“Morris Peterson certainly played a major role in putting MSU basketball back on the national map,” Hollis continued. “During his career, ‘Mo Pete’ developed into a complete basketball player on both ends of the floor. He also played his best in the big games, especially the NCAA Tournament.

“Jenna is simply one of the greatest volleyball players in MSU history. A four-time All-Big Ten selection and first-team All-American, Jenna helped lead the Spartans to back-to-back Big Ten Championships and four-straight NCAA Tournament appearances, including a Final Four run in 1995.”

The MSU Athletics Hall of Fame, located in the Clara Bell Smith Student-Athlete Academic Center, opened on Oct. 1, 1999, and displays key moments in Spartan Athletics history as well as plaques of all 114 inductees. The charter class of 30 former Spartan student-athletes, coaches and administrators was inducted in 1992.

Here are bio sketches for the MSU Athletics Hall of Fame Class of 2013:

Henry Bullough

Football (1952-54)/Assistant Coach (1959-69; 1994)

Canton, Ohio

A three-year starter as a guard, Henry Bullough helped MSU to a combined record of 21-7 (.750) from 1952-54, including the 1952 National Championship and 1953 Big Ten title. As a sophomore for Clarence “Biggie” Munn, he anchored an offensive line that helped the Spartans finish second nationally in total offense, averaging nearly 429 yards per game including 272 yards on the ground. The 5-foot-10, 200-pound Bullough was named honorable mention All-Big Ten as both a junior and senior.

The Canton, Ohio, native was selected in the fifth round of the 1955 National Football League Draft by the Green Bay Packers. Bullough played two seasons for Vince Lombardi (1955 and ’58) with a two-year stint in the Korean War sandwiched in between.

He spent 12 years as an assistant coach at Michigan State, including 11 seasons under Duffy Daugherty (1959-69) and one year under George Perles (1994). Bullough served as defensive coordinator for MSU’s back-to-back National Championship teams in 1965 and ’66. Two of his pupils, defensive end “Bubba” Smith (No. 1 overall) and linebacker George Webster (No. 5), were among the top five selections in the first round of the 1967 NFL Draft.

Bullough spent more than 20 seasons in the NFL, including stints in Baltimore, New England, Cincinnati, Buffalo, Green Bay and Detroit, and became known as the “Doctor of Defense.” He won a Super Bowl ring as linebackers coach under Don McCafferty with the Baltimore Colts in 1970. While serving as defensive coordinator in New England in 1974, Bullough is credited with introducing the 3-4 defense to the NFL. He closed out the 1978 campaign as co-head coach of the New England Patriots. In 1983, Cincinnati led the NFL in total defense (270.4 ypg.) while ranking second in rushing defense (93.7 ypg.) and third in passing defense (176.8 ypg.). Bullough later served as head coach of the Buffalo Bills for 21 games (1985-86).

“Oh, I was very surprised to get the call from Mark Hollis,” Bullough said. “The news came as a great surprise.

“Thanks to Michigan State, I accomplished everything I could have hoped for in my profession. I played here during the 28-game winning streak (1950-53), played on the 1952 National Championship team and coached for the 1965 and ’66 National Championship teams. In 1970, I won a Super Bowl ring with the Baltimore Colts. There aren’t many who have been involved in this game that can say that. I’ve been very fortunate.

“For me, Michigan State is a place where a student can come and accomplish whatever he or she wants to because this University offers so many opportunities. It was exciting for my sons Shane (1983-86) and Chuckie (1988-91) to accomplish so much during their playing careers. Since I was still active in coaching, I really didn’t get many opportunities to see them play in person, but as a group, it was fun to celebrate the accomplishments of Jim Morrissey, Shane, Percy Snow and Chuckie. That was quite a group of linebackers. Now, I’m really enjoying the chance to see my grandsons, Max and Riley, play for the Spartans.”

In 2004, he was named president of the MSU Football Players Association and later became executive director of the organization.

“At the end of my career, it’s been very rewarding to be involved in the growth of the MSU Football Players Association,” Bullough said. “We wanted to create an all inclusive organization, so lettermen and non-lettermen, managers and coaches could come together, share their experiences and celebrate the history of Spartan football.”

Kip Miller

Hockey (1986-90)

Lansing, Mich.

Kip Miller was the third of his brothers and the sixth of an eventual 10 of his family members to play hockey at Michigan State, and enters the Hall of Fame with his cousin and fellow Hobey Baker Memorial Award winner, Ryan. Miller is one of the program’s most prolific scorers, graduating with the third-most points (261) and goals (116) in school history, and finishing among the Top 10 in four other categories.

Miller, who shares the school record for games played in a season (47, set in the 1988-89 campaign) played in 176 career games, four off the school mark. He helped guide the Spartans to an average of better than 30 wins a season over his four-year career, with a 132-42-9 overall record (.746) from 1986-90.

Miller debuted in the Green and White in the fall of 1986, with MSU coming off a National Championship season. The Spartans marched back to the NCAA Championship game, falling just short of back-to-back titles. In 45 games, Miller potted 20 goals and 22 assists, earning team Rookie of the Year honors. That summer, Miller was a fourth-round draft pick of the Quebec Nordiques (No. 72 overall) in the NHL Entry Draft.

In his sophomore season – in a lineup which had been drastically altered since the previous year by graduation and Olympic departures – Miller had 16 goals and 25 assists. He competed for Team USA at the World Junior Championships in Moscow, limiting him to 39 games for MSU. He still managed 11 multiple-point games, including a hat trick in the NCAA quarterfinals against Minnesota.

He doubled his goal-scoring output as a junior, contributing 32 goals and 45 assists, and shared the NCAA scoring title (77 points) with teammate Bobby Reynolds. He earned first-team All-CCHA honors, as well as First-Team All-America honors. He was the CCHA’s scoring champion, and helped lead MSU back to the Frozen Four for the second time in his career, as MSU fell to eventual champion Harvard in the semifinals. He finished seventh in the voting for the Hobey Baker Memorial Award, given to college hockey’s top player.

Miller entered his senior season as the prohibitive Hobey favorite, and he failed to disappoint, as he led the nation in scoring for the second-straight season, scoring 48 goals (good for third all-time in a single season at Michigan State) and added 53 assists (eighth at MSU). His 101 points ranks second in the MSU annals, behind 105 for Tom Ross in 1976. The team captured the CCHA playoff title and advanced to the NCAA quarterfinals. The accolades rolled in at the completion of the season: first-team All-CCHA and CCHA Player of the Year as well as First-Team All-American honors, while also capturing the coveted Hobey Baker Memorial Award, the first for a Spartan. He completed his career as one of the NCAA’s Top 25 all-time scorers (116-145-261), and captured two CCHA regular-season crowns and two CCHA playoff titles, as well as four trips to the NCAA Tournament.

“I actually didn’t know why Mark Hollis was calling; I just had no idea,” Miller said. “It was complete surprise. Honestly, it is a huge honor for me. I grew up a Spartan fan in Lansing, watching Earvin Johnson and Kirk Gibson and Steve Garvey, all these guys that were Spartans and great athletes. That’s what I think of in regards to the MSU Athletics Hall of Fame. I am blown away that I will be in there now.

“Ron Mason was the best coach I ever played for. He taught you a lot about hockey. He is a very, very good coach. I owe a lot of my success in hockey; the entire Miller family does, to Ron Mason.”

Miller embarked on a professional career after his graduation from Michigan State, enjoying a 14-year run. He appeared in 449 games in the National Hockey League, for the Nordiques, Minnesota North Stars, San Jose Sharks, New York Islanders, Chicago Blackhawks, Pittsburgh Penguins and Washington Capitals. He had a 74-165-239 career scoring line.

Ryan Miller

Hockey (1999-2002)

East Lansing, Mich.

Ten members of his family played hockey at Michigan State, but Ryan Miller’s legacy in the game of hockey – not only in East Lansing, but also on the National Hockey League and in international play – has shown over time that Miller is one of the most accomplished netminders the game has produced.

Ryan Miller enrolled at MSU in the fall of 1999, a heralded incoming freshman, but with junior and 1999 First-Team All-American Joe Blackburn coming back as the incumbent starter. Miller quickly made a case for himself, splitting time with Blackburn in his first season, and earned the starting nod throughout the playoffs. He posted an impressive 1.53 GAA and .932 save percentage in 26 games, earning CCHA Best Goaltender honors with a 1.34 GAA in conference contests. After earning second-team All-CCHA and CCHA All-Rookie Team honors, Miller went out and pitched back-to-back shutouts in the conference semifinals and championship game, becoming the first goalie in league history to not allow a goal during the CCHA Championship weekend.

His sophomore season is the one most documented and revered, as Miller shattered records and the confidence of opposing offenses with a then-NCAA record 1.32 goals-against average and .950 save percentage. He made 40 starts, compiling a 31-5-4 overall record. He won nearly every conceivable award that season: CCHA Player of the Year, USA College Hockey Player of the Year, The Hockey News College Player of the Year, as well as First-Team All-America honors. The most significant honor was the Hobey Baker Memorial Award, given annually to the top player in college hockey that season. Miller, who backstopped MSU to the Frozen Four that season, became just the second goaltender in college hockey history to win the award (and, no goalie has won it since.) His cousin, Kip, won the Hobey in 1990, and the Millers became just the second duo of related players to win the Hobey, along with Mark and Scott Fusco of Harvard in the mid-1980s.

The returning Hobey winner certainly had pressure to perform the following season, and Miller lived up to the hype built by his Hobey campaign of 2001. As a junior, Miller played 40 games, boasted a 1.77 GAA and .900 save percentage, and compiled a 26-9-5 overall record. He was once again the CCHA’s top goaltender and Player of the Year, as well as a First-Team All-America pick in addition to being named a Hobey finalist. Over his three collegiate seasons, he helped MSU to one CCHA regular-season title (2001), two CCHA Tournament crowns (2000, 2001) and three trips to the NCAA Tournament, which included a Frozen Four berth in 2001. More than a decade later, Miller remains the NCAA all-time leader in career save percentage (.941) and shutouts (26), and currently ranks second all-time in career goals against average (1.54). He holds seven MSU career and single-season goaltending records.

“I was pleasantly surprised when Mark Hollis gave me the call about getting selected to the Michigan State Athletics Hall of Fame,” Miller said. “I’m still putting the pads on and playing, so I didn’t expect to be a part of a hall of fame at this point in my career, but it’s definitely a great honor.

“I had a great experience at Michigan State – it’s a big part of my life and my family’s life. We’re proud to be Spartans. The university gave me an opportunity to play the sport I love, and better myself with an education. It definitely gave me time to develop my game to where I could move on to a higher level and play pro hockey. It was a great starting spot to give me my chance to make my way in the world.

“Just growing up around the hockey program with my family was a special experience – my grandfather (Elwood), my dad (Dean), my cousins (Kelly, Kevin, Kip), my great uncle (Lyle), and my brother (Drew) and I all played here. Michigan State has always been a huge part of my life, not only in athletics, but also in academics. My mom went to school at MSU, my younger brother just graduated a couple of years ago, and my sister is taking classes there right now.

“Playing for Ron (Mason) provided me with great lessons in just about everything,” Miller continued. “We also had accountability and a strong sense of team. He demanded excellence out of all of us, and these are all things that make you mature and give you an advantage over programs. We were expected to perform at a high level, and that helps mold you as a person.

“It definitely was a great experience at Michigan State and we had some great teams. I was fortunate to play alongside some great teammates during my time there. It’s nice to get honored and it will give me a chance to acknowledge all of the people that helped me out at MSU, from coaches to teammates to advisors to professors. Everyone who goes to Michigan State has a chance to become a better person and make a good life. I’m just really happy to be a Spartan and it’s very humbling to be in the MSU Athletics Hall of Fame.”

Miller opted to forgo his final season of collegiate eligibility and join the pro ranks, signing with the Buffalo Sabres, who drafted him in the 1999 NHL entry draft. He began his career in Rochester, Buffalo’s top AHL affiliate, and in 2004-05, was awarded the Aldege “Baz” Bastien Award as the AHL’s top goaltender. The following season, he played just two AHL games as he cemented himself as part of the goaltending rotation in Buffalo, playing in 48 regular-season games.

Over the next seven years, Miller became the full-time backstop in Buffalo, a bona-fide NHL star, and the face of the franchise. His 2009-10 season was his best, playing 69 regular-season games with a 2.22 GAA and .929 save percentage, earning the Vezina Trophy as the top netminder in the National Hockey League. That year, he was also the face and standout player for the United States at the Olympic Games in Vancouver, leading the Red, White and Blue to the Gold-Medal game. While the U.S. fell in overtime to its rival, Canada, Miller’s play earned him Most Valuable Player honors of the Olympics.

Miller completed his 2012-13 season with the Sabres, his 11th professional season, by appearing in his 500th NHL game. He became the NHL's 20th goalie to play 500 games with one team.

Morris Peterson

Basketball (1995-2000)

Flint, Mich.

The first non-starter ever to earn first-team All-Big Ten honors, Morris Peterson developed from a role player into one of the all-time greats in Michigan State history. The 2000 Big Ten Player of the Year, 2000 All-American and a two-time first-team all-conference honoree, Peterson teamed with childhood friend and fellow Flint, Mich., native Mateen Cleaves to guide Michigan State to the 2000 NCAA Championship, two Final Fours (1999 and 2000), three-straight Big Ten titles (1998-2000) and back-to-back Big Ten Tournament titles.

Peterson finished his career with 1,588 points, ranking ninth at the conclusion of his career (12th currently). He is one of just eight players in Spartan history with 1,500 points and 600 rebounds, and ranks 10th in career made 3-point field goals (146). He is one of the most productive Spartans in NCAA Tournament history, ranking third at MSU with 191 career points in the tournament, and earning back-to-back Midwest Regional Most Outstanding Player honors in 1999 and 2000.

Peterson’s career got off to a slow start, taking a medical redshirt in 1995-96 after sustaining a broken finger in Tom Izzo’s debut season as head coach. Prior to the injury, he appeared in just four games. As a red-shirt freshman (1996-97), Peterson started 18 of 29 games and averaged 6.8 points and 3.4 rebounds. His career started to take off during his sophomore season (1997-98) as he averaged 8.0 points. The turning point of his career might have been suffering a fractured bone in his right wrist early that season. The injury forced him to miss three games, and when he returned to the lineup, he donned a cast, dubbed “The Club” which forced him to become a more complete basketball player, especially on the defensive end of the court. As a team, the Spartans surprised the conference, capturing a share of the Big Ten regular-season championship. That season, MSU advanced to the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament after two NIT appearances in his first two seasons.

The 1998-99 campaign proved to be Peterson’s breakout year, as the junior averaged 13.6 points and 5.7 rebounds. Although he averaged 23.9 minutes per game, he started just four contests. The college basketball world began to notice his talents, earning a first-team berth on the All-Big Ten team as selected by both the coaches and media, becoming the first non-starter ever to earn that honor, while helping guide MSU to a 15-1 conference mark and an outright Big Ten regular-season crown. He started to amass individual accolades during the season, earning MVP honors at the Coca-Cola Spartan Classic and the Pearl Harbor Classic, and was named to the Great Eight All-Tournament Team with 24 points against Duke. He continued his exceptional play in the postseason, first helping MSU capture its first Big Ten Tournament title with a double-double against Illinois in the championship game. In the NCAA Tournament, Peterson led the Spartans in both scoring (12.8 ppg) and rebounding (9.0 rpg), and posted a 19-point, 10-rebound double-double in the Elite Eight against Kentucky, earning Most Outstanding Player honors of the Midwest Regional, and sending MSU to its first Final Four since 1979.

Peterson cemented his place in Spartan basketball history during his senior campaign. He led the Spartans in scoring, averaging 16.8 points per contest, while his 85 made 3-pointers currently rank as the sixth-best single-season effort at MSU. He was named first-team All-American by the Sporting News, earned a spot on the John R. Wooden Award All-America team, and was voted second-team All-America by the NABC and USBWA. Peterson was voted Big Ten Player of the Year by the conference coaches, earned a repeat spot on the first-team All-Big Ten squad, and was a finalist for both the Wooden and Naismith Awards, as MSU won a third-straight regular-season Big Ten Championship. In the postseason, he led the Spartans to a second-straight Big Ten Tournament title, earning Most Outstanding Player honors after averaging 18.0 points and 5.7 rebounds. In the NCAA Tournament, Peterson averaged 17.5 points and 4.3 rebounds in six games. He was a key cog in MSU’s run to the NCAA Championship, earning Most Outstanding Player honors in the Midwest Regional for a second-straight season, and a spot on the All-Final Four team, averaging 20.5 points and 4.5 rebounds in wins over Wisconsin and Florida.

“When Mark Hollis called me I was in the airport, and I immediately flashed back to my first day on campus, and the time that I slept in the gym when my teammates were in Maui, and just how far I've come,” Peterson said. “I had to collect myself because I was starting to cry.

“I realize how blessed I am to have been a part of the Spartan Family. I came to East Lansing as a 17-year old kid and was immediately embraced by the great tradition. My journey at Michigan State has shaped me for life. Most importantly, my teammates and I learned how to respond to adversity. We banded together like we were in a bunker, and we were extremely confident because we knew we had put in the work needed to be successful.

“We had great players, but we were all focused on what we could accomplish together. I owe my teammates everything, and I feel like they all should be Co-Hall of Famers. Guys like Andre (Hutson) and A.J. (Granger) sacrificed individual glory for the team, but you could say that for everyone on the roster. Charlie Bell and Jason Richardson have had great NBA careers, but never cared about being a star. We all came together as a team and formed an unbreakable bond. Everything at MSU is genuine, especially the love we have for each other.

“When I told Mateen (Cleaves) the good news, he hugged me and said 'welcome to the club.' He's known for all his assists on the court, but he's been an even bigger help off it. He taught me a lot about the attitude and spirit you need to be successful. I consider myself lucky to have played with him.

“Coach Izzo will always have a special place in my heart,” Peterson continued. “He always believed in me, but was also 100 percent straight with me. I still remember him coming to my house to recruit me. Even though I wasn't a top recruit, he said I could be great, but he also I would have to work hard. He helped me develop not only as a player, but also as a person. I hope someday to be able to pay him back for all he's done for me.

“As a Spartan I was driven to win championships - I never set out for individual accolades. It's just unreal to be in company with these greats. As Coach Izzo told me when he called, it's certainly some rare air. It's an honor to be inducted along with great Spartans like Hank Bullough, Kip Miller, Ryan Miller and Jenna Wrobel. That's what makes the Hall of Fame special, to be associated with the greats from different sports and different eras, but we are all part of the Spartan family.”

Peterson was selected by the Toronto Raptors in the first round (21st pick) of the 2000 NBA Draft. He spent seven seasons in Toronto, where he remains a fan favorite, before closing his 11-year NBA career with New Orleans and Oklahoma City.

Jenna Wrobel

Volleyball (1995-98)

Naperville, Ill.

Jenna Wrobel set the bar for all future Michigan State volleyball student-athletes. Michigan State’s all-time leader in kills, Wrobel is one of only four first-team All-Americans in Spartan history, and is the only four-time, first-team All-Big Ten honoree in program history, and one of just 10 in conference history. She led the Spartans to four-straight NCAA Tournament appearances, including advancing to their only NCAA Final Four in 1995, and was a part of MSU’s two Big Ten Championships in 1995 and 1996.

In addition to sitting atop the Spartan record books with 2,292 kills and 5,353 attempts, Wrobel is fourth in Big Ten history in both categories. She is also sixth in MSU history with 1,223 career digs, seventh with 444 sets played, ninth with 125 matches played and 10th with 295 block assists. Wrobel is the program record-holder with 54 20-kill matches, while also holding the top-two single-season marks with 19 in 1997 and 18 in 1998. Wrobel also owns the top-two single-season kill marks, four of the Top-10 single-season kills per set records and three of the top-five single-match kill totals.

“I am very shocked and honored that Michigan State has decided to recognize me in this way,” Wrobel said. “It is a privilege to be included with these other talented recipients in this MSU Athletics Hall of Fame class.

“When I look back at my time at Michigan State and my collegiate career, there are so many memories with my coaches and teammates. My four years in East Lansing were special, and I owe a lot of my success and accomplishments to the hard work and dedication of everyone involved, from the coaches and teammates to the administrators and support staff.”

Wrobel’s collegiate career began on a high note, becoming the only Spartan to be named a Freshman All-American and the Big Ten Freshman of the Year. Michigan State had its best season in program history in 1995, going 34-3 and advancing to its only NCAA Semifinals, in addition to winning its first Big Ten regular-season title with a 19-1 mark. Earning her first All-Big Ten honor, Wrobel is second in the Spartan freshman record books with 441 kills and 1,063 attempts.

During her sophomore season in 1996, the Spartans repeated as Big Ten champions (18-2), reached the NCAA Regional Semifinals and finished with a 26-7 record. Earning her second-straight first-team All-Big Ten honor, Wrobel led MSU in kills with 539, which at the time was second in program history and is currently eighth.

Wrobel’s numbers continued to improve during her junior season, setting the MSU single-season record for kills with 671, which is also 10th on the Big Ten list. Her 5.37 kills per set led the Big Ten in 1997, while her 32 service aces paced MSU. A captain for the first time, Wrobel was named team MVP, first-team all-conference and first-team AVCA All-District 2, as the Spartans went 23-12 and went onto the NCAA Tournament Second Round.

Wrobel’s senior season was capped with being named an AVCA First-Team All-America, after leading the nation in kills per game (5.94). That mark is currently first in MSU and seventh in Big Ten history. She also led the Spartans with 641 kills (second in a MSU single-season), 280 digs and 31 services aces in 1998. Also that season, Wrobel set Michigan State’s single-match records with 36 kills and 102 attempts in a four-set match against Wisconsin (11/27/98); the 102 attempts are still third in Big Ten history. In addition to being on the first-team All-Big Ten for a school-record fourth-straight season, Wrobel was an AVCA All-District 2 first-team selection for the second time, and was team MVP and earned the captain’s award at the postseason banquet. That season, MSU went 23-7 overall and 15-5 in the Big Ten, qualifying for the NCAA Tournament and placing third in the conference.

In all, Wrobel was named AVCA National Player of the Week twice (Oct. 14, 1996 and Oct. 26, 1998), in addition to being an eight-time Big Ten Player of the Week honoree, which is the most in MSU history and the third most in conference history. Also, she was an eight-time all-tournament choice, including being tournament most valuable player on three occasions.

After MSU, Wrobel went on to play for the U.S. National Team from 1999-00, having previously participated in the 1994 U.S. Olympic Sports Festival.