Former Kentucky Wesleyan College men’s basketball star George Tinsley will be inducted into the second class of the Small College Basketball Hall of Fame, as announced by the selection committee this morning. The Second Annual SCB Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony with return to Evansville, Ind. on Thursday, November 2 as 12 new members will be honored.
Tinsley was the first National Collegiate Athletic Association Division II player to start and win three NCAA Championships, being named the tournament’s Most Valuable Player in 1969 and earning a spot on the All-Tournament team in 1968 and 1969. The NABC First-Team All-American started a record 20 consecutive NCAA tournament games from 1966 to 1969. Tinsley was a two-time Most Outstanding Player in the South Region and was named to the NCAA South Region All-Tournament team three times.
“I am honored to be elected to the Class of 2017 Small College Basketball Hall of Fame. I have been in fortunate to be inducted into six Hall of Fame, but this selected tops them all,” remarked Tinsley. “It is a privilege to be chosen with these great players that I have admired up close and or played against during my career. This induction would not have happened had it not been for my coach, teammates and Kentucky Wesleyan College.”
The Louisville, Ky. native compiled 2,014 career points for a 16.9 average throughout 119 consecutive games. Tinsley grabbed a school record 1,115 career rebounds, averaging 9.4 per game, and boasted a 47.6 field goal percentage from the field and 76.4 from the charity stripe.
Following his junior season, Tinsley received an invitation to participate in the 1968 United States Olympic Trials. Kentucky Wesleyan retired his jersey number 50 after his senior year.
In 2004, the NCAA honored Tinsley with a spot on the NCAA Division II Elite Eight Championship 50th Anniversary Team. Tinsley also received the most fan votes for Kentucky Wesleyan’s All-Century Basketball Team in 2010. In 2011, Tinsley was inducted into the State of Kentucky Athletic Hall of Fame and is the first Division II player to receive the honor.
The Small College Basketball Class of 2017 consists of the following members:
Zelmo Beaty, Player, Prairie View A&M
Walt Frazier, Player, Southern Illinois
Emil Liston, Contributor, Baker
Bob Love, Player, Southern
Coach Don Meyer, Coach, Hamline, David Lipscomb and Northern State
Coach Dave Robbins, Coach, Virginia Union
Jack Sikma, Player, Illinois Wesleyan
Elmore Smith, Player, Kentucky State
Jim Spivey, Player, Southeastern Oklahoma State
Rico Swanson, Player, Bethel (Ind.)
George Tinsley, Player, Kentucky Wesleyan
Al Tucker, Player, Oklahoma Baptist
"It is an absolute thrill to announce the Class of 2017 for the Small College Basketball Hall of Fame,” said SCB Founder, John McCarthy. “This class represents the best of the best in the history of small college basketball, and it is with great pleasure that we announce this class.”
Fans may purchase tickets/tables to the Hall of Fame Induction through the following link, www.HoFClassic.com, or by calling 812-421- 2212. For more information about Small College Basketball, please visit the website at www.smallcollegebasketball.com.
The SCB Hall of Fame committee consists of: Don Landry, former head coach/AD/commissioner, Roy Pickerill, SID Kentucky Wesleyan and NCAA Elite 8 media coordinator, Jim Nelson, AD Emeritus and Former Head Coach at Suffolk, Doug Palm, NCAA DIII historian, Rick Zvosec, former collegiate head coach, Gary Pine, Azusa Pacific AD, Steve Shepherd, AD and head basketball coach at College of the Ozarks, Gary Stewart, head coach at Stevenson University, Jerry Dunn, head coach at Tuskegee, Matt Simms, executive director of USCAA, Mike Lightfoot, head coach at Bethel (Ind.), Bob Guptill, SID at GNAC & Central Washington; former SID at Pac West, Chad Waller, Director of Athletic Communications & Media, John Rinka, SCB Hall of Fame Member and Steve Knight, Head Coach, William Carey.
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Liz Wacienga
Director of Athletic Communications
Kentucky Wesleyan College
