PHOTO GALLERY

LAKE CHARLES – On Saturday night, six McNeese sports greats took their rightful place in the McNeese Athletics Hall of Fame.
 
Members of the Class of 2016 included football's Keith Ortego, BJ Sams, Vincent Landrum and Richard Vidrine; baseball's Chip Stratton; and men's basketball's Dean Glenn.
 
"I was blessed to be able to play here (McNeese)," said Ortego who was a wide receiver for the Cowboys from 1981-84 and went on to play three years for the Chicago Bears including winning a Super Bowl as a member of the famed 1985 team.
 
"I was able to play for some great coaches and play with great teammates."
 
Ortego led the Cowboys in receiving in both 1983 and 1984 and at the end of his college career, racked up 1,202 receiving yards on primarily rushing teams that featured tailback Buford Jordan. That number ranked No. 2 on the McNeese career record list at the time and is still ranked in the top 20.
 
With the Bears, he played both wide receiver and returned punts. During the championship season, he returned 17 punts for 158 yards including two returns for 20 yards in the Super Bowl. He caught 23 passes for 430 yards and two touchdowns in 1986.
 
Landrum was one of the staples of the Defense With Attitude (DWA), playing from 1992-95.
 
"I want to thank God for the opportunity to stand here," said Landrum who was named the Southland Conference Defensive Player of the Year in 1994. "I took advantage of my opportunities and made good on it. Nothing I can tell you can let you know what it means for me to be here today."
 
During his career, he helped McNeese compile a 42-11 overall record including a 23-2 mark in conference games. The Cowboys won the 1993 and '95 league titles during his playing days as he helped his team win its very first postseason game in 1993 and play in its first-ever semifinal game in 1995. Some say that '95 team is still the greatest Cowboy team in school history.
 
Sams won three Southland Conference titles as a wide receiver and punt returner for the Cowboys from 2000-03, winning three straight rings from 2001-03.
 
"Thank you to my McNeese family and my family and friends who came here today," said Sams.
 
Sams cut short his acceptance speech due to shyness but his sister approached the podium to read his speech, dictating to the crowd how honored he was to receive this honor and the great times he had at McNeese.
 
He was named the league's player of the year in 2003 and ended his career as the school's career record holder in punt returns (84), punt return yards (922) and all-purpose yards (4,903). His 2,038 career receiving yards is ranked third in the school's record book while his 136 catches ranks tied for second.
 
Vidrine was a four-year starter for the Cowboys from 1967-70 playing both linebacker and defensive end even though he didn't possess the size that comes with those two positions.
 
"Ever heard that expression 'It wasn't supposed to happen?" said Vidrine. "Well it wasn't supposed to happen to me. I was a strapping 5-foot-8, 146 pounds when I weighed in at McNeese. I was fortunate to lead the team in tackles in three of my four years here. I've earned a lot of great awards and honors over the years but now the biggest I have ever received is being named to the Hall of Fame.
 
"It was never supposed to happen."
 
Vidrine earned all-Gulf States Conference honors in 1968 as a defensive end and again in 1970 as a linebacker. He also garnered CoSIDA Academic All-America honors in 1970 and was named team captain and earned team MVP honors after he recorded 104 tackles for the season. He ended his career with 269 total tackles, a number that continues to rank in the top 20 in the McNeese record book.
 
Stratton is one of the greatest home run hitters to ever play for McNeese and his two-year stint was unexpected as his first two college-playing days were spent as a member of the Arizona Wildcats' team. But a phone call from a coach when he was playing summer league ball on the east coast changed all of that when he was told his scholarship wasn't going to be renewed.
 
"It shocked me," said Stratton of the call. "Luckily I had guys that I was playing with in summer league ball like (McNeese Hall of Famer) Charlie Phillips who told me to give McNeese a try. So I did and had a great two years here.
 
"I'm getting emotional. I love this school. It's so good to be back. I've had a good life. This makes it so much better."
 
Stratton, who made the trip back from his current residence of Tucson, guarantees he'll be in attendance next spring when the Cowboys play a 4-game baseball series at Arizona.
 
Glenn was built more like a football player than a basketball one, but that didn't hamper him in becoming a two-year star for the Cowboys from 1966-68.
 
"I came here weighing 260 pounds and if anyone who knows Coach (Ralph) Ward, knows he was going to push me to get into basketball shape," said Glenn. "I have a lot of great memories of playing for McNeese. Made a lot of great friends and had a lot of great teammates."
 
Glenn's 17.1 career scoring average is currently ranked 10^th in the McNeese record book. He averaged 15.4 points a game as a senior and helped lead McNeese to a 20-5 record, the Gulf States Conference championship, and an appearance in the NCAA Division II tournament.
 
In early August, his son, Darrin, was inducted into the El Paso Baseball Hall of Fame.
 
"It's an honor and privilege for me to be here," said Glenn. "A Hall of Famer. That sounds really good to my ears. But to have two Glenn men named as Hall of Famers in the same year, that's especially special."
 
The newest members of the Hall brings the total number of membership to 152.