[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 71 (Thursday, June 9, 1994)]
[Senate]
[Page S]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[Congressional Record: June 9, 1994]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
TRIBUTE TO COACH NOLAN RICHARDSON AND THE 1994 ARKANSAS RAZORBACK
BASKETBALL TEAM
Mr. PRYOR. Madam President, I rise today to congratulate Coach Nolan
Richardson and the University of Arkansas Razorback basketball team on
an exciting and brilliant season, which climaxed in a 76-72 victory
over the Duke Blue Devils for the National Collegiate Athletic
Association national championship on April 4, 1994.
I think I can speak for the people of Arkansas when I say that we are
all bursting with pride over the Razorbacks' achievements. We want to
thank them for their hard work and for representing the State with the
class of true champions
Coach Richardson, in his 14th year as a major college head coach,
owns a record of 339-112 for a winning percentage of .752. His
percentage ranks fifth nationally among Division One active coaches who
have coached at least 5 years and puts him at 13th overall. In his 9
years at Arkansas, he boasts a record of 220-75. He is the only UA
coach in history to produce more than one 30-game winner. His teams
have played in the NCAA tournament 10 times and the postseason NIT
three times.
In the NCAA tournament, he has taken his teams to a national
championship, been to the Final Four twice, the Elite Eight once, and
the Sweet Sixteen once. He is the only coach in history to win national
junior college, NIT, and NCAA titles. His teams have also won at least
21 games in each of the past seven seasons.
In the last six seasons, Coach Richardson led his Hogs to 168
victories, an average of 28 per year. Three different sources named him
Coach of the Year. He won the Naismith Award and the CBS-Chevrolet
award. He was also named Kodak's Co-National Coach of the Year with
Purdue's Gene Keady, a former Arkansas assistant coach.
Madam President, the national championship crown capped off Arkansas'
greatest season ever. Arkansas finished with a 31-3 overall record. The
Razorbacks won the Southeastern Conference regular season championship
with a 14-2 mark. It was the second overall SEC title for the Hogs in
the last three seasons. For the third consecutive year, the Razorbacks
won the SEC Western Division crown. On the way to the NCAA
championship, Arkansas defeated North Carolina A&T, Georgetown, Tulsa,
Michigan, Arizona, and Duke in the tournament.
Madam President, I am proud of the University of Arkansas Razorbacks
for their hard work, dedication, and amazing talent, and I would like
to say a few words about each of these outstanding basketball players.
corey beck
``The heart and soul of our team. He is the glue that holds us
together.'' Nolan Richardson's view of Corey Beck exemplifies how
important he was this year to the Arkansas Razorbacks and their quest
for the national title.
Beck, a 6-2 junior guard, averaged 17 points per game his senior year
at Memphis Fairley High School. He signed with Arkansas out of high
school but spent a year at junior college in Texas where he average 12
points, 6 rebounds, and 3 steals his freshman season.
In Corey's first season at Arkansas, he averaged 7 points, 5.8
rebounds, and 3.6 assists per game. He took a total of 52 charges.
Starting 20 of the 30 games in which he played, he led the Hogs in
assists with 7 in each of 3 games during the 1992-93 season; 169
assists gives Beck the fifth highest single-season total in Arkansas
basketball history; and he ranks eighth on the career list with 269.
Beck also led the Hogs in steals, and he average 8.8 points per game.
Beck was named to the five-man All Final Four team after scoring 15
points, pulling in a career-high 10 rebounds, and dishing out 4 assists
against Duke in the final game. In the six NCAA tournament games, Beck
scored 60 points, pulled down 34 rebounds, gave 28 assists, and had 9
steals. Corey Beck certainly came through in the Hogs' first NCAA
national championship.
ken biley
As Nolan Richardson once said, ``We will use [Ken Biley] in role
situations; that may make him a better player for us. He can rebound
and block shots.'' This is just what Ken Biley--a 6-6, 207-pound senior
forward--has done for the Razorbacks. Ken Biley has lived up to Nolan's
words by averaging four blocked shots per season, by being the high
rebounder against Montevallo, and by starting the NCAA championship
game.
In high school, Ken averaged 15 points per game. He led the Fighting
Zebras of Pine Bluff High School to a 29-3 record and a State
championship. As a senior, Biley earned All-State and All-District
honors. He was named the Most Valuable Player and Naismith Player of
the Year in Arkansas.
A 3-year letterman, Biley was the only true freshman in his class to
play rather than being redshirted. Despite being bothered by a strained
groin, he played 30 games his first season. He scored a career-high 14
points against Jackson State as a sophomore. During his junior year, he
scored 12 points against Jackson State again. This game against Jackson
State also marks a season-high 14 rebounds for him.
Ken Biley ended his playing career at the University of Arkansas on a
great high-point of starting the final NCAA championship game. We wish
Ken well in all his future endeavors and thank him for his dedication
to the Hogs.
roger crawford
Crawford, a 6-4, 175-pound guard from Carver High School in
Birmingham, AL, supported the Razorback team throughout his career.
Assistant Coach Brad Dunn hails Roger as ``one of the best transition
guards in the college game * * * often, we went to him on the bench and
increased our lead. Not many teams can say that about a substitute.''
Although he did not join his first basketball team until 10th grade,
Crawford averaged 18 points and 9 rebounds per game as a senior. He
earned All-State honors as well as being named the Carver High School
team's Most Valuable Player. As a junior, he averaged 10 points and 5
rebounds.
In junior college in Walker, AL, he averaged 15 points and 6 rebounds
per game, leading the team in assists as a sophomore even though he
missed part of both seasons with injuries.
Last season at Arkansas, Crawford averaged almost 7 points per game.
He opened the season with 18 points to help the Hogs defeat Memphis
State. A career-high 25 points accompanied his first start of the
season against Georgia. In the victory over Kentucky, he scored 15
points and hit 7 of his 10 shots.
This year, Roger Crawford averaged 7.4 points in only 18 minutes per
game before getting injured. He broke his ankle against Georgetown in
the second round of the NCAA tournament. The team dedicated the season
to this senior, wearing his number 31 on their jerseys throughout the
rest of the tournament. This recognition by his teammates speaks to
this young man's character and leadership qualities.
alex dillard
Al Dillard, a junior from Bessemer, AL, played point guard for his
high school team. Averaging 16 points per game in the final two
seasons, he earned All-State and All-District honors.
He then spent 3 years out of school before attending junior college
at Southern Union. As a sophomore, he averaged 30 points per game and
shot 44 percent from 3-point range. At a national junior college
tournament, he put up nine 3-pointers in one game. He also set a school
record with 52 points in one game. After attending 2 years of junior
college, he earned a spot in Division I at age 25 with the University
of Arkansas.
Dillard has the deepest range of any shooter the Razorbacks have had
since Richardson has been at Arkansas. His 75, 3-point field goals puts
him at the third highest in school history. In the game against
Delaware State, Dillard made 12-pointers, setting a school record and
tying the SEC record for most trys in a game. With 12.4 minutes of
playing time per game, he has a 8.9-point average. Three times this
past season Alex Dillard was a high scorer. Coach Nolan Richardson
said, ``He may be our best shooter.''
john engskov
John Engskov, a 6-3, 180-pound guard from Berryville, AR, walked on
as a freshman in the 1992-93 season as a redshirt. Playing guard in
high school, he averaged 25 points per game as a senior and earned All-
State honors. He also ran cross-country track and played for the golf
team.
In his first year of eligibility, Engskov played in nine games,
scoring a total of 14 points. He shot 63 percent from the field and 67
percent from 3-point range. Engskov is in the record book for making
the bucket that put the Razorbacks over 100 points for the first time
in the new Bud Walton Arena. An excellent student as well as an
athlete, Engskov majors in administrative management. He earned All-
Academic SEC honors this past year. Teammate Corey Beck says of
Engskov, ``John is one of the hardest workers on the team. When I play
against him, I can't take anything for granted. I can't let up or he'll
make a great play.'' Arkansans look for great things from John in the
years to come.
elmer martin
Elmer Martin, a 6-8, 220-pound junior from Memphis, TN, attended
Fairley High School along with teammates Dwight Stewart and Corey Beck.
A knee injury cut Martin's high school basketball career short, and he
missed his entire senior season after undergoing surgery. Along with
basketball, Martin was also a good student, being a member of the
National Honor Society.
Being a November signee with the Razorbacks, Martin redshirted during
the 1990-91 season while recovering from the knee injury. In the 1992-
93 season, Martin played in eleven games, starting in one. During the
1992-93 season, Martin played in 29 games, starting two. In the victory
over Jackson State, he scored a career-high 10 points, including a 3-
point shot. In the 1993-94 season, Martin played in 27 games, averaging
5.9 points per game. Coach Richardson called Martin the most improved
player of the 1992-93 season.
clint mcdaniel
Coach Nolan Richardson called junior Clint McDaniel the best
defensive player on the team. At Washington High School in Tulsa, OK,
he averaged 27.5 points, 9 rebounds, and 6 assists per game as a
senior. He earned All-State and All-Conference honors as well as being
named City Player of the Year.
In the 1991-92 season, McDaniel scored a season-high 13 points
against Ole Miss. He shot 74.4 percent from the foul line and made 26
steals. In victory over Jackson State during the 1992-93 season, he
scored a career-high 19 points. Against North Carolina, he hit 3 treys,
a season and career high. He took a career-high 5 steals against
Northeast Louisiana. McDaniel finished strong with 36 points in three
NCAA tournament games.
McDaniel thrilled Hog fans the entire 1993-94 season with chaos-
creating defensive moves. He made the All-NCAA Midwest regional team
this year. With 7 rebounds, he was the high rebounder in the semifinals
game against Michigan. He also tied his career high of 19 points
against Tulsa in the Midwest regional semifinals. Clint McDaniel's
knack for attack was a key to Arkansas' power season.
reggie merritt
Reggie Merritt, a 6-1, 165-pound sophomore who plays guard, attended
Little Rock Central High School. An outstanding player in high school,
he averaged 16 points and 4 rebounds as a senior. Merritt earned All-
State, All-Conference, and All-Conference tournament honors as well as
lettering three times. In one game, he hit 9 out of 12 shots from 3-
point range, finishing with 35 points.
Merritt walked on and was redshirted during the 1991-92 season.
During the 1992-93 season Merritt scored a career-high five points
against Holy Cross in the NCAA tournament. He played in seven games,
with an average of 2.1 points per outing. In the 1993-94 season, he
played in nine games, scoring an average of 2.3 points. Reggie has
another gift besides basketball, which is drawing. He is a talented
artist.
davor rimac
Davor Rimac, a 6-7 junior from Zagreb, Croatia, came to the United
States to attend a basketball camp hosted by Nolan Richardson. When he
decided he wanted to stay in the United States, Coach Richardson took
him in.
Rimac played two seasons at Fayetteville High School. His averages as
a junior were 18 points and 8 rebounds per game. As a senior he
averaged 27 points and 8 rebounds per game, earning All-State honors.
While at Fayetteville High, Rimac scored a school-record 1,245 points
in two seasons. Rimac also won the 4A State championship in tennis.
Rimac redshirted in the 1990-91 season as a true freshman. During the
1991-92 season, he played 21 games. He shot 51 percent from the field
and hit 13 of 14 free throws. In the 1992-93 season, Rimac hit 7 of his
8 free throws, leaving his UA career percentage at .909 from the
charity stripe. Outside shooting is Rimac's most valuable strength. In
the 1993-94 season, Rimac was high scorer against Texas Southern with
18 points. Against Tennessee, he scored 12 points. His 9 rebounds made
him high rebounder for the game. He has started 12 times. Assistant
Coach Brad Dunn said of Davor Rimac, ``He's an incredible athlete.''
darnell robinson
Coach Richardson says Darnell Robinson ``has a lot of potential and,
as time goes by, he could be one of the best players ever at
Arkansas.'' Robinson, a 6-11, 260-pound freshman from Oakland, CA,
plays forward/center.
At Emeryville High School in California, Robinson made every All-Star
team there was, including McDonald's All-America. Earning All-State
honors, he was the State's Most Valuable Player. He set the State
record for career scoring with 3,361 points. As a sophomore, he
averaged 35.6 points and 21.1 rebounds in a 22-7 season. He led the
team to a 31-5 record and the State title in his final season. Robinson
shocked national recruiting experts when he signed with Arkansas in
November of his senior year.
Also known as ``Tank,'' Robinson was the high rebounder in three
games during the 1993-94 season. In the Delaware State game, he had 9
rebounds. This season Robinson averaged 7.6 points and 5 rebounds per
game. Arkansans look to Darnell as the ``future franchise'' for the
Hogs.
dwight stewart
Dwight Stewart, a 6-8, 260-pound center/forward from Memphis, TN,
started his road to the Final Four as a sophomore in high school,
averaging 14 points and 10 rebounds per game. During his junior year,
he averaged 20 points and 13 rebounds. Before graduating he helped his
team to a season record of 33-2 with an average of 23 points and 14
rebounds.
A high school and junior college teammate of Corey Beck, Stewart
earned his eligibility after transferring from junior college after
only 1 year. In the 1992-93 season, Stewart started 24 of 31 games. He
scored in double figures 12 times, and he shot 54 percent from the
field. Due to the Hogs' lack of size, he played center; however, he
surprised his opponents by hitting 8 of 17 3-pointers.
In the 1993-94 season, Stewart used his unorthodox ``big dog'' skills
to place as the high rebounder in nine games. In the second round of
the SEC tournament, Stewart went four for four beyond the 3-point
range, and in the next round he went two for two. Opposing coaches no
longer allow junior Dwight Stewart to roam freely beyond the 3-point
arc.
SCOTTY THURMAN
Scotty Thurman set school records for 3-point goals in each of his
first 2 years at Arkansas. With 51 seconds left in the championship
game of the NCAA tournament, his long-arching 3 broke the 70-70
deadlock and proved to be the decisive shot in the Razorbacks' 76-72
victory over Duke.
This 6-6 forward from Ruston, LA, averaged 27 points and 9.2 rebounds
per game as a senior in high school. In addition to his involvement in
athletics, he served as president of the student council and placed on
the honor roll, graduating with a 3.5 grade point average. Thurman also
played the tuba in high school.
Thurman's excellence in school and basketball continues at
Fayetteville. His academic record as a sophomore communications major
with a 3.1 grade point average earned him a place on the SEC's All-
Academic Honor Roll. Thurman has also been named to the All-SEC
basketball team for the past 2 years. In the six tournament games this
season, he averaged 16.2 points per game. Coach Nolan Richardson says,
``The way Scotty scores in bushels, he easily could have averaged 25 or
30 points if I had played him more--and most players get most of their
points against weak teams. But Scotty's just the opposite--he gets his
points against the teams that can play.''
CORLISS WILLIAMSON
Corliss Williamson, a 6-7, 245-pound sophomore from Russellville, AR,
shows a tremendous career with the Razorbacks after only two full
seasons. His basketball career began early when he shattered a
backboard as an eighth grader at Gardner Junior High. In high school,
Williamson earned many basketball honors in Arkansas as well as being
named a McDonald's All-America. He was regarded as the top college
prospect in Arkansas and a top pick in the Nation by most recruiting
gurus. He averaged 28 points and 9 rebounds per game his senior year
and set a school record with 52 points in one game. A three-time All-
State and All-Conference selection, he was named the Most Valuable
Player of the 1992 State tournament and the National Gatorade Player of
the Year.
Even though Williamson missed 13 games with a stress fracture in his
foot, he had an impressive freshman year. He made the SEC All-Freshman
team, and he was named one of the top five freshmen players in the
country. In 15 of the 18 games he played, he scored in double figures,
and he has never scored less than 6 points in a game. Williamson
averaged 16 points in each of three 1993 NCAA tournament games. Against
North Carolina, he made all seven field goal attempts and two out of
three free throws.
Williamson's success only increased during his sophomore season. He
led the Razorbacks in scoring 19 times this year as well as being the
high rebounder 15 times. Averaging 20.4 points per game, he claimed a
total of 695 points and 262 rebounds for the 1993-94 season. As a
member of the John Wooden and the Basketball America teams, Williamson
became the first sophomore in school history to earn first team All-
America honors. He was also second team Associated Press All-America.
Named SEC Player of the Year, he was a unanimous All-Conference choice.
After being named to the NCAA Midwest regional and the SEC All-
Tournament teams, he gained recognition as the Final Four Most Valuable
Player. His 695 points marks the fourth highest total ever at
Arkansas--23 times he scored at least 20 points, and he scored in
double figures 32 times. In nine career NCAA tounament games, Corliss
Williamson has hit 74 of 114 shots from the field for a percentage of
.649, the fourth highest of all time. It's hard to believe, but Corliss
is just a sophomore. We are proud to have a player of his caliber, and
we cannot wait to watch him in the years to come.
LEE WILSON
Lee Wilson, a 6-11, 250-pound center from Waco, TX, created quite a
buzz around the State of Arkansas entering his freshman year. With the
arrival of Wilson and another 6-11 freshman, Darnell Robinson, the Hogs
appeared to be stocked at the center position.
As a high school senior, Wilson averaged 25 points and 10 rebounds
per game. He earned All-State, All-District, and Parade All-America
honors. Fifteen blocked shots in a game gave him the school record. As
a junior, he led his team to a 30-7 season record with an average of
fifteen points and eight rebounds.
In only 9.6 minutes of play per game, Wilson averaged 3.4 points.
Against Memphis State and Ole Miss, he was the high rebounder with 7
and 9 rebounds, respectively. Unfortunately, an old injury to his right
knee flared up again and kept him sidelined for four games while he
underwent arthroscopic surgery and rehabilitation. Despite the injury,
he still placed third on the team in blocked shots. In just 13 minutes
of playing time against Northwestern State, he scored 11 points and
pulled down 9 rebounds. While playing only 5 minutes against Duke for
the national championship, he scored 4 points and pulled down 4
rebounds as a critical role player for the Hogs.
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