Bradenton, Fla - The annual State College of Florida Hall of Fame has grown to become one of the athletic department's premier events. The Hall of Fame recognizes former student-athletes, staff, and friends of the program for their outstanding contributions to the college. Through this recognition the college celebrates it's rich history of athletic excellence.
The 2020 class exemplifies the the characteristics of excellence which are engrained in to Manatees athletics. Individual achievements brought national championships, state championships, and historic performances. While being standouts in their respective sports, these individuals each were significant pieces of very successful teams.
January 24, 2020, it is our honor to induct these four standouts in to the SCF Hall of Fame:
- Kelly Bradley Grant played women’s basketball for Hall of Fame Coach Wayne Stellfox. During the 1986-87 campaign, Kelly helped the team to an undefeated conference season. She scored 8.5 points per game and pulled down 5.8 rebounds per game. As a sophomore Bradley Grant, lead the team in scoring with 16 points per game and was second in rebounds. The team, again, went undefeated in Suncoast Conference play. Kelly Bradley Grant scored a season high 26 points in a quarterfinal victory over #7 College of Central Florida. She scored 17 of the 26 points in the last 9 minutes of the game. Bradley Grant was selected as first team All-Conference and second team All-State.
- Ken Green was a track and field athlete who made his mark in the hurdles. Ken broke the school and national tournament record for the 440 intermediate hurdles in 1968. In that same year he won the NJCAA national championship. The team finished 13th in the nation. The mile relay team took 5th in the nation in the same season. Green is the owner of Green’s Tree and Landscape Maintenance for the past 35 years.
- Mariana Palacios played for the inaugural Manatees tennis team during the 2010/11 and 2011/12 seasons. Palacios became the first Manatee to win the Fall ITA Regional championship. She earned All-American honors winning the line two singles draw at the NJCAA National Championship. The 2012 team finished as NJCAA National Runner Up and the first FCSAA State and NJCAA Region 8 Championship tennis team.
- Keith Smith played for Hall of Fame coach Robert C. Wynn for the 1971-72 season. Smith helped the baseball team win the Suncoast Conference Championship and State Championship, while finishing as national runner-up at the JUCO World Series. The outfielder earned All-American and All-State honors in his only season at the college. Smith was drafted in the 4th round of the 1972 MLB Draft and signed with the Texas Rangers. He played nine seasons for the Texas Rangers and the St. Louis Cardinals in the minors. Three of those seasons he was called up to the Major Leagues.
The Induction ceremony will take place at the Korcheck building on the Bradenton campus of State College of Florida on January 24, 2020. Social hour starts at 6:00 p.m. It will followed by dinner and the ceremony. For more information on the Hall of Fame, purchasing tickets, and sponsorship visit the Hall of Fame page.