JONESBORO (5/24/12) - The Arkansas Sports Hall of Fame (ASHOF) has announced that new Arkansas State Head Football Coach Gus Malzahn and his coaching staff will host its annual Celebrity Golf Classic, set for July 30 at Chenal Country Club in Little Rock.
The event will begin at noon with a lunch, followed by a 1 p.m. tee time, presentation of awards at 5:30 p.m. and a reception and dinner with Malzahn and the A-State coaching staff at 6 p.m.
The Arkansas Sports Hall of Fame Celebrity Golf Classic has long been one of the premier golf events in the state, featuring past inductees into the Hall of Fame and other sports celebrities.
Former KATV-TV, Channel 7, general manager Dale Nicholson is serving as the honorary chairman for the event.
That evening's dinner is being billed as "Talking Football with Gus Malzahn." For more information about registering to play in the golf tournament and tickets to the dinner and banquet, contact Jennifer Smith at (501) 663-4328 or Catherine Johnson at (501) 821-1021. All proceeds from the July 30 event will benefit the Arkansas Sports Hall of Fame.
Malzahn was announced as the Red Wolves' 28th head football coach on Dec. 14, bringing him back to his home state after most recently enjoying highly successful stints as a top assistant coach at three NCAA FBS universities that garnered him national acclaim.
A name highly recognized throughout Arkansas and the nation, Malzahn came to Arkansas State after serving as the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at Auburn for the past three seasons. A native of Fort Smith, Malzahn was named the winner of the 2010 Frank Broyles Award, given annually to the nation's top collegiate assistant coach.
The Hall of Fame inducted its first class in 1959. The Class of 2012 was inducted in February at Verizon Arena in North Little Rock with more than 1,400 people in attendance at the induction banquet.
Ray Tucker is the executive director of the Arkansas Sports Hall of Fame, and Little Rock businessman Andrew Meadors is the organization's president.
The Arkansas Sports Hall of Fame Museum on the west side of Verizon Arena is open each Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. It includes an 88-seat theater with a video highlighting the careers of Arkansas sports greats along with a touch-screen kiosk with a database of all Hall of Fame inductees.
Over 15 former coaches, players and others associated with Arkansas State have been inducted into the Arkansas Sports Hall of Fame, including Allen Dunaway, J.M. (Johnie) Burnett, J.A. (Ike) Tomlinson, Thomas Hill, Bill Bergey, Bennie Ellender, Earl Bell, Larry Lacewell, Mike Malham, Calvin Harrell, Guy Kochel, Bill Davidson, Maurice Carthon, Ray Brown, Jerry Rook, Nelson Catalina and Bill Keedy.
