KFDM COOP Posted May 16, 2007 Report Posted May 16, 2007 2007 Southland Conference Hall of Honor Class AnnouncedLamar’s Paul Zeek and McNeese State’s Louis Bonnette and Robert “Bob†HayesMay 15, 2007 - 4:04PMFRISCO, Texas — One worked at McNeese State University for 29 years, another for 35 at Lamar University and a third is still going near the conclusion of his 42nd year at McNeese State. The three, which have combined to work 104 years at the two institutions, have definitely earned their spots in the Southland Conference Hall of Honor. Lamar’s Paul Zeek and McNeese State’s Louis Bonnette and Robert “Bob†Hayes have been chosen to represent the 2007 class of entrants into the Southland Conference Hall of Honor. Induction ceremonies are scheduled for May 31 in Galveston, Texas, at the San Luis Resort Spa & Conference Center. The trio will join 27 others inducted since the Hall of Honor was established in 1999. “These three gentlemen represent another exemplary and well-deserving class of inductees for the Southland Conference Hall of Honor,†league commissioner Tom Burnett said. “Paul Zeek, Louis Bonnette and Bob Hayes mean so much to the history of the Southland Conference, and their rightful enshrinement makes the Hall a much more prestigious group. This will be a very special ceremony for everyone involved in the Southland Conference.†Zeek, who retired from Lamar after 35 years as an athletics staff member, took his first position with the university as athletics trainer in 1971. He retired in 2006 as associate athletics director, assisting in the running of the day-to-day operations of the entire department. In his first position as trainer, while taking care of Lamar’s student-athletes and being proactive in preparing student trainers for professions in the field, Zeek established a long history with the Texas Medical Association. There, he served on the sports medicine committees as one of the longest-serving members and learned the skills that made him a master in his chosen profession. After almost two decades as LU’s trainer, the 1998 inductee into the Cardinal Hall of Honor was named Director of Compliance in 1990 and later added the title of Associate Athletics Director. In his last role at the university, he oversaw compliance, scholarships and day-to-day administrative affairs of the department. Zeek was a 1989 inductee into the National Athletic Trainers Association Hall of Fame and is also a member of the Southwest Athletic Trainers Association Hall of Fame. In 1988, he received the Frank Medina Award presented by the Southwest Athletic Trainers Association and in 1981 was named National Trainer of the Year by NATA. Bonnette just completed his 42nd year as the Sports Information Director and is also the Senior Associate Athletics Director at McNeese State. A native of Pineville, La., Bonnette is also a past president (two terms) of the Louisiana Sports Writers Association and has been the recipient of the LSWA’s Mac Russo Award. He has received the Distinguished Service Award from the LSWA and has been inducted into the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame, in the sports journalism division. Bonnette is also a member of the McNeese Hall of Fame which he founded and serves as its chairman. Only five other SIDs nationally, just one who remains active, have served longer in the profession than Bonnette has worked at McNeese. His ongoing streak of working at 458 consecutive Cowboy football games is tops all-time among all College Sports Information Directors of America members. A 1963 graduate of Louisiana Tech, Bonnette has won dozens of state and national awards for writing, media guides and game programs. Hayes served McNeese and the Southland for 29 years after joining the Cowboys as track coach in 1967. He took over as Athletics Director in 1987, a position he held until retiring in 1996. Hayes was a four-time SLC Cross Country Coach of the Year after producing four team champions in the sport. One of the top track and field coaches in the nation, Hayes took the McNeese program to prominence in the 1970s and 1980s, including helping construct the first track on campus. Hayes’ athletes earned five SLC individual cross country titles, six outdoor track scoring titles, four SLC athlete of the year awards and a total of 34 SLC championship gold medals. During his tenure as athletics director, McNeese posted eight conference titles and participated in five NCAA postseason tournaments in various sports.
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