BOWLING GREEN, Ky. – Four former Hilltopper greats were inducted into the Kentucky Track and Cross Country Coaches Association Hall of Fame as Ronda Boyd-Parks, Camille Forrester Estes, David Jaggers and Sam Seemes were recognized for their accomplishments and contributions in the running world. In total, four coaches and 10 athletes made up the 2018 induction class.
On The Hill for one year prior to transferring to Kentucky, Ronda Boyd-Parks came to Western Kentucky University in the late 1970s following a tremendous sprinting career at Harrodsburg High School. During her prep days, she accumulated 10 individual state champion gold medals along with five more medals for a total of 15 KHSAA state meet medals. After moving on to UK, Boyd ranked 12th in the nation in the 100-meter dash in 1982 and still ranks in the top-10 at Kentucky. For three years, she was the Girls Track and Field coach at Harrodsburg High School and currently operates out of Cincinnati, Ohio, as a traveling certified surgical technician in the American Nursing Core.
The second Lady Topper inducted was Camille Forrester Estes, who arrived on The Hill in the fall of 1981. After a decorated prep career between Louisville Atherton and Central High School that saw her collect several individual state championships, Forrester joined the Red and White and proceeded to set every record from the 800-meter through the 5000-meter events. Twice named WKU's Female Athlete of the Year, she became the first woman inducted into the Western Kentucky University Hall of Fame in 1985. After her graduation from WKU in 1986, she continued her running career as she began to dominate the roads in Kentucky and Southern Indiana in many female road race competitions. Forrester ran professionally for Adidas through the 80s and early 90s. After the completion of her competitive career in 1996, Camille became intimately involved with the Louisville running community and has since gone on to produce numerous races in the Louisville area and has become the premier authority with regard to course design, race logistics and management.
One of two former men from WKU in the 2018 KTCCCA Hall of Fame class, David Jaggers came to The Hill following his 1972 graduation from Butler High School. A KHSAA state champion in the 880-yard dash (1:53.00) during his prep career, Jaggers became a three-time Ohio Valley Conference champion in the event with a top mark of 1:49.9. The Hilltopper standout was a member of WKU's 1974 NCAA runner-up cross country team and went on to be named a Track and Field News All-American in 1975.
A former student-athlete, manager and assistant coach on The Hill, Sam Seemes represents the fourth Hilltopper inducted into the KTCCCA Hall of Fame this year. Seemes, however, was inducted as one of four coaches following an illustrious career that put him on the path to his current position as the CEO of the United States Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association. He was an assistant track coach at WKU from 1975-76 under Coach Jerry Bean. From there, Seemes accepted a position as an assistant coach at LSU where he stayed for 13 years under Coach Bill McClure, helping build the Tigers into one of the nation's powers in the sport. Following the 1988 season, Coach McClure retired and Seemes was tabbed the interim head coach of the Tigers Track and Field Program and led the squad to LSU's first Women's NCAA Track and Field title.
Seemes' résumé includes the founding of numerous championships and associations not to mention being listed as the meet and technical director for many events. Seemes has held his current position as the USTFCCCA CEO since 2005.
How to follow WKU Track & Field: For complete information on WKU Track & Field, follow the team on Twitter at @WKUTrackField.
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