Hall of Fame
Bartlesville Athletic Hall of Fame
Class of 2022
Terry Hughes
Coach Hughes began his teaching career in 1983 at Ranch Heights Elementary and moved to Madison Middle School in 1986, which is when he began coaching football, basketball and golf. Hughes taught at Madison until 2012 and in 2011 he became the Bruins Assistant Athletic Director, which is the title he still holds.
Over the years Hughes has taken 17 of the 24 girls’ golf teams to the state tournament, which was his main goal as their coach. During five of the seven years in which the team did not qualify for state they still had individual golfers who qualified. As the Assistant Athletic Director Coach Hughes has watched nine Bruin teams win state championships with multiple individuals winning state championships as well.
Jerry Benedict
Jerry Benedict became the Head Golf Professional at Adams Golf Club in 1986. As Head Golf Professional and Director of Golf at Adams, Benedict has recorded a number of major accomplishments including a large tree planting project in 1986, cart path construction, clubhouse renovation, a complete remodel of the golf course and practice facility, bunker and drainage projects and, in 2024, the greens will be replaced. He has worked closely with Superintendent Jody Shahan and his maintenance crew, Russell Tanner and Tim Huff to make the improvements to the golf course over the past years. Benedict has also built up the Men’s and Ladies Golf Associations and started a Senior Golf Association, which is the largest in Oklahoma.
Benedict has positively impacted the golf games and lives of countless youth in Bartlesville, along with the community as a whole. Adams Golf Club offers summer junior golf camps, a junior club championship and a parent/junior tournament. Adams provides golf privileges for all surrounding junior high, high schools and OKWU as well. In addition, the club hosts multiple local fundraising tournaments including the annual United Way Tournament, which is the largest United Way golf tournament in the world.
Gerald Richard “Ricky” Jackson
Jackson excelled at sports from an early age. During his high school years Ricky played football, basketball, baseball and ran track as well. As a freshman playing baseball he led the conference in home runs and he was the starting varsity quarterback through his sophomore year. By his junior year he had decided to focus on basketball and during his senior year he averaged 26 points per game and made First Team All-State. Jackson is remembered as one of the greatest athletes to ever play high school sports in Bartlesville.
Upon graduating from Col-Hi, Ricky attended Centenary College in Shreveport, LA where he played alongside legendary center, Robert Parish. The 1974-75 team on which he played set a school record with a 25-4 record.
Erica Shepherd Derryberry
Over the course of her high school softball career Shepherd-Derryberry played on three Bruin teams with state tournament berths. Erica received a number of honors during her senior season when she led the Bruins in doubles, triples, home runs and RBI’s. She batted .362 and scored 31 runs, leading the Bruins to the state semifinals game and a 37-9 overall record. During that season she was All-Conference, All-State, Academic All-State, Oklahoma Academic Scholar, President’s Award for Academic Excellence recipient, member of Fellowship of Christian Athletes, member of the National Honor Society and she received the Bartlesville All-Sports Booster Award.
Erica stayed busy with softball during the summer months as well, when she played softball for the legendary Chevy City Blazers. During her final season with the Blazers she led the team to the national tournament. That season Shepherd-Derryberry batted .318 with 63 hits, 42 RBI’s, five doubles, eleven triples and three home runs.
After graduating high school Erica moved on to Missouri State University and continued her success on the diamond. While at MSU she was a four-year starter at shortstop and a member of a three-time Missouri Valley Conference Championship team. Shepherd was All-Conference in 1997, All-Conference Tournament Team and All-Conference Academic Squad from 1997-1999, tied the single season home run record (6) and set the career games played record of 216 – a record that she still holds to this day. Erica was induced into the MSU Hall of Fame in 2019.
1982 BHS Girls Softball Team
The 1982 Lady Bruins put together a 31-7 record in their inaugural year. The Lady Bruins beat Tulsa Union in regionals to move on to state, where Shanda Sturm’s two-run homer over Putnam City West sent the Bartlesville girls to the state championship game versus Broken Arrow.
Bartlesville was the home team in the championship contest and was down 1-0 in the bottom of the sixth inning. During that inning Donna Williams reached base and was driven home by Sherri Young to tie the game at 1-1. Laura Cramer then stepped up to the plate and rocked a two-run home run to give the bruins a 3-1 lead. The Lady Bruins held Broken Arrow in the top of the seventh to become the first Bruin state championship team.
The Lady Bruins were led by Hall of Fame coach Jerome Gibson, Annie Collins and Gene Griffin. The seniors who led the team were Laura Cramer, Kara Dutton, Kristi Ewing, Tina Gailey, Donna Williams, and Sherri Young. The junior class was comprised of Donna Campbell, Kit Fetkovich, Lacie Harris, Tooter Stoia, Kelly Ryan, Sue Hainzinger and Lisa Leroux. Sophomores who received letters included Shanda Sturm, Toni Williams, Teresa McMillan, Sonya Brisbin and Renee Springer. Multiple members of the state championship team went on to play college softball as well as starred for the Bruins in other sports.
Nominations
Any alumni or friend of Bartlesville Athletics may submit nominees based on the following criteria:
Athletes – A former Bartlesville athlete who performed with excellence, leadership and dedication. Must have graduated from high school and have been out of school for at least five (5) years. Nominees must be, or have been, a credit to his/her family, community, and athletics. The nominee may be either living or deceased.
Coaches – A nominee must have been a coach who has distinguished himself demonstrating exceptional leadership, character, and athletic achievement during his/her time in Bartlesville. Nominees must either have retired from teaching altogether or have been retired from coaching for five (5) years. The nominee may either be living or deceased.
Teams – An entire athletic team may be nominated for the Hall of Fame. The team should have achieved extraordinary results and distinguished itself through its effort as a team. Teams must have performed at least five (5) years ago.
Award of Merit – A person who has been a loyal and devoted supporter of Bartlesville athletics and/or has made a significant contribution to Bartlesville community athletics. The nominee may be either living or deceased.