Twelve luminaries involved with Allen Community College athletics will become the charter members of the Red Devil Athletic Hall of Fame.
The honorees, baseball coaches Val McLean and John Masterson; Roger Campbell, a long-time instructor and cross country coach; Hugh Haire, who coached cross country, basketball and track; women’s basketball coach Van Thompson and men’s basketball coach Neal Crane.
Athletes being honored include the Red Devil 1983 Junior College World Series fourth-place squad, soccer standouts Brandon Winn and Audrey (McKay) Carlson; women’s basketball player Jeri Brummett and track athletes Isiah Young and Katlyn Schomaker.
While the induction ceremony isn’t until Feb. 22, Carlson, who lives in Texas, was invited early because of a schedule conflict.
She was recognized during Saturday’s basketball games against Fort Scott.
“It’s really special to be here,” Carlson said. “I’m glad it worked out, but I’m sad I couldn’t be with the rest of the group.”
Attending Allen became a last-minute decision, she recalled.
“I was supposed to go to McPherson college, but they suggested I come here first,” Carlson recalled. “Doug (Desmarteau) was open to letting me come.”
Desmarteau, who coached the women’s team at time, was assisted by current women’s head coach Jeremy McGinness.
It was a match made in heaven.
“They were the best guys ever for somebody who didn’t know anybody from Kansas,” Carlson chuckled.
Carlson, then Audrey McKay, was a standout for the Red Devil women’s soccer team in 2006 and 2007; she holds the school record for the most goals in a single game and was national player of the week twice and conference player of the week four times during her two years at Allen.
After her time at Allen, Carlson received a soccer scholarship to Baker University, where she graduated with a degree in marketing.
She now works for Vizient, Inc., in Texas. She’s married to Brent Carlson, and they have two children, Harper, 7, and Nolan, 2.
On top of her career and maternal duties, Carlson is working to get a youth soccer program set up for her daughter, Harper.
