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MURFREESBORO – The Chowan University Athletic Department, in conjunction with the “Jim Garrison” Sports Hall of Fame Committee, announces the 2022 Hall of Fame class.

The 2022 Hall of Fame Class represents five sports across all three levels of competition from the Junior College era to Division III and Division II.

This year’s class features Ray Felton (Patron), Cliff Forbes (Men’s Golf), Thomas “Butch” Gibson (Football), Mark Long (Football), Karina Monroe (Volleyball), Lisa Knieriemen Rogers (Women’s Soccer), Thurman “T” Taylor (Football), and Chasity “C.C.” Vaughan (Women’s Basketball).

Each of the eight inductees will be honored at halftime of Chowan/Elizabeth City State football game on Saturday, Nov. 5. The official Hall of Fame banquet and ring ceremony will occur following the conclusion of the football game by invitation only.

The Hall of Fame Class of 2022 are:

Ray Felton (Patron)

Ray Felton was born in Gatesville, N.C. He graduated from Gates County public schools in 1964. After attending one semester at the NC State Pulp and Papermaking program he began working in the Technical department of Union Camp Papermill in 1965.

In 1967 he married his classmate, Judy Hinton. In 1972 he started a backyard welding shop and then in 1974 he left Union Camp and became a partner in the Machine Shop of Murfreesboro in 1974. In 1984, he assumed 50% ownership of Machine Shop of Murfreesboro and became the full owner in 1994. In 1997, he formed Metal Technologies of Murfreesboro, Inc to increase bidding abilities.

Ray retired from Metal Tech in 2015 and left the management of the business to his children. Ray has always been a big supporter of Chowan and his community. He has served as a Board of Trustee member as well as being a very generous donor to Chowan University and Chowan Athletics. He has also served as Chairman of the Gates County School Board, a member of the Gates County EMS board and a past board member of the Hertford-Gates Health Dept. He has three sons: Joseph Wayne Felton of Raleigh, Civil Engineer and Chowan alumni his wife Becky Davis and children Sarah Tate and Davis; Edward Brock Felton wife Sheila and children Jessie Jolene and Luke of Eure, N.C.; and Kevin Len Felton, wife Melissa and children Kaycee and Dylan of Sacramento, Calif.

Many metal structures around campus are the product of Ray’s unwavering support of Chowan University. From handrails to gears to decorative metal works, Ray and Metal Tech have touched most areas of the campus. Ray also helped to install Daktronics scoreboards at each athletic venue on campus. A year-ago another generous donation allowed those same scoreboards to be revamped for upcoming seasons. The entire Chowan University community is proud to have the support of Ray Felton and his entire family.

Cliff Forbes (Men’s Golf)

Clifton “Cliff” Edwin Forbes always knew he wanted to pursue the golf industry. As high school graduation approached, he knew there was only one place he wanted to test his skills in the game of golf. With both of his parents graduating from his hometown college, Chowan was a sure fit. A Murfreesboro native, Cliff graduated from Hertford County High School in 2008, and came to Chowan the following fall after being recruited by the golf coach, Ellen Ordnung. Cliff excelled as a golfer on the Hertford County High school golf team. In his senior season he earned the 2008 Northeastern Coastal Conference Player of the Year. That momentum propelled him into an excellent freshman year, and eventual career for the Hawks.

Cliff wasted no time his first year at Chowan. Under the coaching of Ellen Ordnung, in the fall of 2008, he was a medalist at his first ever college match and became the school’s first ever NCAA Division II medalist. Cliff was named All CIAA in 2010, 2011 and 2012. Even though Cliff was a medalist at numerous other golf tournaments, his most memorable one was in 2012 when he won the CIAA Championship. The team shot a school record of 5 under in the final round and Cliff carded a final round of 68. He then advanced to the NCAA Atlantic/East Regionals in Hershey, Pa. Cliff’s low round of 68 in Fort Lee, Virginia that year still holds the lowest round ever shot in a college round at Chowan. This was the perfect way to cap off a stellar college career.

After graduation in 2012, Cliff worked at Cypress Cove Country Club of Franklin, Va. as the Director of Golf until 2016. From there, Cliff decided to pursue a career in sales at the Roanoke-Chowan News Herald. Ultimately Cliff knew he wanted to be a 3rd generation insurance agent and left the Herald to do just that.

Since 2017, Cliff has been a licensed insurance agent and is currently employed with Boyette and Robertson Agency Inc.

Cliff continues to be active in his community, currently serving as President of the Murfreesboro Chamber of Commerce. Cliff is still active on the golf scene, winning local tournaments and club championships over the years. However, nothing keeps him and his wife, Jo Ann, more active than his 2-year-old daughter, Polly Forbes.

Cliff’s story actually began at Chowan as he is son to Chowan alumni, Lisa and Tommy Forbes. Cliff’s younger brother, Dr. Corey Forbes, is an optometrist in Williamston, N.C. Cliff and his father, Tommy Forbes, a 2017 Chowan University “Jim Garrison” Hall of Fame inductee, become the first father-son duo to be inducted members.

Thomas Eugene “Butch” Gibson (Football)

Thomas “Butch” Gibson came to Chowan in the fall of 1962 after being recruited by then-coach, Jim Garrison. Butch was a lineman for the then-Braves where he helped to lead the program to two very successful junior college seasons.

Butch graduated from Lexington Senior High School in his hometown of Lexington, N.C. in 1961. He grabbed the eye of Coach Garrison and helped Chowan to 13 wins and just four program losses over his two seasons. In his freshman year on the field, Butch and the then-Braves posted an 8-1 overall record. The team ranked as high as sixth in the nation amongst junior colleges and featured one of the top defensive teams in the country as the Braves surrendered just 13 points that season. The team’s lone loss that year was a 6-3 loss to rival Ferrum College.

Butch graduated from Chowan and returned to his hometown to work for Link Taylor Furniture Company. In 1966, he became an officer with the Lexington Police Department. He started as a patrol officer and later he became the crime prevention officer and formed numerous Neighborhood Watch Programs throughout the city. Butch advanced to the detective division where he investigated crimes dealing with anything from break-ins to homicides. Two years later, he received a promotion to lieutenant over a patrol team, a position he held for two years. He was promoted to captain of detectives, which was one of the three divisions within the department.

During his 30-year tenure with the police department, he attended numerous schools and classes including the North Carolina Justice Academy. He also coached football at Lexington Middle School for 20 years where the team won eight conference championships and recorded five undefeated seasons. Butch has been a part of several capital campaigns for Chowan and the football program. He was instrumental in assisting with the field lights campaign and the Pond Center campaign.

He is a member of Second United Church of Christ. He is a past board member of Youth and Family Counseling, an agency that deals with troubled youth, and the past president of the Lexington Optimist Club. He is the president of the Davidson County Retired Public Safety and First Responders Club. He is a member of the Lexington Memorial Masonic Lodge #473, the North Carolina Shriners, and the Davidson County/Lexington Shriners.

He married the former Julia Grayson in 1965, and they had a daughter, Jenny, who passed away in 2010, leaving behind a 4-year-old daughter, Josie. They adopted their granddaughter before his wife passed away in 2020. Josie lives with Butch and is now a junior at Central Davidson High School and played on the tennis team. She also played on the community softball and swim teams.

Mark Long (Football)

Mark Long came to Chowan in the fall of 1993 after being recruited by then-coach Jim Garrison. Mark, a Fredericksburg, Va. native, got a later start than the average college student after entering the workforce for two years following graduation from Chancellor High School. But once on Chowan’s campus, Mark made a name for himself on the field at the middle linebacker position.

Mark manned the middle linebacker position for the then-Braves for two seasons where he would make a name for himself as one of the toughest tacklers to don the Chowan blue and white. Mark admired both Coach Garrison and his defensive coordinator, Dan Surface. Mark considered Coach Surface the best defensive coach he had ever played for. Mark may have chased Coach Garrison’s rabbit once or twice in his freshman year and is grateful to have been able to play for Coach Garrison before his retirement.

Long still holds records for single-season tackles (145) and unassisted tackles (92), both collected in 1993. In 1995 he collected 118 total tackles, including 34 unassisted tackles and 84 assisted tackles. In that same year he earned the Male Athlete of the Year for his play on the field. Mark was also a solid student while at Chowan. He was a Presidential Ambassador, a Key Club Scholarship recipient, a member of the Dean’s List, the History Club, and a Cum laude graduate.

Following graduation from Chowan, Mark was hired by Northampton County Schools. He is currently still employed by Northampton County Schools and works in the Central Services Office as an assistant superintendent overseeing human resources and special projects. Mark has moved up the education ladder over his twenty-six years with Northampton County Schools. He has been a teacher, grant coordinator, assistant principal, and principal. He attended North Carolina State University and got his Master’s Degree in Education Administration. He is currently a doctoral candidate with hopes of defending his dissertation in May of 2023 at N.C. State.

Mark also served as an assistant coach for the Northampton County High School-East football program under Diego Hasty. He helped to coach over 25 players that went on to play at the collegiate level in his 10 year coaching career with the Rams. Mark also served as an assistant coach for the Hawks football program for two seasons.

Mark enjoys the outdoors and is an avid hunter and fisherman. Mark is married to Meredith Long, also a Chowan University “Jim Garrison” Hall of Fame member. Mark and Meredith become the first husband and wife duo to be inducted into the hall of fame for their athletic achievements at Chowan. Together the two have two daughters, Dakota, who is a senior at Hertford County Early College, and Dallas who is a freshman at Hertford County Early College.

Karina Monroe (Volleyball)

Karina Monroe attended Chowan University from 2009-2013 after being recruited by then-coach Peter Green to play volleyball. The Fredericksburg, Va. native helped to transform the Chowan University volleyball program into a regional powerhouse, setting the tone for putting Chowan volleyball on the map.

Karina is one of two players in program history to have earned CIAA Player of the Year, CIAA Rookie of the Year, and All-CIAA First Team four times. Karina tallied 1,492 career kills, which still ranks her with the most career kills in program history. In addition to her offensive prowess, Karina put down 315 total blocks on the defensive side of the net, also ranking her first in career total blocks. She also holds four single-season records: kills per set (3.89), points per set (4.58), sets played (127), and matches played (38).

During her time on the team she was named CIAA player of the week three times, preseason All-CIAA three times, CIAA All Rookie Team, CIAA Rookie of the Year, CIAA All Tournament team four times, CIAA All-Tournament MVP, CIAA First Team four times, CIAA Offensive Player of the Year, NCCAA All-South Region, NCCAA All-South Region Player of the Year, NCCAA All-American, and NCCSIA All-State. She also served as the captain of the team and was instrumental in garnering the team two CIAA Conference Championships and two NCAA Atlantic Region Tournament appearances.

While at Chowan, she majored in Biology with a concentration in Environmental Science studies. During her senior year she also was a member of the Women’s Basketball team. She was also a member of several clubs and organizations while at Chowan including the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee, Go Green Club, Science Club, and Fellowship of Christian Athletes.

Since graduating from Chowan, she has worked as a Sea Turtle Rehabilitator at Karen Beasley Sea Turtle Hospital, been an Associate of Sea Turtle Tracking study, an Associate of DNA project and Genetic ID of sea turtle eggs study, a scuba & marine biology educator, and an elementary educator. She has lived in Wilmington, N.C. and most recently, Charlotte, N.C. Her parents and sister were avid supporters of the Chowan volleyball program over Karina’s career.

Karina currently works as a Senior Government and VA Healthcare Operations Coordinator and lives in Charlotte, N.C.

Lisa Knieriemen Rogers (Women’s Soccer)

Lisa Rogers (Knieriemen) attended Chowan University 2002-2006 and was a four-year starter for the Women’s Soccer Team. She was recruited from her hometown of Chesterfield, Va. by then-coach Stuart Horne. Lisa was a constant player on the pitch for the then-Braves soccer program. The midfielder posted a single-season record of 13 assists in her sophomore season, a mark that still stands as the highest in program history.

During her four-year tenure at Chowan, Lisa received many accolades. After scoring nine goals and notching two assists in her rookie season, Lisa earned Second Team All-USA South honors. She followed that up with a sensational sophomore season, with 13 assists and eight goals. She was named All-USA South, Second Team and USA South All-Tournament in that same season. She wrapped up her last two years with the soccer program with 21 goals and 15 assists. She was named NCCSIA All-State in her senior season. She was named Chowan University’s Female Athlete of the Year in her senior season for contributing to her team’s overall success.

Lisa scored 38 career goals, which ranked her 3rd in program history in career goals scored. She posted 30 career assists, a mark that still ranks her at the top of the statistical category. She ranks in the top five career statistical categories in nine categories.

She graduated with a degree in Physical Education with a concentration in Sports Science in 2006. Once graduated from Chowan, she was a teacher at a private day school for children with special needs in Hopewell, Va. Lisa moved to Hawaii where her now husband, Matthew Rogers was stationed while in the Army. Once settled in Hawaii, Lisa received her certificate in massage therapy.

After moving back to their hometown of Chesterfield, Va., Lisa and Matt were blessed to have their daughter, Madelyn in 2010 and son, Bohdi in 2012. As if life hadn’t gotten crazy enough, just six months after having her son, Lisa decided to go back to school to become a nurse. She finished school and went into psychiatric nursing, until 2017, when she started her job as the Registered Nurse Community Integration Consultant for the Virginia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services.

Thurman “T” Taylor (Football)

Thurman “T” Taylor came to Chowan in the spring of 1964, after serving in the U.S. Army for nearly four years. T, a native of nearby Plymouth, N.C., joined the Army directly after graduating from Plymouth High School. T was a letter winning football player but shelved his talents to serve his country.

While stationed at Fort Campbell in Kentucky, T was a member of the 101st Airborne Division. He was also able to participate in athletics while in the army and played with his fellow paratroopers in football, lacrosse, and track.

After his service in the Army, T decided to return closer to home and in the spring of 1964 entered the campus of then-Chowan College. Coach Garrison took to the maturity and toughness of the former Army member and named him a captain. He started at defensive end under Assistant Coach Jerry Hawkins’ defense. In addition to his two years on the gridiron, T participated in Track and Field for the then-Braves.

He was also a very good student who was invited to join Phi Theta Kappa honor society. Family responsibilities prevented him from furthering his football playing career. He had scholarship offers from several four year colleges but had to go to work to help support his family.

While working in Louisiana, he attended Nicholls State and got a B.S. in secondary education. He took a teaching and coaching job while also continuing his education at night. After getting his B.S. from Nicholls State, he continued on to receive a M.S. in Psychology. Family obligations once again were a top priority and while he was in education, he trained as a Liquid Drilling Engineer. Later, he took a job in the oil fields but still continued to stay connected to the community through coaching. He also worked with troubled youth at a Louisiana counseling center.

Currently T and his wife Kim live in Stella, Missouri where they own and operate a small black angus cattle farm. T has four children from a previous marriage: Thor, Remy, Caesar, and Liberty.

Chasity “C.C.” Vaughan (Women’s Basketball)

Chasity Vaughan, known as “C.C.”, came to Chowan in the fall semester of 2002 after being recruited as a transfer student-athlete by then-coach Stephanie Flamini. C.C., a Murfreesboro native and Hertford County High School graduate (2000), transferred from Louisburg College and left Chowan after two years as one of the most prolific offensive players the women’s basketball program has ever seen. To have seen her play in person was special. Her versatility as a player helped her to score in the paint, around the perimeter, at the foul line, and beyond the three-point line.

In two seasons with the then-Braves, C.C. posted 17.9 points per outing and 10.9 rebounds a game. In her senior season she averaged 20.4 points per game. That mark still ranks her #1 in the women’s basketball all-time rankings for Career Scoring Average (17.9) and Single-Season Scoring Average (20.4). She still holds top rankings in Single-Season Points (531), Single-Season Field Goals (180), Single-Season Free Throws Made and Attempted (143-199), Career Rebounding Average (10.9), and Career Defensive Average (6.8). She ranks second in several other categories. C.C. posted these records in just two seasons with the program. Imagine the numbers she would have posted if she had played all four of her years at Chowan.

Over her two-year stint with Chowan, C.C. earned many athletic honors. In the 2003-2004 season she was named the USA South Player of the Year after posting 20.4 points a game and 11.3 rebounds per game. She was also a two-time All USA South First Team member and two-time USA South All-Tournament Team member. She also earned All-South Region honors and was named conference player of the week several times.

C.C. was also a strong academic student and saw her name on the Dean’s List and President’s List at Chowan. After getting her B.S. from Chowan, she would later go onto Virginia Commonwealth to get her M.S. in Sports Management, Recreation, & Tourism. She coached at her alma mater for one season as an assistant coach and worked in the Jenkins Center on campus. She played briefly overseas in Barbados before returning to the workforce stateside. C.C. worked with several youth basketball organizations in both Hertford County and Durham.

C.C. is being inducted posthumously into the Chowan University “Jim Garrison” Sports Hall of Fame. She suffered a medical emergency in March of 2021. C.C. was working for the Raleigh Durham Airport at the time of her passing. C.C. enjoyed sports, including the Dallas Cowboys, and her large, extended family. She enjoyed family gatherings and made her young nieces and nephews a priority. She was the life of the party and is sorely missed by everyone who loved her.