Former Buford Star Among 7 Inductees into Gwinnett Sports Hall of Fame

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Seven former Gwinnett County sports standouts will be inducted into the 2015 Gwinnett County Sports Hall of Fame this weekend.

Included in the 2015 class is former Buford High School standout Christi Thomas, who went on to star in basketball at the University of Tennessee and WNBA (see more below).

Legendary University of Georgia Football Coach Vince Dooley will be the keynote speaker at the induction ceremony, which begins at 6:30 p.m. May 1 at the Gwinnett Civic Center.

The event will be hosted by the Gwinnett County Public Schools Foundation Fund, Inc.

Tickets to the event are $150. Table sponsorships are $1,500.

The 2015 Gwinnett County Sports Hall of Fame Inductees are:

• Stephen Harris, Norcross High School

A Norcross High graduate, Stephen Harris is considered one of Gwinnett’s best-ever all-around athletes. His athleticism propelled him to track and field excellence at the University of Tennessee. In the early 2000s, he regularly ranked in the top 10 nationally in the decathlon and finished fifth in the 2005 USA Track and Field Championships. He also won the NCAA decathlon championship as a University of Tennessee senior.

• Coach Tally Johnson, Central Gwinnett High School

Coach Tally Johnson is a legend in Gwinnett coaching circles and at Central Gwinnett High School where he spent 35 years of his career (from 1974 to 2009). He was the Black Knights’ head football coach for 28 years, winning 185 games, and served as athletic director for 33 years. The Central Gwinnett football field is named in his honor.

• Dustin Kawa, Shiloh High School

Dustin Kawa is a Shiloh High School graduate and he is the second wrestler picked for this Gwinnett honor. In his high school career, he went 154-3, won three state championships, and became the first Georgian to win the senior national tournament (1999). He followed these successes with a successful collegiate career that included winning two ACC titles at North Carolina State.

• David Pollack, Shiloh High School

David Pollack is a Shiloh High School graduate who built on a successful high school and collegiate career and went on to play in the National Football League. He is one of only two three-time All-American football players in the history of University of Georgia football. (Heisman Trophy winner Herschel Walker is the other.) A former first-round pick in the NFL Draft by the Cincinnati Bengals, his pro career was cut short by a neck injury. However, David continues to contribute to the world of sports, excelling as a college football analyst for ESPN and appearing on a variety of programs, including “ESPN’s College GameDay.”

• Christi Thomas, Buford High School

Christi Thomas is a Buford High School graduate who was a three-time All-SEC selection while playing for the University of Georgia’s women’s basketball team. Selected twelfth overall in the 2004 WNBA Draft by the Los Angeles Sparks, she played seven seasons in the WNBA. She still plays internationally, as most WNBA players do in their off-seasons.

• Amanda Weir, Brookwood High School

Olympic medalist Amanda Weir is a Brookwood High School graduate who still swims competitively and trains out of Gwinnett-based SwimAtlanta. During her career, she has made the U.S. Olympic Team twice. She won two silver medals in 2004 in Athens, Greece, as an 18-year-old, and then earned a bronze medal in the 2012 Olympics which were held in London.

• William “Bull” Cooper, Grayson High School

William “Bull” Cooper is a Grayson High School graduate who went on to attend the University of Georgia. He played both baseball and football for the Bulldogs, then played baseball for the Atlanta Crackers, and football for the Chicago Cardinals.

(Photo: Christi Thomas. Credit: GCPS)