NORMAL — Former A&M student-athlete and All-SIAC performer Dannette Young Stone was named for induction into the Alabama Sports Hall of Fame.
Born October 6, 1964 in Jacksonville, Florida. She ran track collegiately at Alabama A&M University. She won the Gold Medal in the 1988 Olympics as a member of U.S. 4 X 100 relay team. She ran the fastest 200 in the world in 1988 at 22.34 seconds.
At the 1992 Olympics as member of the 4 X 400 relay team she won the Silver Medal. In the NCAA Division II National Championships she won the 100 and 200 meter dash three consecutive years.
In the 1986 SIAC Championship her senior year she ran five times and bettered the existing meet record in all five races. Her sensational performance in that meet earned her the Cleve L. Abbott Award (1995 ASHOF inductee), given to the most outstanding athlete (male or female) in the meet. She also received the Most Outstanding Female Track Performer Award.
She won the NCAA Division II 400 meter relay two consecutive years (1985 -1986). She ran the anchor leg in the 1986 race which set a school, meet and all-time NCAA record time of 44.50 seconds (at that time). She was undefeated in four years of SIAC competition.
During her career at the NCAA Division II meets she only lost one race. She was named NCAA All-American on 13 occasions.
Stone is joined by SEC and NFL official Ronnie Baynes, Auburn defensive tackle Forrest Blue Jr. (posthumously), Jacksonville State and NFL football player Eric Davis, North Alabama coach and administrator Bill Jones (posthumously), football coach Bill Oliver, Auburn basketball player Vickie Orr and Alabama head football coach Nick Saban.
“Each year we have an amazing class and this year definitely is no exception,” Scott Myers, executive director of the Alabama Sports Hall of Fame, said. “It’s a very diverse class with football, basketball, track and field, officiating all represented. You have several schools throughout the state represented. It’s a very diverse class with a wide variety of success stories.”
The 2013 Induction Banquet will be Saturday, May 18, 2013, in the Birmingham Ballroom of the Sheraton Birmingham Hotel. Reception and banquet tickets can be purchased by contacting the Alabama Sports Hall of Fame museum.
– Courtesy: AAMU Sports Information
