MORROW, Ga. – The Clayton State Department of Athletics continues its feature series that highlights members of its Athletics Hall of Fame. This week's spotlight feature highlights Dave Kelly, a member of the fifth class to be inducted into the Clayton State Athletics Hall of Fame in 2018.

One of the first men's golfers to be successful at the national level for Clayton State, Dave Kelly helped guide the program to new heights in his four years as a Laker from 1996-2000.
 
A native of St. Marie, Quebec, Canada, Kelly was a major contributor on teams that reached the regional or national postseason all four of his years. As a freshman in 1996-97 he was on a Lakers team that finished fourth at the NAIA Southeast Regional Tournament.
 
That would be the tip of the iceberg for Kelly and Clayton State as they jumped into the NCAA Division II era the following year. The 1997-98 campaign would be the first of three consecutive NCAA South Region Tournament berths for the young program. That year he was the second highest finisher, tying for 20^th, for a club that finished eighth in their first NCAA postseason.
 
Coming off that first taste of success as a full-fledged NCAA program, the 1998-99 season would be a historic one for both Kelly and the program. It would be a year that would see the team earn a fourth place finish at the NCAA South Region Tournament, led by a first place tie from Kelly, to qualify for the Lakers first ever trip to the national tournament.
 
Kelly would tie for 41^st against the best Division II golfers in the country as Clayton State earned a seventh place national finish. That NCAA National Tournament appearance is still just one of two in the program's history. That year Kelly would become just fourth Laker in any sport to earn All-American honors, collecting Third-Team honors, to go along with All-Region and All-Peach Belt Conference honors.
 
The following season he would notch the third highest finish on the team in the Lakers third straight NCAA Tournament appearance. It is still the only time in team history that the club has accomplished that feat. Kelly also earned his second straight All-Peach Belt honor and is currently one of only three individuals in program history to pick up multiple honors.
 
As successful as he was on the course, several of Kelly's most impressive honors came from within Clayton State Athletics. In 1998 and 2000 he was named the Male Laker Award Winner and is still the only multi time winner on the men's side. Following that 2000 season he also added the prestigious H. Mason Barfield Academic Award as the male student-athlete with the highest qualifying GPA.

2021 Hall of Fame


On July 1, the Department of Athletics announced that the 2011 Clayton State National Championship Women's Basketball Team and coach Dennis Cox will be inducted into the Athletics Hall of Fame. Tickets and information can be found here. To view the announcement, please click here. 

About the Hall of Fame
Established in 2013, the Clayton State Athletics Hall of Fame was created to honor former Laker student-athletes, coaches, administrators, faculty/staff and community members who have, by their outstanding achievements, contributed to the ideals of the Clayton State Department of Athletics. Seven classes and 27 former student-athletes, coaches, administrators and special inductees have been enshrined. 

Past Spotlights: 
Bob Hill
Olaitan Yusuf
Warren Van Der Westhuizen
Leonard Moreland
Keith Herring
Candi Wyatt
Jackeline Nieto
Dr. Harry S. Downs
Robert Conley
Dr. Joseph S. Wilkes
Lisa Williams
Allison Kreutzer
Dr. Charlie Frazier Jr.
Nkiru Okosieme
Carlos Head
Alex Dowling
Mason Barfield