JACKSON, Tenn. - The Union University Sports Hall of Fame has announced the class of 2021 with six new inductees entering the hall. Brett Barry, Kaitlin Dudley Freeman, Robert Joseph, Tommy Locke, Tommy Sadler, and Steve Beverly (meritorious service) will be inducted during the ceremony, April 23 at 6:30 p.m. in the Carl Grant Events Center on the campus of Union University. 

Learn more about each inductee by reading the information below. The hall of fame banquet will be live streamed at www.uuathletics.com/watch. 
 

Steve Beverly
Meritorious Service

Steve Beverly is retiring from Union University this year after 50 years in news and sports broadcasting, mostly in television. Of those 50 years, the last 28 of those years he has been a professor of broadcast journalism at Union. Beverly has been a very valuable asset to Union University Athletics, mainly basketball. His talents and leadership helped get Union basketball on television when very few schools the size of Union, if any, had that luxury.  

A native of Waycross, Georgia, Beverly began his work in broadcasting as a student at Valdosta State and later, the University of Georgia. His first TV job was at WRBL in Columbus, Georgia. He earned 15 AP and UPI awards for journalism. His top interviews include professional athletes Larry Holmes, Lee Trevino, Tom Watson, Wilma Rudolph, Harvey Glance, Joe Meriwether, David Pearson, and Andre the Giant. 

In 1993 he began working at Union and in that season, he became the television voice of Union basketball for the next 25 years. He has spent the last three years off air, but working as the executive producer of the broadcasts.

For 12 years, Beverly was the senior play-by-play commentator for the NAIA Women's National Championship Tournament in Jackson, Tennessee. Since then, he has called two NCAA D2 Women's Basketball Region Tournaments and several Gulf South Conference Tournament games. 

Beverly's 28 year career at Union has included 769 college basketball games on television.  

Beverly has earned numerous awards in his field including the 2010 Tennessee Communications Educator of the Year Award and two Howard Newell Innovative Teaching Awards. 

Beverly has volunteered and served very well over the previous 13 hall of fame ceremonies as the Master of Ceremonies.  

Beverly is married to the former Rebecca Geeslin. They have two daughters, Holly and Melody, and two grandsons. 
 

Brett Barry, '13
Men's Golf

Brett Barry graduated from Union in 2013 as one of the most decorated golfers in Union University history. Barry led Union to four national tournaments in his career, three in the NAIA and one NCCAA. 

Barry led Union to three TranSouth Conference titles in his career. As a senior, he did play in Union's new conference, the Gulf South Conference, finishing second and helping Union to a third place finish. 

As a junior, Barry won the TranSouth Conference individual title. He finished that season as the No. 4 ranked golfer in the NAIA. Barry finished in the top-10 in every tournament that season, finishing with a season scoring average of 72.39, one of the best in school history. 

Barry earned three TranSouth All-Conference Awards, including the individual title in 2012. He was also named CoSIDA Academic All-District and All-American, NCCAA All-American, TranSouth Golfer of the Year twice, and GSC Honor Roll during his four years.

In his career, Barry left his mark on the record books. Since the 1999 season when many of these records started being kept, Barry ranks No. 1 in career wins (9), team wins (21), career scoring average (73.45), Most Rounds Played (102), lowest tournament score (14-under par), and total birdies (251). His lowest round score of 63 ranks second best in Union history, just one behind the record score of 62.

In his final national tournament, Barry posted a 5th place finish at the NCCAA National Tournament in 2012, the best national tournament finish in Union history. 

Barry graduated form Union Cum Laude with a degree in Sports Management, also earning the Fred DeLay Award, the highest student-athlete award given at graduation. After pursing a career in professional golf, he returned to Tennessee to marry his wife Jami, also a Union graduate and former volleyball player. Barry worked in marketing for Chick-fil-A, but now resides in North Carolina where he is an auditor for a commercial insurance company. Barry, his wife Jami, and 1-year old daughter Halle are active members of Calvary Baptist Church in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. 

Kaitlin Dudley freeman, '11
Women's Basketball

Kaitlin Dudley Freeman played four seasons of basketball at Union. Those four years are arguably the most successful four-year stretch in Union history. 

Dudley Freeman graduated from Union as the program's all-time leading scorer with 2,385 points, breaking the previous record of 2,372 held by fellow hall of famer, Sandra Lewis Fitzgerald. 

In her four years at Union, Dudley Freeman was named an NAIA All-American four times, TranSouth All-Conference four times, and earned multiple NAIA and TranSouth All-Tournament honors. She was named the TranSouth Player of the Year in 2010 and was the TranSouth Freshman of the Year in 2007. 

Union women's basketball dominated Dudley Freeman's time as a Lady Bulldog. Union posted a record of 138-10 (.933) in four years, winning two NAIA National Titles (2009, 2010), four NAIA semifinal appearances, four TranSouth Regular Season Titles, and three TranSouth Tournament Titles. 

For her career, Dudley Freeman averaged 16.5 points, five rebounds, and three assists per game. She finished her career shooting 50 percent from the field, 43 percent from 3-point range, and 85 percent from the free throw line. 

She left her mark on the record books in many other categories other than being the program's leading scorer. She ranks second all-time in points in a half (29),  third in career 3-point percentage (.433), fifth and seventh in 3-point percentage in a season (.444, .433), third in 3-pointers made in a career (324), third in career free throw percentage (.845), sixth in season free throw percentage (.897), and ranks second in most games played (148), just one back of the record.

After her playing days, she spent two seasons as an assistant coach for Union, helping Union to NAIA National Title game appearances in 2011 and 2012. 

Dudley Freeman is currently a financial advisor at Edward Jones in Jackson, Tennessee. She lives in Bradford, Tennessee on her family farm with her husband, Patterson, two sons, Bo and Baker, and their dog, Otis.

Robert Joseph, '02
Men's Basketball

Robert Joseph spent one and a half years at Union, leaving his mark as a senior as arguably the best individual season in men's basketball history. 

Joseph was named the NAIA Player of the Year and the TranSouth Conference Player of the Year. He was named All-American, All-Conference, and was named all-tournament in both the NAIA and TranSouth Tournaments.  He was also named the TranSouth Newcomer of the Year in 2002. 

As a senior, Joseph averaged 22 points, 10 rebounds, and seven blocks per game. He led the nation in blocks per game and was tops in all three categories in the TranSouth. His 22 points ranked No. 10 in the NAIA and his 10 rebounds per game was No. 13 in the nation. 

Joseph broke several block records at Union, the NAIA level, and also all of college basketball. He set school records for blocks in a game with 12, and then tied his own record with 12 again in a game later in the season. He broke the old record of 69 blocks in a season with his 70th block in just his 10th game of the year. He more than tripled that number by season's end, demolishing the old record with 242 blocks in a season. During the season, he broke the NAIA record of 181 blocks in a season. In the last regular season game of the year, Joseph passed David Robinson's blocks record of 207 to become college basketball's all-time leading shot blocker at all levels. This record earned Joseph a highlight on ESPN Sportscenter and also a mention in Sports Illustrated. Joseph's record of 242 blocks in a season is still the best in college basketball at all levels to date. 

Joseph left his mark in the record book at Union in a few other categories as well. He is No. 2 in points in a season (784), just six points shy of the top spot. He is fifth in points in a game (42), third in field goals made in a season (282), and is tops in free throw attempts in a season (389), and free throw attempts in a game (28). He is first with 16 double-doubles in a season and ranks fourth with 16 double-doubles in a career.

Joseph led Union to a 31-5 record, a conference regular season and tournament title, a No. 2 seed in the NAIA National Tournament, and a final ranking of No. 3 in the national poll.

Tommy Locke, '86
Baseball

Tommy Locke transferred to Union in the fall of 1984 after a successful two years at the junior college level. 

Right away, Locke was key in Union's success on the baseball field, going 8-3 in his first year with the Bulldogs. He posted a 3.31 ERA and led the team to the District 24 title, advancing to the Area 5 Tournament. That season, Locke was named All-District 24, All-Area 5, and All-American. 

As a senior, he did what seemed impossible. After having what many said was career ending shoulder injury during the summer, he returned to post one of the best seasons in Union pitching history. Locke was 11-1 in 1986, winning his first 10 games of the year. He posted a 3.20 ERA and had wins over D1 foes Mississippi State, Southeast Missouri State, and UT Martin. He also hit .323 as the designated hitter that season. 

Locke is tied for third in the Union record books with 11 wins in a season. He is second in Union history with 10 consecutive victories. He ranks second at Union with a .917 winning percentage (11-1) in a season.

In addition to his on the field performances, Locke was also named NAIA Academic All-American twice (1985, 1986). 

His head coach and fellow Union Hall of Famer Linn Stranak said of Locke, "Tommy is one of the three best competitors as a pitcher that I have ever seen or coached at Union. He was an extremely intelligent pitcher with outstanding control. He could manage a game totally from the mound."

Locke currently works in business development at Nokia Corporation serving providers of telecommunication, media, and technology services. He and his wife Marry Anne have two daughters, Madison (Swayze) and Sydney. They reside in Franklin, Tennessee. 
 

Tommy Sadler, '76
Administration, Baseball

Tommy Sadler has spent the last 36 years working at Union University, his alma mater. A native of Jackson, Tennessee, Sadler graduated from South Side High School before coming to Union as a student-athlete to play baseball. 

After starting off at Union in the fund raising and media relations office, he transitioned to a newly created position as the Associate Director of Athletics. He worked in that role for 15 years before stepping into his current role of Director of Athletics in 2008. 

During his time in athletics, Sadler has been awarded numerous opportunities to serve at the conference and national level. He currently serves as the Gulf South Conference Baseball Liaison. He has served as a voting member of the NCAA Division II South RAC Committee for two years, the D2 South RAC Committee Chairman for four years, and the NCAA D2 National Baseball Championship Committee for four years. He also served as the Chairman of the NCAA D2 National Baseball Championships Committee in 2019. He has served as NCAA Site Representatives at numerous baseball conference and region tournaments. He has also been named the TranSouth Conference AD of the Year.

Sadler led Union through the transition from NAIA to NCAA over the three years of 2011-2014, earning high praise for the Union Athletic Department from the NCAA.  

He has also been very instrumental in fund raising efforts for each athletic facility addition or remodel since the campus moved to its current location. This includes Fesmire Baseball and Softball fields, Fesmire Field House, Smith Memorial Soccer Complex, and four renovations to Fred Delay Gymnasium. 

Sadler also pitched for the Union Bulldog baseball team, earning the Best Pitcher Award and Team MVP in 1975. He pitched in 25 of the teams 33 games. Sadler held the school record for appearances in season for 37 years. He played baseball, football, and one season of basketball at South Side High School and was named Most Outstanding Pitcher in 1972.

-UNION-