ABAC President David Bridges (left) and Athletics Director Alan Kramer (right) made the presentation. Players on the team included Tiffany McMillian, Paula Simmons, Sonya Chambliss, Deanna Roberson, Christa Timms, Tiffany Perry, Michelle Jackson, Ingram Perry, Kim Schell, Karla Santiago, Amy Johnson, Buffi Whitley, Anna Stripling, Alana Loper, and Dana Kay Eunice. The 1996 Fillies compiled a record of 44-12 and defeated Meridian (Miss.) Community College for the national title. The national championship team represented the third of three national titles the Fillies won in softball under three different coaches, Ellen Vickers in 1991, Tanner in 1995, and Campbell in 1996.
The 1996 National Champion Fillies Softball Team
TEAM PICTURE
William E. Batton
Batton of Columbus was inducted into the Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College Athletics Hall of Fame. ABAC President David Bridges (left) and Athletics Director Alan Kramer (right) made the presentation. As a student at ABAC, Batton, now 82, was selected Most Athletic, Friendliest, and Best All-Around by the student body. He was also named Mr. Baldwin. Batton was a freshman starter on the basketball team and earned All-State and All-Region honors. In his sophomore year, he served as captain of the 1950 team and averaged 24 points per game. He led the 1949 basketball team to a win over Brewton-Parker in the state championship and then beat Brewton-Parker again for the region title for a berth in the national tournament. Batton grew up on Montezuma.
Donnie Veal
Veal from Tifton was recently inducted into the Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College Athletics Hall of Fame. ABAC President David Bridges (left) and Athletics Director Alan Kramer (right) made the presentation. Veal coached for the ABAC Stallions basketball team from 1977 through 2000. Veal is a Macon native who excelled at baseball and basketball at Lanier High School. He earned a scholarship to Mercer University where he became a member of the 1,000- point club for the Bears’ basketball team and was the leading hitter during his senior year for the baseball squad. He was named the Georgia Athletic Coaches Association Coach of the Year in baseball in 1965 and Coach of the Year in baseball and basketball in 1966. Veal is a member of the Mount de Sales Hall of Fame, the Mercer Hall of Fame and the National Baseball Congress Valdosta Red Sox Hall of Fame.
Greg Tanner
Tanner from Douglas was recently inducted into the Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College Athletics Hall of Fame. ABAC President David Bridges (left) and Athletics Director Alan Kramer (right) made the presentation. In his first college coaching job at the age of 26, Tanner became the head coach of the women’s softball team at ABAC which won the national championship in 1995. Tanner is now the principal at Coffee High School.
Jean Francoise Lagloire
Lagloire of France was recently inducted into the Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College Athletics Hall of Fame. ABAC President David Bridges (left) and Athletics Director Alan Kramer (right) made the presentation to Coach Norman Hill (center), who was Lagloire’s tennis coach at ABAC. Lagloire took the tennis world by storm, winning the prestigious Rolex Small College Singles tournament. Then he battled his way to the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) championship at number one singles as a freshman. Lagloire won the NJCAA number one singles title again as a sophomore, becoming the only male player in ABAC history to win a national crown at number one singles for two straight years. He also won All-America honors in both 1989 and 1990 at singles and doubles.