NOVEMBER 13, 2007 --- FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE  

SMC Soccer Alum Named to NJCAA Soccer Hall of Fame
Richard Reid Led Pioneers to 1994 National Title

SPARTANBURG – A Spartanburg Methodist College soccer standout is being inducted this month into the 2007 National Junior College Athletic Association’s Soccer Hall of Fame.

Richard Reid, a former SMC soccer player and MVP of the 1994 NJCAA national soccer tournament, is being named to the Hall of Fame along with five other former Division I and II players.

Reid, a central defender, led the SMC Pioneers to the 1994 national title – the team’s only national title – over Yavapai College. He went on play at Lander University and for the Palm Beach Pumas for two seasons each.

“Richard had all the attributes a coach looked for in a student-athlete.  He was 6’4” and 210 lbs, which is monstrous for soccer players; being from England, he was totally committed and appreciative of the opportunity he was given to get an education; he had good grades; he had no problems off the field; and he led by example,” says former Pioneer soccer coach Pete Petersen, who now coaches at Clayton State University in Atlanta.

Petersen adds that Reid always exhibited a strong sense of sportsmanship.

“The one thing I have always remembered about Rich was when he would punish an opposing player with a devastating tackle and then help him up and ask if he was okay.  He played in the National Championship with a broken wrist, an aggravated hamstring and turf toe -- and brought the gold home and was honored as player of the year,” says Petersen.

SMC Athletic Director Mark Perdue adds that the SMC community is very proud of Reid’s accomplishments over the years.

“We are very excited for him to be receving such an honor as an induction into the NJCAA Soccer Hall of Fame. Such standout alumni as Richard Reid are a testament to the strength of our athletic program and the talent of our student athletes,” says SMC athletic director Mark Perdue.

There are currently 39 players, coaches and contributors that have been named to the NJCAA Soccer Hall of Fame.

Spartanburg Methodist College has 14 intercollegiate teams that compete in Region X of the National Junior College Athletic Association, which includes colleges in the Carolinas, Virginia, and West Virginia.

The College is in its 97th year of providing a quality education to students in a Christian environment. More than 90 percent of SMC graduates continue their education at other institutions of higher learning.

For more information, contact SMC Athletic Director Mark Perdue at (864) 587-4237.

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