WISE - - Kendall Rainey, Randy Hippeard and Ra'Shad Morgan will become the three newest members of the UVa-Wise Athletic Hall of Fame this Saturday when the trio is inducted at halftime of the men's basketball game against the University of Charleston. With the induction of these three former-student athletes, a total of 48 past student-athletes, coaches, administrators, and contributors will be members of the exclusive club that held its first induction ceremony in 1998.

A Glade Spring, Va. native and 2005 graduate of the College, Rainey is a former softball and volleyball player who also spent three seasons as the Head Coach of the volleyball program at UVa-Wise. On the diamond, Rainey was a four-time All-Appalachian Athletic Conference selection, a three-time All-Region XII honoree, the 2005 Region XII Player of the Year, and a two-time NSCA All-American. Rainey finished her softball career with a .358 batting average, 203 hits, 157 runs scored, and 87 stolen bases. Her 157 runs scored are the most in program history while her stolen base total ranks second in school history and her.358 batting average is third best in Cavalier history.

Rainey's best athletic year as a Cavalier was her senior campaign of 2004-05. She kick-started her senior year with All-AAC and All-Region XII accolades on the volleyball court as the Cavaliers won 15 consecutive matches and 40 consecutive sets that fall en route to a share of the AAC Championship and a regional tournament berth. She finished her volleyball career as the school's all-time leader in assists with 3,431.

Her strong play continued in the spring as she posted career bests in runs scored, hits, doubles, extra-base hits, RBI, and stolen bases as she aided UVa-Wise to its first ever Region XII Championship and a berth in the NAIA World Series.

She returned to UVa-Wise in 2009 as the school's volleyball coach. Under Rainey's watch, the program transitioned from the AAC to the Mid-South Conference and made the move from Greear Gymnasium to the David J. Prior Convocation Center. Under Rainey's guidance, the volleyball program improved its win total by two wins each season over her last two campaigns.

In addition to her on the field accomplishments, she was a two-time NAIA Academic All-American, a member of the UVa-Wise Darden Honor Society, and the Appalachian Athletic Conference 2005 Champion of Character Award recipient. Rainey graduated from the College with honors Suma Cum Laude before later adding a master's degree and a Ph.D. from the University of Tennessee. Today, she serves as the Associate Director of Athletics for Academics and Student-Athlete Success and Senior Woman Administrator at the College.

One of the more prolific passers in NAIA history, Randy Hippeard's jersey number (number one) could very easily be used to describe the former signal caller's rank among quarterbacks in the history of the football program at UVa-Wise. By the time his career concluded, Hippeard held a combined 24 single-season and career school records, 23 of which still stand. His 11,640 career passing yards are the fourth most by any player in the history of the NAIA and in 2008 Hippeard spearheaded a passing attack that led the NAIA in passing yards per game at 346.5.

Hippeard started eight games as a freshman in 2005 and passed for 1,448 yards. While the Cavaliers posted just a 4-7 record that season, Hippeard's potential for excellence was on display in first start at Carl Smith Stadium. On that day, he passed for 381yards and three touchdowns on just 20 attempts as UVa-Wise built a 35-7 halftime lead en route to a 54-20 victory over Chowan College. Over the next three seasons, Hippeard would start every game under center as the Cavaliers would post a 25-8 record, claim a share of the 2007 Mid-South East Championship as Hippeard and the team continued to pile up record-setting offensive numbers.

As a sophomore, Hippeard would establish new school single-season records for completions, yards, and touchdowns as the Cavaliers posted an 8-3 record, the most by the school since 1996. As impressive as his sophomore campaign was, his junior and senior seasons were even more impressive as he tossed for a combined 7,092 yards and 75 touchdowns in his final two seasons. The strong-armed quarterback also broke his own single-season completions, yards, and touchdowns records in each of his final two seasons.

A current member of the Tampa Bay Storm in the Arena Football League, Hippeard has played and coached football since his collegiate career came to a close. Last season, he joined the Storm mid-season and his knack for impressive debuts continued as threw for 315 yards and six touchdowns. Due to obligations with the Storm, Hippeard is unable to attend the induction ceremony.

Ra'Shad Morgan finished his Cavalier career as Virginia's top small-college football player, a conference champion, a school-record holder, and an All-American.

After a redshirt season in 2002, Morgan appeared in all 11 games during a 2003 campaign that saw him score five touchdowns and average five yards per carry. The tailback sat out the 2004 season before returning in 2005 to score six touchdown and average six yards a carry.

Morgan's breakout season came in his junior campaign of 2006 when he set the single-season rushing record at UVa-Wise with 1,657 yards. In establishing the new single-season record, Morgan broke the old record by more than 200 yards. He also ran for 25 touchdowns that year and averaged 150.6 rushing yards per game. The touchdowns and average rushing yards per game were also single-season school records.

A year later, he broke his own single-season touchdown record with 27 touchdowns, the last of which tied the all-time rushing touchdowns record at UVa-Wise with 62. The Cavaliers gained a share of the Mid-South East Championship that season as he aided the offensive to a NAIA best 49.5 points per game.

Morgan finished his career with 4,432 rushing yards, 62 rushing touchdowns, 990 receiving yards, and three receiving touchdowns. His 1,657 rushing yards in 2006 led the NAIA and his 174 points as a senior landed him the NAIA scoring title. He was a two-time All-Mid-South honoree, the 2006 Mid-South Conference Player of the Year, a two-time AFCA All-American, while also becoming the first Cavalier to ever earn the Dudley Award which is awarded annually to the state's top small-college football player.

Upon graduating, Morgan began working with adolescents in the field of behavioral health. He currently resides in Hampton, Va.

The day's ceremonies will begin on Saturday morning when this year's inductees are honored with a brunch.