On April 30, the Gwinnett County Sports Hall of Fame inducted the Class of 2018 in front of a sellout crowd of friends, family, and Gwinnett sports fans. The 9th annual induction ceremony, an evening gala, was the largest Hall of Fame event to date, with close to 500 in attendance. Check out this video from the 2018 induction ceremony from GCPS TV.
The Class of 2018 inductees are Jeff Francoeur, retired MLB outfielder and Parkview HS graduate; former NFL and University of Georgia (UGA) punter Drew Butler from Peachtree Ridge HS; Norcross HS’ Joyce Pierce, a basketball standout at Georgia Tech who went on to a professional basketball career in France; Michelle Green, who led both Duluth HS and UGA to softball championships; and Duluth golfer James Mason, a member of the Georgia Golf Hall of Fame and the reigning Georgia Senior Open champion.
Coach Bobby Cox, Baseball Hall of Fame inductee and former Atlanta Braves manager, was the keynote speaker for the ceremony to honor the five elite inductees, all GCPS graduates.
The event raised more than $155,000 in sponsorships, ticket sales, and proceeds from an online auction featuring luxury electronics, event tickets, and more. All proceeds benefit academic initiatives and student scholarships administered by the Gwinnett County Public Schools Foundation Fund.
Sponsors for the ceremony included:
- Presenting Sponsor: Gwinnett Medical Center;
- Platinum Sponsors: Hisense, Sean and Cindy Murphy Family, and Sports Medicine South/Dr. Gary Levengood;
- Gold Sponsors: Ernst & Young, Georgia Power, Infinite Energy Center, Infinite Energy Company, Jackson EMC, Mall of Georgia MINI, Mitusbishi Electric Classic, Partnership Gwinnett, Proof of the Pudding, and Scholastic Images Balfour; and
- 37 Table Sponsors