LIVINGSTON, Ala. - The University of West Alabama Athletic Department announced Zachary Wilson, Qua Boyd, Michael Carter, Polina Hodnette, and Dr. E. Lyle Cain as the five inductees of the UWA Athletics Hall of Fame, Class of 2025.
All five recipients will be officially inducted on Saturday, October 18 before the Tigers take on West Florida at 6:00 p.m.
"This year's Hall of Fame class represents the very best of what it means to be a UWA Tiger — excellence, resilience, and an enduring commitment to greatness both on and off the field," said Director of Athletics Brett Gilliland.
Zachary Wilson - Men's Rodeo
With a program as rich in talent as West Alabama Rodeo, Wilson stands as one of the top Cowboys in Program History. Wilson competed from 2013-2017 with the Tigers and quickly cemented his legacy, by winning a National Championship in Tie Down Roping as a True Freshman. Wilson's title is the second National Championship in West Alabama Athletics history and was the first since UWA Football's National Championship in 1971. Along with his Title winning performance in 2013, Wilson also won the Ozark Region Title in 2013, before capturing the Diamond A Horses Calf Roping Championship in 2016.
Qua Boyd - Football
When Boyd joined the Tigers in 2017, he immediately put the GSC on notice. The 6'5" Tight End finished his introductory season with 52 catches, 660 yards, four touchdowns, resulting in an All-American, All-Region, and All-GSC selection. In 2018, the Tight End racked up 562 yards and seven touchdowns on 46 catches, leading UWA to the NCAA Playoffs, before ending his career with 30 receptions, 390 yards, and three touchdowns. Boyd's 2018 and 2019 campaigns resulted in two more All-American, All-Region, and All-Conference selections, stamping his name as one of the greatest Tight Ends in West Alabama and GSC history. Boyd leads all Tight Ends in UWA history in receptions and ranks fifth amongst all positions, while sitting seventh in career receiving yards amongst all positions with 1,612 and fifth in touchdown receptions with 14.
Michael Carter - Baseball
In the late 1980s and early 1990s, Michael Carter was a staple in West Alabama's lineup. As a Freshman in 1989, the Shortstop hit .381 at the top of the Tigers' order. Carter was an on-base machine and coupled that with elite speed, leading to a team-high 22 stolen bases in the 1989 season. The Shortstop scored 28 runs and drove in 16, while hitting two Home Runs. As a sophomore in 1990, Carter continued to showcase elite talent at the plate as he hit .333 on the year along with 13 Home Runs and 34 RBIs. On the base paths, he stole 22 bags, scoring 45 runs and accumulating a team-high 115 total bases. After his UWA career, Carter was ranked as the No. 62 prospect in all of baseball, leading to the Shortstop being drafted in the third round by the Milwaukee Brewers. Carter went on to win an AAA Batting Title in the midst of a 12 year career. The new West Alabama Hall of Fame Inductee finished out his professional career with a .298 career batting average in 5,309 at bats.
Polina (Babkina) Hodnette - Women's Cross Country
Carlson was a multi-sport athlete at UWA, staring with the Tigers' Cross Country and Tennis programs. Hodnette began her West Alabama journey with Women's Tennis before a summer workout changed the complexity of her athletic career. While with the Tennis Program, Hodnette out ran everyone by a large margin during the running drills, leading to the Hawaiian native trying out for the Cross Country team at UWA. Carlson quickly separated herself from the pack, breaking the school record in the 5000m before breaking it again at the NCAA South Regional Championships. The runner won the GSC Championship in 2011, becoming the first athlete in the Tigers' program history to do so. After her West Alabama career, Hodnette went on to place first in the 2013 Xterra Half Marathon World Championships, fifth in the 2013 Honolulu Marathon, first in the 2014 Great Aloha Run, and sixth in the 2014 California International Marathon. Hodnette's time of 2:35:41 in the International Marathon led to the now UWA Hall of Fame Inductee to qualify for the 2016 Olympic Marathon Trials.
Dr. E. Lyle Cain - Physician
Dr. Cain has served as West Alabama's Team Physician for 25 years. With an MD to his name, Dr. Cain specializes in arthroscopy and treatment of sports-related injuries as well as open arthroscopic treatment of knee, shoulder, and elbow injuries. He is also certified to treat cartilage injuries in the knee with articular cartilage implantation and meniscal transplantation. While treating injuries, Dr. Cain's current research focuses on the prevention of injuries within youth athletes.
Dr. Cain has served UWA and our region in an extraordinary way. He has transformed West Alabama's Athletic Training efforts and continues to gain respect across the Country.
"From a professional baseball standout, a three-time All-American tight end, and an Olympic trials qualifier, to a world-renowned orthopedic surgeon and a national champion rodeo wrangler, each of these individuals has left an indelible mark on our university's legacy," Gilliland continued. "We are proud to honor them and celebrate the lasting impact they've made on UWA and the world beyond."
West Alabama's Hall of Fame Weekend is set for October 17-19.
