The Texas Wesleyan Athletic Department Hall of Fame added four members on Friday.

At a ceremony at the Ridglea Country Club, longtime supporter Jan Fersing and three former athletes – Irvin Rue, Diane Urey and Robert Wood – became members of the hall. 

Fersing, a board of trustees member and longtime fan of Wesleyan athletics, was the first inductee to speak.

“Texas Wesleyan provides young men and women an education and gives them a chance to make something of themselves after college,” Fersing said.

The hall currently includes 47 members, according to ramsports.net.

University President Frederick G. Slabach gave a short address.

“Sport is only as good as the lessons you learn from it, and how you apply those lessons throughout life,” Slabach said.

Perry Allen, a member of the alumni board of directors and the evening’s master of ceremonies, detailed the history of Wesleyan athletics, which includes 160 all-Americans; seven were at the ceremony.

“Being inducted into Wesleyan’s Athletic Hall of Fame is a big deal,” Allen said. “Many excellent student athletes have gone through this program and tonight we add four more.”

An emotional Rue, who played basketball for Wesleyan from 1961 to 1965 and is third on Wesleyan’s all-time scoring list, said he appreciates everything the university did for him.

Urey, a volleyball playerfrom1980 to 1982, said it was an honor to join the hall.

“Wesleyan did more for me than just being a student and a volleyball player,” she said. “It helped prepare me for life.”

Wood, who played golf from 1958 to 1962, said playing for coach O.D. Bounds from 1958 to 1962 was a tremendous learning experience.

“My lessons learned of compassion and discipline came from the Bounds family,” Wood said.