Mark Sherrill to be Inducted Into John B. McClendon, Jr. CIAA Hall of Fame
Charlotte, N.C. (Dec. 21, 2015) – Longtime Johnson C. Smith assistant men’s basketball coach and former Golden Bulls standout Mark Sherrill will be inducted into the John B. McClendon, Jr. CIAA Hall of Fame, it was announced by the league today. The formal induction ceremony be held at the 2016 Hall of Fame Breakfast on Friday, Feb. 26 at 9:00 a.m. at the Charlotte Convention Center.
During his JCSU career as a forward, he scored 2,552 points, good for second all-time on the JCSU career scoring list. For his performance during his senior campaign, he was named to the Don Hansen’s Basketball Gazette NCAA Division II All-American basketball team and the 1991 Extra Point Club, Inc.’s All-American basketball team. He was the first JCSU player to earn All-American honors under Coach Stephen Joyner, Sr. and the first male All-American in University history.
In 1989, Sherrill was named the CIAA Rookie of the year and was later named to the 1991 All-Tournament South Atlantic Regional team and finished eighth in the nation in scoring in the final 1991 NCAA rankings. He set a school record for most points in a season with 774 during the 1990-91 season. Sherrill currently ranks sixth all-time in CIAA scoring.
Following his collegiate playing career, he was selected to attend the NBA Summer League with the Los Angeles Clippers and remained until the final cut. He then moved to Australia where he signed a contract with the Coastal Breakers of the Australian Basketball League. While playing in Australia, he broke several records. He scored 79 points in a game and led the league in scoring, averaging 43 points per game.
After Sherrill’s professional career, he joined Stephen Joyner, Sr. on the bench as an assistant coach. Over the past two decades, he has helped the Golden Bulls men’s basketball program reach new heights. JCSU captured CIAA Western Division titles in 2001, 2002, 2006, 2007, and 2008. The 2000-01 season proved to be magical when JCSU won the CIAA Western Division Championship and the University’s first ever CIAA Tournament Championship. By winning the CIAA title, JCSU advanced to its first ever NCAA South Atlantic Regional Championship and appeared in the NCAA Elite Eight National Tournament held in Bakersfield, California. Collectively, Sherrill’s contributions have helped guided the Golden Bulls to three CIAA Tournament titles (2001, 2008, 2009).
A strong developer of player skills, Sherrill has served as a basketball instructor at several clinics across the United States and abroad, including St. Maarten, the Dominican Republic and Australia.
“I am honored to be selected as a member of the CIAA Hall of Fame’s 2016 class,” Sherrill said. “The slogan ‘CIAA for Life’ is more than just a slogan to me. I have been a part of the conference for 27 years as a student-athlete and assistant coach at Johnson C. Smith University. It means a lot to me that I am able to hold high the Gold and Blue and represent my alma mater in the CIAA Hall of Fame. I’m proud of my accomplishments as a student athlete, and I’m pleased to join the other outstanding inductees who represent the best of the CIAA.”
Sherrill earned a bachelor’s degree in Sociology from JCSU in 1992. He currently resides in Charlotte with his three children, M.J., Stephen and Stephanie.
JCSU athletic director and men’s basketball coach Stephen Joyner, Sr. says that Sherrill is very deserving of this honor. “Mark was one of the best student-athletes we’ve had here at JCSU. He was an outstanding player with his knack for scoring,” said Joyner. “Without a doubt, we are very proud that he was selected and will represent JCSU in this year’s induction class.”