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Former Heritage pitcher honored
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Former Heritage High School pitcher Meredith Ray (right) was recently inducted into the Piedmont College Department of Athletics Hall of Fame. - photo by Submitted Photo

Demorest, GA - The Piedmont College Department of Athletics recently inducted its 2014 Hall of Fame Class with two PC greats being honored at a banquet held on campus over Alumni Weekend.  Former softball player Meredith Ray and former men's tennis player Bryan Getty were each introduced and inducted as the newest members of the Hall of Fame, sponsored by Piedmont's Athletic supporters' group, the "P" Club.

"Bryan and Meredith are most deserving of this honor," said "P" Club President Michael Williams.  "They performed at a very high level on the court and field during their tenure at Piedmont College. Congratulations to both!"

"I really enjoyed being a part of the "P" Club Hall of Fame induction ceremony and it was extra special personally this year because both Bryan and Meredith were student-athletes since my arrival at Piedmont," said Director of Development Justin Scali.  "I got to witness not only their special talents on the court and field respectively, but also got to learn about how they are both great individuals. They both exemplify what it meant to be a student-athlete and I know the "P" Club is honored to have them as part of the Hall of Fame."

As one of Piedmont's winningest pitchers in the program's history, Meredith Ray enters the Hall of Fame a no-doubt pick after amassing a 66-37 record working in the circle for the Lady Lion softball program from 2004 to 2007.   A native of Conyers, Georgia, Ray helped Piedmont to a Great South Athletic Conference Tournament Championship and regular season crown in 2005 before leading her team to a GSAC regular season title in 2006 as well as the program's first-ever NCAA National Tournament appearance in the same season.

The 2006 NCAA appearance was the first of five such appearances for the successful program through the 2014 season as Ray's 1.15 ERA in the '06 run was a key part of the inaugural appearance.  Ray went 22-6 in that season working in the circle for PC, her best such individual season earning her GSAC Pitcher of the Year honors for a second straight season after taking the recognition in 2005 as well.

Ray's 2006 ERA ranked 29th in all of NCAA Division III while she compiled the 14th most victories in the nation that season as she was named a Louisville Slugger All-Atlantic Region selection in NCAA Division III by the National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA). 

Also a three-time All-Region selection by the National Christian College Athletic Association (NCCAA), Ray was honored as a NCCAA All-American by the organization three times in her four year career as well earning All-Tournament honors at the NCCAA National Championships in 2005 helping her team to a 4th place finish.

A four-time All-Conference selection and 2005 GSAC tourney MVP, Ray accumulated almost 450 strikeouts in better than 550 innings of work while issuing less than 100 walks in her four-year career.  Never posting a ERA higher than 1.65 in any of her four seasons, Ray stands in the top three of program history in nearly every major pitching category including career wins, strikeouts, and innings pitched while her 153 strikeouts and ten shutouts in the 2006 season are still single-season bests in program history through the 2014 season.

As a three-time GSAC All-Academic honoree, Ray also got it done in the classroom earning a litany of academic honors including Scholar Athlete status from the NFCA and NCCAA while also being named an All-American Scholar by the United States Achievement Academy. 

Ray was also a member of the Kappa Mu Epsilon Honor Society, Chi Alpha Sigma National Honor Society, Piedmont College Torch Honor Society, and a multiple honoree on the Dean's and President's List at the college.  In addition to her success in the classroom, Meredith was named the 2007 Piedmont College Homecoming Queen as well.

Graduating from Heritage High School prior to arriving in Demorest, Ray graduated Magna Cum Laude from Piedmont in 2007 with a Bachelor of Science in Mathematics before completing a Masters in Public Health from the University of Georgia in May of 2009. 

The former Piedmont pitcher is also a Ph.D. candidate in the field of Biostatics at the University of South Carolina and is scheduled to graduate in August of 2014.