Men’s Basketball ‘Foundation’ Elected to Athletics Hall of Fame

On the heels of Baylor’s first men’s basketball national title, five former student-athletes known as “The Foundation” will be the lone inductions into the Baylor Athletics Hall of Fame as the 2021 class.

Aaron Bruce, B.A. ’10, Mamadou Diene, B.A. ’08, Henry Dugat, B.S.Ed. ’09, Curtis Jerrells, B.S.Ed. ’09, and Kevin Rogers, B.S.Ed. ’09 — part of head coach Scott Drew’s first two recruiting classes — led the men’s basketball program’s return from the bottom of the Big 12 Conference to an NCAA Tournament bid in 2008 and the NIT finals in 2009. They were credited for being the foundational pieces that helped Baylor earn the 2021 NCAA Championship with an 86-70 win over Gonzaga University.

The inaugural Baylor Athletics Hall of Fame class was inducted in 1960 and consisted of longtime football assistant coach Floyd Crow and baseball letterwinner Ted Lyons, B.A. ’23. More than 250 student-athletes have been inducted since.

“The Foundation” will be inducted Oct. 29 in the Brazos Room of the Waco Convention Center. The 2020 class will also be honored during the event as last year’s ceremony was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Both classes will be recognized on the field during Baylor’s football game against the University of Texas the following day.

Last year’s class consisted of Brad Goebel, B.B.A. ’91, Andrew Melontree, ’80, and Jason Smith, B.S.Ed. ’08 (football); Anna Breyfogle, B.A. ’10 (volleyball); Lenka Broosova, B.A. ’10 (women’s tennis); Todd Cooper, B.S.Ed. ’86 (men’s track and field); Lars Poerschke, B.B.A. ’11 (men’s tennis); and Brette Reagan, B.S.Ed. ’09 (softball). Additionally, football letterman Dr. Michael Attas III, B.A. ’69, a 2016 Baylor Medal of Service recipient, became the 29th member of the Wall of Honor last year.

Bruce and Diene were members of Drew’s first signing class in November 2003. Bruce earned freshman All-America honors and was an all-district pick in 2005. He was a three-time honorable mention All-Big 12 selection and was named to Baylor’s All-Centennial Team in 2006. Nicknamed “The Mayor” for his outgoing and community-engaged demeanor, Diene was the 2008 Big 12 Male Sportsperson of the Year and earned Big 12 All-Freshman honors in 2006.

Dugat started all 32 games for Baylor’s 2008 team that went 21-11 and earned the program’s first NCAA Tournament bid in 20 years. The following year, he led the Bears to the Big 12 Championship final and the NIT championship game. Dugat is among the top 20 scorers in program history with 1,229 career points.

Jarrells was inducted into the Baylor Athletics Hall of Fame in 2019 — his first year of eligibility. He is the only player in program history to lead the team in scoring and assists in four seasons. Jerrells was a 2006 Freshman All-American, and he was a consensus first-team All-Big 12 and all-district selection in 2009.

Rogers started 101 consecutive games over his final three seasons. He ranks ninth in program history in career points (1,371) and fourth in career rebounds (865). Rogers was twice named to the media’s Big 12 All-Underrated Team and was a third-team All-Big 12 selection as a junior in 2008.