Angelo State University’s Claudia Lopez and Midwestern State University’s Dominic Rhodes are the 2021 inductees to the Lone Star Conference Hall of Honor, league officials announced on Tuesday.
 
      Lopez and Rhodes compose the 2021 class for the LSC Hall of Honor, which recognizes outstanding individuals who have brought pride and honor to the conference through their contributions as an athlete or who have demonstrated a long-term commitment to the betterment of the conference as a coach or administrator.
 
      “Claudia and Dominic are both very deserving of this recognition. Claudia was a dominant force on the mound that helped bring a national championship to Angelo State, and Dominic was one of the most physically gifted football student-athletes to compete in the LSC," said LSC Commissioner Jay Poerner. “I’m happy to present them both with this tremendous honor.”
 
      Lopez, who is the 12th Ram or Rambelle to be enshrined, and Rhodes, the first Mustang inducted, were selected by a panel of athletic administrators throughout the league.
 
      Each of the inductees will receive the LSC’s signature Hall of Honor award, a 15-inch custom-sculpted eagle figurine mounted on a cherry wood base. The awards for Jordan and Walton are to be presented this fall.
 
      Here is a closer look at the 2021 inductees to the LSC Hall of Honor:
 
Claudia Lopez, Angelo State, Softball: Lopez, a former Rambelle player and assistant coach, holds the Angelo State records for strikeouts (386), lowest ERA (2.00) and strikeouts per game (7.16). She was a key member of the 2004 NCAA Division II National Championship team and later served as an assistant coach.
      During her playing career, ASU went 96-21 with Lopez holding a 49-11 recording during that span. The Douglas, Ariz., native was named the Lone Star Conference Pitcher of the Year in 2004 and to the LSC All-Academic team. Lopez was also named the 2004 South Central Regional Tournament most valuable player.
      After playing for ASU, Lopez served as an assistant coach from 2006-09. She was an integral part of the 2007 and 2009 teams that advanced to the NCAA Division II Softball World Series.
 
Dominic Rhodes, Midwestern State, Football: Rhodes remains one of the most physically gifted athletes to step on the field at Midwestern State.  The Abilene Cooper High product honed his skills helping to change the fate of an MSU football program four seasons after making the jump to NCAA Division II.
      Rhodes needed just two seasons to amass a then-program record 2,541 yards earning third-team Don Hansen Football Gazette All-America honors as a senior leading MSU to its first winning ledger in nine seasons.
      The versatile Rhodes ranked third in Division II during his senior campaign in 2000 accounting for more than 185 all-purpose yards per game finishing the season with 1,387 yards on 229 carries with 17 touchdowns while also serving as the team’s primary punt and kick returner.
      The 5-11, 205-pounder ran for at least 100 yards seven times as a senior including in each of his last five games as went for 192 yards and four TDs against Oklahoma Panhandle State, 153 yards and two TDs versus Southeastern Oklahoma, 163 yards and two scores at Northeastern State, 126 yards and three touchdowns at Tarleton State and 180 yards and a score against Southwestern Oklahoma.
      As a junior in 1999, he became just the third running back since MSU resurrected football 12 years prior to run for 1,000 yards amassing seven 100-yard performances to finish with 1,154 yards and 10 touchdowns.
      Following his MSU career, Rhodes signed as an undrafted free agent with the Indianapolis Colts in 2001 where it didn’t take long to make a splash.  Taking over for the injured Edgerrin James, he ran for the most yards by an undrafted rookie in NFL history going for 1,104 yards despite only playing the final nine games of the season.  It was the first of eight seasons in the NFL for Rhodes, who accounted for 3,286 yards and 26 touchdowns during stints with Indianapolis and Oakland.  Rhodes ran for 113 yards and a touchdown in Indianapolis' 29-17 win over the Chicago Bears in Super Bowl XLI.
      Rhodes was inducted into MSU’s Hall of Honor in 2016.