FULTON, Mo.- For the first time in school history, William Woods will be inducting three members into the schools inaugural Hall of Fame this Saturday evening. Helen Stephens, former athletic director and winningest coach in WWU history Roger Ternes and all-time leading scorer for women's basketball Lana Unnewehr-Brooks were all selected as the inductees for the class of 2013.

For the next three days, we will posting an article on wwuowls.com about each inductee and first up today is Helen Stephens. The candidates for the William Woods Hall of Fame must have demonstrated outstanding achievement, exemplary service or brought recognition and prominence to William Woods.

This weekend's inductee, Helen Stephens, not only did she achieve greatness, serve the community and represent William Woods, she was an inspiration to women around the world and never forgot her roots here in Fulton.

Born on February 3^rd, 1918 in Fulton, Missouri, she was known as the teenage Track and Field Champion, to becoming the first woman owner/manager of an all-woman semiprofessional ball team and a strong advocate of Title IX.

She is perhaps the most well-known athlete in Fulton's history, as she was named the 1936 Associated Press Athlete of the Year after winning gold medals in the 100-meter dash and the 4x100-meter relay and she set a record in the 100-meter dash that would stand for 24 years. After winning the 100-meter dash at the 1936 Olympics in Berlin, Stephens is also very well known for having the chance to meet Adolf Hitler.

By the time she was 18, she had already won nine Amateur Athletic Union Track and Field titles, which then the media started to give Stephens the nickname “Fulton Flash” and the “Missouri Express”.

Helen went on to win 14 AAU Track and Field titles and retired from amateur sports having never lost a footrace. Stephens even founded her own semi-professional women's basketball team in 1938 when she was 20 years old while at William Woods. She was the first woman to create, own and manage a semi-pro basketball team.

In 1950, Stephens was named by the Associated Press sports editors, as one of the ten greatest female athletes of the 20^th century. She then joined the Marines and served during World War II and then after the war, she took a job with the Defense Mapping Agency where she worked for 26 years.

Following her retirement from the Defense Mapping Agency Aerospace Center, she served as an advisor to the William Woods College track and field program, serving on the board of directors of the Senior Olympics Programs as well.

Her passion for sports never left her, as even after she retired, Stephens enjoyed bowling, golf and swimming. She competed in the Senior Olympics and clocked the fastest speeds and long distances in her age category. The “Fulton Flash” still ran well at age 68 when she ran the 100-meter dash in 16.4 seconds, just four seconds slower than when she was 18. From 1980 to 1993, Stephens also carried the torch for the first nine Show-Me State Games in Columbia Missouri, as well as the Senior Olympic games.

She inspired teenagers and senior citizens alike to exercise and work for good health, which allowed her to be inducted into the Women's Sports Foundation Hall of Fame and was the first woman inducted into the Missouri Sports and National Track and Field Hall of Fame.

Helen Stephens sadly passed away in 1994, but by the time of her death she was an inductee in nine different sports Hall of Fames and because of her lifelong commitments to sports, the U.S. Olympic Committee granted use of its five-ring Olympic logo on her grave site plaque.

Since her passing, her name is continued to be seen throughout William Woods, most notably at the Helen Stephens Sports Complex where basketball, volleyball, offices and multiple campus events are held at.

There is also the Helen Stephens Award which is presented annually to an outstanding junior student-athlete who has achieved excellence in both the classroom and in the area of intercollegiate athletics. The award is presented to a student who demonstrates the talent, discipline and desire that best describes the legacy of William Woods alumnae and Olympic champion, Helen Stephens.