WISE – The University of Virginia's College at Wise has announced the latest slate of inductees into their Athletic Hall of Fame. This class includes four former student-athletes Kari (Sparks) Farmer, Taylor (Brandts) Kelly, Henry Potter, and Melanie Reilly along with former men's basketball head coach Lee Clark.

They will be inducted into the Hall of Fame in a ceremony to be held on September 12 at 10:00 a.m. in the David J. Prior Convocation Center. The event is part of the college's Alumni Homecoming Weekend activities and is open to the public.

Kari (Sparks) Farmer (Volleyball)
A native of Yuma, Virginia, Farmer played volleyball and softball at UVA Wise from 2001-04 following a standout prep career at Gate City High School. At UVA Wise, Volleyball was where she shined as she set several school records for the then-young program, some of which still stand a quarter of a century later. Another unique aspect of her career was that the libero position was introduced at the collegiate level in 2002 so she was the first libero in UVA Wise history.

On the court she played in 340 sets over 99 matches, earning 1,755 digs while getting 59 aces. She currently holds the school record for digs per set with 5.16 and ranks second in total digs, a number partly handicapped by the fact that in the pre-libero era was not on defense for half the set due to rotations. She currently has the second-most digs in a season with 653 in 2003, and her average of 7.41 per set in 2004 is still the most in program history.

Farmer was named All-AAC and AACLibero of the Year in 2003 and 2004 and was the first Highland Cavalier to be named NAIA National Libero of the Week, earning the honor on September 28, 2004 (the other one was Hall-of-Famer Britney Lawson in 2007). She earned Appalachian Athletic Conference and NAIA Region XII Libero of the Week honors multiple times during her career. She graduated from UVA Wise in 2007.

Melanie Reilly (Lacrosse)
Reilly becomes the first UVA Wise lacrosse player inducted into the Hall of Fame since the program started play in 2015. She was one of the first signees in program history and the program's first goalkeeper. Somewhat uniquely to her (and a couple of her teammates) is that achievement she surpassed was a new school record, including going out as a conference champion on her home field in her final game as UVA Wise won the 2018 Mountain East Conference Championship on the Beaty-Richmond Field at Carl Smith Stadium after and undefeated run in Mountain East Conference play.

Her name is all over the record books. Reilly ranks first in every goalkeeper category at UVA Wise as she is first in saves with 617, (364 ahead of second place --- for context, her 617 saves would rank her second all-time at UVA), saves per game (9.35), save percentage (.482), goals against average (10.40), and wins (40). She still holds the school records for saves in a season (166), saves per game (10.13) and save percentage (.497); and ranks third-most in a season in ground balls with 58 in 2018, which is nearly unheard of from a goalie. Also, she is the only player to date to have 20 or more saves in a game (a feat she completed twice) and she still is tied for most ground balls in a game with ten.

Over her career she was named All-MEC four times (first team as a junior and senior and second team as a freshman and sophomore); was named MEC Defensive Player of the Year in 2017 and 2018; was named to the Intercollegiate Women's Lacrosse Coaches Association Midwest All-Region Second Team in 2018; and VaSID All-State in 2018.

A native of Chesapeake, Virginia, Reilly signed with UVA Wise following a standout career at Bishop Sullivan High School where she was a multiple-time all-district honoree  She graduated from UVA Wise in 2018.

Taylor (Brandts) Kelly (Softball)
Softball is a sport where a good pitcher can dominate, and UVA Wise has had a plethora of good pitchers over the years. At the top of the list is Taylor Kelly, who is arguably the most decorated female student-athlete in UVA Wise history. The King George, Virginia, native compiled a 1.48 career ERA with a 78-30 record in 129 appearances from 2014-18. She had 107 starts, pitched 92 complete games and earned nine saves.

Kelly was a four-time All-Mountain East Conference performer and the conference's first Pitcher of the Year. She was named MEC Pitcher of the Week eight times and the National Fastpitch Coaches Association National Pitcher of the Week once during her career. She was named NFCA All-Region three times, D2CCA All-Region twice, VASid All-State in 2018, and was a Fastpitch News All-American twice during her career. The program won the MEC Championship during her freshman year and hosted the NCAA regional her junior season.

She currently dominates the UVA Wise career pitching records as she has the lowest ERA (1.48); ranks first in wins (78), saves (9), appearances (129), starts (107), shutouts (37), innings pitched (733.0), and hits allowed (590); and ranks second in strikeouts (644); and batters faced (3037). Kelly also holds the season records for lowest ERA (0.99 in 2017), games started (30 in 2017) and shutouts (15 in 2017).

Prior to UVA Wise, Kelly was a standout player at King George High School, where her senior season she had a 1.23 ERA while going 19-1 and striking out 218 of the 524 batters she faced. She graduated from UVA Wise in 2018 and joined the coaching staff in 2024.

Henry Potter (Football)
Potter was a standout offensive lineman on the football team from 2003-07 where he helped lead the team to a 24-20 overall record. The Virginia Beach native was a three-year starter and three-year captain as he helped anchor a line that allowed All-Americans Ra'shad Morgan and Randy Hippeard to lead one of the top offenses in the NAIA over that period. Over his last two seasons, the Cavs compiled a 17-5 record, won the Mid-South Conference East Division, and were nationally ranked throughout the season.

While mainly an offensive lineman, he also saw time as a defensive lineman. Potter was the player the coaching staff looked to in short yardage situations to make a difference in the trenches; opening up holes for Morgan and protecting Hippeard whenever it was necessary.

He was named an All-American by both Don Hansen Football Gazette and Victory Sports Network over his last two seasons, and was a two-time MSC First-Team All-East Division performer. He graduated from UVA Wise in 2008.

Lee Clark (Men's Basketball Coach)
Clark took over the men's basketball program in 1996 and over the next 17 seasons led the Cavs to two NAIA National Tournament appearances and their best season to date. A native of Wise, he played at J. J. Kelly High School and was a member of the Indians' 1976 state runner-up team. He then attended Clinch Valley while also helping coach at J. J. Kelly, graduating in 1985. Clark then worked as an assistant for the Highland Cavalier program under coach Barney Hall from 1987-89 and worked in Georgia for a short stint before taking becoming the Head Coach at Twin Springs High School in 1990.

Over the next six seasons Clark led the Titans to a 126-28 record, including four 20-win seasons, four Region D titles, and four state tournament appearances that saw them reach the final four three times, while winning the State Championship in 1993. He earned three consecutive Region D Coach of the Year honors from 1992-1994 and was the Cumberland District Coach of the Year five times during that stretch.

Upon returning to UVA Wise in 1996, he immediately led the team to what was, at the time, the second-best season in program history as they went 18-16 with current Hall-of Fame players Nat Law and Scott Vermillion leading the way. They reached new heights in the 2002-03 season as the team, led by All-American Zack Moore, not only reached the 20-win mark for the second time in program history but also won the Appalachian Athletic Conference title (in Clark's 100th win at Wise) and earned the program's first-ever NAIA National Tournament berth. He led the team to another NAIA Tournament appearance in 2009-10 after another AAC championship in their final season in that conference before moving to the Mid-South Conference. He also coached the team in their first game in the David J. Prior Convocation Center on Nov. 4, 2011, when the Cavs hosted Cincinnati Christian.

Clark stepped down from coaching the Cavs in 2013 and is the program's winningest head coach with 209 wins. During his tenure he coached three All-Americans and several All-Conference players.

For more information about the UVA Wise Athletic Hall of Fame, go to https://uvawise.touchpros.com/Home2.