KENNETT, Mo. - The Kennett Hall of Fame will induct three new members this year.

Mr. David Tippen is being recognized for his athletic achievements at Kennett High School. Tippen graduated in 1973 and was a three sport athlete during his time with the Indians. He was the star quarterback for Kennett’s football team and kicker during the early 70’s.

Along with his achievements on the field, Tippen competed in track and field with the Indians where he set the pole vault record. He also played baseball and was highly recruited. He even got scouted by the Kansas City Royals and Cincinnati Reds.

Now, Tippen is an involved member of the Kennett community and the owner of Dave’s Heating and Cooling. With almost 60 years of service to Dunklin County, Tippen’s HVAC service received a Presidential Award.

The next inductee includes the 2010-2011 girls basketball team.

This is the most winning team in Kennett girls basketball history, with a final season record of 29 wins and only 4 losses.

They were back-to-back District champs, after winning in the 2009-2010 season. They are also the only team to make it to the Final Four at the MSHSAA State Basketball Tournament.

This team, coached by Spencer Hoffman, also went 27-0 against their Bootheel competitors while becoming the Bootheel Conference regular season and tournament champions. Hoffman was announced Bootheel Conference Coach of the Year for both seasons he coached at Kennett.

Jerica Wheeler and Veronica Amos were two of the seniors who led this 2010-2011 Indian roster.

Wheeler scored her 1,000 career point for the Indians as she helped lead this team to the Final Four. She averaged 12.4 points and 5.1 assists per game. She later went on to play college ball at Mineral Area College.

Along with Wheeler and Amos, the other members of the starting five for this roster included Alexandra Brown, Audrey Wynne and Mackenzie Carr. Alexandria Washburn and Anna Hilburn were also key players for the Indians during this State tournament run along with Caroline Shetley and Janeisha Gooden.

The final inductee for the 2024 Kennett Sports Hall of Fame is former Athletic Director Jim Vaughan.

Vaughan served as the AD for 18 years before he announced his retirement this past spring.

Vaughan spent his time cultivating a positive culture within Kennett athletics. He has helped grow the athletic program to what it is today. He did this with community support through the golf fundraiser he put on every year at the Kennett Country Club.

Each year, this fundraiser has raised up to six figures to help build and reshape the Indian sport teams.

In 2022, he was awarded the Southeast District Athletic Director of the Year.

Along with the director of sports title, Vaughan spent some time as the boys and girls basketball coach during his time at Kennett. He coached the boys team for 10 years, until 2016 when he stepped down to put more energy into his role as Kennett’s athletic director. In 2010 and 2011, Vaughan led the boys team to two of their best seasons in Kennett history. They finished 22-8 in 2010 and won the district championships before going 22-6 in 2011.

Kennett High School will recognize these inductees during halftime at the first home football game of the season against Paragould on Friday, Sep. 6.

The football game will start at 7 p.m.