KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Four former decorated Pittsburg State University student-athletes were inducted into the MIAA Hall of Fame Class of 2016 Wednesday (June 1).

The induction class includes former Pitt State football All-Americans Chris Brown (1992-95), Aaron McConnell (2000-03), Neal Philpot (2001-04) and dual sports cross country and track & field All-American Jeanette (Mott) Owens (1998-2002).

The Pitt State quartet was joined by the University of Central Missouri's Becky Belland (volleyball, 1987-90), Eric Czerniewski (2006-10) and Delanie Walker (football, 2004-05), Missouri Southern State University's Jim Frazier (football coach/athletic director, 1971-2000) and Eddin Santiago (men's basketball, 1998-2002), Truman State University's Kenneth Gardner (coach/athletic director, 1959-88) and Missouri State University's A.J. McDonald (golf/men's basketball coach, 1925-69).

Chris Brown, Football, 1992-95
Brown became just the second football player in Pittsburg State history to earn All-America honors three times, doing so between 1993 and 1995. The Liberal, Kan., native was a consensus first-team NCAA Division II All-American as a senior in 1995, recording 149 tackles from his free safety position.

Brown also earned first-team All-America honors in 1993 and 1994 and he was a three-time first-team All-MIAA selection (1993-95), garnering MIAA Defensive Player of the Year honors in 1995. Brown finished his career with a school record 470 tackles while helping the Gorillas capture three MIAA titles (1992, 94-95), make four Division II playoff appearances and finish as the Division II National Runner-Up in 1992 and 1995. He set a Division II playoff record with 21 tackles in the 1992 NCAA National Championship Game.

Following his career, Brown was named to the prestigious NCAA Division II Football All-Quarter Century Team (1973-96) in 1997. Following graduation, Brown served as an assistant football coach/defensive coordinator at MIAA member Washburn University from 2002-10, before serving the past five seasons at head coach at MIAA member Fort Hays State University (2011-15).

Jeanette (Mott) Owens, Cross Country/Track & Field, 1998-2002
Mott captured the NCAA Division II national championship in the women's steeplechase as a senior in 2002 for Pittsburg State. She earned All-America honors on five occasions in track & field. In addition to her national title, Mott also finished as the national runner-up in the steeplechase at the 2001 NCAA-II Outdoor National Championships and the 5,000m at the 2002 NCAA-II Indoor National Championships.

In cross country, Mott also twice earned All-America honors, finishing as high as eighth at the national meet as a senior in 2001. The St. Marys, Kan., native captured 12 MIAA individual event titles during her career and earned All-MIAA honors on 17 occasions in track & field. She captured MIAA cross country titles twice, in 2000-01. Additionally, Mott earned CoSIDA Academic All-America honors three times and she was selected as the 2002 Ken B. Jones Award Winner as the MIAA Female Student-Athlete of the Year.

Aaron McConnell, Football, 2000-03
McConnell became just the second player in the history of the Pitt State football program to earn All-America honors in each of his four seasons as a defensive tackle from 2000-03. The Midwest City, Okla., native was a consensus first-team NCAA Division II All-America selection as well as the MIAA Defensive Player of the Year as a senior in 2003.

McConnell also earned first-team All-America honors from the AFCA as a sophomore in 2001 and from the Associated Press as a junior in 2002, after garnering honorable mention All-America recognition as a freshman in 2000. A four-time first-team All-MIAA performer, McConnell recorded 232 tackles (116 solo) with 75.0 tackles-for-loss and 21.0 quarterback sacks in 48 career games for the Gorillas.

McConnell signed a free agent contract with the Tennessee Titans of the NFL following the 2004 NFL Draft. After being released by the Titans, McConnell played three seasons in the Arena Football League with the Nashville Kats (2005-07), earning All-Rookie Team honors in 2005.

Neal Philpot, Football, 2001-04
Neal Philpot finished his decorated career as a two-time NCAA Division II All-America quarterback for Pittsburg State from 2003-04. Philpot earned honorable mention All-America honors in 2003 and he claimed second-team All-America accolades in 2004 when he led the Gorillas to the NCAA Division II National Championship Game.

The Norton, Kan., native set MIAA records for career total offense (10,168 yards) and career QB rushing yards (4,337 yards), earning MIAA Offensive MVP honors in 2003 and 2004 (four-time All-MIAA, 2001-04). Philpot posted a 38-8 record as the Gorillas starting quarterback – the second-highest win total in NCAA Division II history at the time. He directed a Pitt State offense in 2004 that shattered the NCAA's 118-year-old all division scoring record with 837 points (55.8 ppg). The Pitt State offense also set the NCAA all division records for rushing (5,320 yards) and total offense (8,976 yards) that year.

Following graduation, Philpot served seven season as a full-time member of the Pitt State football coaching staff (2008-14) after also serving as a graduate assistant coach for the Gorillas (2005-07). He currently serves as assistant football coach/offensive coordinator at Ottawa University.