App State Brew 7/24: The Hall Call

Good morning, App State Fam. Before the Mountaineers hit the pitch for their official summer training together, they got to work helping the local community!

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What all do we have stirring in today’s Brew? Check it out below.

📞 The Hall Call
🥎 McClain on The Move
📈 Risin’ Up
🟡 And much more

🔼 The Hall Call. App State's Former Athletes Association has announced the 2026 App State Athletics Hall of Fame class.

In alphabetical order, this year's inductees will be Kyle Blevins (Wrestling – 2008-12), Hector Crespo (Baseball – 2010-13), John Fitch (Men's Basketball – 1978-82), KT Stovall (Football – 2000-03) and Maryah Sydnor (Women's Basketball – 2011-15).

There also will be a Special Service Award given to Chip Sigmon, the head strength and conditioning coach at App State from 1984-90.

This is the 51st class in the history of the App State Athletics Hall of Fame. The group will be inducted in a ceremony in the Grandview Ballroom of Kidd Brewer Stadium's north end zone facility on Friday, Sept. 18, the night before the Mountaineers' home football game against Charlotte.

⚫️ More On This Year’s Class

🔼 McClain On The Move. App State softball record-breaker Makayla McClain has signed a professional contract with the Knoxville Miracle, the organization announced this week.

McClain starred at App State from 2025-26, earning first-team All-Sun Belt honors in consecutive years, and made her professional debut earlier this summer after being selected from the Athletes Unlimited Softball League reserve pool by the Texas Volts. She appeared against the Utah Talons in Salt Lake City, recording her first professional at-bat, before joining the Miracle.

McClain rewrote the App State record book during her career in Boone, establishing herself as one of the most accomplished hitters in program history.

🥎 More On McClain’s Signing

🔼 Rising Up. App State alum Liam Best is turning heads in the St. Louis Cardinals organization.

The right-hander has been lights out for the Single-A Palm Beach Cardinals of late.

In his last six appearances, Best has pitched 11.0 innings, allowing just seven hits and no runs, while striking out 16 batters.

Throughout the summer, we will be counting down the days
to the return of App State Football this fall. The Mountaineers will
host Maine on September 5 at 3:30 p.m.

4️⃣3️⃣ Days Away. The countdown has reached 43 days!

Prior to 2005, there was only one Mountaineer to ever reach 40+ rushing touchdowns in his career. That man was App State Hall of Famer John Settle.

Settle was a dominant running back for App State from 1983-86. He graduated as the Mountaineers’ all-time leading rusher with 4,409 yards and held the career rushing touchdown record with 4️⃣3️⃣.

A Reidsville, N.C., native, the two-time all-American was the 1986 Southern Conference Offensive Player of the Year and 1986-87 SoCon Male Athlete of the Year.