When you arrive at any event on campus, ever wonder how the tables and chairs got there? Chances are Converse Draper and his utility crew did the heavy lifting to make sure the event ran smoothly.
Draper was hired at Wofford in 1994 by Curtis Anderson, with whom he had worked before outside of the college. “We worked really well together and had a lot of fun on the job, which made it easy,” says Draper. “I have seen a lot of things on campus and was able to meet a lot of people.”
He was promoted to supervisor of the utility crew in 2004. He retired on July 24, 2020 with over 26 years of service and countless numbers of chairs unfolded. Whether it was the Terrier Ball, Family Weekend, Commencement or a groundbreaking, Draper has been behind the scenes of every major event on campus.
“Converse Draper was the ultimate co-worker,” says Terri Lewitt, who retired last year as associate athletics director for development. “In the many years I had the opportunity to work with Converse, he always greeted me with a smile, a calm demeanor and willingness to be helpful no matter the task. He was absolutely the best!”
One of those on campus who worked closely with Draper and his utility crew is director of conference services John Blair. “There was never a time when I requested anything from Converse that he didn’t eagerly and cheerfully accomplish the task,” says Blair. “One example of this came almost every year at the interest fair when we needed more tables at the last minute, usually at the end of the workday. Converse and his group always answered the bell.”
“My wife and family really kept me going over the 26 years,” says Draper. “I will miss all the great people now that I have retired. They made it easy for me at work. Everyone becomes family at Wofford.”
For his years of exemplary service, the Terrier Club Board of Directors this fall honored him with the 2020 Wofford College Athletics Hall of Fame Distinguished Service Award. Because of COVID-19, he and the other inductees were not honored as planned at the first home football game.
Mary Ann Phillips was named an Honorary Letterman. Phillips has been a loyal supporter of Wofford College and Wofford Athletics for five decades. Although not a Wofford College graduate, she has been to countless athletics events and has been a loyal contributor and member of the Terrier Club for more than 50 years. Phillips was married to the late William P. Phillips ’55, a former football letter winner. Wofford support is a family affair. All three of Phillips’ children — Shawn Phillips ’80, Ashley Phillips Case ’85 and Kelly Phillips Willingham ’91 — graduated from Wofford, and four of her grandchildren — Perry Case ’14, Molly Case Culbertson ’16, Mary Willingham ’20 and Kathleen Willingham ’23 — have attended as well.
STUDENT-ATHLETE INDUCTEES IN TO THE 2020 HALL OF FAME ARE:
DR. MAGGIE BOSLEY ’14, KARL COCHRAN ’15, ROB GALLOWAY ’15 AND FORREST LASSO ’15.
Bosley was a first team All-Southern Conference selection for the women’s soccer team. A defender, she played in 69 career games with 63 starts, along with four goals and seven assists. The team allowed a SoCon-low 11 goals for a 0.57 goals-against average during her senior season. A star in the classroom, Bosley was named CoSIDA Academic All-District and to the SoCon Academic Honor Roll and Fall All-Academic Team. Inducted into Phi Beta Kappa, she was co-president of the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee. A biology and chemistry major, she attended the Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston and is now a surgical resident at Wake Forest School of Medicine.
Cochran was named Southern Conference Player of the Year as a senior and led the men’s basketball team to the 2014 and 2015 NCAA Tournaments. A four-year starter at guard, he was three-time All-Southern Conference, playing in 133 games with 112 starts. His 1,894 total points ranks seventh in college history, and his 226 steals places him third on Wofford’s all-time list. He is second in three-point field goals made. Cochran also accumulated 659 rebounds and 320 assists during his career. He was a Lou Henson Award Finalist. During his senior season, he was the only player in the country to lead his team in points per game (14.6), rebounds per game (5.9), assists per game (2.7), steals per game (1.8) and blocks per game (1.0). An English major, Cochran has been playing basketball professionally since graduation. He’s now with Boncourt in Switzerland.
Galloway, a four-year starter, was a threetime All-Southern Conference selection for the men’s tennis team. As a senior he was first team All-SoCon in both singles and doubles. Galloway was named to the Southern Conference Academic Honor Roll all four seasons. He has played professionally on the ATP Tour, primarily in doubles, since 2015. He’s now ranked at 150 (doubles). In 2018, he and his partner, Nathaniel Lammons, won in the first round of men’s doubles in the U.S. Open in Flushing Meadows, earning a 6-2, 6-2 victory. He was the first former SoCon player to see action in the U.S. Open in over 30 years.
Lasso was a four-year starter on defense for the Terriers, with 71 career starts. He scored 14 career goals with eight assists for 36 career points. Named All- Southern Conference three times, he was a member of 2013 SoCon Regular Season Championship team. As a senior he was named first team All-SoCon, first team NSCAA All-South and third team NSCAA All-America, only the second player in college history to do so. Lasso has played professionally since graduation, including a stint with the MLS FC Cincinnati. He is currently with the Tampa Bay Rowdies in the USL.
The Hall of Fame recognizes “those former athletes and coaches who, by outstanding athletic achievement and service, have made lasting and significant contributions to the cause of sports at Wofford College, the Spartanburg community, South Carolina and the nation.”
By Brent Williamson