Robertson will be first Lincoln athlete to go into MIAA Hall of Fame

Harold Robertson is finally getting his due.

The former Lincoln basketball star, who led NCAA Division II players in scoring with 34.5 points per game during the 1977-78 season, will be inducted into the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association Hall of Fame.

Robertson becomes the first Blue Tiger athlete to be inducted into the conference's Hall of Fame.

His career was highlighted by that 1977-78 season. Robertson was voted the MIAA's MVP and was also named an Associate Press Little All-American first-team selection. He led Lincoln to a 22-6 record and an appearance in the Division II Elite Eight. The guard tallied an MIAA-record 965 points that season.

Robertson scored 2,551 points in his Blue Tiger career to rank second in MIAA history. He led Lincoln to four Division II Regional appearances, two MIAA regular-season crowns and one MIAA Tournament championship.

Robertson was named to the All-MIAA first team three times in his career, and took home league MVP honors twice.

Adding to his list of accomplishments, Robertson set three MIAA records that still stand today. He scored an MIAA single- game record 59 points against Arkansas-Little Rock on Jan. 11, 1978; and owns league records in field goals made both for a career (1,116) and single season (408). Considering there was no 3-point line or shot clock during that era, Robertson's accomplishments are that much more impressive.

Following his time at Lincoln, Robertson was selected in the fourth round of the 1978 NBA draft by the Los Angeles Lakers.

Robertson was inducted into the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame in 1992.

The MIAA Hall of Fame induction ceremony will be held June 6 at the Kansas City Public Library-Plaza Branch.

Here are the other inductees:

• Gene Bartow - A 1952 Truman State grad, Bartow coached the Central Missouri men's basketball team from 1961-64, compiling a 47-21 overall record. He went on to coach at Valparaiso, Memphis, Illinois, UCLA and Alabama-Birmingham, where he compiled a 647-353 record and made 14 NCAA Tournament appearances.

• Mark Curp - An eight-time All-American for Central Missouri's cross country and track programs from 1977-81.

• Dr. Peggy Martin - The winningest volleyball coach in NCAA Division II history with a career record of 1,064-281-8, where she led Central Missouri to 19 MIAA titles and 26 straight NCAA Tournament appearances.

• Sherri Reeves - First women's basketball coach at Northwest Missouri State, where she compiled a 61-15 record in four seasons. Reeves helped jump-start the women's cross country program in 1976.

• Tom Smith - The winningest men's basketball coach in MIAA history with 535 victories at Central Missouri and Missouri Western. Smith stepped down as head coach at Missouri Western at the end of this season

• Warren Turner - The all-time wins leader in the history of Missouri Southern baseball. His 852 career victories rank 15th all-time in NCAA history.

• Ronnie West - The wide receiver captured the Harlon Hill Award as the NCAA Division II National Player of the Year in 1991 to lead Pittsburg State to a 13-1-1 record and the Division II National Championship. He caught 74 passes for 1,495 yards and 14 touchdowns.

• Bill Westbrook - A longtime MIAA basketball official who worked more than 20 years in the conference. He also worked Big 8, Big 12 and NCAA Tournament games.

• 2003 Central Missouri baseball team - Went 51-7 overall and 27-2 in MIAA play en route to winning the conference crown and the NCAA Division II national title.

• 2009 Northwest Missouri football team - Finished 14-1 overall and 9-0 in the MIAA while winning the NCAA Division II national championship.

• 2004-05 Washburn women's basketball team - The Lady Blues went 35-2 en route to winning the school's first NCAA championship in any sport.