Tucker Dupree, North Carolina’s Paralympic Swimming star from Garner, has been named the Roger McCarville Male Athlete of the Year Award by the Disabilities Hall of Fame.

This award recognizes an outstanding male athlete for his athletic achievements for the past year.

Established in 1999, the Athletes with Disabilities Hall of Fame (ADN) has recognized nearly 100 individuals who share a passion for life and a dedication to inspire others through their words, actions and giving back to the greater community. Past recipients include World Champions, Paralympian, Special Olympian, and some of the most distinguished athletes and community leaders in their fields.

The Athletes with Disabilities Hall of Fame recognizes and honors men and women who have overcome physical challenges to become elite athletes and superior role models. Dupree joins the following athletes in the ADN’s Hall of Fame Class of 2011:

National Hall of Fame: Bobby McMullen and David Lee
Michigan Hall of Fame: Michael Henry
Tony Filippis Sr. Corporate Leadership Award: Detroit Lions
Rick Knas Lifetime Achievement Award: Shawn Kornoelje
Pat McDonald Female Athlete of the Year: Amy Palmiero-Winters
Roger McCarville Male Athlete of the Year: Tucker Dupree
Mark “Doc” Andrews Rising Star Award: Ronnie Dickson

ADN’s mission is to promote a better quality of life by creating opportunities for people with physical disabilities.

Dupree now lives full-time in Colorado Springs, Colo. at the U.S. Olympic Training Center as part of the U.S. Paralympics Swimming Resident Program until he travels to London for the 2012 Paralympic Games. Dupree was chosen for the resident program based on competitive performance and an application process.

“The fact that I am at the U.S. Olympic Training Center now is something that I think will take me to the next level,” Dupree said. “I have all the resources at my disposal here that can help me get to the (medal) podium in 2012 (at the Paralympic Games in London). I am looking forward to making the most of my elite training here in Colorado Springs.”

Dupree won five medals and set World Records in the 50M and 100M Butterfly at the 2009 World Championships in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. In 2010, Tucker represented the United States at the Speedo CAN-AM ParaSwimming Competition in Edmonton, earning six gold medals, and at the IPC Swimming World Championships in Eindhoven, Netherlands, taking one silver medal and four bronze medals.

At the 2011 US Paralympics Swimming Springs Competition, Dupree became ill during the meet, but still won a gold medal and was named the Swimmer of the Meet. Currently, he holds two World Records, 36 American Records and seven Pan-American Records and is ranked third in the world in five events, including the 50M and 100M Butterfly.

He’s on track to win gold at the 2012 Paralympic Games in London.

At age 17, Dupree, while a standout high school swimmer, began to lose his vision and was diagnosed with a rare disease called Leber’s Hereditary Optic Neuropathy. In a short period of time, he lost 60-80% of his central vision in both eyes. Since that time, however, he has become a stronger swimmer with his sights set on Paralympic Gold, and has also set a new life ambition: personal inspirational speaking.

The Paralympic Games is an Olympic style competition for more than 4,000 elite athletes representing 136 countries in 13 different disability groups, emphasizing their athletic achievements rather than their disabilities. Dupree qualified to represent the United States at the 2008 Paralympic Games in Minneapolis last April at the U.S. Paralympics Swimming Trials where he won five gold medals.

Dupree is a 2007 honors graduate of Garner Magnet High School in Garner, N.C. He spent the 2008-09 school year as a varsity swimmer at Gardner-Webb University in Boiling Springs, N.C., near Shelby.

For more information, or to inquire about Tucker Dupree as an inspirational speaker, please contact www.tuckerdupree.com or 919-210-4068, or Ken Bland at ken.bland@sas.com.

To join Tucker Dupree’s Fan Page, visit http://www.facebook.com/l/3f9c0;www.tuckerdupree.com.

The Raleigh Sports Club’s weekly luncheon meeting is, Wednesday, Nov. 16 from 11:30-1:00 p.m. Guest speaker is Bethany Bradsher, a writer based in Greenville, has just completed a book about the legendary Dixie Classic – “The Classic: How Everett Case and His Tournament Brought Big-Time Basketball to the South.”

She will share a lot of interesting tales, some of which have never been told before. Copies of the book will be for sale for $23, cash, check, or credit card. Invited guests Jackie Murdock, Pete Brennan, Lennie Rosenbluth, and Lou Pucillo as well as the author will autograph your book, so you will not want to miss this historic meeting. If you know of other former ACC basketball players that participated in the Dixie Classic please let the RSC know by emailing the club raleighsportsclub@yahoo.com. We would like to extend a special invitation to them to take part in this historic event.

Buffet lines open at 11:30 a.m. and we encourage you to get there early to avoid waiting in line.

The Forks Cafeteria will continue to cater our Southern Buffet. Meeting location will again be at Highland UMC at 1901 Ridge Road at the intersection of Lake Boone Trail, just inside the Beltline. Annual Dues for the 2011-12 season will remain $60. If you would like to join us and help us to have another great year, just select the Membership tab to print off a copy of our Membership form. Weekly attendance fee will remain $14 and applies whether the member plans to eat lunch or not. All guests fees will be $20 per guest. Pick sheets and door prizes will be held.

The Cleveland Indians today named Edwin Rodriguez as Manager of the Class-A Advanced Carolina Mudcats of the Carolina League.

Rodriguez, 51, compiled a two-year managerial record of 78-85 (.479) over his two seasons as Manager of the Florida Marlins from June 23, 2010 to June 18, 2011, becoming the first Puerto Rican-born manager in Major League history. Prior to his stint as Marlins skipper he managed in the Florida Player Development System from 2005-2010, first joining the Marlins in 2004 as hitting coach for the then Double-A Mudcats.

The Kinston Indians, which became the Mudcats, was managed last year by Aaron Holbert, who managed four years in the Indians system. He will manage Atlanta’s Class AA Mississippi Braves.

In 2004, Rodriguez mentored future major leaguers Josh Willingham and Chip Ambres as the Mudcats finished 73-66. He then spent time as manager of the Marlins’ Gulf Coast rookie league team (2005-2006), Class-A Greensboro Grasshoppers (2007-2008) and Triple-A New Orleans Zephyrs (2008-2010).

“We are excited to start both a new era in the Carolina League and new partnership with the Cleveland Indians by welcoming back Edwin Rodriguez to Zebulon,” said Carolina Mudcats owner Steve Bryant. “Edwin has had a successful career as a manager in both the Minor Leagues and Major Leagues and we look forward to working with him in 2012.”

Rodriguez spent parts of three seasons in the Major Leagues with the New York Yankees and San Diego Padres from 1982-85 before concluding his player career in 1987. He has been in the game as a player, coach, scout and manager for the last 32 seasons.

The Carolina Mudcats will play their 22nd season in Wake County and first in the Carolina League in 2012. The 70-game regular-season begins on Friday, April 6 2012 as the Mudcats host the Winston-Salem Dash.