Athletic Hall of Fame Winners: 2007
Chuck Bobbitt
Chuck Bobbitt started the Columbia College softball program in 1984 and coached the team for 11 seasons, compiling an overall record of 354-120 — a .747 winning percentage. In 1989, Coach Bobbitt brought Columbia College its first No. 1 ranking in an NAIA National Poll, its first District 16 Softball Championship and the college’s second appearance at an NAIA National Championship. He also led the team to six conference championships, four district championships, three bi-district championships, eight NAIA Top 25 final rankings and five trips to the NAIA Softball National Tournament. For his coaching success, Bobbitt is a six-time Conference Coach of the Year and a three-time District Coach of the Year. Bobbitt also led a significant number of players who received postseason awards, including 21 All-Conference selections, 14 Academic All-Conference Selections, six Conference Players of the Year, 25 All-District players, seven NAIA All-Americans and seven NAIA All-America Scholar-Athletes. Bobbitt currently resides in Ballwin, Mo., with his wife, Patricia. They have four children; Chuck, Jason, Steven and Kim; and three grandchildren; Candice, Shane and Morgan.
Claude (Caroline) Drew
Mrs. Claude (Caroline) Drew started the horseback-riding program as an equestrian instructor for Christian College in 1928, retired as director in 1958 and continued to teach until 1962. Her students affectionately called her "Mom" and came from across the United States, sometimes bringing their own horses. Instruction was centered on the American Saddlebred horse, teaching students equitation using the English saddleseat and driving. Children’s classes also were held two afternoons a week for Christian College students to learn the teaching aspects of riding. Drew coached hundreds of students over the years, taking them on annual trips to Kentucky, Chicago, Kansas City and New York for horse shows and sales. The annual Spring Horse Show at the Christian College riding farm, which included all of the students who took riding classes during the school year, was a highlight of graduation weekend. Drew was a member of the American Saddlebred Pleasure Horse Association, Missouri Horse Shows Association and American Horse Shows Association. She was a nationally-recognized judge with the American Horse Shows Association and served as a judge for most of the major shows in the United States. Drew also was in charge of the Boone County Fair Horse Show numerous times and, in 1957, became the first woman to hold the position of superintendent of the Missouri State Fair Horse Show, a position she held for four consecutive years. Drew had two children: Shirley and Howard.
Jason Spencer
Jason Spencer and the Cougar soccer team had significant success during his four-year Columbia College career. From 1998 to 2001, Spencer helped lead the Cougars to a 67-21-2 overall record — a .755 winning percentage. In his junior campaign, he helped the Cougars to a historic first (and only) 20-win season. Over the course of his Cougar soccer career, Spencer scored 66 goals, setting a school record surpassing the previous record of 46 goals. Spencer also ranks fourth in school history with 88 career games played. He was a four-time first-team All-Conference selection and was named the Conference Player of the Year his junior season. Spencer also was recognized as a first-team All-Region player his sophomore through senior seasons. Spencer also earned national recognition for his accomplishments. He was named honorable mention All-American as a sophomore and senior, and second team All-American as a junior. In May 2002, Spencer earned a bachelor’s degree in psychology with a minor in geography from Columbia College and currently is working toward an associate degree in fire service administration through Columbia College. Spencer is employed as a firefighter and emergency medical technician in Buckner, Mo. He resides with his wife, Mendi Jo, and their 10-month-old daughter, Brooklyn, in Grain Valley, Mo.
Kyle Thoma
Kyle Thoma played basketball for the Cougars from 1989-1993. Thoma helped the Cougars achieve two consecutive 30-win seasons in his freshman and sophomore seasons and started a trend of Jackson, Mo., and southeast Missouri basketball players, including his brother Kory in 1993, at Columbia College. Thoma played in all 148 games during his four-year career and was the first member of the Cougar Basketball Century Club, finishing his career with an overall record of 111-37 — a .750 winning percentage. He was named second team All-Conference as a sophomore and Academic All-Conference as a freshman, sophomore and junior, and second team All-District as a senior. He now is the seventh all-time leading scorer with 1,336 career points and is the sixth all-time leader in assists (294) and 15th in rebounding (441). Thoma graduated from Columbia College in 1993 with a bachelor's degree in business administration with an emphasis in accounting, management and finance. He currently is employed at Cape Electrical Supply in Cape Girardeau, Mo., where he resides with his wife, Calli, and their two boys: Justice, 6, and Judd, 2.
