West and Ward now join previously announced Hall of Fame selections: Weirton Madonna’s Ross Comis and Cambridge’s Eric Fox from the decade of the 2010s; Bellaire’s Ashley Vavrek and Trent Luyster of Harrison Central from the decade of the 2000s while Cameron’s R.C. Anderson and Barnesville’s Ryan Grear are the honorees from the 1990s.

All the honorees will be feted at Wheeling’s WesBanco Arena on Saturday, Aug. 15.

Here is a capsule look at the 1980 HOF additions:

ERICA WEST (Weir High School, Class of 1986) – West was a track & field sensation both on the prep and collegiate levels.

CHARLIE WARD

West starred as a sprinter and long jumper during her remarkable four-year career with the Red Riders. As a junior, she captured the OVAC and West Virginia state long jump championships. She repeated those long jump title performances as a senior. In the regional meet, West soared to an 18-6 jump, an OVAC record.

Her athletic greatness was not limited to the sand but also on full display on the track. She was a dynamite 100- and 200-meter runner.

West was state runner-up in the 100-meter dash in both her junior and senior campaigns. Moreover, she sprinted her way to the OVAC 200-meter title as a senior.

West was accorded the prestigious honor of being named the West Virginia Gatorade Circle of Champions recipient. She is enshrined in Weir High Hall of Fame.

After picking up her high school diploma, West took her immense talents to Marshall University.

Once again, she was nothing short of dominating on the collegiate level.

West was a record-setting machine for the Thundering Herd track & field program. She completed her career in Huntington with 10 Marshall track records.

The four-year All-Southern Conference performer captured the conference championship in the indoor long jump in 1989 with an outstanding leap of 19-6.25. She added the outdoor long jump title with a mammoth leap of 20-1.75 inches.

All told, the former Red Rider rocket pocketed three Southern Conference long jump crowns, helping Marshall to runner-up outdoor team finishes in 1989 and 1990.

West closed her sparkling Thundering Herd career with 10 school records, including the triple jump via her 37-9.75 effort and the outdoor 100-, 200- and 400-meters to go along with her long jumping marks.

Halls of Fame are nothing new to West. She has previously been inducted into the Marshall University Hall of Fame as well as the inaugural class of the Black Legends Hall of Fame at Marshall University.

West earned her BBA degree in Economics in 1990.

She comes from great athletic blood lines. Her brother Billy West and uncle Bob Jeter are already enshrined in the OVAC Hall of Fame.

CHARLIE WARD (Bellaire High School, Class of 1986) – When it comes to distance runners in the Ohio Valley, Ward is on the short list of all-time greats.

Ward was dominant in cross country and track with the Big Reds before scripting a brilliant collegiate career at Marshall University.

Ward’s greatest prep accomplishment was setting the all-time All-Valley record in the 1600 meter run with a sizzling 4:16.85 clocking. Ward’s long-standing record was bettered last year by Steubenville Catholic Central’s Andrew Rohde.

Ward was a multi-OVAC individual champion in track. So much so, in 1986 he was voted as the Outstanding Track Athlete in the OVAC championship meet.

Ward earned All-Ohio honors in track on two occasions – he placed sixth in the 1600 meters as a sophomore and third in that same event as a senior.

The running standout won several Bellaire Relays titles in both the 1600- and 3200 meters as well as the Shadyside Relays. He was tabbed captain of the All-Valley track team as a senior.

In cross country during his Bellaire High tenure, Ward placed twice in the state meet, finishing sixth and 10th, respectively.

Ward’s running prowess earned him a scholarship to Marshall University. As he did in high school, Ward was a dominant performer for the Thundering Herd, earning four letters in both cross country and track.

He made an immediate impact with the Herd’s cross country team, earning All-Southern Conference honors on the strength of his ninth overall effort as the Herd captured the team championship. Ward finished eighth in the Southern Conference Cross Conference championships as a junior.

Ward served as captain of the Marshall cross country team as a junior and senior. The Herd finished third in the conference championships in both of those seasons.

In track, Ward also had a hand in Marshall’s 4X1500-meter relay team school-record setting clocking.

His personal bests were 3:55 in 1500 meters, 9:16 in the 3000-meter steeplechase, 15:02 in the 5,000 meters 25:30 in 8,000 meters and 32:08 in the 10,000 meters.

Ward earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in Management/Marketing from Marshall

The next release in two weeks will announce the OVAC Hall of Fame honorees for the decades 1970s.