Dwayne Harper to become SC State’s 15th South Carolina Athletic Hall of Fame inductee
The event will begin with a welcome reception at 5 p.m., followed by the program at 6 p.m.
Harper, an Orangeburg-Wilkinson High School graduate, earned All-MEAC and All-America honors at SC State before building a standout National Football League career. He is among 10 Palmetto State athletic standouts in the hall’s Class of 2026.
Harper, a four-year starter during his Bulldog career from 1984-87, earned first-team All-MEAC honors in 1986, when he also was named to The Associated Press Division I-AA All-America team. As a senior, he intercepted eight passes, tying the program record at the time.
The Bulldog cornerback was drafted in the 11th round of the 1988 NFL Draft by the Seattle Seahawks. His 12-year professional career included six seasons with Seattle from 1988-93, five with the San Diego Chargers from 1994-98 and one with the Detroit Lions in 1999.
Harper started at cornerback for the Chargers in Super Bowl XXIX and recorded 571 total tackles in 148 career games. He had at least three interceptions in five of his 12 seasons.
He was inducted into the MEAC Hall of Fame in 2019 and the South Carolina Football Hall of Fame in 2022.
Harper has been an entrepreneur since retiring from football. He and his family live in Columbia.
Also being enshrined at the South Carolina Athletic Hall of Fame are:
Former University of South Carolina head football coach Steve Spurrier.
- Clemson women’s basketball coach Jim Davis.
- Coastal Carolina track and field star and three-time Olympian Amber Campbell.
- Former USC and NFL defensive lineman Andrew Provence.
- Clemson pitcher and MLB standout Brian Barnes.
- Longtime Clemson sports publicist and radio analyst Tim Bourret.
- Greenwood native and Appalachian State quarterback Armanti Edwards.
- Anderson native and University of Georgia basketball great Saudia Roundtree.
- Longtime South Carolina high school cross country and track coach Bob Jenkins, who will be enshrined posthumously.
SCAHOF Executive Director Andy Solomon called the class one of the most impressive in the organization’s 64-year history.
“Once again, we have another impressive class that will be enshrined in our state’s hall of fame in May,” Solomon said. “We are thrilled with the tremendous individuals who create the Class of ’26.”
SC State South Carolina Athletic Hall of Fame inductees
- Oliver C. Dawson, coach, 1974.
- David “Deacon” Jones, football, 1980.
- Donnie Shell, football, 1986.
- Harry Carson, football, 1989.
- John Gilliam, football, 1992.
- Barney Chavous, football, 1992.
- Willie Jeffries, coach, 1996.
- Charlie Brown, football, 2004.
- Robert Porcher, football, 2009.
- Edwin Bailey, football, 2014.
- Willie Simon, coach, 2017.
- Samuel “Herc” Goodwin, football, 2018.
- Roberta Williams, basketball, 2020.
- Oree Banks, coach, 2024.