Francis Marion University Athletics

Francis Marion University athletic officials recently announced the Class of 2023 inductees for the FMU Athletic Hall of Fame:  women’s soccer midfielder Angela Salem (‘10) and softball pitcher Michaela Wolf Lawson (‘10).  Also entering posthumously will be former men’s basketball center Marcel Boggs who was elected earlier, but because of the covid pandemic was never officially inducted.

The induction ceremony took place during Homecoming activities on Saturday, Feb. 18, in the Smith University Center gymnasium at approximately 4 p.m. between the women’s and men's games of the FMU and North Greenville University basketball doubleheader.

Boggs, a native of Mullins and a product of Wilson High School, played one season (1984-85) at Francis Marion before serving in the United States Army.  He returned to the hardcourt with the Patriots for his final three seasons between 1990 and 1993.  During those three seasons, he led FMU to a 60-31 record and the program’s only NAIA District Six championship (in 1991) that saw the Patriots advance to the NAIA National Tournament in Kansas City, Mo.  He was named the MVP of that 1991 District Six Tournament.

He passed away after a battle with cancer in 2019 at the age of 53.

Bogg’s career totals include 98 games played, 1,392 points, 590 rebounds, 110 assists, and 58 steals.  He converted on an amazing 60.2 percent of his field goal attempts – the second-best mark in program history – and shot 68.4 percent at the foul line.  He currently stands 12th on both the Patriot career scoring and rebounding lists. His high-point game was a pair of 38-point outings during his senior season against Augusta College and Columbus College.

He twice earned All-District Six Team honors and when the program moved to the NCAA Division II Peach Belt Conference for his senior season, he garnered All-Conference and All-Region accolades.  His senior campaign saw him average 17.6 points and 6.8 rebounds per game, while ranking third nationally in field goal accuracy at 66.9 percent, and he was named the team’s most valuable player.

Boggs played one season of professional basketball in Belgium, and later received his undergraduate degree in sociology from Coker College.

He was a teacher and a coach before his health declined, and for 20 years, he worked with the Pepsi Carolina Classic as the public address announcer.