DALLAS, TEXAS - Former SMU All-American wide receiver Jerry LeVias was among a group of 13 people selected today to the College Football Hall of Fame. Also selected was former SMU coach Hayden Fry.

LeVias was a pioneer at the school and in the Southwest Conference as he was the first African-American to play football at SMU and the first to receive a scholarship in the SWC. He emerged as one of the great receivers of his day, catching 155 passes for 2,275 yards and 22 touchdowns in his career (1966-68). His best season came as a senior in 1968 when he finished fifth in the Heisman Trophy balloting after catching 80 passes for 1,131 yards and eight scores.

LeVias was a three-time, first team All-SWC selection and held most of the league's receiving records for nearly two decades. He left SMU as the school's career leader in receptions, receiving yardage and touchdown catches. He stills owns six school records, including catches in a game (15), receiving yards in a game (213) and receiving yards in a season (1,131). He also was an Academic All-American in 1968 and played six seasons in the NFL with the Houston Oilers and San Diego Chargers.

Fry was SMU's head coach for 11 seasons, from 1962-72, and led the Mustangs to the Southwest Conference championship in 1966. He coached SMU in the 1963 Sun Bowl, the 1966 Cotton Bowl and the 1968 Astro-Bluebonnett Bowl. He went on to coach at North Texas State (1973-78) and the University of Iowa (1979-98), compiling a 232-188-10 career record. His victory total ranks 11th on the all-time Division I-A list. His 420 total games coached rank him sixth all-time and his 37 seasons are the fifth most ever.

Joining LeVias and Fry in the 2003 class are: Ricky Bell, USC (1973-76); Murry Bowden, Dartmouth (1967-70); Tom Brown, Minnesota (1958-60); Jimbo Covert, Pittsburgh (1980-83); Billy Neighbors, Alabama (1959-61); Ron Pritchard, Arizona State (1966-68); John Rauch, Georgia (1945-48); Barry Sanders, Oklahoma State (1986-88); Joe Theismann, Notre Dame (1968-70); Roger Wehrli, Missouri (1966-68); Doug Dickey, Tennessee and Florida (1964-78)

The 2003 Hall of Fame Class will be inducted at the 46th Annual Awards Dinner on Dec. 9, 2003 in New York City.