Graceland Announces 2023 Hall of Fame Class

Lamoni, Iowa - The Graceland University Athletic Department has announced the newest Hall of Fame Class for their contributions and successes in athletics: Clayton Braddock '06, Dante Johnson '04, and Cris Welch (2003-2009).

Below is a look at more information on the 2023 inductees:

Clayton Braddock '06

Clayton Braddock came to Graceland from Grande Prairie, Texas, and was a member of the Graceland football program from 2003-2006.

Joining the Graceland Football team, he made an immediate impact. Throughout his time, he was named the Don Hansen National Player of the Week five times, NAIAFootball.net Player of the Week, Heart Conference Player of the Week six times and NAIA Player of the Week twice. Braddock was named to the Heart All-Conference First Team (' 04) and Second Team (' 06).

During his 2005-06 season, he helped the team to a Co-Conference Championship and to the Wheat Bowl. Braddock was named to the First Team, Co-Offensive Player of the Year, and Football Player of the Year and earned NAIA All-American Honorable Mention, NAIAFootball.net All-American Honorable Mention and All-Region Scholar-Athlete.

After graduation, Braddock joined the Graceland Football coaching staff.

Dante Johnson '04

Dante Johnson came to Graceland from Orlando, Fla. And was a member of the Graceland football program from 2001-2004.

Dante was a very impactful Graceland football and track athlete during his college career. He achieved the honors of Team Captain, along with being named to the NAIA All-American Honorable Mention (' 04). Johnson earned the Heart All-Conference Third Team as a Wide Receiver (' 01) and Heart All-Conference First Team as both wide receiver and kick returner ('03 -' 04). He earned honors for the Don Hansen's Football Gazette All-America Team in 2003 and was named to the Don Hansen's Football Gazette All-America Second Team as the wide receiver (' 04).

Since Graceland, Johnson started his non-profit organization (Wake Up Mentoring) in Orlando, Florida. He has applied the holistic approach in wanting to better the world. He has been working with the youth of Orange County, Florida, to better themselves and give them hope for a better life outcome.

Dante Johnson was changed by his educational career at Graceland and applied what he was taught to positively impact today's youth. Dante has also helped and continues to help spread the word about Graceland, which changed his life for the better and opened opportunities that he might not have had otherwise.

Cris Welch (2003-2009)

Cris Welch joined the Graceland Football program as the Head Coach in 2003-2009 and helped the program to a Co-Conference Championship and the Wheat Bowl appearance in the 2005 season. Welch was named Heart Conference Coach of the Year and finished his career 39-33.

Coach Welch impacted hundreds of kids' lives during his time as head football coach at Graceland University. Recruiting all over the United States and even outside the States and building a championship culture. He brought kids from rural America and kids from the inner cities and made us all bond as brothers. He made sure to teach us the importance of "family." He knew the GU football family was the only family some kids had! Some players had already started their own families, and he helped them. There were a lot of kids that were on their second chance when they came to Graceland to play for Coach Welch, and they made the best of it. He stressed the importance of being a student-athlete, and being a student always came first.

Wall of Fame Inductees to be announced at a later date.

The 2023 class will officially be inducted during the upcoming Homecoming Alumni Awards Banquet held on Friday, September 29. The induction presentation will take place at halftime of the Homecoming Football game at Huntsman Field.

To see more information on the Hall of Fame guidelines or the past honorees, click on the linked text.

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- Yellowjackets -