HAMMOND, La.  – Former Southeastern Louisiana student-athletes Robert Alford (football) and Iva Velkovska (tennis) comprise the 2018 SLU Athletics Hall of Fame Class, which was announced on Wednesday.
 
The duo will be inducted on Oct. 20 in a private ceremony. Both SLU legends will be honored at halftime of the SLU football team's Southland Conference contest that night versus Abilene Christian in Strawberry Stadium.
 
The induction of Alford and Velkovska will bring the total members of the Southeastern Athletics Hall of Fame to 143. Velkovska is the third women's tennis player to earn induction into the Hall of Fame and the first since her former teammate Emilija Arnaudovska was inducted in 2014.
 
Alford's induction will mark the third straight year and fourth time in the past six years a former football player has been inducted. In 2017, Southeastern inducted another former Lion defensive back, Tommy Connors. Alford will be the 62^nd former member of the Lion football program to enter the SLU Athletics Hall of Fame.
 
Velkovska was one of the most dominant tennis players in program history. A four-time first team All-Louisiana and three-time All-Southland Conference selection, she helped SLU to three conference regular season championships, two conference tournament championships and two NCAA Tournament appearances from 2006-09.
 
As a freshman, the Skopje, Macedonia native set a single-season school record with 23 singles victories on the way to being named Louisiana Player of the Year, Louisiana and Southland Freshman of the Year and Southeastern Female Athlete of the Year. In her sophomore season, she and Arnaudovska set a school record for dual-match doubles victories in a season, finishing 19-1. Velkovska finished her career second on the school's career singles victories list, compiling an 81-13 mark during her time in Hammond.
 
Alford made his mark on his hometown school during his collegiate career and continues to thrive professionally. A standout cornerback for the Lions from 2009-12, he capped his SLU gridiron career with a senior year that ranks among the best individual campaigns in program annals.
 
A consensus All-American and first team All-Southland and All-Louisiana selection, Alford was named the College Sports Journal FCS Defensive Player of the Year and Southeastern Male Athlete of the Year after he finished with four interceptions, 12 pass breakups and a punt return touchdown in 2012.
 
His dynamic senior season propelled him to be the 60^th overall pick (2^nd round) in the 2013 NFL Draft by the Atlanta Falcons. Alford is entering his sixth season with the Falcons and earned a starting spot in his second season. The first Lion to ever play in the Super Bowl, he intercepted a pass by New England's Tom Brady and returned it 82 yards for a touchdown in Super Bowl LI. Last month, he returned to campus and hosted the inaugural Robert Alford Youth Camp in Strawberry Stadium.
 
The Southeastern Athletics Hall of Fame inductees are elected by an eight-member selection committee. Nominations can be submitted to Assistant Athletic Director for Sports Information Kemmler Chapple by mail (SLU 10309, Hammond, LA 70402) or by e-mail (kemmler.chapple@southeastern.edu).