Houghton College Athletics is pleased to recognize the contributions of Betty (Bjorkgren) Denny '52 and Darren Berkley '93 with their induction into the 2021 Hall of Honor Class.
 
The pair will be honored during upcoming separate virtual induction ceremonies. The addition of Berkley and Denny will bring the Hall of Honor roster to 56 student-athletes, coaches, teams and contributors.
 
"Betty (Bjorkgren) Denny and Darren Berkley are both excellent representatives of what it means to be a Houghton Highlander," said Houghton Director of Athletics Matthew Webb. "They have each represented Houghton well, both during their time as students but also since graduating and in careers where they have poured into others' lives. We are pleased to add Betty and Darren to the Houghton Hall of Honor."
 
Denny made her mark as a participant in Houghton's Purple and Gold program where she was involved in field hockey, basketball, track and field, tennis and softball. Her participation earned her the "Big H" award. She won the all-campus competition in tennis and ping pong and served as secretary-treasurer of the Athletic Association.
 
At the end of her senior year, Denny was honored with the annual Female Sportsmanship Award. Her husband, Bob Denny, received the male award that same night, and following the awards ceremony, the couple announced their engagement.
 
After Houghton, she and Bob moved to Pennsylvania, where she taught and supported Bob's 50-year career as a pastor in Pennsylvania, Indiana and Ohio. They were married for 62 years until Bob's passing in 2014. Today, Denny lives in Cincinnati, Ohio, where she remains fairly active and proudly claims her four children – all of whom work actively in a church -- grandchildren and great-grandchildren as her greatest accomplishments.
 
Berkley put up big numbers for Houghton men's basketball. He finished his four-year career with 1,508 points, which stands fifth all-time in the Houghton record books. His 244 career three-pointers rank No. 1 in Houghton history. He was a two-time all-conference selection and was part of a Houghton team that finished 18-9, earned a top-20 ranking in the NAIA during the season, and made an appearance in the district playoffs.
 
Since moving on from Houghton, Berkley has served as a high school teacher, coach and administrator. He is currently a coach at Massaponox High School in Virginia, where he led his team to the school's first two district championships in 2019 and 2020 and advanced to last year's 6A state final four. His overall coaching record is 328-190 in 21 years on the sideline.
 
"More than the wins and losses have been the opportunities to influence lives. Houghton helped me grow into a Christian leader," said Berkley. "All the spiritual opportunities in chapel, the dorms, celebration and team trips enabled me to seek the Lord and grow in his grace."
 
About the Hall of Honor
Established in 1994 the Athletic Hall of Honor is charged "To help preserve, strengthen and add distinction to the athletic program at Houghton College." The 'Highlanders' Hall of Honor recognizes individuals who have made outstanding contributions to the program, through participation, support or interest. Induction into the Hall takes into account the lives of those honored, acknowledging evidence of discipline, sacrifice, steadfastness, cooperation, commitment and Christian witness. The Hall honors the men and women who have demonstrated—both on campus and in succeeding years—the worth of athletics by their mature leadership and their impact on society. Additionally, inductees may have exemplified courage and tenacity having applied the disciplines learned in athletics to significant life challenges or championed a significant cause that has benefited others. A plaque commemorating each member hangs in the foyer of the Nielsen Center.
 
See our current Hall of Honor list.

Nominate a Candidate
Do you know an individual who has made outstanding contributions to athletics through participation and/or support of athletics? The Hall of Honor Committee of the Houghton College Athletic Advisory Board is inviting the Houghton community to be a part of the nomination process and use the online nomination form to nominate candidates for consideration!

See our criteria details and submit a nomination.