Darren Sharper removed from William & Mary Athletics Hall of Fame

Former NFL safety Darren Sharper has been removed from the College of William & Mary's Athletics Hall of Fame after he pleaded guilty to rape charges in four different states.

Former NFL safety Darren Sharper has been removed from the College of William & Mary's Athletics Hall of Fame after he pleaded guilty to rape charges in four different states, the school announced Monday. 

"After a period of thoughtful deliberation, the decision has been made to remove Darren Sharper from the William & Mary Athletics Hall of Fame," athletic director Terry Driscoll said in a statement, according to the Richmond Times-Dispatch. "We view induction into this group as the highest individual honor for a former William & Mary athlete, and criteria for selection include both athletic excellence and citizenship. In light of Darren's recent guilty plea, we decided his removal was the right course of action."

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Last month, Sharper was charged with rape in Las Vegas, the fourth state in which he was charged with rape. Sharper would drug his victims with powerful sedatives before raping them, authorities charged. He reached a deal to plead guilty and resolve all of the cases. He will serve nine years in prison. 

Sharper played four seasons for the Tribe in Division I-AA. He was a Division I-AA All-America selection twice and was named the Yankee Conference Defensive Player of the Year in 1996. He was inducted into the school's hall of fame in 2008. 

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Sharper played 14 seasons in the NFL and was named to five Pro Bowls. He is one of three William & Mary alumni to be named to a Pro Bowl and the only one since the AFL-NFL merger in 1966.

- Dan Gartland