They say the third time is the charm but for an Ironton woman, success came on only the second try.

Beth Rist will be inducted into the Morris Harvey College/ University of Charleston Athletic Hall of Fame during a ceremony at the college in October.

Rist was nominated two years ago but did not receive enough votes to make the cut, University of Charleston Athletics Director Tom Nozika said.

“She came close,” Nozika said.

Nozika said each year the hall of fame selection committee receives nominations from the public suggesting people for the university’s hall of fame.

The 10-member selection committee then chooses four or five candidates for induction each year.

If a person is nominated one year and does not get enough votes for induction, they may be eligible for induction the next year if they get enough votes.

Nozika said he did not know who nominated Rist but said the successful candidates have all earned the honor through hard work and accomplishment.

“They’re all quality people,” Nozika said. “That has nothing to do with athletic achievement. They’re all basically good folks. Obviously they’ve all have performed well in their particular sport and made contributions to a specific team so it’s a combination of character and ability.”

Rist, a member of Ironton City Council, said the induction is good news.

“I’m thrilled to death. This is something that can’t be taken away from me,” she said. “I earned it 25 years ago.”

Rist was an All-Ohio basketball standout for the Ironton Lady Fighting Tigers and helped lead the team to its first state tournament appearance in 1981.

A three-time All-WVIAC first team selection (1982, 83, 84), she is third on the Golden Eagles all-time scoring list with 1,740 points. She is also fourth in UC history with 430 career assists.

She is among the school’s career top 10 with 221 steals and 88 blocked shots.

Rist was first team NAIA All-American as a senior in 1984 and second team in 1982. She was a three-time All-WVIAC tournament selection.

Charleston won the regular season championship all four seasons Rist played for the Lady Eagles as they posted an impressive 45-1 record in WVIAC play.

Rist averaged 16.0 points, 5.9 assists, and 2.3 steals in her senior season.