University of Tampa Announces Athletics Hall of Fame Class of 2024
TAMPA, Fla. – The University of Tampa has announced its Hall of Fame inductees, including eight former student-athletes and two contributors who will represent the 2024 class of the University of Tampa Athletics Hall of Fame. The class will be inducted in a 7 p.m., ceremony on Thursday, Oct. 17 at UT's Vaughn Center ninth floor.
The inductees include former student-athletes Jeremy Black (men's basketball), Trysta Morenz (women's basketball), Julia Morrow (softball), Heather Nicolosi (women's cross country/track), Tom Reasoner (men's soccer), Marc Rodriguez (baseball), Danielle Selkridge (volleyball) and Margeaux Sinibaldi (volleyball). Two contributors will also earn induction to the Hall of Fame in Russell Bruno and Tom Jessee.
Additionally, the Sam Bailey Lifetime Achievement Award will be presented to longtime University of Tampa President Ronald Vaughn. The special category selection will honor the 2013 baseball team, which won a national championship.
Members selected will be honored at a banquet to be held at the Vaughn Center ninth floor on Thursday, October 17, beginning with a 6 p.m. reception followed by a 7 p.m. dinner and ceremony.
Tickets
Tickets may be purchased by clicking here. All tickets MUST be pre-purchased. The event is expected to sell out, so please purchase your tickets as soon as possible.
University of Tampa Athletics Hall of Fame Class of 2024
Student-Athletes
Jeremy Black (2004-08): Honored as a first-team All-American in 2007-08 season. Was the third player in program history to be named a first-team All-American. Member of 2007-08 NABC and Daktronics All-Region Team. Remains lone player in program history to be named South Region Player of the Year (2007-08). 2008 NCAA South Regional all-tournament team selection. Recognized as a first-team all-Sunshine State Conference performer in 2006-07 and 2007-08. Honored as the 2007-08 SSC Player of the Year. Was named the SSC Male Athlete of the Year in 2007-08, spanning all sports. Finished career with 1.291 career points. Ranks in the top-10 in several categories including offensive rebounds (2nd), rebounds (6th), rebounding average (8th), blocked shots (8th). Upon graduation, has played 15-plus years professionally in Germany.
Trysta Morenz (1998-2000): Two-time Sunshine State Conference all-tournament team selection. Was named first-team All-Sunshine State Conference and first-team All-South region in 2000. Selected as honorable mention All-American in 2000. Ranks first in school history in steals average (3.6), fifth in scoring average (15.8), sixth in steals (203), seventh in 3-point field goal percentage (.382) and 10th in assist average (3.1). Is also first in single-season steals with 128 and 4.4 steals/game in 1999-2000 season. Also scored 555 points in senior season, ranking second in program history.
Julia Morrow (2011-15): Two-time All-American, earning honor in 2014 and 2015. Two-time first-team All-South Region. 2015 South Region Pitcher of the Year. 2015 SSC Pitcher of the Year. Two-time first-team all-SSC. Pitched three career no-hitters, including two perfect games. Ranks second in program history in strikeouts/game (10.11), fifth in shutouts (20) and fifth in strikeouts (641). 32 complete games in 2015 was a school record as 25 wins that season is second all-time. Finished career with 48-18 record, 1.28 ERA and 641 strikeouts in 444.0 innings.
Heather Nicolosi (2007-12): Two-time All-American (2010-11). Four-time all-South Region selection (2008-11). Member of 2011 NCAA South Regional all-tournament team. Four-time first-team all-Sunshine State Conference honoree (2008-11). Named the 2010 SSC Runner of the Year. Honored as the NCAA South Region Runner of the Year on two occasions, in 2010 and 2011. Three-time SSC all-championship selection. Named to three USTFCCCA All-Academic teams (2008, 2010, and 2011).
Tom Reasoner (1985-89): 1989 first-team All-American. 1988 and 1989 first-team all-South Region. 1988 and 1989 first-team all-SSC. Played in 79 career games, starting 74. Ranks in program's top-five in games started and games played.
Marc Rodriguez (1993-95): Member of 1993 national championship team. Three-time All-American, being named first-team in 1995 and third-team in 1993 and 1994. Three-time first-team all-South Region selection (1993-95). First-team all-Sunshine State Conference for three seasons (1993-95). Career .365 hitter who ranks sixth in program history with 32 home runs. Also third with 13 sacrifice flies and eighth with 168 RBI.
Danielle Selkridge (2009-12): First National Player of the Year in program history, earning the honor in 2012. Three-time All-American, earning honor from 2010-12. Three-time All-South Region. Two-time SSC Player of the Year. Was a first-team All-American in 2011 and 2012. Named SSC Female Athlete of the Year for 2012-13 season. Three-time first-team All-SSC (2010-12). Academically, was named 2012 CSC Academic All-District. All-time leader in hitting percentage (.486). Also ranks sixth in block solos (126) and seventh in total blocks (408). Finished career with 1,259 career kills.
Margeaux Sinibaldi (2004-07): Member of UT's first national championship team in 2006, where she was named to the NCAA Championships All-Tournament Team. Remains the program's all-time leader with 2,250 career digs. Is also the only player in UT volleyball history to surpass 2,000 career digs. Two-time All-American, earning the recognition in 2006 and 2007. Four-time AVCA All-South Region honoree. Received first-team All-Sunshine State Conference honors in 2005, 2006 and 2007. Also a 2004 second-team all-SSC recipient. Member of 2004 SSC All-Freshman Team. Named a CSC/CoSIDA Academic All-American in 2007. Also a two-time CSC/CoSIDA Academic All-District honoree in 2006 and 2007. In addition to being the school's all-time digs leader, she played in 130 career matches and ranks third all-time in service attempts as she registered 109 career service aces.
Contributors
Russell Bruno: A 1998 graduate of the University of Tampa and member of the UT baseball program, Bruno has continued his support of Spartan athletics since his graduation. A part of the 1998 national championship team, Bruno was a four-year member of the program. As a student, he helped launch the Sword & Shield Club, which he continues to support and maintain involvement. His leadership among athletics supporters has led directly to renovations at the UT Baseball Field, including the turf field and new lighting. He is also a top supporter of the annual Rene Martinez Golf Classic, raising funds for Tampa baseball. Most recently, he led the campaign to introduce the establishment of the Hindman Wall Spartan Warrior Award, which is named in honor of the former UT athletic director and Bruno's mentor. The annual award was first presented in 2024 to the Spartan player who demonstrates on the field and off the field dedication with his peers and the community. His support has extended beyond baseball as he has gifted several projects to the University athletics department through his position at Assorted Internet. He also led the way in launching the official website of Tampa athletics, and the first live streaming of athletic events.
Tom Jessee: The most successful coach in program history, Tom Jessee has led the UT women's basketball program to the national landscape as a top team. Coming off back-to-back South Region Championships in 2023 and 2024, Jessee led the Spartans as the lone program in the nation to consecutive NCAA National Quarterfinals appearances. The all-time winningest coach at Tampa, he carries a 466-184 record at UT, earning a spot in 17 NCAA Tournaments. The Bluefield State Hall of Fame member also coached at his alma mater and owns a 31-year record of 636-273. He has also led Tampa to seven SSC regular season championships and six SSC tournament championships. He has coached Spartan players to the only National Player of the Year honor in program history, along with eight All-Americans, four SSC Players of the Year, and three South Region Players of the Year. Jessee has also been recognized as the SSC Coach of the Year a total of seven times.
Special Category
The 2013 national championship baseball team is the recipient of the Special Category honor. The sixth national championship in program history was also the third of current head coach Joe Urso's tenure. With an 8-2 victory over Minnesota State, the Spartans captured the programs first of four national titles in Cary, N.C., which is the current NCAA Championships site.
The Spartans would conclude the championship season with an 47-12 overall record, also winning the Sunshine State Conference.
Sam Bailey Lifetime Achievement Award
Dr. Ronald L. Vaughn was selected as the recipient of the Sam Bailey Lifetime Achievement Award. The award is presented to an individual who continues their success post-graduation and continues to support the University of Tampa. Dr. Vaughn served as president of The University of Tampa from January 1995 to May 2024. Under his leadership, the University grew and expanded in a way unlike any period in the institution's history.
During his tenure, University full-time enrollments more than quadrupled, new enrollment records were set in each of the years from 1998 to 2023 and academic programs were expanded to more than 200 areas of study. The University became more and more selective, and its student academic profile steadily increased. Also, retention and graduation rates improved greatly and exceed many peer universities.