Eligibility Requirements

Student-Athletes

A player candidate must have earned two University of Tampa Athletics varsity letters, have completed his or her intercollegiate athletic eligibility at UT and/or graduated from Tampa and been out of the University of Tampa for 6 years following the completion of athletic eligibility. The players will be judged on leadership, character, scholastic standing, athletic accomplishments and other accomplishments since leaving The University of Tampa.

Contributors

Contributor nominees can be anyone who provided gifts, time, or influential spirit to UT Athletic programs in an extraordinary or grand scale. Coaches and staff are included in the contributor category and must have completed one full year and can be current or former with distinguished success at UT. Success outside or beyond the University of Tampa Athletics that enhances UT’s reputation can be considered in any individual category. A candidate may be chosen posthumously.

Special Category

Special category honorees include national championship teams (including sub-team events such as relays and rowing) and unique entities (including facilities or objects) that deserve a significant mention in UT history.

Good Citizenship Requirement

An individual will be eligible for selection if they possess, and have possessed, such qualities as sportsmanship, character and integrity. Any individual who has been convicted of or pled guilty to a felony or had conduct unbecoming to the University will not be eligible for the UT Hall of Fame.

Selection Committee

Committee members must be available to attend the selection meeting and participate in the discussion.

Voting Committee

1. Chairman, a current UT Athletic Director or athletic administrator appointed by the current athletic director with no term limit.
2. Current Spartan Athletic Director and up to three athletic department administrators.
3. Up to nine Spartan Hall of Fame inductees, appointed by the Chairman, each serving no more than two consecutive selections (4 years), eligible to reappointment after missing one selection.  
4. Two Spartan head coaches; rotate every selection year.
5. All former Spartan Athletic Directors and chairmen.
6. The committee membership should represent as many different sports and decades, both current and previous, as reasonably possible, within the requirement of being present at the selection meeting.

Nominations

Nomination Process

Each “Selection Committee Member” is allowed to nominate up to:

1. Four student athletes.
2. Two contributors.
3. One special category.

Public Nominations

Public nominations are accepted at any time up to May 30 on even-numbered years by any interested person who has information on UT Athletics and must be submitted to a UT Athletics administrator for consideration for the June decision meeting by the induction committee, for that year’s induction. Candidates not inducted may be nominated again for any number of years. The nominator should provide a written letter of credentials for each nomination.

Selections

Number of Selections

The Committee will select up to but no more than 12 of the following for the UT Athletic Hall of Fame Induction Class. Should circumstances dictate, one or two additional student-athletes may be substituted for contributors and the special category does not have to be selected. The Sam Bailey Lifetime Achievement Award is presented to a previous Hall of Fame recipient who continues to excel or contribute with great success following his or her original induction.

a. Eight (8) athletes.
b. Two (2) contributors.
c. One (1) special category.
d. One (1) Sam Bailey Award.

The selections will include the years of 1933 through up to 6 years prior to the current fall.

Final selection to the Athletic Hall of Fame will be done by secret ballot, live, and only by those present at the selection committee meeting.

The awards, recognition, and induction will be performed at the Spartan Athletic Hall of Fame Banquet Homecoming Thursday in October on even years.

All revenues from the induction dinner, donations, or any related events go to the UT Athletics Department.