University of Tampa Athletics Announces Hall of Fame Class of 2022
TAMPA, Fla. – The University of Tampa has announced its Hall of Fame inductees, including nine former student-athletes and two contributors who will represent the 2022 class of the University of Tampa Athletics Hall of Fame. The class will be inducted in a 7 p.m., ceremony on Thursday, Oct. 20 at UT's Vaughn Center.
The inductees include former student-athletes Tiffany Boatwright (volleyball), Chelsea Hastings (women's swimming), Shelby Kuni (women's soccer), Missy Mack (women's basketball), Lacinda Norman (softball), Ania Ruiz (volleyball), Ryan Thompson (men's soccer), Joey Wardlow (baseball) and Joey Watts (baseball). Two contributors will also earn induction to the Hall of Fame in Fred Pollock and Gil Swalls.
Additionally, the Sam Bailey Lifetime Achievement Award will be presented posthumously to former football player and alum Rick Gillis. The special category selection will honor the 2007 baseball team and the 2007 women's soccer team, which both won national championships.
"I am thrilled to welcome another deserving and outstanding group of individuals who are also great ambassadors of the University," says athletic director Larry Marfise. "The UT Hall of Fame includes a long list of highly decorated individuals, and this group will undoubtedly add to that prestigious list."
Members selected will be honored at a banquet to be held at the Vaughn Center, beginning with a 6 p.m. reception followed by a 7 p.m. dinner and ceremony. For more information, please contact Hall of Fame chairman Tom Kolbe (tkolbe@ut.edu). Tickets are now available for purchase and are limited on a first-come basis.
Following are bios for the University of Tampa Athletics Hall of Fame Class of 2022 Inductees.
Student-Athletes
Tiffany Boatwright (1999-2002): Program's all-time leader with 427 career block assists. Also ranks third all-time with 554 total blocks. Currently third in blocks per set, fifth in attack percentage and fifth in block solos. Finished career with 1,189 career kills, ranking fifth in program history when she graduated. Named first-team All-American in 2001. Three-time All-South Region. Named to 1999 NCAA National Championships all-tournament team. First-ever South Region Freshman of the Year for Tampa volleyball, earning award in 1999. Also named 1999 SSC Freshman of the Year. Three-time first-team all-SSC, and four-time all-SSC.
Chelsea Hastings (2005-06): Two-time All-American, earning honor in both 2005 and 2006. Five-time individual national champion, winning three in 2005 and two in 2006.In 2005, she won the national title in the 100 Back, 200 Back and 200 IM. The 200 IM also established an NCAA national record. She then won the 200 IM and 200 Free in 2006. Her five individual national championships are the most by any individual in program history.
Shelby Kuni (2005-08): Two-time All-American and member of 2007 national championship team who was the first player in program history to earn back-to-back first-team All-American honors. The 2006 South Region Player of the Year was also a two-time all-South Region selection. Remains the lone Sunshine State Conference Offensive Player of the Year in UT history, and was also the 2005 SSC Freshman of the Year. Four-time all-SSC selection was on the first-team for three years. Also a two-time member of NCAA South Regional all-tournament team and selected to 2007 NCAA Championships all-tournament team. Still ranks program's all-time leading scorer with 152 points and 63 goals. Also ranks fifth all-time in assists and 10th with 83 games played.
Missy Mack (1996-1999): Three-time All-SSC, 1999 all-South Region, 1996 SSC Freshman of the Year. School career scoring leader with 1,782 points. Holds school single-game scoring record (43). Ranks second in school history in 3-point field goals made (211), fourth in scoring average (16.5), fourth in field goals made (623), ninth in free throws made (325), 10th in 3-point field goal percentage (.356) and 10th in steals (182).
Lacinda Norman (2001-03): Was Tampa's first All-American selection, and remains lone position player to earn the honor. Was a second-team NFCA All-American in 2003. Named first-team all-South Region in 2003 and 2004. Three-time all-Sunshine State Conference selection, earning first-team honors in 2003 and 2004 and second-team in 2002. Ranks second in school history in games started (190), third in doubles (32), fourth in hits (166), seventh in runs (92) and seventh in triples (12). Finished career with .306 batting average, four home runs, 70 RBI and 20 stolen bases.
Ania Ruiz (2000-03): Fourth player in AVCA history to earn All-American honors four times. Second player (Danielle Faggion) in UT history to be four-time All-American. First player in UT history to be first-team All-American three times (was second team as a freshman). 2001 Sunshine State Conference Player of the Year. She ranks first in UT history in career kills and second in digs. Four-time all-South Region selection. 2000 SSC Freshman of the Year. Four-time first-team all-SSC selection.
Ryan Thompson (2006-09): Four-year starter who remains program leader with 251 career saves. Also ranks third in wins, third in save percentage and fifth in games played. Set season record with 105 saves in 2008. Named a first-team All-American in 2009 and was also an All-American in 2008. Two-time first-team All-South Region,. Two-time SSC Defensive Player of the Year, in 2008 and 2009. Named first-team all-SSC in 2008 and 2009 and was a two-time member of the SSC All-Championship team.
Joey Wardlow (1985-88): 1988 second-team All-American. Two-time first-team all-South Region (1987-88). Member of 1986 NCAA South Regional all-tournament team. First-team all-Sunshine State Conference selection in 1987 and 1988. Hit .343 in four seasons, including .406 clip in 53 games as a junior. Among all-time leaders, ranks fifth in triples (13), sixth in doubles (54), seventh in RBI (171), seventh in sacrifice flies (11), eighth in walks (108), eighth in sacrifice hits (13) and ninth in hits (263).
Joey Watts (2001-04): Named 2004 first-team all-South Region and 2001 second-team all-South Region. Member of 2001 NCAA South Regional all-tournament team and 2003 NCAA Championship Series all-tournament team. Honored as 2001 Sunshine State Conference Freshman of the Year. Was a Four-time all-SSC selection, who was a three-time first-teamer (2001, 2002, 2004) and second-teamer in 2003. Ranks first all-time with 65 career starts, first with eight shutouts, third in innings pitched (380.0), fourth in wins (35), fourth in strikeouts (302), and fifth in lowest batting average (.247). Concluded four-year career with 35-14 record and 3.22 ERA.
Contributors
Fred Pollock: A 1970 graduate of the University of Tampa, Pollock's support for his alma mater has never wavered. He has led several fundraising efforts for the athletics department as his support has helped UT's facilities and teams ascend to the top of collegiate sports. He was also the recipient of the University's 2011 Esse Quam Videri Award. Pollock taught history for 38 years in Newark, N.J., and served as an urban planning instructor at the New Jersey Institute of Technology Summer High School Urban Engineering Program.
Gil Swalls: Swalls joined the Spartans in 1989 as the Assistant Athletic Director and Sports Information Director. He was promoted to Associate Athletic Director in 1999. Since 2004, he managed the athletic department's marketing efforts, which included sponsorships, event promotions and revenue creation in addition to other associate AD duties. Built a sports marketing team of 50 students, which has earned the University's Outstanding Organization of the Year Award in 2012 and Most Spirited Organization in 2009 and 2018 while Swalls was named Student Organization Advisor of the Year in 2006. In 2007, the group earned a NACMA national third place award for NCAA II single-game promotion and in 2008 received NCAA Best in Conference for community engagement programs. He was among those who received the UT Unsung Hero award in 2003. Swalls also chaired the UT Athletic Hall of Fame committee, supervised the cheer, dance and mascot programs, has chaired or served on several UT athletic staff search committees, and was a member of UT's Emergency Action and Orientation committees. He previously served on the UT Activity Committee and is an adjunct professor in the sport management program. He served from 2001-03 as a member of the NCAA II Baseball committee, was president of the Sports Club of Tampa Bay in 2009-10, and as a member of the Tampa Chamber of Commerce Sports Steering Committee CoSIDA and NACMA where he served on committees.
The 2007 national championship baseball team is one of two special category selections. The Spartans achieved back-to-back national titles following a 53-10 season under national coach of the year Joe Urso. A total of seven players from the team signed with Major League Baseball organizations as the team also had three All-American's, six All-Region and 10 all-conference selections.
The 2007 national championship women's soccer team also receives a special category selection. First-year head coach and UT Hall of Famer Gerry Lucey led the Spartans to a 20-2-3 season while also winning an SSC championship. The team had five All-Americans as Hall of Fame goalkeeper Shannon Aitken was recognized as the national player of the year. 2022 inductee Shelby Kuni was the leading scorer on this team, netting 26 goals.
Rick Gillis was chosen 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.