The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga Athletics Department and the Office of Alumni Affairs announced the Class of 2018 Athletics Hall of Fame Inductees today. Five new members were chosen for induction, along with the four special award winners.
The 2018 class continues the tradition of representing a broad range of the history of Mocs Athletics. Bill Tym was a national championship winning tennis coach in the 1970’s, while Tony Hill (Football 1987-90), Jeff Rufolo (Wrestling 1985-88) and Sabine ter Riet Brent (Women’s Tennis 1982-85) were stars for their respective sports in the 1980s. Miranda Warfield Travers was a cornerstone of the Mocs women’s basketball program from 2001-04.
The Hall of Fame Award Winners include Dean & Mary Jane Heavener (Gordon Davenport Award), Larry Stewart (Joe Morrison Award), Scottie Boykin (Scrappy Moore Award) and Dewayne Gass (Harold Wilkes Award).
“There are outstanding individuals in this year’s group of Hall of Fame inductees and award winners,” stated UTC Vice Chancellor & Director of Athletics Mark Wharton. “Collectively, they have represented UTC Athletics in an exemplary fashion and we are excited to celebrate their successes, achievements and contributions to the Mocs.”
The inductees and award winners will be honored at the annual Hall of Fame Banquet on Friday, Feb.
16, at the Chattanooga Country Club. The banquet is open to the public, but seating is limited and reservations are required. The cost is $50.00 per person, which includes dinner. Submit payments and RSVP's to the UTC Office of Alumni Affairs at (423) 425-4785. For more information, email Jayne-Holder@utc.edu.
The UTC Athletics Hall of Fame was established to formally recognize outstanding contributions to the heritage and tradition of the University's intercollegiate athletics program. A total of 214 individuals have been inducted into the UTC Athletics Hall of Fame during special ceremonies held each year.
Below is a brief biography on each member of the 2018 class. Be sure to check back with GoMocs.com over the next few weeks for a more in-depth look at each inductee, as well as photos from their days at Chattanooga.
Tony Hill – Football – 1987-90 – Hill was a standout linebacker for the Mocs from 1987-90. He was a fourth round draft pick of the Dallas Cowboys in 1991. As the 108th overall selection that year, he is the fourth-highest NFL Draft pick in school history, trailing only Terrell Owens (San Francisco – 1996 – 3rd round/89th pick) and Travis McNeal (Seattle – 1989 – 4th round/101st pick) and Pete Pullara (Cleveland – 1978 – 4th round/103rd pick). He earned All-American recognition following his senior year from Kodak, AFCA and the Sports Network.
Jeff Rufolo – Wrestling – 1985-88 – Rufolo was a three-time Southern Conference Champion at 190 pounds. He won league titles in 1985, 1987 and 1988, qualifying for the NCAA Tournament each of those years. Rufolo posted a 74-34-3 career record with a .680 winning percentage. He helped lead the Mocs to SoCon team titles three times in his career.
Sabine ter Riet Brent – Women’s Tennis – 1982-85 – Ter Riet was a big part of the Mocs’ three-time NCAA Division II National Championship teams in 1983, 1984 and 1985. A two-time All-American, she won a Southern Conference singles title in 1985, posting an 18-1 singles record and a final national ranking of No. 28. She also went 20-0 in doubles and ranked No. 19, winning a SoCon Championship with Heidi Narborough as a senior. The Mocs were 94-15 in duals matches during her four-year career.
Bill Tym – Tennis Coach – 1970-79 – Tym was hired as the men’s tennis coach in 1970 and helped produce NCAA Division II All-Americans such as Rob Castorri and Haroon Ismail in 1975, Castorri, Ismail, Paul Press and Park Lockrow in 1976 and Press again in 1977. In 1979, the men won the Southern Conference Championship, and that season he also coached the women to their third consecutive AIAW National Title.
Miranda Warfield – Women’s Basketball – 2001-04 - Warfield was a two-time Southern Conference Tournament MVP, a three-time all-conference selection and named to the SoCon All-Tournament Team three times. She ranks 11th all-time at Chattanooga with 1,375 points and is fifth on UTC’s career 3-point field goal list with what, at the time, was a school record 170. In 2004, she was a senior on the Mocs’ team that set a UTC and SoCon record for wins (29), winning percentage (.906) and conference wins with 20. The Mocs capped off the longest win streak in the NCAA that season at 27 games with a first-round win over Rutgers in the NCAA Tournament.
Special Award Winners
The A.C. "Scrappy" Moore Award is presented annually to a current UTC student-athlete who best personifies the athletic department's mission of equipping for success, in the classroom, in competition and in the community. Scottie Boykin is a nationally-ranked 197-pound wrestler for the Mocs. He is a three-time All-SoCon wrestler who won the league title in 2016. His career record of 87-40 puts him in the top-10 for all-time wins at UTC.
The Gordon Davenport Award is given annually by the UTC Athletics Hall of Fame to individuals who have shown outstanding commitment to the Chattanooga Mocs athletics program. Dean and Mary Jane Heavener are longtime supporters of the Mocs women’s basketball program. They have been a big part of the many championships won over the last 20 years.
The Joe Morrison Award is given annually by the UTC Athletics Hall of Fame to a former student-athlete or coach for notable accomplishments and life experiences. Former Chattanooga men’s basketball standout Larry Stewart (1989-92) is the long-time general manager of the Chicago Bulls and Chicago White Sox Youth Foundation.
The Harold Wilkes Award was established to recognize a volunteer, coach, staff member or University administrator who has demonstrated exemplary leadership in furthering the Vision of Chattanooga Athletics – to achieve excellence. Dewayne Gass has served as the Moc Maniac at UTC home basketball games for over 30 years.