The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga Athletics Department and the Office of Development and Alumni Affairs announced the Class of 2019 Athletics Hall of Fame Inductees today. Five new members were chosen for induction, along with the four special award winners.
The 2019 Class includes a number of All-Americans, who were all outstanding representatives of UTC. Cody Cleveland was an All-American wrestler from 2006-11, while Emma de Groot was a pioneer in the growth of the modern era of women’s golf at UTC. Former NFL veteran Jerry Ellison (1991-93) is among the group that also includes men’s tennis All-American Park Lockrow (1973-76) and six-time Southern Conference Women’s Basketball Coach of the Year Wes Moore (1999-2013).
The Hall of Fame Award Winners include Charles Cofield (Gordon Davenport Award), Lee Dyer (Joe Morrison Award), Masey Fox (Scrappy Moore Award) and Scott McMahen (Harold Wilkes Award).
The inductees and award winners will be honored at the annual Hall of Fame Banquet on Friday, March 1, 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 219 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 2019 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.
Cody Cleveland – Wrestling – 2006-11
Cleveland was a 2008 All-American who guided the Mocs to three Southern Conference Tournament titles in his career. He was the 2009 SoCon Wrestler of the Year and the Most Outstanding Wrestler at the 2009 SoCon Tournament. He finished his career with 75 wins and three SoCon individual titles.
Emma de Groot – Women’s Golf - 2008-11
De Groot was a four-time All-Southern Conference performer and the 2011 SoCon Women’s Golfer of the Year. The 2008 SoCon Freshman of the Year holds a majority of the season and career records for the Mocs, including a career-best 74.58 scoring average. She had six career wins and was a leader on Chattanooga’s SoCon Championships teams in 2010 and 2011. She was also one of the top performers on the 2009 team that advanced to the NCAA Championships.
Jerry Ellison – Football – 1991-93
Ellison was the Mocs 1993 captain and team MVP, as well as the leading rusher in 1992 and 1993. His 6.2 career yards-per-carry is third all-time at UTC. He is one of only two Mocs with multiple 200-yard rushing games, including 231 yards at Boise State on Sept. 5, 1992. That is the second-highest total in school history and includes a 95-yard run, which is also the second longest at UTC. He holds the school record with three kick-off returns for touchdowns. He went on to play in 76 games over five years in the NFL with Tampa Bay (1995-98) and New England (1999).
Park Lockrow – Men’s Tennis – 1973-76
Park Lockrow was a member of the Mocs men’s tennis program from 1973-76. He earned NCAA Division II All-American honors as a senior in 1976. He was inducted into the Greater Chattanooga Sports Hall of Fame's class of 2011.
Wes Moore – Women’s Basketball – 1999-2013
Spent 15 seasons as the head coach of the Mocs women’s basketball program, guiding UTC to nine Southern Conference Tournament Championships, nine appearances in the NCAA Tournament and 12 regular season SoCon titles. He is the only coach in NCAA history to take three different teams to a national tournament at each NCAA levels. A six-time Southern Conference Coach of the Year, Moore is the winningest coach in Chattanooga history with a record of 358-113 in 15 years.
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. Masey Fox, a senior member of the Mocs soccer program, is this year’s recipient. Fox was a four-year letter winner and Academic All-SoCon honoree with a 3.91 GPA as a History major. She was second on the team in scoring in 2019 with three goals and five assists.
The Gordon Davenport Award is given annually by the UTC Athletics Hall of Fame to the individual who has shown outstanding commitment to the Chattanooga Mocs athletics program. A tremendous supporter of Mocs Athletics, Charles Cofield is the CEO of Star Holdings and a current Trustee of the UC Foundation.
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. Lee Dyer is a 16-year veteran official in the National Football League. He was a baseball student-athlete for the Mocs from 1978-81.
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. Local SportTalk Radio Host and UTC alum Scott McMahen has served as the Public Address at Chattanooga men’s basketball games for the past 22 seasons.