Hall Of Fame Class of 2016 To Be Honored In Fall
06/17/16 | General
EUGENE, Ore. – One of the most dominant defensive linemen in school history, a record-setting Rose Bowl quarterback, a pair of NCAA women's track & field champions, and one of the Ducks' two NCAA wrestling champions in school history are among the inductees voted into the University of Oregon's 25th class of its Athletics Hall-of-Fame during ceremonies surrounding the school's football game with Colorado the weekend of Sept. 23-24.
Headlining the inductees that includes two former Oregon football standouts, a pair of women's track & field NCAA All-Americans, one national collegiate wrestling champion, and a women's softball pioneer is 10-year NFL veteran defensive lineman and two-time All-Pro selection Haloti Ngata, who became only the Ducks' second consensus All-American at the time in 2005.
Joining Ngata into Oregon's Hall of Fame will be four-time NCAA track & field All-America thrower Quenna Beasley, softball school record-holder Lori Sweet Gerig, former women's pole vault collegiate record-holder and U.S. Olympian Becky Holliday, Rose Bowl record-holder and MVP Danny O'Neil, as well as two-time Pac-10 Conference and 2006 national collegiate wrestling champion Shane Webster.
The six former Oregon athletics greats will formally join the elite collection of previously inducted Oregon standouts at a Friday night ceremony in Autzen Stadium before being introduced the next day during the Ducks' Pac-12 Conference opener vs. the Buffaloes.
Also featured Friday night will be former Oregon softball player Jennifer Piper, who will be honored as the 2016 recipient of the Becky Sisley Award, recognizing a former UO female varsity athlete who has earned distinction for herself in her profession, community and in support of the University of Oregon; and former men's basketball standout Terrell Brandon as the recipient of the Leo Harris Award, which is given to the alumnus letterman who has been out of college for 20 years and has demonstrated continued service and leadership to the University.
Beasley (1981-85) departed Oregon as the school record-holder in both the shot put (53-1 ½) and discus (180-9) and remained atop the charts in the two events for more than two decades. She ranked among the top-seven discus throwers in the country in 1985 when she was a major contributor to the Ducks' NCAA women's team title.
Sweet Gerig (1978-80) was an early pioneer to the Oregon women's softball success as a pitcher and first baseman, and still holds school pitching records for single-season (0.23) and career (0.49) earned run average. As a freshman in 1979, she led the team in hitting with a .368 average while posting a 12-4 record as a pitcher.
Holiday (2001-03) was a four-time All-American and former collegiate women's pole vault record-holder (14-8) who captured the NCAA championship in 2003. Following her collegiate career, she placed second in the 2012 U.S. Olympic Trials in Eugene before finishing ninth in the Olympic Games in London.
Ngata (2003-05) earned Pac-10 Conference defensive player-of-the-year honors and consensus All-America acclaim his junior year in 2005 before entering the NFL draft as a first-round pick of the Baltimore Ravens. Completing his collegiate career with 151 tackles and a school-record seven blocked kicks, he has enjoyed an impressive professional football career that includes five Pro Bowl appearances and one Super Bowl championship. He currently plays for the Detroit Lions.
O'Neil (1990-94) was inducted into the Rose Bowl Hall of Fame in 2003 after being named the game's 1995 co-MVP after leading Oregon to its first trip to Pasadena in 37 years. Quarterbacking the Ducks to a winning percentage of .564 throughout his career, the four-year starter graduated with no fewer than 13 school records and still holds Rose Bowl single-game marks for most passing yards (456), attempts (61), completions (41).
Webster (2001-06) was a two-time wrestling All-American who claimed the NCAA title at 184 pounds in 2006. The four-time national championship qualifier owns Oregon's single-season record for winning percentage (.973) and is tied for fourth for career victories (106).
Brandon (1989-91) is regarded as one of the best college point guards of the 1990s, The two-time honorable mention All-American became the first Oregon basketball player to leave school early for the NBA and was drafted No. 11 overall by the Cleveland Cavaliers. A two-time NBA All-Star, Brandon was inducted into the Oregon Sports Hall of Fame in 2006.
Piper (1990-94) captained the women's softball team during her junior and senior seasons before embarking on a coaching career with stops at South Eugene High School, Miami University (OH) and Lewis & Clark College. Since 2008, she has worked for Portland Community College, first as a Sports Facilities Advisor and then as Dean of Health Professions, Early Education and Family Studies.
To be eligible for induction into Oregon's Athletics Hall of Fame, former athletes, coaches, administrators and teams associated with the Ducks must have departed the University for a minimum of 10 years.
The 2016 hall-of-fame class will join 191 elite athletes and 26 teams who previously have been selected as part of the school's athletics showcase that originated in 1992.
For information regarding the purchase of tickets to the induction ceremonies, please contact the Duck Athletic Fund office at 541-346-5695
Headlining the inductees that includes two former Oregon football standouts, a pair of women's track & field NCAA All-Americans, one national collegiate wrestling champion, and a women's softball pioneer is 10-year NFL veteran defensive lineman and two-time All-Pro selection Haloti Ngata, who became only the Ducks' second consensus All-American at the time in 2005.
Joining Ngata into Oregon's Hall of Fame will be four-time NCAA track & field All-America thrower Quenna Beasley, softball school record-holder Lori Sweet Gerig, former women's pole vault collegiate record-holder and U.S. Olympian Becky Holliday, Rose Bowl record-holder and MVP Danny O'Neil, as well as two-time Pac-10 Conference and 2006 national collegiate wrestling champion Shane Webster.
The six former Oregon athletics greats will formally join the elite collection of previously inducted Oregon standouts at a Friday night ceremony in Autzen Stadium before being introduced the next day during the Ducks' Pac-12 Conference opener vs. the Buffaloes.
Also featured Friday night will be former Oregon softball player Jennifer Piper, who will be honored as the 2016 recipient of the Becky Sisley Award, recognizing a former UO female varsity athlete who has earned distinction for herself in her profession, community and in support of the University of Oregon; and former men's basketball standout Terrell Brandon as the recipient of the Leo Harris Award, which is given to the alumnus letterman who has been out of college for 20 years and has demonstrated continued service and leadership to the University.
Beasley (1981-85) departed Oregon as the school record-holder in both the shot put (53-1 ½) and discus (180-9) and remained atop the charts in the two events for more than two decades. She ranked among the top-seven discus throwers in the country in 1985 when she was a major contributor to the Ducks' NCAA women's team title.
Sweet Gerig (1978-80) was an early pioneer to the Oregon women's softball success as a pitcher and first baseman, and still holds school pitching records for single-season (0.23) and career (0.49) earned run average. As a freshman in 1979, she led the team in hitting with a .368 average while posting a 12-4 record as a pitcher.
Holiday (2001-03) was a four-time All-American and former collegiate women's pole vault record-holder (14-8) who captured the NCAA championship in 2003. Following her collegiate career, she placed second in the 2012 U.S. Olympic Trials in Eugene before finishing ninth in the Olympic Games in London.
Ngata (2003-05) earned Pac-10 Conference defensive player-of-the-year honors and consensus All-America acclaim his junior year in 2005 before entering the NFL draft as a first-round pick of the Baltimore Ravens. Completing his collegiate career with 151 tackles and a school-record seven blocked kicks, he has enjoyed an impressive professional football career that includes five Pro Bowl appearances and one Super Bowl championship. He currently plays for the Detroit Lions.
O'Neil (1990-94) was inducted into the Rose Bowl Hall of Fame in 2003 after being named the game's 1995 co-MVP after leading Oregon to its first trip to Pasadena in 37 years. Quarterbacking the Ducks to a winning percentage of .564 throughout his career, the four-year starter graduated with no fewer than 13 school records and still holds Rose Bowl single-game marks for most passing yards (456), attempts (61), completions (41).
Webster (2001-06) was a two-time wrestling All-American who claimed the NCAA title at 184 pounds in 2006. The four-time national championship qualifier owns Oregon's single-season record for winning percentage (.973) and is tied for fourth for career victories (106).
Brandon (1989-91) is regarded as one of the best college point guards of the 1990s, The two-time honorable mention All-American became the first Oregon basketball player to leave school early for the NBA and was drafted No. 11 overall by the Cleveland Cavaliers. A two-time NBA All-Star, Brandon was inducted into the Oregon Sports Hall of Fame in 2006.
Piper (1990-94) captained the women's softball team during her junior and senior seasons before embarking on a coaching career with stops at South Eugene High School, Miami University (OH) and Lewis & Clark College. Since 2008, she has worked for Portland Community College, first as a Sports Facilities Advisor and then as Dean of Health Professions, Early Education and Family Studies.
To be eligible for induction into Oregon's Athletics Hall of Fame, former athletes, coaches, administrators and teams associated with the Ducks must have departed the University for a minimum of 10 years.
The 2016 hall-of-fame class will join 191 elite athletes and 26 teams who previously have been selected as part of the school's athletics showcase that originated in 1992.
For information regarding the purchase of tickets to the induction ceremonies, please contact the Duck Athletic Fund office at 541-346-5695
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