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2008 Tennessee Lady Volunteer Hall of Fame Class Inducted
Nov. 7, 2008 KNOXVILLE, Tenn. - Tonight the eighth class of the University of Tennessee Lady Volunteer Hall of Fame was enshrined in ceremonies at the Knoxville Downtown Hilton. The five inductees in the Class of 2008 represented former student-athletes from four Lady Vol teams. The athlete honorees included Heather Burgess Moore (swimming), Dr. Dedra Davis Wallace (track & field), Manisha Malhotra (tennis) and basketball players Dena Head and Jill Rankin Schneider. The evening was filled with moving speeches, laughter, tears, stories and catching up with old acquaintances and teammates. Each inductee recounted her days as a Lady Vol, the ups and the downs, the metamorphosis from a young girl to a woman of the world and a college graduate, the athletic triumphs and memories to last a lifetime. Enshrinement activities will continue on Sat., Nov. 8, when the Hall of Famers will have an opportunity to meet with the current athletes and staff of their respective former Lady Vol teams. Later that day, the celebration moves to Neyland Stadium, where the honorees will be saluted during the Tennessee versus Wyoming homecoming football game. About the honorees: as a Lady Vol, Burgess (Moore) was an 11-time All-American and a versatile swimmer who competed in the freestyle, individual medley, backstroke and was a dynamic member of most every relay team from 1984-88. Burgess set five Tennessee records, one in the 100y Free and four as a member of relay teams. Today, Burgess continues to hold the 12th spot on the Lady Vol Top Performances List in the 100y Freestyle. She earned a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration, majoring in Economics, in 1988 and graduated with High Honors. She is now an attorney residing in Jacksonville, Fla. The second inductee is Davis (Wallace), a native of the Bahamas, who was a sprinter and a jumper at Tennessee from 1992-94. She was a six-time All-American and a two time SEC Champion, an NCAA Champion and an Olympian. As a senior, she won both the NCAA and SEC long jump outdoor titles with a phenomenal two-foot improvement. Davis, an Academic All-SEC honoree earned a Bachelor of Science in Biology in 1995 and graduated as a member of the Omicron Kappa Upsilon Dental Honor Society from Meharry Medical College in 1999. She currently resides in Alpharetta, Georgia and is a Pediatric Dentist. Malhotra was a Lady Vol Tennis player from 1994-1998. She earned All-American status four times; as a doubles player in 1996, 1997, and 1998, and in singles in 1997. Additionally, she was a member of the Indian Federation Cup Team in 1996 and 1997. She still holds two spots on the Tennessee Top 10 List: fifth in career singles wins and eighth in career doubles victories. Off the court, Malhotra claimed Academic All-SEC recognition in 1996 and 1997. She earned a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration, majoring in Finance. Currently a resident of Bombay, India, she is the CEO of the Mittal Champions Trust - an organization whose purpose is to identify, support and enhance the performance of talented young Indian sportsmen and women. The final two inductees were heralded Lady Vol basketball players. A member of the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame, an All-American and an Olympian, Rankin (Schneider) was a member of the Lady Vol Basketball Team for one year, 1979-80 after transferring from Wayland Baptist. Rankin's senior season proved to be the best ever (at that time) for the Lady Vols producing a 33-5 record and winning the inaugural Southeastern Conference Tournament Championship where she was the tournament MVP. Rankin and her teammates also won their third consecutive TCWSF Championship, the AIAW regional title, and advanced to the Final Four of the AIAW National Championship in Mt. Pleasant, Michigan. Today, in the Tennessee record books, with only one season to qualify, Rankin holds eight spots on Top 10 lists. A gifted student, she was the first female recipient of the CoSIDA Academic All-American of the Year award in 1980. Rankin earned a Bachelor of Science in Education, majoring in Math, in 1981. Now is a resident of Lubbock, Texas, Rankin is the head girls basketball coach and math teacher at Monterey High School. The final inductee, Head was a member of the Lady Volunteer basketball teams from 1988-1992 and a decorated All-American. In 1989, she was named SEC Freshman of the Year and helped lead her team to the championship at the Final Four in Tacoma, Washington. As a senior, Head guided the Lady Vols to victory in the first NCAA overtime national championship game. On the national level, she was NCAA All-Region in 1990, a member of the All-Final Four Team in 1991 and earned All-America status in 1992 as a two-time NCAA Champion in 1989 and 1991. She went from the SEC Rookie of the Year in 1989 to the league MVP as a senior in 1992. Her place in the record book is solid holding five top 10 spots. She is a member of the Tennessee 1000 Point Club with 1,483 career points. Additionally, she was runner-up for the James Naismith Award, a candidate for the Margaret Wade Trophy in 1992 and an ESPY honoree as a member of the Co-Team of the Decade for the 1990's. She will forever have the distinction of being the first player drafted in the WNBA as she was selected first overall in 1997. Head earned a Bachelor of Science in Education in 1992. Currently a resident of Plymouth, Michigan, Head is a supervisor for Federal Express. The new group of inductees join seven prior classes of Lady Vol Hall of Famers: 2007 -- Bridget Jackson Chaira (softball), Nicole deMan Dewes (Swimming), Dianne Shoemaker DeNecochea (Volleyball), Shelia Collins (basketball), Carla McGhee (basketball) and the late Dr. Helen B. Watson (administrator); 2006 - Tracy Bonner (diving), Karla Driesler McQuain (swimming), Tonya Edwards (basketball), Mary Ostrowski (basketball), Alisa Harvey (track & field/cross country) and Bonnie Kenny (volleyball); 2005 - Missy Alston Kane Bemiller (track & field/cross country), Angie Boyd Keck (golf), Tanya Haave (basketball) and Lea Henry Manning (basketball); 2004 - former UT President Dr. Joseph E. (Joe) Johnson and athletes Jasmin Jones Keller (track & field/cross country), Robin Maine Bugg (volleyball), Nikki McCray Pinson (basketball), Jenny McGrath Weaver (swimming) and the late Ilrey Oliver Sparks (track & field); 2003 - former UT Vice-Chancellor, the late Dr. Howard Aldmon, and athletes Cindy Brogdon (basketball), April Chapple (volleyball), Elizabeth Brown Jarvis (swimming), Cathy Rattray (track & field) and Patricia Roberts (basketball); 2002 - former Head Track & Field/Cross Country Coach Terry Crawford and athletes Catherine Byrne Maloney (swimming), LaVonna Martin Floreal (track & field), Cindy Noble Hauserman (basketball), Holly Warlick (basketball) and Patty Wiegand Pitcher (track & field/cross country). The inaugural class selected for the Lady Volunteer Hall of Fame was inducted on Oct. 26, 2001. The 10 original members were former UT President Edward J. Boling, first-ever Lady Vol Athletics Director Gloria Ray and athletes Daedra Charles (basketball), Joetta Clark (track & field), Benita Fitzgerald (track & field), Bridgette Gordon (basketball), Tracy Ignatosky (swimming), Peta and Paula Kelly (tennis) and Beverly Robinson (volleyball). Athletes are eligible for inclusion 10 years after they have graduated from the University, while administrators may be admitted to the Lady Volunteer Hall of Fame five years following their last service to UT. Each of these outstanding inductees exemplifies the true spirit of the Tennessee Lady Volunteers. |
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WBB Pat Summit Audio Selection Monday - 3/15
