EDINBURG, Texas – The University of Texas-Pan American Hall of Fame Committee announced on Tuesday the 2013 Athletics Hall of Fame class, which includes former men's basketball players Mitchell Edwards and Jesus “Chuy” Guerra, former baseball players Bobby Rutledge and Don Guillot, and former men's tennis players Sherwood Stewart and Detlev Nitsche. The committee also announced that former baseball player Jody Ramsey has earned induction into the Hall of Honor. 
 
The Hall of Fame induction luncheon will take place in the UTPA Ballroom on Saturday, February 16 at 11:00 a.m.
 
Space is limited and those planning to attend are asked to RSVP in advance by calling UTPA Athletics at 956-665-2221.
 
Edwards played for the men's basketball team from 1962-65, helping the team to the 1963 NAIA National Championships by recording a double-double with 20 points on a team-high 10 field goals and 12 rebounds. He led the Broncs back to the title game in 1964. Mitchell earned NAIA All-American honors all three years, garnering second team honors in 1963, honorable mention in 1964 and third team honors in 1965. He ranks sixth all-time in UTPA history with 1,423 points, tied for fourth with 623 field goals made, fifth in field goal attempts with 1,299, and eighth in steals with 117. Edwards became the third Bronc to ever be selected in the NBA Draft when the Philadelphia 76ers took him with their sixth round pick (52nd overall) in 1965.
 
“I was fortunate to be a part of the Broncs tale,” Edwards said. “I went to the school when it was small. I never thought it would be this big and part of the Texas system. I'm very honored to be inducted and I will always cherish it. I'm looking forward to coming down.”
 
Guerra played for the men's basketball team from 1972-76, earning NCAA Division I Academic All-American honors as a junior and a senior. Guerra is the Broncs' all-time leader in career assists with 771. He also ranks third all-time in minutes played with 3,187 and 14^th all-time in points scored with 1,154. He recorded three of the top 10 single-season assists totals in program history, with 289 in 1975-76 (third best), 189 in 1974-75 (eighth) and 169 in 1972-73 (tied for ninth). Guerra holds the Broncs' single-game record for free throws made with 19 at Texas A&I (1/18/75). He also had an 18 free throw game vs. Baptist (2/1/75).
 
“I'm truly honored to have been selected to be a part of this special group of talented individuals,” Guerra said. “I feel the credit must go to the winning teams that I was a part of, and you add that to having the experience of playing under coach Sam Williams and coach Abe Lemons… It was quite a learning experience for me. One doesn't play to get these honors. One plays for other reasons. This is an unexpected honor. I feel humbled and honored to be a part of this elite group of individuals.”
 
Rutledge played for the baseball team from 1975-78. He led the Broncs to the 1975 NCAA South Central Regional, the 1976 Midwest Regional and the 1978 South Central Regional. In 1978, Rutledge earned NCAA All-American honors, AABC All-American honors and South Central Regional All-Tournament Team recognition while scoring the fourth most runs in a single season in program history (68), stealing the second most bases (77) and drawing the fourth most walks (64). In 1977, Rutledge scored the ninth most runs in a single season in program history (59) while tying for the fourth most steals (61). He is the program record holder in career walks (155) and also ranks second all-time in runs scored (175) and stolen bases (164) as well as third all-time in games played (204).
 
“It is truly an honor and a blessing to have been chosen for the University of Texas-Pan American Hall of Fame,” Rutledge said. “My years of playing baseball as a Pan American Bronc are some of the most memorable of my life. I want to thank everyone involved for this prestigious distinction.”
 
Guillot played for the baseball team from 1983-87 and led the Broncs to the 1983 and 1986 NCAA Central Regionals. The 1983 Broncs won a program record 64 games. Guillot set three single-season program records in 1987 by scoring 85 runs, stealing 107 bases and walking 75 times. He holds the program records for runs scored (186), stolen bases (183) and games played (217). He also ranks second in program history in walks with 133.
 
“It's a great honor to be involved in this with all the great athletes that have come through Pan Am. I'd like to thank Coach Al [Ogletree] for helping me to become who I am today,” Guillot said. “[UTPA Director of Athletics] Chris [King] called me a couple of weeks ago and I felt pretty honored to be selected. UTPA meant a whole lot to me. It started my career and led to some good things in my life.”
 
Stewart played for the men's tennis team during the 1965 season, during which time he won the NAIA Doubles Championship while partnering up with Nitsche. He also helped lead the Broncs to their fifth NAIA National Championship and 13^th Big State Conference Championship. Stewart earned NAIA First Team All-American honors that season. During his professional career, Stewart won five Grand Slam titles in doubles, including the 1976 and 1982 French Opens, the 1984 and 1987 Australian Opens, and Wimbledon in 1988. Stewart became the oldest Wimbledon champion in history at age 42. Overall, Stewart earned 54 professional doubles title and one singles title. He played on the United State Davis Cup team for three years. He also took part in the senior tour, where he won in doubles at Wimbledon three times and at the US Open once.
 
“It's a big honor anytime you get inducted into any kind of Hall of Fame,” Stewart said. “It's been a lot of years. I'm looking forward to seeing how things have changed. When I was there, there were only two dorms, one for men and one for women. I look forward to coming back and I'm looking forward to seeing Detlev as well.”
 
Nitsche played for the men's tennis team from 1965-67, during which time he won the 1965 NAIA Doubles Championship while partnering up with Stewart. He also helped lead the Broncs to their fifth NAIA National Championship and 13^th Big State Conference Championship. Nistche earned NAIA First Team All-American honors that season. The following season, the Broncs joined NCAA Division I, and Nitsche immediately reached the NCAA Tournament, advancing as far as the doubles quarterfinals with partner George Kon. Nitsche currently resides in Greer, South Carolina, where he continues to play. After playing Tennis as an adult in his home country of Germany, Nitsche returned to Pan Am as a computer science teacher in 1976. He has since moved to South Carolina, where has been playing since 1989. He was the 1993 USTA South Carolina Adult Co-Player of the Year and was the champion of both the Marion Harris A.C.S. Senior Classic and the Sportsclub Greenville Senior and NTRP Championships in 2011.
 
“I feel highly honored and I am deeply grateful to have been selected to become a member of the UTPA Athletics Hall of Fame,” Nitsche said. “Attending Pan American was a life changing experience for me. Coach Don Russell made be feel very much at home. It was great to be on a tennis team with great tennis players that came from different countries, build friendships with them, and then win the national team and doubles championships.”
 
Ramsey was the Broncs' leading hitter and co-captain for the 1972 season, and that year, he led the team in eight statistical categories, including hitting (.346), games played (56), at-bats (185), runs scored (47), hits (64), triples (four), stolen bases (17) and walks. He also earned NCAA All-District VI honors. Prior to the 1973 season, Ramsey was working on the construction of the new UTPA baseball stadium. As one of the laborers, he spent many hours on the site of the ballpark and, in an unfortunate turn of events, was killed in an electrical accident before the stadium had reached completion. After his death, students petitioned the Pan American University Board of Regents to name the park in Ramsey's memory. The recommendation was accepted unanimously, and in 1974, the Broncs took the field to play their first season in Jody Ramsey Memorial Stadium. The Broncs played there through 2000. The park was dismantled in 2003 to make way for an education building. The Broncs also honored Ramsey by hosting the Jody Ramsey Tournament every year from 1980 through 1995, and through a memorial award given to a senior baseball player each season. Considered the top award given to any baseball player, it goes to the student-athlete who best exemplifies the standards set by Ramsey, including superior athletic ability, character, leadership and dedication to excellence on and off the field. Additionally, Broncs head coach Al Ogletree never again gave out Ramsey's jersey number (six). Current head Broncs head coach Manny Mantrana has not had a player wear number six either.
 
“We're very appreciative of UTPA and their recognition of his stay there, what he did and what he meant to them,” said Kenneth Ramsey, Jody's brother. “I'm sure my parents would have really appreciated it. I just wish he was here to enjoy it.”
 
For more information about the UTPA Athletics Hall of Fame, call (956) 665-2221 or visit utpabroncs.com/halloffame.
 
The University of Texas-Pan American Department of Intercollegiate Athletics competes at the NCAA Division I level. UTPA, formerly known as Pan American College and Pan American University, is a part of the University of Texas System of Schools. The Broncs compete in 14 varsity sports: men's and women's basketball, golf, tennis, track and field, and cross country, along with women's volleyball and men's baseball. The Broncs have won six team national championships, including the 1963 NAIA Championship in men's basketball and every NAIA Championship in men's tennis from 1961 through 1965. The Broncs also have also won 10 individual national championships, all in men's tennis, with six NAIA doubles championships and four NAIA singles championships. UTPA has been a member of the all-sports division of the Great West Conference since 2009-10.