Photo Gallery

EDINBURG – The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV) Department of Intercollegiate Athletics inducted on Saturday the 2016 Athletics Hall of Fame class, which includes the 1983 baseball team, former baseball player Mitchell Moran, former men's basketball player Brian Merriweather, former women's basketball and volleyball player Christie Schindler Montgomery, former men's soccer player Mario Ribera, and former track & field/cross country athlete Robert Barron. The department also inducted current UTRGV Associate Athletic Director for Sports Medicine Jim Lancaster into the Hall of Honor. 
 
Montgomery is the first volleyball player to earn induction into the Athletics Hall of Fame.
 
1983 Baseball Team
Had the best record in program history, going 64-19-1, including 2-2 record in the NCAA Regionals … Took three out of four at No. 1 Wichita State … Ranked 19^th in the nation at the end of the season … Set nine program records, including wins (64), home runs (82), runs (525), walks (437), double plays (80), putouts (1,884), assists (873), innings pitched (629) and at-bats (2,296) … Recorded the second most hits (642) and RBI (467), the third most complete games (54), and the fifth most double (93) in a single season in program history … Averaged 6.25 runs per game … Had four players selected in the MLB Draft, including Jim Hickey, who was voted a First Team All-American by the NCAA and the American Association of College Baseball Coaches. The complete roster can be found below.
 
"We all from the team here want to thank Coach Al [Ogletree] for asking us to come play for you," said, Ivan Torres, a student assistant on the team. "It was an honor."
 
"I got a call back in November from a 956 number while I'm driving, and I wasn't sure whether or not to take it," said David Fisher, a player on the team. "I answered and it's Jonah [Goldberg] and he starts telling me where he's calling from and I figure he's about to ask for money for a donation. Then he tells me the '83 team is getting inducted into the Hall of Fame and I almost got into a wreck."
 
"It was a pleasure having these guys on the team," Coach Al said. "I love each one of them. We had a lot of fun. Everyone worked together and worked for each other. It was one of the best teams we ever had."
 
Mitchell Moran, Baseball, 1981-83
Program record holder in career home runs with 27 … Homered in 19-9 win at No. 1 Wichita State in 1983 … Single-season program record holder in RBI (85) and total bases (162) …  Ranks second in program history in career RBI (130), fifth in walks (111), eighth in games (184), ninth in at-bats (563), and 10^th in hits (163) and runs scored (117) … Ranks second in program history in single-season home runs (20), runs (74), at-bats (275) and games (84), and third in hits (88) … Member of the 1983 NCAA Regional team that went 64-19-1 … Drafted 72^nd overall in the third round of MLB Draft by the Los Angeles Dodgers.
 
"When Coach Al recruited me, he called my high school to offer a scholarship, and said he didn't want bother me during our playoff run," Moran said. "That made me think that this a considerate guy that I wanted to play for. He offered me a scholarship sight unseen, and I'm very thankful for that."
 
Brian Merriweather, Men's Basketball, 1997-01
Program record holder in three-pointers made (332) and attempted (819) … Ranks third in program history in scoring (1,738 points) and field goal attempts (1,480), fourth in field goals made (623) and three-point shooting percentage (.405), fifth in steals (139), and seventh in minutes (2,950) … Recorded the top three single-season three-pointer totals with 114 in 1999-00, 110 in 1998-99 and 108 in 2000-01 …  Also recorded the top three single-season three-point attempt totals with 275 in 1999-00 and 272 in 1998-99 and 2000-01 …  Ranks second in program history in single-season field goals (586 in 1998-99), fifth in free throw percentage (.860 in 1999-00) and eighth in scoring (641 points in 1998-99) … Single-game record holder in three-pointers made with nine at New Mexico (12/8/98) … Also had eight three-pointers and seven three-pointers in a game three times each … Program record holder in minutes played in a game with 55 at Oral Roberts (11/24/95) … Also played 45 minutes in a game, tied for fifth most in a single game … All-Independent First Team in 1999-00 and 2001-02 … University of Texas-Pan American Male Student-Athlete of the Year in 1999-00.
 
Christie Schindler Montgomery, Volleyball/Women's Basketball, 1972-74
Hit the game-winning layup while scoring 29 points to lead 1972-73 women's basketball team to District VI championship … Had a 33-point game against Texas Tech … Led 1973 volleyball team to 22-4 record and first place in District VI … Played for Pan American University when it was part of the Texas Commission on Intercollegiate Athletics for Women before the NCAA or NAIA sponsored women's sports … Member of Kappa Delta Pi Education Honor Society and Alpha Chi National Honor Society … Recognized by Who's Who Among Students in American Universities and Colleges in 1973-74 … Pan American Female Physical Education Major of the Year in 1973-74 … Member of the PE Majors Club … The 6'5 Edinburg High School alum played two season for Pan American after transferring from Wharton Junior College.
 
"Not only did I play sports, but they became my whole life," Montgomery said. "I first got to play volleyball my junior year of high school and basketball in college, and then I spent 35 years teaching children the importance of physical activity."
 
Mario Ribera, Men's Soccer, 1992-94
Sun Belt Conference (SBC) Freshman of the Year in 1992 after leading the NCAA in points per match with an SBC and program record 5.67, the fourth-highest single-season total in NCAA history, and goals per match with an SBC and program record 2.42, the seventh-highest single-season total in NCAA history … Also ranked second in the NCAA in total points with an SBC and program record 68, then the 14^th (now 16^th) highest single-season total in NCAA history, and total goals, with an SBC and program record 29, then the 13^th (now 15^th) highest single-season total in NCAA history … Earned All-SBC Tournament Team honors after scoring a conference tournament record six goals in two matches, including a conference tournament record five goals in one match … Recorded program record six goals and program record six assists in one game for a program record 18 points in a 16-0 win over Schreiner (10/17/92) … Earned three SBC Player of the Week awards in 1992 … Earned All-SBC honors as a junior in 1994 before going on to play professionally.
 
"To come here from Bolivia changed my life," Ribera said. "The language was a barrier, but with hard work and dedication, anything is possible. I feel privileged and honored to be here today. "
 
Robert Barron, Men's Track & Field/Cross Country, 1985-90
•Cross Country: 1988 All-American South Conference honoree.
•Indoor Track & Field: 1990 American South Conference Champion in 3,000-meter run with what was then a program record of time of 8:34.28 (now fifth) … Ran what was then second fastest (now fifth) mile in program history in 1989 with a time of 4:17.96.
•Outdoor Track & Field: Broke program record in 3,000-meter run in 1990 with time of 8:34.28 (now fourth).
 
Jim Lancaster, Associate Athletic Director for Sports Medicine, 1980-Present
Lancaster is in his 36^th season as the head athletic trainer after starting at Pan American University in 1980 … During his career, Lancaster has worked with thousands of student-athletes and hundreds of coaches while training and mentoring numerous athletic trainers that range from the professional ranks to high school athletics, including Mike Mancias, who works with LeBron James, Joe Resendez, the assistant athletic trainer for the Los Angeles Clippers, and Alfred Castillo, the head athletic trainer at Bowling Green … Many others continue to provide athletic injury care at local high schools in the Rio Grande Valley … Alumni are now sending the next generation of student trainers to the UTRGV Athletic Trainer Internship program … During his tenure, Lancaster has made a commitment to providing a caring environment for all of the student-athletes that he oversees every year … He has set a high standard for himself as well as his staff in providing a comprehensive system of preventive medicine, treatment and rehabilitation … He also works hand-in-hand with the team doctors to ensure that the health and safety of the student-athletes is first and foremost … Lancaster has seen his role expand with every passing year, including acting as the department's equipment manager, facilities' director, awards program coordinator, and even Interim Director of Athletics for six months after the departure of former Director of Athletics William J. Weidner … During that time, Lancaster oversaw the day-to-day functions of the entire athletic department while still performing his duties as Assistant Athletic Director for Sports Medicine.
 
"A lot of times I put my job in front of family, so I want to thank my wife and daughter for their support and understanding," Lancaster said. "It's kind of bittersweet to be inducted, as it's the culmination of 36 years at a place where I've always felt welcome."
 
For more information about the Athletics Hall of Fame, visit GoUTRGV.com/HallofFame.
 
1983 Baseball Roster
David Alverson
Ruben Ayala
Rafael Barbosa
Gilbert Beason
Scott Butcher
Scott Cannon
Luis Chavez
Mike Collins
Fernando de la Garza
David Fisher
Don Guillot (Hall of Fame Class of 2013)
Scott Hawk
Jim Hickey (Hall of Fame Class of 2010)
P.J. Iglesias
Wes Jones
Herbie Jordan
Dave Kasprzynski
Jason Loreth
Pat Marshall
Basilio Martinez
John Morales
Mitchell Moran (Hall of Fame Class of 2016)
Kevin Navarro
Tommy Ogletree
Neri Pena
Mark Reissener
Gilbert Trevino
Bobby Joe Williams
Bill Wilson
 
Head Coach: Al Ogletree (Hall of Fame Class of 2007)
Assistant Coach: Reggie Treadaway (Hall of Fame Class of 2008)
Graduate Assistant: Billy Clay
Student Assistant: Ivan Torres

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