RIO GRANDE VALLEY – The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV) Department of Intercollegiate Athletics inducted the 2024 Athletics Hall of Fame and Hall of Honor class on Saturday, including the 1997 women's cross country team, former baseball student-athlete Louie Alamia (2003-06), former track & field student-athlete Amy (Moses) Nanthan (2001-05), and former men's basketball student-athletes Pete Perry (1971-73) and Gabe Valdez (1987-91), and long-time public address announcer BJ Pigg.
 
1997 Women's Cross Country Team
University's second and final Sun Belt Conference Championship … Team recorded 34 points and an average time of 17:36 in the 5K to win at home (event was hosted at McAllen Country Club) … All seven runners finished in the top 24 … Marty (Gonzales) Almaguer finished runner-up with time of 18:04 … Kacey Warrick finished fourth with a time of 18:12 … Linda Moncivais finished eighth with a time of 18:26 … Kaci Saenz finished ninth with a time of 18:30 … Lydia Reyes placed 11^th with a time of 18:39 … Amy Sanchez came in 13^th with a time of 18:44 … Gracie Salinas finished 24^th with a time of 19:23 despite battling through shin splints … Head coach Scott Richardson earned Sun Belt Conference Women's Cross Country Coach of the Year honors … Team dedicated race to McAllen Memorial boys track coach Boxer Hernandez, who was battling cancer … Team also won Texas Invitational and placed in top five at prestigious Oregon meet.
 
"I proudly stand with my wonderful teammates," Almaguer said. "They are a true testament to dedication and hard work. May our story inspire the next generation to work hard so they can succeed."
 
"That day, on November 3, 1997, we won the championship, but everyone was cheering us on at the McAllen Country Club," Moncivais said. "It meant so much for us to be able to win it in our own backyard. It was a few minutes of pain and a lifetime to remember."
 
Roster
Marty (Gonzales) Almaguer
Shelly Castillo-Patterson
Monica DeLuna
Karina Garza
Veronica Garza
Sandy Guerrero
Angie Jaramillo
Lindsey Krouse
Linda Moncivais
Carmel Myers
April Orie
Kacey (Warrick) Phillips
Perla Rios-Handy
Kaci Saenz
Gracie Salinas
Amy Sanchez
Lydia (Reyes) Treviño
Priscilla Zepeda
Head Coach: Scott Richardson
Assistant Coach: Jim VanHootegem
Student Assistant: Peter Trevino
 
Louie Alamia, Baseball, 2003-06
Program record holder in hits (267) and at-bats (762) and tied for first in triples (13) … 2003 Freshman All-American … Only Freshman All-American in program history … As a freshman, ranked 81^st in the NCAA in hitting (.382) … Two-time All-Independent First Team (2005 and 2006) … Two-time All-Independent Second Team (2003 and 2004) … Independent Player of the Week (3/28/06) … 2003 UTPA Male Newcomer of the Year … Ranks third in program history in career runs scored (149), tied for third in doubles (40), fifth in games played (201), ninth in hitting (.350), and tied for ninth in RBI (100), and walks (97) … Tied for fifth in program history in single-season triples (5 in 2004).
 
"I would like to dedicate this award to my father, Luis Alamia Jr.," Alamia said. "In 1994, the day after Thanksgiving, I was diagnosed with type 1 juvenile diabetes. I saw that look in my dad's eyes that we were going to beat this, and baseball was how we were going to beat it."
 
Amy (Moses) Nanthan, Women's Track & Field, 2001-05
Two-time indoor track & field All-American in the weight throw (2003 and 2005) … Program record holder in weight throw with a throw of 21.84 meters in 2005 … NCAA Division I Outdoor National Qualifier in hammer throw in 2005 … Graduated as program record holder (now fifth) in hammer throw with throw of 60.53 meters in 2005 … Two-time UTPA Female Student-Athlete of the Year.
 
"One of the reasons I chose UTPA was the opportunity to be a pre-med major and become a doctor," Nanthan said. "It is a blessing and an honor to be where I am today."
 
Pete Perry, Men's Basketball, 1971-73
Program record holder in career blocked shots with 216, single-season blocked shots with 96 (1971-72) and single-game blocked shots with 11 … Ranks eighth in career rebounds with 670 … Ranks second in single-season blocked shots with 96 (1971-72), seventh in rebounds with 388 (1972-73), and eighth in rebounds per game at 14.9 (1972-73) … Recorded the second, third and fourth highest single-game block totals with nine, eight and seven twice ... Selected in the second round (34^th overall) of the 1973 NBA Draft by the Los Angeles Lakers.
 
"Although I set some records, I couldn't do it by myself," Perry said. "To do what I did was a team effort. I want to thank my coaches, my teammates, and my loving wife."
 
Gabe Valdez, Men's Basketball, 1987-91
Inducted into RGV Sports Hall of Fame in July 2022 … Best free throw shooter in program history at .854 (226-264) … 1991 All-American South Conference Second Team honoree … One of 17 players in program history to have a perfect game from the charity stripe while attempting at least 10 free throws, going 10-for-10 vs. New Orleans (2/16/91) … One of only four players to shoot at least 50% from behind the arc in a season while making at least 50 3-pointers, going 25-for-50 (tied for third in program history) in 1989-90. Also ranks fifth at 48.6%, having gone 17-for-35 in 1988-89 … Ranks second in single-season free throw percentage at 92.3%, going 36-for-39 in 1988-89 … Led team in points in 1990-91 with 453 (16.2 per game) … Led team in 3-point shooting each of final three seasons (48.6% in 1988-89, 50.0% in 1989-90, 41.2% in 1990-81) … Led team in free throw shooting in 1988-89 (92.3%) and 1990-91 (83.7%) … Led team with 40 steals in 1990-91.
 
"There are unbelievable moments that create the most amazing memories," Valdez said. "Today is one of those days. I am proudly grateful to The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley for helping me to create this memory. The degree from Pan Am saved my life and my future as I have been coaching in my hometown for the last 34 years. From an old Bronc to now a UTRGV Vaquero… V's way up!"
 
Hall of Honor
Billy Joe "BJ" Pigg, Public Address Announcer
Long-time public address announcer for basketball and baseball … Started doing PA in 1960 after graduating from Pan American in 1957 … Simultaneously served as campus bookstore manager … Started working at bookstore as a student/assistant manager.
 
"This is an awesome honor on behalf of our dad," Pigg's son, Barry Watson said. "He worked at the campus bookstore for over 30 years and was an announcer most of that time. Looking back at the records, he probably announced about 300 basketball games and 700 baseball games. Dad was always trying to improve the student experience, and this carried over to his announcing. Even when the teams were on the road, dad liked to travel support the teams."
 
For more information about the Athletics Hall of Fame and Hall of Honor, visit GoUTRGV.com/HallofFame.

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