July 5, 2010

• Texas Sports Hall of Fame Class of 2010 Ballot

WACO, Texas -- Six individuals steeped in burnt orange history are among the nominees to be voted on for induction into the Texas Sports Hall of Fame. Nominees include Justin Leonard (Men's Golf), Donna Lopiano (former women's athletics director), Keith Moreland (Baseball), Richard Quick (former Women's Swimming head coach) and Laura Wilkinson (Women's Diving). Marty Akins (Football) is included on the Veteran Ballot.

Official Voting Members of the Texas Sports Hall of Fame will once again be able to help the selection committee induct the newest class. Those who have joined the museum's Official Voting Member program (OVM) will receive their ballots this summer. The OVM registration deadline to be able to vote for the upcoming class is Aug. 1, 2010.

The public can join with only a $25 membership fee and receive an official ballot by going to the museum's website.

The announcement of the Class of 2010 will be made in September.

Justin Leonard was a standout player on the Texas Men's Golf team from 1991-94. In 1992, he won the esteemed U.S Amateur championship, and two years later was awarded the Fred Haskins Trophy as the nation's top collegiate player. Leonard was the only four-time Southwest Conference championship medalist, while participating on a team that garnered four SWC titles. In 1999 he secured the Ryder Cup victory for the U.S. with an unforgettable long putt, and has been a member of multiple Ryder Cup and President's Cup teams.

Donna Lopiano was the women's athletics director for Texas from 1975-92. Lopiano developed the newly-founded women's athletics department into a national model of academic and athletic excellence during her time at Texas. For the duration of her tenure, women's teams earned 18 National Championships (AIAW and NCAA). Lopiano also served as executive director of the Women's Sports Foundation. Her efforts were widely recognized when in a 1999 The Sporting News survey she was ranked No. 67 on the list of "The 100 Most Influential People in Sports."

Keith Moreland was a praiseworthy baseball player at Texas from 1973-75. Moreland was a career .388 hitter with Texas and was a three-time All-American. He led the Longhorns to three NCAA College World Series appearances. Moreland was the co-captain of the 1973 National Championship team. Moreland played 12 major league seasons, primarily with the Philadelphia Phillies and Chicago Cubs. His jersey number was retired by UT this past season.

Richard Quick was the Women's Swimming head coach from 1982-88 and during this time he built Texas into a swimming powerhouse. Quick's teams won five straight NCAA titles from 1984-88 and six SWC titles. He coached 17 Olympians, 25 individual NCAA champions, 11 NCAA relay titlists and two swimmers of the year. His accomplishments were recognized when he was a five-time NCAA Coach of the Year. Quick was the head coach of U.S Olympic teams in 1988, 1996, 2000 and 2004. Quick passed away in June 2009 after battling an inoperable malignant brain tumor that was diagnosed in December 2008.

Laura Wilkinson was a leader on UT's diving team from 1996-2000. She claimed two NCAA platform titles and six All-American honors during her three-year career. Wilkinson competed in three Olympiads and four FINA World Championship events. She came from eighth place to win the gold medal on the platform in the 2000 Sydney Olympics. Wilkinson is a three-time USA Diving Athlete of the year and remains the only woman to win platform titles at each of the three major world championships.

Marty Akins led UT to 27 wins during his three seasons as quarterback from 1973-75. He is the only player to start three years at quarterback under coach Darrell Royal and was the first wishbone quarterback to earn All-America honors in 1975. That year, he was also co-captain and MVP of the Southwest Conference championship team that finished 10-2. For his career, Akins totaled 1,974 rushing yards, 1,188 passing yards and 25 touchdowns.