July 24, 2008

· Biographical sketches of the Women's Athletics Hall of Honor Class of 2008

AUSTIN, Texas -- Four distinguished former University of Texas student-athletes and a former staff member will be inducted as members of the ninth class of the UT Women's Athletics Hall of Honor, as announced Thursday by the Women's Hall of Honor Committee. The class will be inducted at a ceremony and luncheon on Friday, Nov. 7 at the Frank Erwin Center in Austin.

The ninth class of inductees features these five outstanding individuals:

· Angie (Bradburn) Spangler, Track and Field (1987-90): One of the premier high jumpers in NCAA history and a member of UT's 1988 and 1990 NCAA indoor championship squads, she earned two national high jump championships and five All-America honors ... Bradburn went on to become a four-time U.S. National high jump champion in the mid-1990s;

· Hattie Browning, Basketball (1978-80): A two-year standout guard for Jody Conradt's earliest nationally-recognized teams, she helped lead Texas to an impressive 70-8 two-year record before playing in the first Women's Basketball Professional League with the Dallas Diamonds ... Browning is the holder of the UT single season steals record (179), single-game steals record (15) and career steals per game average (3.8 spg);

· Kim Linehan, Swimming (1980-83): A two-time U.S. Olympian and former world record-holder and USA record-holder in the 1,500-meter freestyle, Kim earned six AIAW titles in three different events, claimed 21 All-America honors, and helped Texas to two AIAW Championships (1981, 1982) as she dominated the middle distance and distance races;

· Suziann Reid, Track and Field (1996-99): One of the most decorated female track and field athletes in Texas history who was a 10-time NCAA Champion and 17-time All-America standout at 400 meters and the 4x400 relays ... the 1998-99 Honda Broderick Award recipient as National Track and Field Athlete of the Year, Reid led the Longhorns to four consecutive NCAA indoor and outdoor team titles in 1998 and 1999; and,

· Becky (Bludau) Marshall, Athletic Trainer (1976-85): The first full-time athletic trainer in UT women's athletics history and one of the first female athletic trainers in the Southwest Conference ... overseeing all eight UT women's teams during her tenure (1976-85), she established the foundation for the nationally-acclaimed UT women's athletics sports medicine program.

Prior to the Nov. 7 luncheon, inductees and their families will be honored with a special breakfast reception at the University Co-op (2246 Guadalupe St.). Each year, the University Co-op generously provides support to underwrite the Women's Hall of Honor luncheon.

Both the men's and women's halls of honor will hold their induction ceremonies during the weekend of Friday-Saturday, Nov. 7-8, 2008. All inductees also will be introduced at the Texas-Baylor football game Nov. 8 in Austin.

For tickets to the UT Women's Hall of Honor luncheon on Nov. 7, please contact The Longhorn Foundation at (512) 471-4439.

"Every current female student-athlete at The University of Texas has this inductee class to thank in some way," noted Chris Plonsky, Women's Athletics Director/Senior Associate AD of Men's and Women's Athletics External Services.

"Becky Marshall followed her own student-athlete career with one in sports medicine, at a time when she was the lone staff member treating all 80 athletes in our women's program. The four athletes in this class truly set the standard for performance during their competitive years. Without Hattie Browning, the famous Texas women's basketball full-court press would have been a pipe dream. Kim (Linehan) was a world-record holder, Angie (Bradburn) a multi-time NCAA and U.S. event champion, and Suziann (Reid) won an incredible amount of NCAA event titles and four team championships in her UT career," Plonsky concluded.

The five inductees were nominated in the spring of 2008, with selection conducted by the 21-member UT Women's Athletics Hall of Honor Selection Committee chaired by Dr. James Dietrick, professor of accounting in the Red McCombs School of Business.

In addition to Dietrick and Plonsky, other members of the Women's Athletics Hall of Honor Committee are Brad Buchholz (Austin); Jody Conradt (Austin); Doug English (Austin); Dr. Linda Ferreira-Buckley (Austin); Beverly Bowes-Hackney (Austin); Mary Herman (Austin); Courtney Houston (Austin); Jan Hughes (Austin); Howard Nirken (Austin); Lynn Davis Pool (Austin); Sonia Perez (McAllen); Dr. Robert Prentice (Austin); Wally Pryor (Austin); Dr. Randa Ryan (Wimberly); Sally Schlobohm Tan (Austin); Sue Tottenham (Austin); Craig Way (Cedar Park); Lynn Wheeler (Austin); and Joan Whitworth (Austin).

For further information on the UT Women's Athletics Hall of Honor, visit TexasSports.com.

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES OF THE TEXAS WOMEN'S ATHLETICS HALL OF HONOR CLASS OF 2008

Angie (Bradburn) Spangler, Track and Field (1987-90)
· One of the premier high jumpers in USA and NCAA history, Angie earned two NCAA high jump titles, was a five-time All-American, and was a key contributor on UT's 1988 and 1990 NCAA indoor championship teams.
· A five-time All-America high jumper, she claimed NCAA individual titles at the 1988 NCAA indoor meet and at 1990 NCAA outdoor meet ... also finished third at the NCAA competition three times -- 1989 outdoor, 1989 indoor and 1990 indoor.
· Won three Southwest Conference high jump championships and was named to the SWC All-Decade Team of the 1980s ... gained those SWC titles at the 1988 indoor meet and in her final season, claimed both the 1990 SWC indoor and outdoor high jump crowns.
· Jumped 6-3 1/4 indoors in 1990, her UT career best and a mark that today stands as the third-best in the Longhorns record book ... outdoors, her UT best was 6-2 3/4 set in 1990, and which ranks as the third-best outdoor mark in UT history.
· Following her UT career, Angie went on to become a four-time U.S. national high jump champion in the mid-1990s ... claimed first at the 1994 USA outdoor championships ... indoors, was the U.S. champion in 1992, 1994 and 1997 and finished as runner-up in the high jump five times (1991, 1993, 1996, 1998, 2000).
· With a professional career in retail sales, Angie currently is a design and home furnishings consultant in Fort Wayne, Ind. ... she is married to Michael Spangler and has three children: step-daughter Eryn (18), a freshman track and field athlete at the University of Maryland, daughter Rachel (5); and son Ryan (3).

Hattie Browning, Basketball (1978-80)
· A standout guard and tenacious defender for Jody Conradt's earliest national top-10 ranked teams (1978-79, 1979-80), Hattie's defense and guard play was instrumental in leading UT to a 70-8 two-year record as she helped Texas become an emerging Association for Intercollegiate Athletics for Women (AIAW) national power.
· In Browning's junior year, Texas went 37-4 in 1977-78, finishing No. 4 in the final Associated Press rankings -- the program's first top-five finish ever -- while placing third at the AIAW Regional tournament ... in her senior year, UT was 33-4, placing fifth at the AIAW national tourney while earning the AP's No. 7 final national ranking.
· Currently ranks No. 6 in UT career steals (291) despite playing just two seasons ... ranks first in the Texas career record book for steals per game average (3.8)
· As a senior in 1979-80, set two additional team records which still hold 28 years later ... set the Texas single season record for steals with 179 ... also owns the UT single game steals record, registering 15 steals against Pittsburgh on Jan. 2, 1980.
· Voted the team MVP as a senior in 1979-80.
· Following her Texas career, played in the first Women's Basketball Professional League in 1980-81 as a member of the Dallas Diamonds.
· Currently is the postmaster for the town of San Felipe, Texas, and resides in Bellville, Texas.

Kim Linehan, Swimming (1980-83)
· A domineering presence in the middle distance and distance swimming events at just 5-4, Kim is a former world record-holder and USA record-holder in the 1,500-meter freestyle ... named to the 1980 and 1984 USA Olympic Teams, she also won 17 individual U.S. National Championship titles and held American records in four events: the 1,000 yard, 1,650 yard, 400 meter and 800 meter freestyle events.
· In her three-year Texas career, she earned six AIAW titles in three different events, claimed 20 All-America honors and one honorable mention All-America honor, and helped Texas to two AIAW Championships (1981, 1982).
· Had arrived for her freshman year at UT in 1980 as one of the world's premier distance freestylers, having won bronze medals in 400 meter and 800 meter freestyles at the 1978 World Championships for Team USA ... at the U.S. World Championship Trials, set the world record in the 400m freestyle (4:07.66) ... at the 1978 Pan Pacific Championships, claimed a gold medal (800 meter free) and a silver medal (200 meter free) ... in 1979 at age 16, she put the international swimming world on notice by setting the 1,500 meter freestyle record in a time of 16:04.49 -- a record which stood for eight years it was broken by Janet Evans in 1987 ... at the 1979 Pan American Games, she won gold in the 800m freestyle and the silver medal in the 200m free.
· Kim earned three AIAW individual titles each year that the Longhorns won the AIAW Championship ... both years, she won back-to-back individual titles in the 200 butterfly, 500 free and 1,650 freestyle as a sophomore and junior ... Linehan did not compete her senior season at Texas.
· Twice named a USA Olympian, as a member of the 1980 team (which boycotted the Moscow Olympics) and as a member of the 1984 USA team which competed at the Los Angeles Olympics... her times at the 1980 U.S. Olympic Trials in the 400 and 800 meter events were faster than the winning times posted at the 1980 Olympic competition ... she finished fourth in the 400 meter freestyle at the 1984 Olympic Games.
· While competing at Texas, Kim also earned international acclaim at the 1981 World University Games and at the 1982 World Championships ... at the World University Games, she claimed three gold medals (200 butterfly, 400 and 800 freestyles) ... at the World Championships, she took home gold in the 800 freestyle.
· An administrator in a senior citizens health care center, she resides in Peoria, Ill.

Suziann Reid, Track and Field (1996-99)
· One of the most decorated female track and field athletes in Texas history who was a 10-time NCAA Champion, 17-time All-American and nine-time Big 12 Conference champion at 400 meters and the relays ... the 1998-99 Honda Broderick Award recipient as National Track and Field Athlete of the Year, Suziann led the Longhorns to four consecutive NCAA team championships (the 1998 and 1999 indoor and outdoor championships).
· Earned seven NCAA outdoor titles and three indoor titles and was the only three-time women's outdoor 400m champion in NCAA history, winning the event in 1996 as a freshman and in 1998 and 1999 as a junior and senior... added NCAA indoor 400m titles in 1998 and 1999 as well ... the other five NCAA crowns came on UT's 4x400 relay quartets, including four consecutive outdoor titles from 1996-99.
· In 2006, was recognized as the NCAA's premier 400 meter runner and as one of the top student-athletes in the 25-year history of NCAA women's track and field with selection to the United States Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association's "Silver Anniversary Team" ... also earned "Silver Anniversary Team" honors as a member of UT's four consecutive and record-setting 4x400 relay squads.
· Gained her 17 All-America honors in just three events (200m, 400m, 4x400m relay), remarkably placing first, second or third 16 times and once placing eighth ... additionally, was second three other times as a NCAA runner-up at 400m (1997 outdoors) and on UT's 4x400m indoor relays in 1997 and 1998.
· As a senior, was voted the 1998-99 Honda Broderick Award recipient as Female Collegiate National Track and Field Athlete of the Year; USTFCCCA Indoor Athlete of the Year; and the Big 12 Female Athlete of the Year.
· Reid was an eight-time Big 12 champion and helped Texas win seven of a possible eight league championships during her four-year tenure ... individually, she won three straight 400m outdoor titles and three consecutive 600 yard indoor crowns in 1997, 1998 and 1999 ... also earned relay titles as a member of UT's winning 1997 4x400m indoor relay and 1999 4x400m outdoor relay ... as a freshman, helped UT's 4x400m outdoor relay win the Southwest Conference crown.
· In the UT record books, she holds the second-fastest 400m indoor (51.58 seconds) and the second-fastest 400m outdoor (50.74 seconds) times in Texas history.
· Following her illustrious UT career, Suziann competed professionally and helped the USA 4x400 relay win silver as the leadoff runner at the 1999 World Championship ... in her specialty event (400 meters), she also was the 2000 and 2001 USA National indoor champion and 2001 USA Outdoor champion ... also earned a 2001 Millrose Games gold medal at 400 meters and won gold at the 2001 Goodwill Games, running the anchor leg on the USA's 4x400 relay.
· Resides in Glenn Dale, Md., where she is authoring a book and assisting her family with a home improvement business ... Reid moved to the U.S. (Maryland) from Kingston, Jamaica, at age 11 and has dual citizenship.

Becky (Bludau) Marshall, first full-time women's athletics trainer (1976-85)
· Hired by former Women's Athletics Director Donna Lopiano in 1976 as the department's first full-time athletic trainer.
· Marshall was the sole athletic trainer for the eight women's teams at the time, and began developing the nationally-recognized sports medicine program that Texas women's athletics is known for today by hiring, training and mentoring student assistants and graduate assistants to provide the best possible injury prevention and treatment programs.
· As athletic trainer, she traveled with the 1978 U.S. National women's basketball team which toured Eastern Europe and was a staff member at the 1979 U.S. National Sports Festival.
· A native of Karnes City, Texas, Becky attended Ranger (Texas) Junior College from 1969-71 and was a member of the Ranger 1971 national championship basketball team ... completed her undergraduate degree in physical education and biology at The University of Texas (1973) and then was the women's athletic trainer at Southwest Texas State (now Texas State) from 1973-75 while earning a master's degree in education.
· After leaving UT, she was a collegiate women's basketball official in six NCAA Division I conferences ... she also officiated junior college and NAIA national tournaments, the Olympic Sports Festival and U.S. Basketball National Team Trial competitions ... after a hip replacement surgery cut short her officiating career in 1996, Marshall went on to serve as the Coordinator of Women's Basketball Officials for six conferences, including the Big 12, Southland and Sunbelt leagues.
· A resident of Buda, Texas, Becky is married to Bailey Marshall, Ph.D., former director/chief administrative officer of the University Interscholastic League (UIL) from 1977-95 ... an accomplished amateur golfer who has played in several U.S. Golf Association (USGA) Senior Women's Amateur Championships.