W-Tennis Great Stephanie Nickitas Among 2012 UF Athletic Hall of Fame Inductees
Wednesday, September 7, 2011 | Women's Tennis
The University of Florida F Club and Gator Boosters, Inc., have announced eight Gators as 2012 UF Athletic Hall of Fame inductees, including UF women's tennis standout Stephanie Nickitas (Tampa, Fla./Saddlebrook Academy). The 2012 Hall of Fame class will feature seven Gator Greats and one Distinguished Letterwinner that will join the 367 existing UF Hall of Famers next spring. The 2012 UF Athletic Hall of Fame Induction Banquet will be held on Friday, April 6, 2012, in the Holloway Touchdown Terrace at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium.
This year's induction class includes Gator Greats Alex Brown (Football), Hazel Clark Riley (Women's Track & Field), Kristen Guise Lee (Gymnastics), Udonis Haslem (Men's Basketball), Jeff Morrison (Men's Tennis), Stephanie Nickitas (Women's Tennis) and Abby Wambach (Soccer). Larry Travis (Football) will be inducted into the UF Athletic Hall of Fame as a Distinguished Letterwinner.
Each year, the F Club Committee selects members to the Hall of Fame, divided into three different categories: Gator Greats, Distinguished Letterwinners and Honorary Letterwinners. Gator Greats are letterwinners who have brought recognition and prominence to the University and themselves by athletic accomplishments as a student-athlete. Distinguished Letterwinners are former student-athletes who have made major contributions to the University's athletic program through personal time, effort, interest and many years of continued service. They also have distinguished themselves as exceptional in their chosen field of endeavor. There were no 2012 inductees selected for the Honorary Letterwinner category.
Please contact Gator Boosters at (352) 375-4683 x 5015 for information on attending the 2012 Hall of Fame Induction Banquet.
2012 GATOR GREATS
Alex Brown (Football, 1998-01)
A member of 2000 SEC Championship Team… A 1999 and 2001 First Team All-American selection… The 2001 SEC Defensive Player of the Year… UF's career sacks leader (33-Career, 13-Season).
Hazel Clark Riley (Women's Track & Field, 1996-99)
Three-time NCAA Champion (Indoor Mile -1998 & 1999, Outdoor Mile - 1998)… 13-time All-American… 15-time All-SEC selection… Notched 56 collegiate victories… Member of 2000, 2004 & 2008 United States Olympic Teams.
Kristen Guise Lee (Gymnastics, 1993-96)
Eleven-time All-American (Tied with Chrissy Van Fleet for most in UF History)… 1996 SEC Gymnast of the Year… 1996 runner-up at NCAA Championships all-around competition… 1994 female recipient of the Ben Hill Griffin Award.
Udonis Haslem (Men's Basketball, 1999-02)
Member of 2000 NCAA runner-up team… Member of 2000 & 2001 SEC Championship Teams...A First Team All-SEC selection in both 2001 & 2002… Led the SEC in field-goal percentage in 2001.
Jeff Morrison (Men's Tennis, 1997-00)
The 1999 NCAA Singles Champion… A 1999 and 2000 All-America selection… The 1999 SEC Player of the Year… Ranked #1 in UF history in single-season wins.
Stephanie Nickitas (Women's Tennis, 1998-01)
The 1996 & 1997 NCAA doubles champion… A six-time All-American… A four-time collegiate Grand Slam champion … A member of the 1996 & 1998 NCAA Championship Teams and four SEC Championship Teams… UF posted a 120-3 record during her career … A two-time first-team Academic All-American … Winner of NCAA Today's Top VIII Award.
Abby Wambach (Soccer, 1998-01)
A four-time All-American… The 2000 & 2001 SEC Player of the Year… Member of two Collegiate Cup teams, including the 1998 NCAA Championship Team… Member of the 2003, 2007, & 2011 United States World Cup Teams… Member of the 2004 Olympic Gold Medal Team… The all-time U.S. World Cup goal scorer.
2012 DISTINGUISHED LETTERWINNER
Larry Travis (Football, 1960-62)
A two-way player at Florida… UF Assistant Football Coach 1963-66… Nineteen-year college football coaching career (Florida, Kansas, Ole Miss, Louisville, Georgia Tech)… An Associate Athletic Director at both Georgia Tech and the U.S. Naval Academy...Also the Athletic Director at Kansas State and Western Carolina… Currently the mayor of High Springs, Fla.
Additional Information on Nickitas' UF Career:
CAREER NOTES: 1996 & 1997 NCAA Doubles champion and 1998 NCAA Doubles finalist (all with Dawn Buth)… six-time All-American (1996-99 doubles; 1998-99 singles)… winner of four collegiate Grand Slam titles… ranked No. 2 at UF for career doubles win percentage (128-15, 89.5%)... No. 5 for career singles win percentage (128-22, 85.3%)... No. 2 all-time at UF for doubles wins (128)... No. 1 for season doubles winning percentage (97.6%, 41-1 in 1996)... No. 2 for season doubles wins (41 in 1996)... No. 8 all-time at UF for singles wins (127)… UF posted an impressive 120-3 record during her four-year tenure, which has included two NCAA championships (1996 & '98), two NCAA runner-up positions (1997 & '99), three National Team Indoor titles (1996, '97 & '99), four SEC overall regular season titles (1996, '97, '98 & '99) & three SEC Tournament crowns (1996, '97 & '98)… in 1997, teamed with Dawn Buth and successfully defended the NCAA Doubles Championship, becoming the first doubles team in the 16-year history of the NCAA Championships to win two doubles titles, never mind consecutive crowns … Career-high ITA singles ranking: 13 (Preseason 1998)... Career-high ITA doubles ranking: 1 (15 times with Dawn Buth: five times in 1998: preseason, March 10, 24, April 7 & final; six times in '96; four times in '97).
Individual Honors & Awards: Six-Time All-American … 1998 ITA Cissie Leary Sportsmanship Award (national recipient) … 1999 Ben Hill Griffin Award winner … VOLVO Tennis/Doubles Team of the Year (with Dawn Buth 1996, 1997) … 1998 ITA Doubles Team of the Month for March (with Buth) … ITA All-Star Team (1996, 1997, 1998) … USA Tennis Collegiate Team (1996, 1998) … four-time First-Team All-SEC singles performer … 1999 First-Team All-SEC at No. 2 singles … 1998 First-Team All-SEC at No. 3 singles & Second-Team All-SEC for doubles ... 1997 & 1996 First-Team All-SEC for singles and doubles.
Academic Honors & Awards: program's only two-time First-Team CoSIDA Academic All-American (1997, 1999) … Second-Team CoSIDA Academic All-American (1998) ... three-time SEC Academic Honor Roll member (1997, 1998, 1999) … 1999 NCAA Today's Top VIII Award winner... 1999 NCAA Post Graduate Scholarship recipient.
Career Records: 128-22 Overall Singles; 96-9 Dual Singles; 50-2 SEC Singles; 128-15 Overall Doubles; 68-9 Dual Doubles; 34-3 SEC Doubles
Graduated from UF with a B.S. in Business Administration on May 1, 1999.
Other Gator Women's Tennis Greats in UF Athletics Hall of Fame
Judy Acker-Smith (inducted 1993)
Nicole Arendt (inducted 2001)
Jillian Alexander (inducted 2002)
Andy Brandi (inducted 2006)
Dawn Buth (inducted 2011)
Jill Craybas (inducted 2008)
Cissie Donigan (inducted 2006)
Andrea Farley (inducted 2004)
Jill Hetherington (inducted 1999)
Lisa Raymond (inducted 2003)
Shaun Stafford (inducted 1999)
