Royal Ivey, Rod Wright among 2025 inductees to Texas Atheltics Hall of Honor

[Jeff Howe]

Here's the press release from the school announcing the 2025 inductees into the Texas Athletics Hall of Honor:

AUSTIN, Texas — Ten former University of Texas student-athletes will be inducted this September into the Texas Athletics Hall of Honor. These 10 individuals will be recognized as the Class of 2025 in an induction ceremony on Friday, Sept. 12.

The ceremony will start at 7 p.m. Central (doors open at 6:30 p.m.) in the LBJ Auditorium and Conference Center on the UT campus (2313 Red River St.). Tickets for this year’s Hall of Honor show will be general admission and are available for $25 per person at the following link: https://texaslonghorns.evenue.net/events/HOH.

The 71st Men’s Hall of Honor class includes: Nate Dusing (Swimming & Diving, 1998-2001), a two-time Olympian, two-time Olympic medalist, two-time NCAA individual champion, nine-time NCAA relay champion and 27-time All-American who helped the Longhorns to back-to-back NCAA team championships in 2000 and 2001; Royal Ivey (Basketball, 2001-04), a four-year starter and one of the top one-on-one perimeter defenders in program history who led the Longhorns to three consecutive trips to the Sweet 16 including a run to the 2003 Final Four before moving on to a 10-year playing stint and a successful coaching career in the NBA; Kyle Russell (Baseball, 2006-08), a first-team All-American and Big 12 Conference Player of the Year in 2007 who led Texas to back-to-back Big 12 regular-season titles in 2006 and 2007 and still holds the program’s career home runs record (57); Rodrique Wright (Football, 2002-05), a four-year starter at defensive tackle who earned first-team All-America honors and was a finalist for the Lombardi Award while helping the Longhorns win the 2005 National Championship; and Vintage Selection Bobby Mitchell (Football, 1968-70), a three-year letterwinner at offensive guard who helped anchor one of the most prolific offenses in college football history while leading Texas to a 30-2-1 overall record, including a school-record 30-game winning streak, two National Championships and three Southwest Conference titles. 

The 26th Women’s Hall of Honor class includes: Kirsten Wengler Burton (Swimming & Diving, 1983-86), a 21-time All-American, five-time NCAA relay champion and 11-time SWC champion who led Texas to three-consecutive NCAA team titles in 1984, 1985 and 1986; Haley Eckerman (Volleyball, 2011-14), a two-time National Player of the Year, four-time All-American, three-time Big 12 Conference Player of the Year who paced Texas to the 2012 NCAA Championship;Nicole Devonish Gilmore (Track & Field, 1994-97), an eight-time All-American and eight-time Southwest Conference champion in the long and triple jump who led the Longhorns to four runner-up and three third-place team finishes at the NCAA Indoor and Outdoor Championships; Tiffany Jackson (Basketball, 2004-07), one of just three Women’s Basketball players in program history to earn All-America honors three times and the only individual in school history to achieve the combination of 1,000 points, 1,000 rebounds, 300 steals and 150 blocks; and Nancy Ledbetter Ramsbottom (Golf, 1981-84), the 1984 Southwest Conference individual champion and SWC Player of the Year who went on to a 16-year career on the LPGA Tour. Jackson will be inducted posthumously, as she passed away after a lengthy battle with cancer in October 2022 at the age of 37. 

The newest members of the Hall will receive a special salute during the Texas Football game versus UTEP on Saturday, Sept. 13.

[Jeff Howe]

 

[Jeff Howe]

 

[Jeff Howe]

 

[Migas & Fajitas]

Out of curiosity, what is criteria to be eligible? Completion of professional playing career?

[Jeff Howe]

11 minutes ago, Migas & Fajitas said:

Out of curiosity, what is criteria to be eligible? Completion of professional playing career?

I believe you have to be 10 years removed from your collegiate playing career. Vince Young, for example, was inducted in 2015.

In some cases, they might wait to induct someone when their professional career is over (it's not a coincidence that Colt didn't go in until last year, when he officially retired).

[Migas & Fajitas]

15 minutes ago, Jeff Howe said:

I believe you have to be 10 years removed from your collegiate playing career. Vince Young, for example, was inducted in 2015.

In some cases, they might wait to induct someone when their professional career is over (it's not a coincidence that Colt didn't go in until last year, when he officially retired).

So what you're saying is, we'll be waiting until 2031 for Bijan to be inducted...