Gator Country

The University of Florida F Club and Gator Boosters, Inc., will honor eight Gators as 2011 UF Athletic Hall of Fame inductees Friday night at the Holloway Touchdown Terrace in Ben Hill Griffin Stadium. The 2011 Hall of Fame class will feature six Gator Greats, one Distinguished Letterwinner and an Honorary Letterwinner.

This year’s induction class includes Gator Greats Dawn Buth (Women’s Tennis), Judd Davis (Football), Bob Emrick (Men’s Basketball), Michelle Freeman (Women’s Track & Field), Mimosa McNerney (Women’s Swimming) and Mike Peterson (Football). Keith Tribble (Football) will be inducted as a Distinguished Letterwinner and the late Dr. Richard Shaara (UF Team Physician) will be a 2011 Honorary 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 to themselves through athletic accomplishments as an undergraduate.  Distinguished Letterwinners are those who have made major contributions to the University’s athletic program through personal time, effort, interest and many years of continued service.  They may have also distinguished themselves as exceptional in their chosen field of endeavor. Honorary Letterwinners are individuals, coaches, athletic officials, staff members and other University officials who were not letterwinners or athletes at the University of Florida, yet have rendered outstanding service to the intercollegiate athletic program through personal time, effort, interest and through many years of continued service.

2011 GATOR GREATS

Dawn Buth (Women’s Tennis, 1995-98)

Member of UF’s 1996 and 1998 NCAA Championship Teams…Additionally the 1996 and 1997 NCAA Doubles Champion with Stephanie Nickitas…A seven-time All-American…Still ranks in the top five in the Florida record books for career UF singles wins, single-season singles wins, doubles wins and career doubles win percentage…Posted a 112-4 dual match record during her Gator career, including four SEC regular season titles and four SEC Tournament titles.

Judd Davis (Football, 1992-94)

A member of Florida’s 1993 and 1994 SEC Championship Teams…The 1993 recipient of the Lou Groza Award for the nation’s best place-kicker…Florida’s only recipient of the kicking award…An All-American in 1993.

Bob Emrick (Men’s Basketball, 1955-57)

The Captain of the 1956 and 1957 UF men’s basketball squads…Graduated from Florida as the school’s all-time leading scorer, a mark that stood for 12 years (1,544 points)…An All-SEC selection in 1955 and 1956…Still ranks in the top 10 in UF history in career scoring average and career rebounding average…Averaged a double-double in both 1955 and 1956.

Michelle Freeman (Women’s Track & Field, 1991-92)

A member of the 1992 NCAA Indoor National Championship Team…A seven-time SEC Champion and member of 1992 4x400m relay NCAA Championship Team…Member of 1992, 1996, and 2000 Olympic Teams…A 4x100m relay Olympic Bronze medalist…Still holds school records in the 55-meter hurdles, 55-meter dash, 100-meter dash and 100-meter hurdles…An eight-time All-American during her time at UF.

Mimosa McNerney (Women’s Swimming, 1993-96)

A four-time NCAA Individual Champion, with three titles in the 1650-yard freestyle and one in the 500-yard freestyle; Four-time SEC Champion…A nine-time All-American…Four-year letterwinner who still ranks in the top 10 UF record books in both the 500 and 1650-yard freestyle races…First-ever recipient of the Skip Foster Most Valuable Swimmer Award in 1995.

Mike Peterson (Football, 1995-98)

A member of Florida’s 1996 National Championship Team…Also a member of the Gators’ 1995 and 1996 SEC Championship Teams…A 1998 All-American…Led Florida with 127 Tackles in 1998.

2011 DISTINGUISHED LETTERWINNER

Keith Tribble (Football, 1974-76)

Offensive Guard for three bowl teams during his time at Florida…A 1992-93 Associate Athletic Director at UF…CEO of the Orange Bowl Committee from 1993-06…Currently the Athletic Director at the University of Central Florida…Named AD at UCF in 2006.

2011 HONORARY LETTERWINNER

Dr. Richard Shaara (posthumously)

1970-97 Team Physician at the University of Florida

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