2023 Hall of Fame induction ceremony celebrates women

LOGAN — On Saturday, April 15, seven women were inducted into the Utah State University Athletics Hall of Fame. The celebration of women came in conjunction with the 50th anniversary of Title IX, which created more equal opportunities for women in sports.

The inductees included seven former student–athletes and administrators. Each woman was honored at the event, joined by their family, current school administrators, former inductees and current student–athletes at USU.

There are now three teams and 130 individuals in the Utah State Athletics Hall of Fame. It was founded in 1993 with 12 initial members. Before this class, there had never been a year of inductees which included only women.

This celebration of women proved the opportunities that Title IX has provided for women over the past 50 years. As each inductee spoke, they reflected on the importance of this law. They also recognized the work that still needs to be done for women in sports to be seen as equals to men.

“Today we honor the trailblazers who paved the way for women’s sports, and recognize the extraordinary women who have made Utah State Athletics what it is today,” said Jerry Bovee, USU’s interim director of athletics. “The women being inducted into the Utah State Athletics Hall of Fame tonight represent the best of the best.”

This 2023 class includes Tana Call Davis (Gymnastics), Shantel Flanary (Soccer), Krista Larson Du Plessis (Track & Field), Jerrie McGahan (Women’s Basketball), Denae Mohlman Pruden (Volleyball), Christine Thomsen (Softball) and Marilyn Weiss (Admin).

“They embody the spirit of Utah State Athletics, and their accomplishments have inspired generations of women, including our current student–athletes, who not only benefit from those that competed in the past but also inspire those young women in our community who dream of the possibilities that are in store for them in the years to come,” Bovee said.

Tana Call Davis – Gymnastics (1987–90)

Tana Call Davis is known as one of the most accomplished gymnasts in school history. By the time she left Utah State, she held 16 school records. She held the single–meet records for best all–around, bars, beam, floor and National Qualifying Score. She competed at the 1989 and 1990 NCAA Championships, where she placed 26th and 31st. She helped the team in regional appearances throughout her career. Call Davis was voted team captain her senior year by her teammates.

Call Davis reflected on her time at USU and shared what life lesson she remembers the most. Hilda Fronske, associate professor of kinesiology and health science at USU, required her students to play a game that Call Davis very much disliked. The conversation she had with Fronske has stayed with her.

“The next words that came in my mouth were ‘I don’t like to do things that I’m not good at.’ She looked at me and said ‘I think you better rethink how you think about life. If you only go through life doing things you think you’re good at, it is going to be a long, hard life.’ I have thought about that as I’ve moved through my life and tried to do things that are hard, things that are not comfortable, and things that are outside of what I like to do. And the growth that has happened in my life continues to grow because her words will echo in my head. I had a wonderful opportunity to be here at this university,” Call Davis said.

Shantel Flanary – Soccer (2008–11)

Shantel Flanary was a two–time Western Athletic Conference Offensive Player of the Year, and is the school record holder with 85 career points, which includes 34 goals and 17 assists. She was named first–team all–WAC three times, second–team all–WAC one time and was the WAC Freshman of the Year in 2008. In 2011, she led the team to win the WAC regular season and tournament championships and the school’s first–ever appearance in the NCAA Tournament. Flanary ranks first all–time in school history in shots on goal (113), second in career shots (215) and game–winning goals (10), third in career goals (34) and fourth in career assists (17). She is also one of only nine players to record a hat trick in school history.

“As much as I love breaking these records for myself, my ultimate goal was to get to the NCAA,” Flanary said. “A big part of why I wanted to come here was to really make an impact and leave a mark on the program. I felt like I did that. I absolutely love this school.”

Krista Larson Du Plessis – Track & Field (2006–09)

Krista Larson Du Plessis was a two–time all–WAC honoree, a four–time academic all–WAC selection and earned Academic All–American accolades. Larson Du Plessis was the first female hammer thrower at Utah State to earn All–American honors. She currently ranks fourth all–time in school history in the hammer, with a mark of 59.95 meters (196–8), which she set as a senior. Indoors, she ranks fifth all–time in the weight throw, with a heave of 18.09 meters (59–4), set in 2009.

“My reaction when I first got the call was honestly, I thought that they contacted the wrong athlete,” Larson Du Plessis said. “But after I confirmed that it was me, I just felt very honored and those feelings came back of pride in and feeling accomplished for the things that I had done at Utah State.”

During her sophomore year, her mother passed away. The sport then became something more important to her.

“It was one of the ways for me to kind of heal through that process. That’s how the hammer really became my love. It was there for me at a time when I really needed it,” she said. “I’m grateful for my teammates who pushed me and were always there for me during the times that were the hardest.”

Jerrie McGahan – Women’s Basketball (1977–80)

Jerrie McGahan is the program’s all–time leading rebounder, with 840 boards, and is the school record holder with 553 made field goals over 94 games. She set the school record for career points with 1,317, now the third–best in school history. In her career, she averaged 14.8 points and 9.4 rebounds per game, the fifth and second–best averages in school history. She ranks fourth all–time in school history in field goal attempts (1,182), eighth all–time in field goal percentage (46.8) and ninth all–time in free throws made (211). She is one of just 13 players in program history to score 30 or more points in a game, and one of 17 players to record at least 15 rebounds in a game. McGahan also competed on the USU Track & Field team.

“There weren’t scholarships for women athletes, and funding for the programs was very minimal. I was a student–athlete, competed on the volleyball team and had a 3 a.m. paper route while working as a student assistant to pay my expenses. Somehow we managed but it wasn’t easy,” McGahan said. “There aren‘t words to express how honored I am to be selected.”

Denae Mohlman Pruden – Volleyball (1997–2000)

Denae Mohlman Pruden was a three–time all–Big West Conference selection for Utah State and is one of just two players in school history to earn first–team all–conference honors three times. She was named the Big West Freshman of the Year in 1997, was a three–time academic all–conference selection and earned academic all–district honors as a senior. She helped Utah State to its first–ever NCAA Tournament where they ranked 22nd in the nation. She is the school record holder in hitting percentage, ranks second all–time at Utah State in total blocks (477) and block assists (420), tied for fourth in matches played (121), sixth in kills (1,294) and eighth in total attempts (2,796). She set one match record during her career as she recorded 11 blocks as a senior, which is tied for the most in a three–set match in school history.

“I believe this award reflects the unwavering dedication and hard work of an entire generation of Aggies. This recognition belongs to all of us,” Mohlman Pruden said. “Title IX has really empowered countless people to be able to develop critical life skills and it has benefited families, communities and our country as a whole. I’m just really proud to be a part of that legacy.”

Christine Thomsen – Softball (2012–13)

Christine Thomsen is one of just seven softball players in school history to earn All–American accolades as she was named an Easton second–team All–American in 2012. The infielder posted a 0.13–strikeout rate per game and was named first–team all–WAC in both of her years at Utah State. She earned academic all–conference honors and was a two–time WAC Player of the Week. Thomsen still holds the program record with a .431 career batting average and ranks fourth all–time with a .585 slugging percentage. She posted 66 hits, including 14 doubles and 97 total bases as a junior. Those records still rank tied for third, sixth and ninth in school history respectively.

“It took a lot for me to just be here today. Being able to have done what I did, it wasn’t me, it was everybody around me,” Thomsen said. “Title IX has opened up so many doors for female athletes. It’s something that continues to grow. It’s still not where it needs to be, but women are making a platform, they’re making the stage for more female athletes to follow in those footsteps.”

Marilyn Weiss – Admin (1975–81)

Marilyn Weiss served as Utah State’s director of women’s athletics from 1975 to 1981. At the same time, she served as coach for USU Women’s Basketball, Volleyball and Women’s Track & Field. As director, she oversaw USU Gymnastics, Softball and Women’s Cross Country, in addition to the three teams she coached. She was responsible for finding good coaches to build up the programs. She hired Mary Jo Peppler and Marilyn McReavy as co–head coaches of the volleyball program and then hired Ray Corn and John Horan as head coaches for the gymnastics and softball programs respectively. With the new coaches, the volleyball program won the Association for Intercollegiate Athletics for Women, or AIAW, National Championship in 1978 and finished as the national runner–up in 1979, while the softball program won back–to–back AIAW National Championships in 1980 and 1981, with first–year head coaches Kelly Phipps (1980) and Lloydene Searle (1981), who were both hired by Weiss. Weiss hired Lyle Knudson as head coach of the Women’s Track & Field/Cross Country programs in 1977. Knudson was recognized as a top–level national coach for many Olympic athletes, and brought regional and national recognition to the program.

“I look back and reminisce and wonder, I wonder how it was done. But it wasn’t impossible. I started with that, nothing is impossible. I didn’t want just an intramural program. I really wanted a top–level program and to get that I knew I started with great coaches,” Weiss said. “Tonight I’d like to dedicate this award to those athletes, coaches and volunteers. Thank you for letting me reminisce. It has been a great honor and privilege to be here tonight.”

“We must recognize that there is still much work to be done to achieve equality in athletics,” Bovee said. “But tonight, we take a moment to reflect on how far we have come and celebrate the incredible achievements of women who have made Utah State Athletics such a vibrant part of the university’s history.”

The Hall of Fame and Hall of Honor are located inside the Jim and Carol Laub Athletics–Academics Complex in the north end zone of Maverik Stadium. Fans can view information and watch videos on each of the inducted members.