Eight athletes inducted into hall of fame

Utah State University’s athletic department named eight alumni to the Athletic Hall of Fame Saturday, April 20. The athletics hall of fame is a long-standing tradition at USU, as its beginning was in 1993. Many inductions take place every year under a committee headed by Doug Hoffman. 

The event is to immortalize some of USU’s finest athletes for their skill on the field, court or beam.  

Bob Erickson was the first inducted. He holds the record for most wins as a wrestler in Utah State history with more than 100 individual victories and 119-14-3 overall. At the 158-pound weight division, Erickson helped the Aggies win their Pacific Coast Athletic Association title. During his induction speech, he cited Jesus Christ as the person who helped him the most in his skill in wrestling.  

Rich Haws played on the basketball team for the 1972-75 seasons before the shot clock and three-point line were instituted into the game. For home games at the Dee Glen Smith Spectrum, he posted a 39-4 record. During his induction speech, he said he would have had a third more points if the three-point line existed when he played.  

Sid Lane played on the football team from 1965-67, where he would play both on the offensive and defensive side of the ball. After playing for the Aggies, he got a job as an assistant coach for football, which also made him the first African American employee for the university.  

Liz McArthur-Fisher was on the volleyball team for the years of 2008-11. During her junior year, she helped Utah State post a 24-9 record before entering the NCAA tournament. She holds the second all-time in career attempts (4,294). During her speech, she said one of her favorite moments while playing for the Aggies was beating Brigham Young University on their home court.  

Bill Munson played on the football team from 1961-63. During his career as an Aggie, he helped them post a 25-5-1 record. In his sophomore year, he pushed Utah State to be ranked 10th in the nation, which is still the university’s best record. He went on to play for the Detroit Lions and was in the National Football League for 16 years. Munson passed away in 2000, so his son accepted the accolade in his place. 

Natalie Norris played on the soccer team for the 2009-12 seasons. She is the only three-time Defensive Player of the Year in the history of the Western Athletic Conference. During her speech, she said not a lot has changed for her because she still coaches, teaches and plays soccer. 

Clint Silcock was a high jumper for the track and field team for the seasons of 2006 and 2009-11. He got second all-time in the outdoor high jump at 7’5” during his sophomore season. He had been a high jumper his entire life, and it all culminated to his time as an Aggie athlete.  

Finally, Gary Wilkinson played on the basketball team from 2008-09 under legendary coach Stew Morrill. He was named first-team all-district by the National Association of Basketball Coaches. He led the team to a 30-5 record. After playing as an Aggie, he spent six years playing abroad in Greece, South Korea, New Zealand, Estonia and Puerto Rico. During his speech, he dedicated his skill as a player to his mother and his wife for supporting him through his career as a basketball player.