BRYAN-COLLEGE STATION – The Texas A&M Lettermen’s Association announced Wednesday that the Texas A&M Athletics Hall of Fame Class of 2025 features eight Aggie legends with Rick Rickman and Dan Campbell earning Hall of Honor and Lifetime Achievement recognition, respectively.
 

The class is comprised of Aggie greats Rod Bernstine ’87 (Football), Caroline Gunn Rogers ’10 (Equestrian), J.T. Higgins (Men’s Golf), Shamier Little ’17 (Women’s Track & Field), Shan McDonald ’83 (Softball), Ryan Swope ’13 (Football), Shelbi Vaughan Walley ’16 (Women’s Track & Field) and Joan Wojtowicz ’90 (Women’s Swimming & Diving).
 
“I am very excited to be able to celebrate this group of legends this September at the Burgess Banquet,” Director of Athletics Trev Alberts said. “To be inducted into the hall of fame is a tremendous honor that everyone in this class has undoubtedly earned. I want to also congratulate our Hall of Honor and Lifetime Achievement Award winners for all that they have done and continue to do to make Texas A&M proud.”
 

The Hall of Honor is reserved for individuals who have gone above and beyond in contributions and support of the athletics programs at Texas A&M. The Lifetime Achievement Award recognizes lettermen who, after graduation, have gone on to gain prominence through his or her efforts in industry, commerce, technology, athletics, the professions or other worthy endeavors.
 
The 47th annual Burgess Banquet will be held Friday, Sept. 5 inside the Ford Hall of Champions. For more information on the Burgess Banquet, please visit aggielettermen.org/burgess_banquet.
 

2025 Texas A&M Athletics Hall of Fame Class

Rod Bernstine ’87, Football

Rod Bernstine was a standout tight end for the Texas A&M football team from 1983-86. He helped lead the team to two-straight SWC Championships in 1985 and 1986. During the 1986 season, Bernstine was selected to the SWC All-Conference Team as well as earning All-America accolades.
 
Ahead of his time, Bernstine was the first player in program history to catch over 100 passes in a career, ending with 105. He also held the school record for receptions in a season for 34 years with 65 in 1986 until it was broken by fellow 2025 Hall of Fame inductee Ryan Swope in 2010.
 
Bernstine became the first tight end in program history taken in the first round of the NFL Draft when he was selected with the 24th pick by the San Diego Chargers in 1987. Bernstine went on to have an eight-year career as both a tight end and running back in the pros where he played with the Chargers (1987-1992) and Denver Broncos (1993-95).
 

Caroline Gunn Rogers ’10, Equestrian

Throughout her four-year career in Aggieland, Caroline Gunn Rogers crafted one of the most decorated careers in Texas A&M equestrian history. Gunn Rogers helped the Aggies to three VENC Western national titles in 2007, 2009 and 2010. During that same stretch, she was a three-time VENC Horsemanship National Champion.
 

Gunn Rogers rewrote the Texas A&M record book during her time in Aggieland as she finished as the all-time wins leader in Horsemanship with 63 and holds the all-time win percentage in Horsemanship with a .884 mark. Gunn Rogers also collected the most MOP awards in program history for Horsemanship with 21 and totaled a program-best 73 career rides in the event.
 

The Greensburg, Indiana, native registered five-or-more MOP awards in all four seasons at Texas A&M, including a school record six during the 2008-09 season. In her final season in Aggieland, Gunn Rogers went 21-1 and recorded a program-best .955 winning percentage.  During the 2007-08 season, Gunn Rogers registered the highest score in Horsemanship in school history with an 80.5 mark against Oklahoma State.
 

Gunn Rogers finished her time at Texas A&M with a degree in Agribusiness and currently serves as the owner/manager of BCR Ventures.
 

J.T. Higgins, Head Coach Men’s Golf

J.T. Higgins piloted the Texas A&M men’s golf team to new heights during his 19 years as head coach. The highlight of his time in Aggieland was leading Ol’ Sarge’s charges to the first national title in program history.
 

The magical 2009 season culminated with Higgins leading the Aggies to their first NCAA men’s golf title with a rousing 3-2 victory against Arkansas in the finals. Texas A&M won four tournaments en route to the school’s first national title in any sport since 1987 and its first in a men’s sport since 1939.
 
The Aggies were consistent winners during Higgins’ tenure, claiming 28 tournament titles. The squad won multiple tournaments in seven seasons, including a school-record six during the 2017-18 slate.
 
The steady stream of excellence was exemplified with 16 NCAA Regional appearances and 12 trips to the NCAA Championship. The Aggies recorded four top-10 finishes at the NCAA Championship.
 

Texas A&M earned two regional titles under Higgins, including the 2018 Bryan Regional and 2019 Pullman Regional. He also led the team to a 2012 Big 12 Championship crown.
 
Higgins mentored players who earned 22 All-America honors, including two first-teamers – Andrea Pavan (2010) and Chandler Phillips (2018).
 
Higgins earned entry in the Golf Coaches Association of America Hall of Fame in 2015. He was tabbed a GCAA region coach of the year on three occasions along with being named Big 12 Coach of the Year in 2012 and SEC Coach of the Year in 2020.
 

Following his 31-year coaching career which included skipper stops at New Mexico, prior to Texas A&M, and USC, afterward, Higgins returned to the Brazos Valley to serve as president and chief executive officer of Texas Aggies United.
 

Shamier Little ’17, Women’s Track & Field

Shamier Little strung together a historic three-year career for the Aggies, separating herself as one of the greatest hurdlers in NCAA history. The 10-time All-American dominated over the 400m distance, specifically in the 400m hurdles where she became the first Aggie to win three straight individual national titles in the same event from 2014-16. Little earned her bachelor’s degree in university studies in 2017.
 
The Chicago native was a standout from the moment she arrived on campus, capturing the indoor 400m conference title and outdoor 400m hurdles national title in her debut season. Her performances received recognition by the league, as she was named SEC Outdoor Freshman Runner of the Year.
She continued to be a driving force for the women’s team, sweeping both the SEC and NCAA outdoor 400m hurdle crowns in back-to-back years, earning three First Team All-America honors in both years. Little’s success was spotlighted by a pair of appearances on The Bowerman Watch List, as she was named a semifinalist in 2015 and 2016.
 

Little was a major contributor to the team’s success, as she played a key role in securing the women’s program’s fourth NCAA Outdoor Championship. Her win in the 400m hurdles and second-place finish in the 4x400m relay contributed 18 points to the team’s title race. During her career she also helped the Maroon & White rack up three additional top-five team finishes, one indoor and another two outdoors.
 

At her final NCAA Championships, her win in the 400m hurdles with a time of 53.51 broke A&M’s school record and still stands at the top of the history book, while also ranking seventh in NCAA history.
 

On the International stage, Little reached the pinnacle of sport, as she became an Olympic Champion at the 2024 Paris Games in the women’s 4x400m relay. Little and Team USA claimed the final women’s track & field title thanks to Little’s 49.48 opening leg split which was the fastest of all openers in the meet. Her Olympic success was not done there, as she doubled down and claimed silver in the mixed 4x400m, the event she set the world record in during the preliminary rounds of the Games.
 

Shan McDonald ’83, Softball

Shan McDonald was a four-year letterwinner from 1980 to 1983 and helped lead the Aggies to an AIAW national title in 1982 and NCAA championship in 1983. She was named Texas A&M Co-Player of the Year and Southwest Conference Academic Player of the Year in 1982.
 
A dominant pitcher, McDonald ranks among the program’s all-time leaders in several categories, including No. 3 in career ERA (0.48), No. 4 in career wins (95) and No. 9 in strikeouts (527). She also holds top-10 single-season marks in ERA, innings pitched and wins.
 
Internationally, she was a gold medalist pitcher for Team Canada at the 1983 Pan American Games and 1982 Pan Am Trials. She also competed in multiple world events, including the 1981 World Games (silver) and 2004 Olympics (fourth place).
 
As a coach at UNLV, McDonald led her team to seven straight NCAA postseason appearances, including three trips to the Women’s College World Series and a third-place finish in 1995. She was a three-time Big West and Western Region Coach of the Year and coached 18 All-Americans and four Olympians.
 

McDonald earned her degree in physical education from Texas A&M in 1984 and later a master’s in technology in education from Lesley University.
 
She is a member of multiple halls of fame, including Softball Canada, Saskatoon Sports and UNLV Athletics. McDonald now serves as co-owner and clinician with Synergy Team Concepts.
 

Ryan Swope ’13, Football

Ryan Swope enjoyed one of the best careers that a Texas A&M wide receiver has ever had from 2009-12. Swope was a two-time all-conference second team selection (2011, 2012) and helped the Aggies to four-straight bowl appearances, including victories in the 2011 Meineke Car Care Bowl and 2013 Cotton Bowl, as well as a share of the 2010 Big 12 South Championship.
 

Swope still holds the program’s career records for receiving yards (3,117), receptions (252) and 100-yard receiving games (14). In 2011, he caught the most balls in a single season by anyone in school history with 89, which produced the most yards in a season at the time for any Texas A&M wide out (1,207). He is also fourth on the all-time list with 24 receiving touchdowns.
 
On Oct. 15, 2011, Swope became just the fifth Aggie at the time to surpass the 200 receiving yards mark in a single game, catching 11 balls for 206 yards in a 55-28 rout of Baylor. In that game, he caught four touchdowns, which remains tied for the program record.
 
During the 2013 NFL Draft, Swope was selected in the sixth round by the Arizona Cardinals, becoming the first Aggie wide receiver taken in the NFL Draft in nearly 10 years.
 

Swope earned his bachelor’s degree from Texas A&M in university studies in 2013.
 

Shelbi Vaughan Walley ’16, Women’s Track & Field

Shelbi Vaughan Walley stands alone in the Texas A&M record books for the discus, separating herself from the competition holding all top-10 marks in school history, while boasting an unblemished conference championship record and adding a pair of national titles to her decorated resume. She graduated with a degree in recreation, parks & tourism sciences.
 
Vaughan Walley’s back-to-back NCAA discus titles puts her in rare company as she is just one of six women to defend their titles in consecutive years. The throws standout separated herself further at the conference level, as she is the only athlete in SEC history to win four straight discus championships and is one of four women to win a throws event at the conference meet in four-straight seasons.
 
She set her personal-best mark of 64.52m/211-8 at the 2015 conference championships, which ranked fifth in NCAA history at that time. Vaughan Walley’s presence in the Aggie history books didn’t end at the discus, as she ranks fourth in the shot put and fifth in the hammer throw.
 
Vaughan Walley also made her presence felt on the international stage, representing the Red, White and Blue on the highest stage as she was named to the Olympic team in 2016. She also claimed two gold and two bronze medals representing the United States earlier in her career, winning both the NACAC U23 Championships and Pan America U20 Championships, while adding third-place results at the World U20 and U18 World Championships.
 

Her personal accolades helped the women’s team win its fourth NCAA Outdoor Championship in 2014, adding 10 points to the team total following her discus title. She also contributed to the program’s first SEC title as a freshman in A&M’s first season in the conference. Along with her titles, she helped the Aggies to three additional top-five team finishes at the outdoor championships. A two-sport athlete for the Aggies, Vaughan Walley also earned two letters in volleyball and was a member of two NCAA Tournament teams.
 

Joan Wojtowicz ’90, Women’s Swimming & Diving

Joan Wojtowicz was a leader in the distance events during her time in Aggieland, earning three letters from 1987-90. During her career, she claimed All-America accolades and a pair of Southwest Conference titles in the 1650 free. In 1990, her final season at Texas A&M, Wojtowicz placed first in the 1650 free at the conference championships and took fifth at national championships. She closed out her collegiate career with the fastest time in program history in both the 1650 free (16:17.09) and 1000 free (9:49.61), adding the No. 5 time at A&M in the 500 free (4:47.59).
 

On the international stage, Wojtowicz boasted the No. 18 time in the world in the 1500 free in 1989 and placed ninth at Summer Nationals in the event the same year. At the 1988 U.S. Olympic Trails, Wojtowicz posted a top-20 finish in the 400 free. Wojtowicz graduated from Texas A&M in 1990 with a degree in health education.
 

Rick Rickman ’70, Manager – Football – Hall of Honor

Rick Rickman is a 1970 graduate of Texas A&M where he was a member of the Corps of Cadets and manager for the Aggie football team from 1966-69 and head manager his last two seasons. After his time in Aggieland, Rickman went on to serve from 1970-74 in Germany as an officer in the U.S. Army. At the conclusion of his service in the military, he received a master’s degree from Arkansas (1974) and graduated with honors in the top 2% of his class from St. Mary’s (1977) Law School with a juris doctor degree.
 

Rickman enjoyed an illustrious career in law after completing his studies. He began as a briefing attorney for Justice Sears McGee (1977-78) and then went on to Gardere Law Firm (1978-91) before becoming a founding shareholder at Hallett & Perrin, P.C. in 1992 where he still practices. With Hallett & Perrin, P.C., Rickman is the senior trial lawyer with over three decades of experience in client defense and tort litigation.
 

Rickman has been named a Texas Super Lawyer on several occasions and is a Life Fellow of the Texas Bar Foundation. Rickman has given back to Texas A&M in a variety of different capacities, serving in roles such as the 12th Man Foundation Board of Trustees (2005-11) and Chairman (2010), Lettermen’s Association Board of Directors (2000-04) and President (2003) and has held a position on the Dean’s Development Council with the College of Education and Human Development since 1991.
 
Rickman and his wife, Sue, have been married for over 50 years. They have two children, Kristi ’93 and Robert ’96, and five grandchildren.
 

Dan Campbell ’99, Football – Lifetime Achievement Award

Dan Campbell was a four-year letter winner for the Texas A&M football team from 1995-1998. The tight end helped the program win the 1997 Big 12 South Championship and Big 12 title in 1998. Campbell was an honorable mention All-Big 12 selection and earned the Aggie Heart Award, the highest honor for a Texas A&M senior football player, after serving as a team captain in 1998.
 
Campbell was taken in the third round of the 1998 NFL Draft to the New York Giants and enjoyed an 11-year career in the league with the Giants (1999-2002), Dallas Cowboys (2003-05), Detroit Lions (2006-08) and New Orleans Saints (2009).
 
In 2010, Campbell cut his teeth in coaching as an intern with the Miami Dolphins and was promoted in 2011 to tight ends coach. He remained in that position until being named interim head coach in 2015 before becoming the assistant head coach of the Saints from 2016-20.
 
Prior to the 2021 season, Campbell was hired as head coach of the Lions where he has made his mark as one of the best culture builders and coaches in the league. Every year, Campbell has improved the Lions’ record going from three wins in his first season to 15 in 2024. For the first time since 1993, Campbell led the Lions to the NFC North Division title in 2023 and the first NFC Championship game appearance for the city in 32 years. He followed that up with another division crown in 2024, becoming the first head coach in franchise history to win back-to-back division championships.
 

Campbell and his wife, Holly, have two children, Cody and Piper. Campbell earned his degree from Texas A&M in agricultural development and leadership.
 

STOCKTON, Calif. – Head Coach Greg Gibbons brought a familiar face back to the Pacific volleyball bench to fill the Assistant Coach vacancy – choosing Jenna Heller for the position, who brings four years of experience competing for Gibbons and a prolific legacy as the team’s setter.

Heller played for the Tigers from 2021-24 and is the only Tiger in program history to rank top-ten in both career digs and assists. In her final campaign, the former setter earned a spot on the WCC Honorable Mention team after compiling 1,099 assists (fifth in the conference), 342 digs and 87 kills.

She also received First Team All-WCC honors following her 2023 season.

Resulting from her standout individual play, she was a key piece of four Pacific teams that advanced to the National Invitational Volleyball Championship – highlighted by a national quarterfinal appearance in 2022.

“Jenna is a great addition to our staff. She was one of the all-time great setters at Pacific and has a tremendous amount of experience and high volleyball IQ to help us develop the next generation of Tigers. I am truly grateful Jenna has decided to join our staff and continue to help our program grow,” Gibbons said.

Before Heller donned the Orange and Black, her mother, Melanie Beckenhauer-Heller, spent four seasons at Pacific and is top-ten all-time for service aces as well as the program leader in assists.

Stay Social

For all the latest on Pacific Volleyball, be sure to follow the team on X (@PacificVball), Instagram (@pacificvolleyball) and Facebook page (Pacific Volleyball).

#PacificProud

 

SALT LAKE CITY – Utah’s student-athletes produced a combined average GPA of 3.387 for the 2024-25 academic year, the third-highest GPA in department history, and highest since the department record of 3.407 set in 2020-21. The 2025 spring semester GPA of 3.371 ranks sixth all-time, and marks the 38th consecutive semester with a departmental GPA of 3.00 or higher.

“The consistent academic success of our student-athletes, while competing and winning at the highest level of intercollegiate athletics, is a tremendous testament to the quality of students who choose the University of Utah,” said Mark Harlan, Director of Athletics. “It also speaks to the commitment and priorities of our excellent coaches, staff, academic services team and our campus partners. All of this defines the culture of excellence in Utah Athletics that positions our students for success in the classroom, competition and community.” 

 

The women’s cross-country team, which recorded a third consecutive top 20 finish at the NCAA Championships, earned the highest team spring semester GPA of all sports with a 3.862. The men’s side was led by the NCAA champion ski team for the 10^th-consecutive semester, earning a 3.568 after posting a 3.696 GPA in the fall.

 

Other Spring 2025 Highlights

• 69 student-athletes earned a perfect 4.00 GPA
• 225 were named to the Dean’s List with a 3.50 or better
• 393 made the Athletic Director’s Honor Roll, 3.00 or better (80.5%)

Program-Specific Highlights

• Women’s gymnastics—the Big 12 champion and fourth-place finisher at the 2025 NCAA Championships—has earned a team semester GPA of 3.00 or higher for 60 consecutive semesters.
• Men’s skiing, women’s cross-country and women’s volleyball have earned team semester GPAs of 3.0 or higher for 35 consecutive semesters.

In 2024-25, The Utes’ athletics programs continued to achieve at the highest levels, earning one national championship, five conference titles by three programs, six teams qualifying for the NCAA Championships and six teams being ranked during their seasons. The Utah Ski team’s national championship was its fifth in the last six completed seasons, and the gymnastics program finished in the top four in the nation for the fifth consecutive season. The Red Rocks are the only NCAA women’s gymnastics team to have appeared in all 49 NCAA Championship meets, and all five Final Fours since the sport moved to the format in 2021.
 
Utah Athletics recently celebrated 87 current or former student-athletes who earned their degrees from the University of Utah over the past year. According to the most recent NCAA Graduation Success Rate (GSR), 95 percent of Utah student-athletes graduated within six years of enrolling. That tied the highest mark in department history, and extended Utah’s streak to seven years of meeting or exceeding the 93-percent benchmark.

 

The high school swimming season is over for Taft Union High School swimmers and divers, but that doesn’t mean swimming is over for the summer in Taft.

The Taft Tigersharks Swim Club practices and competes at meets throughout the year and offers training and practice groups for swimmers of various ages and ability levels. According to Autumn Sanderson, Director of Operations for the Taft Tigersharks Swim Club, a non-profit organization, “Our mission is to provide a great swim program for kids ages four to 18, and to provide a feeder program for the Taft Union High School Wildcats swim team.”

Practice has been underway for the summer season since April and their first summer meet is set for this weekend, June 7, at the Norman Boyd Vincent Memorial Pool in Taft, with 11 swimmers in 26 events, competing against teams from the Aqua Aces Swim Club (Garces High School), Bakersfield Aquatics Club, Bakersfield Swim Academy, Bear Valley Grizzlies, the Lakeside Swim Team (Bakersfield) and Wasco Swim Club.

Sanderson said swimming skills and background are not prerequisites for joining the program. “Any kids from the ages four-through-18 are invited,” she said. “They don’t need experience. We also offer master swim for people to come swim laps.”

For newcomers who are concerned about risk and safety, Sanderson said, “We provide swim safety for our ‘Tigerpups,’ who are beginning swimmers. Then they can progress to our ‘Tigersharks’ designation level. They practice all strokes and have the opportunity to compete against other teams in Kern County.”

This is Sanderson’s fourth year running the team, and she and Troy Peltz run the program together, but the program has been around since the 1970s. “The Tigersharks’ history is decades long and our safety record is unparallelled,” Sanderson said.

The Tigersharks heat up for summer with several local meets and regional competition, but also compete in an All-Star meet in Santa Clarita in January, against the best swimmers in Kern County. “We have practice from January to April for our winter season, Monday-Thursday. Our summer season is April through July with practice Monday-Friday at the Taft pool.” 

Tigersharks coaches

The Taft Tigersharks are coached by experienced swimming instructors. “Emily Phillips coaches our Tigerpups,” said Sanderson. “She is a teacher at Cre8tive Kids Campus in Taft (a Christian preschool and daycare) and is amazing with our kids.”

“Nancy Woodson also teaches our Tigerpups,” Sanderson added. “She comes from a swim background and is perfect for getting these kids ready for the next group.”

On the Tigersharks level, the swim club has two instructors. “Cat Beilby is our Tigersharks coach and is also from a swim background,” said Sanderson. “She works with our beginner Tigersharks, teaching all the fundamentals they need to know to be stronger swimmers and prepare for competition.”

“And our Tigersharks head coach is Kaylee McDonel,” said Sanderson. “Kaylee is a long-time coach and was a Tigershark for many years.” McDonel also made her mark playing co-ed water polo in the Bakersfield Water Polo Club.

The Tigersharks accept donations, and distribute flyers to local schools, with new flyers set to be sent home with Taft school kids.

A former Tigersharks program runner is Greg Golling, now Taft High School Swim/Diver coach and he said he is always excited to see how the kids progress and who is likely to become a Wildcat swimmer in the near future.

Tigersharks roster

The current Tigersharks roster includes Taft Union HS swimmers Zoie Jane Anglin and Zayden Mitchell. “Zoie was swimming for us last season,” said Sanderson. “She isn’t swimming for us this summer, but is still a Tigershark. Zayden is a current high school swimmer who is swimming for us this summer.”

Current Tigersharks on the Men’s roster include Rydin Frakes, Hayden Hanks, Andrew Lumsden. Lucas Lumsden, Wyatt Madding, Zaydin Mitchell, LJ Pearl Jr., Lennex Peltz and Talen Sanderson.

Current Tigersharks on the Women’s roster include Zoie Jane Anglin, Ginny Blackburn, Riverlynn Brown, Kayleigh Dudley, Abigail Engle, Adara Gameros, Sierra Luper, Natalie Miglis, Lillian Morris, Nue Pearl, Teigen Peltz, Autumn Reynolds, Penelope Romero, Madelyn Sanderson, Emerson Shelby, Faith Tofte, Quinn Usrey, Emily White and Elizabeth Woodson.

For more information, you can visit the Taft Tigersharks home page on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/taft.tigersharks/.

With Skylar Diggins, Laurie Hernandez and Chaunté Lowe

WNBA star Skylar Diggins, gymnast Laurie Hernandez and Olympic high jumper Chaunté Lowe open up about their mental health journeys in PSAs and an interactive online experience dubbed “The Mind Set.” The push represents an evolution of the Ad Council’s “Love, Your Mind” campaign.

“Sports fans across the country look up to athletes, and just like the rest of us, athletes need to take steps to take care of their mental health,” says Heidi Arthur, chief campaign officer at the Council, which produced the work with the Huntsman Mental Health Foundation and Amazon Ads.

Play

Arthur believes the trio’s stories will “show more people that it’s normal to experience challenges, and that it’s important to reach out for help. Laurie’s bravery, Skylar’s determination and Chaunté’s resilience are part of what makes each of these athletes so exceptional, physically and mentally.”

Babak Khoshnoud of Bryght Young Things directed the PSAs. “As a former D1 athlete, Babak brings his lived experience with sports and mental health to this creative project,” Arthur says. “Having been in similar shoes as the athletes starring in the campaign, he brought deep subject-matter experience and a vision to communicate this important message.”

While the PSAs get the conversation started, the interactive online experience features resources and instruction on how breathing exercises, gratitude journaling and meditation can help calm the mind. Users of Alexa or an Echo can access mental health tools via the prompt, “Make my mind the MVP.” Plus, they can listen to Amazon Music playlists inspired by the athletes.

“We’re grateful that Amazon has leveraged the full power of its ecosystem to share this message with their audience and brought such ambitious thinking to this work,” Arthur says. “Amazon also has access to a variety of audience touch points where this experience will live, including Prime Video, in the Amazon store and on the Fire TV landing page.”

Visitors who interact with three resources on the site can enter a giveaway open now through July 7 to win personal objects donated by the athletes. Diggins has provided her childhood basketball, Hernandez is offering her comeback leotard and Lowe donated her survivor bell.