By Susannah Peddie
•
18 Apr, 2024
Content from https://floridagators.com/news/2024/4/17/general-2024-uf-athletic-hall-of-fame-class-announced.aspx GAINESVILLE, Fla. — A storied group of Gators is set to be inducted into the 2024 UF Athletic Hall of Fame class, the University of Florida F Club and Gator Boosters announced on Wednesday. The F Club Committee chooses UF Athletic Hall of Fame inductees based on three categories: Gator Greats, Distinguished Letterwinners, and Honorary Letterwinners. The 2024 class is composed of eight Gator Greats and one Honorary Letterwinner. The list of Gator Greats on this year's class includes Elizabeth Beisel (Women's Swimming & Diving), Marcin Cieslak (Men's Swimming & Diving), Francesca Enea (Softball), Chas Henry (Football), Genevieve LaCaze (Women's Track & Field), Hannah Rogers (Softball), Preston Tucker (Baseball) and Scottie Wilbekin (Men's Basketball). The eight Gator Greats were part of two NCAA and 12 Southeastern Conference title teams and claimed four NCAA and 21 SEC individual crowns. Additionally, former soccer head coach Becky Burleigh will enter as an Honorary Letterwinner. Gator Greats are Letterwinners who brought recognition and prominence to the University of Florida and themselves by their athletic accomplishments as a student-athlete. An Honorary Letterwinner is a coach or athletic official (after retirement) who was not a letter winner or athlete at the University of Florida, yet rendered outstanding service to the program through personal time, effort, interest and through many years of continued service. The Hall of Fame Banquet will occur Friday, October 18, 2023, prior to the Kentucky home football game. 2024 UF Athletic Hall of Fame Inductees Gator Greats Elizabeth Beisel | Women's Swimming, 2010-14 Elizabeth Beisel A standout athlete at Florida, Elizabeth Beisel left her mark in the Orange & Blue. Beisel claimed nine SEC Championships from 2011-14 in events such as the 200 IM, 400 IM and 200 back on top of a 2012 NCAA Championship in the 200 Back and a 2013 NCAA Championship in the 400 IM. Her remarkable performances led to 20 All-SEC selections, 18 All-American selections, three-time SEC Championships Female Recipient of the Commissioner's Trophy (High Point Award) and was named 2010's SEC Women's Freshman of the Year. Throughout her career with the Gators, Beisel set top-three UF all-time marks in 15 different events including the 400 IM (3:58.35), which remains the top spot in program history. Beyond her athletic achievements, she was also recognized for her academic excellence. Beisel earned a 2012 Capital One Academic All-America Women's At-Large First Team Selection and was named the 2013 Capital One Academic Women's At-Large All-America of the Year. Beisel's illustrious career extended beyond college as she competed on both the national and international stage. As a member of the U.S. National Team, she is a two-time Olympian and won silver (400 IM) and bronze (200 back) at the 2012 Olympics. Additionally, Beisel claimed a 400 IM World Championship title in 2011. Marcin Cieslak | Men's Swimming, 2011-14 Marcin Cieslak A Poland native, Marcin Cieslak had an illustrious career at the University of Florida. From 2011-14, Cieslak earned 23 All-SEC selections on top of 25 All-American selections. Competing in the 200 & 400 Medley Relay, 100 fly, 200 fly, 200 IM, and 200 Free, Cieslak won nine separate SEC championships. In 2014, he won NCAA Championships in the 200 IM and 100 fly. Cieslak got numerous recognitions for both his remarkable performances in the pool and in the classroom. In 2011, Cieslak was named the SEC Male Freshman Swimmer of the Year to go along with a CSCAA Division I Scholar All-American honor. The season after her claimed the SEC Commissioner's Trophy (High Point Award) and SEC Male Swimmer of the Year title. Cieslak cemented himself in the UF all-time rankings in 10 different events during his time, with top-three times in Gators' history. He remains third all-time in the 200-yard fly and sixth in both the 100-yard fly and 200-yard IM. Competing in the 2011 FINA World Championship, Cieslak showcased his talent on the international stage. He was a 2012 Olympian as a member of the Poland National Team swimming a time of 1:57.07 in the 200 fly and 2:00.45 in the 200 IM. Francesca Enea | Softball, 2007-10 Francesca Enea Enea is one of the latest softball inductees to the UF Athletic Hall of Fame along with Hannah Rogers this year. She joins Chelsey Sakizzie (2008), Jenny Gladding (2014), Stacey Nelson (2019), Michelle Moultrie (2022) and Kelsey Bruder (2023) among the Gator Greats to come through the program. Over her storied career, Enea was tabbed a three-time National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) All-American in 2008, 2009 and 2010 in addition to being a two-time All-SEC selection in 2009 and 2010 and made the All-SEC Freshman Team in 2007. In 2009, Enea was a Top 25 finalist for the USA Softball Player of the Year, most prestigious awards in college softball, and was a Top 10 finalist in 2010. She also helped lead UF to a pair of SEC Regular Season and Tournament Titles in 2008 & 2009 Enea's name can be found all over the UF history books as she finished her career as the record holder in single-season home runs (20), single-season RBI (70), single-season SAC flies (6-tied), single-season hit by pitch (15), career home runs (61), career RBI (221) and career total bases (431). In addition, the Woodland Hills, Calif., native, finished her career ranked inside the Top 10 of seven other single-season categories and 10 other career categories by the time her career ended. Academically, Enea made the SEC Academic Honor Roll (2008, 2009 and 2010) and SEC Freshman Academic Honor Roll (2007), while also earning SEC Community Service Team honors in 2009 and 2010. Chas Henry | Football, 2007-10 Chas Henry Chas Henry was a punter for the Gators football team from 2007-10. He served as the starting punter for Florida all four seasons, including the BCS National Championship team in 2008. Henry started 54 consecutive games, which is a program record that still holds today. He ranks sixth all-time in career punts (165), yards per punt (43.0), fourth in longest punt (75) and was Florida's last true freshman to start the season opener. He won the Ray Guy Award in his senior year in 2010 and was a finalist in 2009 and a semifinalist in 2008. Henry still holds the distinction of being the school's only award winner. He also is the Gators only punter to be named a Consensus All-American in 2010. That season, he set the single-season record at the time of 45.1 yards per punt with 16 of his 50 punts going 50 yards or more. Henry also earned All-SEC selection by the AP and Coaches that season. The Dallas, Ga. native kicked a 37-yard game-winning field goal in the Gators 34-31 overtime victory over Georgia in 2010 after replacing an injured Cale Sturgis. Henry was a three-time SEC Honor Roll member and signed as a free agent with the Philadelphia Eagles in 2011. Genevieve LaCaze | Women's Track and Field, 2008-12 Genevieve LaCaze Genevieve LeCaze, Florida's school record hodler in the 3000m Steeplechase, enjoyed an outstanding career during her time in Gainesville from 2009-12. LeCaze became the first Gator to ever break the ten minute mark in the Steeplechase when she recorded a time of 9:50.25 at the 2012 NCAA Outdoor Championships. In addition to her school record time, which has stood for twelve years, LeCaze was a three time SEC Outdoor Champion and one time and one time NCAA Runner-Up in the Steeplechase. LeCaze found success in other events as well. During her senior season she became the first women in SEC history to sweep the 1500m, 3000m and 5000m events at the SEC Outdoor Championships. LeCaze was a four time All-American and six time All-SEC selection. During her dominant 2012 season, LeCaze was named the USTFCCCA South Region Women's Track Athlete of the Year and SEC Women's Co-Runner of the Year. She also earned Outdoor Freshman Runner of the Year in 2009. She continued her career on the professional level as an Olympic athlete, competing in both the 2012 London and 2016 Rio Olympics. In London, LeCaze finished ninth in her heat (22nd overall) in the 3000m Steeplechase, setting a personal record of 9:37.90 in the process. In Rio, she competed in both the Steeplechase and the 5000m finishing ninth and twelfth, respectively, with times of 9:21.21 and 15:10.35. Hannah Rogers | Softball, 2011-14 Hannah Rogers Rogers is one of the latest softball inductees to the UF Athletic Hall of Fame along with Francesca Enea this year. She joins Chelsey Sakizzie (2008), Jenny Gladding (2014), Stacey Nelson (2019), Michelle Moultrie (2022) and Kelsey Bruder (2023) among the Gator Greats to come through the program. Overall, the softball program now has seven Hall of Fame inductees. Rogers is a legend in the circle for the softball program as she was the first four-time National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) All-American in program history. The Lake Wales, Fla., native is also the first to be inducted that was a part of the program's first Women's College World Series (WCWS) National Championship in 2014. Not only did she help lead the program to its first national title, Rogers was named the 2014 WCWS Most Outstanding Player. Rogers accolades also include 2014 Southeastern Conference Female Athlete of the Year, All-SEC (2011, 2012, 2013 and 2014), All-SEC Defensive Team (2011, 2012 & 2014) in addition to being selected to the 2011 All-SEC Freshman Team. Fans can find her name across the record books as well. She set the single-season record for saves (5) and finished inside the Top 10 in in 13 different categories. In the career categories she finished in the Top 10 in 13 different spaces and in the Top 5 in opponent batting average (.198 – 5th), walks allowed per seven innings (2.08 – 5th), wins (127 – 2nd), win percentage (.804 – 5th), save (14 – 2nd), appearances (191 – 2nd), starts (146 - 2nd), innings pitched (988.0 – 2nd) and strikeouts (833 – 2nd). Academically, Rogers was a 2013 & 2014 SEC Academic Honor Roll selection. Preston Tucker | Baseball, 2009-12 Preston Tucker As Florida's all-time hits leader, infielder/outfielder Preston Tucker enjoyed an illustrious career in Orange & Blue from 2009-12. On top of 341 hits, Tucker owns program records in at bats (1,035), doubles (70), RBI (258) and total bases (596). He ranks second all-time in games played (265), second in starts (259), second in homers (57) and sixth in runs scored (210). Florida advanced to the College World Series in each of Tucker's final three seasons as a Gator, marking the program's first appearances in Omaha under head coach Kevin O'Sullivan. Tucker also helped power the Gators to a pair of SEC Championships in 2010 and 2011. Tucker was named an All-American and All-SEC selection in 2011 and 2012. Most notably, the Tampa, Fla. native holds status as the only player in team history to earn Regional All-Tournament Team honors in all four years of his career. In both 2009 and 2011, Tucker was named the Regional Most Outstanding Player. Finishing his UF career with a .329/.409/.576 slash line across 265 games, Tucker was drafted by the Houston Astros with the 219th overall pick in the seventh round of the 2012 MLB Draft. Still an active player, Tucker has appeared in parts of three MLB seasons with the Astros, Braves and Reds. He owns 23 career home runs and 38 doubles in 243 big-league games. Scottie Wilbekin | Men's Basketball, 2011-14 Scottie Wilbekin In his senior season of 2013-14, Scottie Wilbekin became the only Gator in program history to earn SEC Player of the Year, SEC Tournament MVP and NCAA Regional Most Outstanding Player in the same season, doing so while leading Florida to a perfect 18-0 SEC record, SEC regular season and tournament titles, a 30-game win streak, a No. 1 national ranking and the 2014 Final Four. After forgoing his senior season of high school to enroll at UF at 17 years old, Wilbekin immediately became a regular part of Florida's rotation before assuming the starting point guard role in his junior season. The Gainesville native went on to be a two-time All-SEC honoree and two-time SEC All-Defensive Team and still ranks among Florida's all-time leaders in games played (fifth, 143), assists (ninth, 419) and steals (ninth, 167), and his 174 assists in 2012-13 rank as the No. 7 single-season total in team history. Wilbekin was part of three SEC championship teams (2011, 2013, 2014) and 13 NCAA Tournament wins, advancing to the Elite Eight his first three seasons before leading the Gators to the Final Four as a senior. Alongside Casey Prather, Will Yegeute and Patric Young, Wilbekin's senior class rates as the winningest class in Florida men's basketball history, recording 120 wins with an .800 winning percentage over their four seasons. In addition to 2013-14's record-setting 30-game winning streak, Wilbekin and his class provided the lion's share of the victories in program-record streaks of 33 home wins, nine road wins, 21 SEC wins, 20 home SEC wins and 10 road SEC wins. The Gators recorded 18 top-25 wins over the course of Wilbekin's career. Wilbekin totaled 953 points over his career, averaging a career-best 13.1 points per game as a senior, including a 15.3 scoring average on .444 3-point shooting over the Gators' seven postseason wins in 2014. Honorary Letterwinner Becky Burleigh Becky Burleigh - Florida Athletics Hall of Fame Class of 2024 Synonymous with the program she took from start to NCAA champions in four seasons, Burleigh's teams consistently challenged for national and Southeastern Conference titles. Florida's 14 team titles leads the SEC and the program earned NCAA Tournament berths 22 times in her 26 seasons with the Gators. Burleigh's teams achievements include 22 NCAA Championships' berths (1996-2001; 2003-2017; 2019), Two NCAA College Cup appearances (1998, 2001), winning 1998 NCAA title, 14 SEC team titles (1996-2001; 2006-2010; 2012-13, 2015) and 12 SEC Tournament titles (1996-01; 2004; 2007, 2010, 2012, 2015-16) The 1998 NSCAA/adidas National Coach of the Year after leading the four-year old Gator soccer program to that season's national title, Burleigh also was tabbed as the SEC Coach of the Year five times (2012, 2010, 2008, 2000 & 1996). Twenty-two Gators claimed 37 United Soccer Coaches All-America honors and Danielle Fotopoulos was the 1998 Honda Award winner as national player of the year. SEC Player of the Year accolades were claimed by 11 players 15 times.
