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AUSTIN - The most exclusive fraternity within The University of Texas Men's Athletics family grew just a little bit larger on Saturday evening, as eight new members of the Longhorn Hall of Honor celebrated their induction at the Four Seasons Hotel.
Now in its 60th year, this year's class includes LaMarcus Aldridge, Leonard Davis, Aaron Peirsol and Aaron Ross, as well as vintage selections Jimmy Blacklock, Walter L. "Buddy" New and Davis Love, Jr. Special selection and longtime Media Relations Director John Bianco completed the class.
The members of the 2016 class span several generations and sports, including baseball, basketball, football, golf and swimming. Admittance to the Hall of Honor is the highest distinction a former student-athlete, coach or administrator at Texas can earn, and selection consideration includes their achievements both on and off the field.
"It's an honor," said Davis, a former offensive lineman and 3-time Pro Bowler. "There are so many great players and people who've been here. To be named in the same class with them, that speaks a lot in itself. I'm very honored to be one of those."
Added Davis, whose hulking 6-6, 365-pound frame was offset by a wide grin: "I've probably been smiling all week."
Inside the ballroom, attendees spent the evening reminiscing and snapping photos alongside Longhorn legends. One by one, each inductee took to the stage alongside Longhorn Network host Lowell Galindo to explain what the award meant to them.
Ross, a member of Texas' 2005 National Championship football team who earned the Jim Thorpe Award as the nation's top defensive back in 2006 before moving on to a successful NFL career, recounted the struggle he faced to even be able to play at Texas. A move to East Texas midway through his sophomore year of high school had left him with a missing English II credit, and the clerical error was not discovered until the NCAA clearinghouse declared him ineligible just a week before the first game of the 2001 season. After almost two years of waiting and completing necessary classwork, Ross finally stepped on campus in 2003 to begin his collegiate career.
"This is a very overwhelming experience to see the class that I'm involved with, and then to reminisce and look back at all the adversity I had to go through," Ross said. "Just being here today in front of you guys, this is something I could never have imagined. I never dreamt of it."
Ross, whose wife Sanya Richards-Ross is already a member of the UT Women's Hall of Honor, said he's excited to catch up to his partner.
"Now I can look at my wife and say, 'Babe, I'm in there with you.'"
Former basketball player LaMarcus Aldridge reflected on his own obstacles at Texas. A highly-touted recruit coming into college, Aldridge was forced to the sideline after suffering a hip injury just 16 games into his freshman season. He continued to perfect his shot, spending all of his time in the gym shooting from a chair. He returned to the court for his sophomore season, leading the Longhorns to the Big 12 Conference regular season title and the "Elite Eight" of the NCAA Tournament while earning Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year accolades.
He was selected as the No. 2 overall pick in the 2006 NBA Draft and has earned NBA All-Star honors in each of the last five seasons. Now a key player entering his second year with the San Antonio Spurs, Aldridge said he jumped at the chance to return to Austin.
"I never really thought about this day happening, so when I got the call I was excited to come down," Aldridge said. "It means a lot."
Peirsol, a former national championship-winning swimmer and five-time Olympic gold medalist, expressed gratitude as well as a commitment to advocating for the sports that fail to generate profit for the university, but are nonetheless important.
"To have my experience that I had here, with the people that I had it with, I couldn't be more proud to have gone to school here. I'm grateful to be a Longhorn, to have lived in this town for a third of my life," Peirsol said. "I'll forever be thankful for what this sport gave me, for what this school gave me. I think that's what I'll be celebrating tonight."
Each year, the selection committee is allowed to nominate a limited number of special selection candidates. In this case, the rules are waived to allow a current employee who meets the standards for admission to be inducted into the Hall of Honor. This year, that special selection is Bianco, the Associate Athletics Director for Media Relations and a 25-year employee of the University. During that time, Bianco has cemented himself as an integral part of the Athletics Department.
"Ricky [Williams], Michael Huff, Aaron Ross, Jackson Jeffcoat, Vince [Young] and Justin Blalock, they were all like big brothers to my daughters," Bianco said. "It's so cool to be part of a family like this. This is my extended family."
The Hall of Honor also admits a maximum of three vintage selections each year, former athletes who deserved the award but were lost in the pages of time. This year, the vintage selections included the late Walter L. "Buddy" New, a legendary baseball player and generous benefactor of the University; Davis Love Jr., a highly respected golf letterman, teacher and professional who died in a plane crash in 1988 at the age of 53; and Blacklock, the first African-American starter and basketball letterman at Texas.
Blacklock resides in Houston, Texas, where he is a coach for the Harlem Globetrotters. He said that tears formed in his eyes as he entered the Austin city limits, bringing back memories of his time at Texas spent under head coach Leon Black, who offered him the opportunity to play at Texas in 1970.
"What can I say?" Blacklock said. "This is the Hall of Honor. This is the top of the line. I can't go any higher, and I'm very happy and grateful.
