Texas Border Business
RIO GRANDE VALLEY – The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV) Athletics Hall of Fame Committee announced on Tuesday the 2024 Athletics Hall of Fame class, which includes the 1997 women’s cross-country team, former baseball student-athlete Louie Alamia (2003-06), former track & field student-athlete Amy (Moses) Nanthan (2001-05), and former men’s basketball student-athletes Pete Perry (1971-73) and Gabe Valdez (1987-91). The committee also announced that long-time public address announcer BJ Pigg has earned induction into the Hall of Honor.
The Athletics Hall of Fame and Hall of Honor induction luncheon is scheduled to take place in the UTRGV Ballroom on Saturday, March 23 at 11 a.m.
Space is limited and those planning to attend are asked to RSVP in advance by contacting senior associate athletic director for advancement and administration Derek Schramm at (956) 665-3897 or derek.schramm@utrgv.edu.
Louie Alamia, Baseball, 2003-06
Program record holder in hits (267) and at-bats (762) and tied for first in triples (13) … 2003 Freshman All-American … Only Freshman All-American in program history … As a freshman, ranked 81st in the NCAA in hitting (.382) … Two-time All-Independent First Team (2005 and 2006) … Two-time All-Independent Second Team (2003 and 2004) … Independent Player of the Week (3/28/06) … 2003 UTPA Male Newcomer of the Year … Ranks third in program history in career runs scored (149), tied for third in doubles (40), fifth in games played (201), ninth in hitting (.350), and tied for ninth in RBI (100), and walks (97) … Tied for fifth in program history in single-season triples (5 in 2004).
“I really wish my dad was here right now to experience this with me,” Alamia said. “I want to thank the UTRGV Hall of Fame Committee for this honor. Growing up, playing baseball was life and I did the best I could each and every day with the leadership of my dad. Thank you again, and as my dad would say, ‘think, listen, and hustle.'”
1997 Women’s Cross Country Team
University’s second and final Sun Belt Conference Championship … Team recorded 34 points and an average time of 17:36 in the 5K to win at home (event was hosted at McAllen Country Club) … All seven runners finished in the top 24 … Marty (Gonzales) Almaguer finished runner-up with time of 18:04 … Kacey Warrick finished fourth with a time of 18:12 … Linda Moncivais finished eighth with a time of 18:26 … Kaci Saenz finished ninth with a time of 18:30 … Lydia Reyes placed 11th with a time of 18:39 … Amy Sanchez came in 13th with a time of 18:44 … Gracie Salinas finished 24th with a time of 19:23 despite battling through shin splints … Head coach Scott Richardson earned Sun Belt Conference Women’s Cross Country Coach of the Year honors … Team dedicated race to McAllen Memorial boys track coach Boxer Hernandez, who was battling cancer … Team also won Texas Invitational and placed in top five at prestigious Oregon meet.
“I believe there is a great storyline here and that is that all of our student-athletes are from Texas and five of the student-athletes to compete in the championship – Marty, Linda, Lydia, Amy and Gracie, are from the Valley,” Richardson said. “For whatever I may have contributed to this championship, [Hall of Fame Coach] Reid Harter (1985-96) left me in a really good spot to be successful. He’s a quality coach, a better person, and he deserves equal or more credit than I do for this team. While I was named Coach of the Year, in my opinion, Reid shares that with me.”
Roster
Marty (Gonzales) Almaguer
Shelly Castillo-Patterson
Monica DeLuna
Karina Garza
Veronica Garza
Angie Jaramillo
Lindsey Krouse
Linda Moncivais
Carmel Myers
April Orie
Kacey (Warrick) Phillip
Perla Rios-Handy
Kaci Saenz
Gracie Salinas
Amy Sanchez
Lydia (Reyes) Treviño
Priscilla Zepeda
Head Coach: Scott Richardson
Assistant Coach: Jim VanHootegem
Student Assistant: Peter Trevino
Amy (Moses) Nanthan, Women’s Track & Field, 2001-05
Two-time indoor track & field All-American in the weight throw (2003 and 2005) … Program record holder in weight throw with a throw of 21.84 meters in 2005 … NCAA Division I Outdoor National Qualifier in hammer throw in 2005 … Graduated as program record holder (now fifth) in hammer throw with throw of 60.53 meters in 2005 … Two-time UTPA Female Student-Athlete of the Year.
“I feel so honored and truly amazed at the things in my life, this included, that G-d keeps dropping in my lap,” Nanthan said. “Never in my dreams would I have thought his plans could take me so far and I don’t feel it’s over yet!”
Pete Perry, Men’s Basketball, 1971-73
Program record holder in career blocked shots with 216, single-season blocked shots with 96 (1971-72) and single-game blocked shots with 11 … Ranks eighth in career rebounds with 670 … Ranks second in single-season blocked shots with 96 (1971-72), seventh in rebounds with 388 (1972-73), and eighth in rebounds per game at 14.9 (1972-73) … Recorded the second, third and fourth highest single-game block totals with nine, eight and seven twice … Selected in the second round (34th overall) of the 1973 NBA Draft by the Los Angeles Lakers.
“It’s very nice to be chosen for the Hall of Fame,” Perry said. “Playing here was great for me. It gave me an opportunity to be drafted into the pros and travel. We had great staff, coaches, and support. When I left, I missed it. I think about the school all the time.”
Gabe Valdez, Men’s Basketball, 1987-91
Inducted into RGV Sports Hall of Fame in July 2022 … Best free throw shooter in program history at .854 (226-264) … 1991 All-American South Conference Third Team honoree … One of 17 players in program history to have a perfect game from the charity stripe while attempting at least 10 free throws, going 10-for-10 vs. New Orleans (2/16/91) … One of only four players to shoot at least 50% from behind the arc in a season while making at least 50 3-pointers, going 25-for-50 (tied for third in program history) in 1989-90. Also ranks fifth at 48.6%, having gone 17-for-35 in 1988-89 … Ranks second in single-season free throw percentage at 92.3%, going 36-for-39 in 1988-89 … Led team in points in 1990-91 with 453 (16.2 per game) … Led team in 3-point shooting each of final three seasons (48.6% in 1988-89, 50.0% in 1989-90, 41.2% in 1990-81) … Led team in free throw shooting in 1988-89 (92.3%) and 1990-91 (83.7%) … Led team with 40 steals in 1990-91.
“It is a great honor to be able to represent my family and my community in this achievement,” Valdez said. “I want to use a quote by Cesar Chavez to represent how I feel about my induction – ‘true wealth is not measured in money or status or power. It is measured in the legacy we leave behind for those we love and those we inspire.’ I’m truly blessed and thankful to the university for this honor.”
Hall of Honor
Billy Joe “BJ” Pigg, Public Address Announcer
Long-time public address announcer for basketball and baseball … Started doing PA in 1960 after graduating from Pan American in 1957 … Simultaneously served as campus bookstore manager … Started working at bookstore as a student/assistant manager.
