Check out photos from the 2011 UM Sports Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony featuring proCanes Dan Morgan, Santana Moss Reggie Wayne and Bobby Hill. Congrats to all four of them and the other 4 inductees of this year’s class.

The former greats inducted into the UM Sports Hall of Fame on Thursday:

Daphne Jongejans-Bousquet, diving (1985-88) — UM’s only eight-time All-American women’s diver, a three-time Olympian (1984, 88, 92) for The Netherlands.

Ian Duvenhage, women’s tennis coach (1982-88) — Led team to seven consecutive NCAA appearances and a top-five ranking for four of those seasons. Won the USTA doubles title in 1983, while coaching.

Bobby Hill, baseball (1997-99) — UM’s career leader in stolen bases, with 139, and second in runs scored. Holds school-record 87 runs scored in 1998, when he hit .404. Second-round draft pick of Cubs in 1999.

Yolanda McCray, track (1995-99) — NCAA 100-meter hurdles champion in 1999. Six-time All-American. Graduated with six UM school records in hurdles (2), relays (3) and the 60-meter dash. Now in U.S. Army.

Dan Morgan, football (1997-2000) — UM’s career leader in tackles (532). As a senior, won the Butkus Award, Bednarik and Nagurski Awards as the nation’s top defender.

Santana Moss, football (1997-2000) — All-American who set UM records for receiving yards (2,546), all-purpose yards (4,402), punt-return yards (1,196) and punt-return touchdowns (6).

Tyce Routson, diving (1995-97, 2000) — Four-time NCAA champion (platform 1997 and 2000; 3-meter 1995 and 97). Eleven-time All-American.

Reggie Wayne, football (1997-2000) – Career receptions leader (173) and second in career receiving yards (2,510). Second to Moss in receiving yards (2,510) and tied for third in career touchdowns with 20.







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Click here to order Reggie Wayne’s or Santana Moss’s or Dan Morgan’s proCane Rookie Card.



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Santana Moss came to Jungle Island ready to shine. He didn’t want just any outfit to wear for one of the most special nights of his life.

“I called my tailor last week and said I needed some threads that represent my school colors,’’ said Moss, shortly before he was inducted into the University of Miami Sports Hall of Fame. “I threw this together — wanted to bring out some orange and green.’’

The former UM receiver wore a green-and-orange plaid jacket, gold tie, beige linen pants and cream-colored leather shoes to match his cream shirt.

Moss, now with the Redskins, did not disappoint. Nor did the other former UM greats inducted Thursday, including Indianapolis Colts receiver Reggie Wayne and retired Carolina Panthers linebacker Dan Morgan.

All seven former UM athletes were warmly received by a full house of 450 loyal Hurricanes fans, including football coach Al Golden. Only one inductee, track star Yolanda McCray, couldn’t make it because she is serving in the U.S. Army.

“I’m thankful, man,’’ Moss said. “Even to this day in the NFL, I know a lot of my knowledge comes from my days at UM.”

Said Wayne: “I am so proud to be in this situation. I am being inducted at one of the best athletic universities ever.’’

And this, from Morgan: “After all the dedication and hard work we’ve put in, to be recognized like this is definitely a huge honor.’’

The athletes seemed in awe of one another. Former UM tennis player and women’s coach Ian Duvenhage, now the men’s coach at Vanderbilt, said he was shocked when he heard the other UM athletes in his class.

“I was pleasantly surprised when I found out about this honor, but when I realized who I was included with, I was mortified. I was like, ‘Wait a second, these people are all superstars. What am I doing with them?’ ”

Click here to order Reggie Wayne’s or Santana Moss’s or Dan Morgan’s proCane Rookie Card.



(miamiherald.com)

Indianapolis Colts receiver Reggie Wayne was home relaxing last fall when he got the phone call.

“Congratulations!’’ announced close friend Santana Moss, a Washington Redskins receiver and University of Miami teammate of Wayne’s in the late 1990s.

“Thank you,’’ Wayne replied skeptically.

“So, what exactly am I being congratulated for?’’

At 7 p.m. Thursday, Wayne will be one of three former UM football players – including Moss and retired NFL linebacker Dan Morgan – to be inducted into the UM Sports Hall of Fame at Jungle Island.

The other five: divers Daphne Jongejans-Bousquet and Tyce Routson, women’s tennis coach Ian Duvenhage, baseball player Bobby Hill and track-and-fielder Yolanda McCray.

“So sweet!’’ said Wayne, 32, the father of boys ages 7 and 1. “The brotherhood of my UM teammates has stuck with me like nothing else.’’

Morgan, 32, played at Coral Springs Taravella High and is the father of a 3-year-old son and daughters 5 and 2. He is traveling to the ceremony from his home in Charlotte, N.C., where he once played for the Carolina Panthers. Morgan called Thursday’s honor “crazy’’ and said his UM memories “are just as fresh in my head now as they were back then. I think of coming in with guys like Reggie and Santana, coming off the probation years and having that little weight room with barely any air-conditioning. We wanted to win so badly. In some ways, we’re like the forgotten people who were a big part of helping bring the Miami program back.’’

Not nearly forgotten, though they graduated and left to become NFL first-rounders just nine months before their younger teammates won UM’s first national title in 10 years. Wayne, Morgan and Moss were freshmen in 1997 and played through 2000, the year the Canes went 11-1 and were edged out by Florida State in the final Bowl Championship Series standings.

Theirs was the class that never got to the promised land, but laid the groundwork for their successors to get there. Theirs was the class that became Hurricanes in the midst of severe NCAA sanctions, determined to bring the program from its low point to the mountain top.

The Seminoles, losers to UM in 2000, went on to lose to Oklahoma in the BCS national championship game, while UM defeated Florida in the Sugar Bowl. The Canes could only lament their lone 34-29 loss at Washington in the second game of the season – quarterback Ken Dorsey’s first road start. That would be UM’s last loss before a momentous 34-game win streak that included a national title and ended with the Fiesta Bowl loss to Ohio State in another national championship game.

“I always consider our class as builders of the foundation,” said Wayne, who went 5-6, 9-3, 9-4 and 11-1 under Butch Davis. “We had a bunch of true freshmen who didn’t know the difference between our left and right feet, but we hung in there as brothers and took the good with the bad, took coaching pretty well and made it our business to get better every year. We showed everyone the way. But just think. If we could have redshirted, we would have won a title.

“Still, the way my life has gone,” said Wayne, a former Super Bowl champion and New Orleans native who lives with his family in Southwest Ranches, “I wouldn’t take it back for anything in the world. It’s storybook.’’

Moss, 31, grew up in Miami, graduated from Carol City High and has an offseason home near Pompano Beach. He said he was in awe when he learned he was to be inducted, like his teammates, in his first season of eligibility.

“I went down the list and was like, ‘Man! Did this guy get in yet? Did that guy get in yet?’ ” said Moss, who has a 6-year-old daughter and sons 10 and 1. “The years have gone by so fast, but I’ve never forgotten a moment that I spun at that school.

“I was pushed onto the field and I grew up from there. I caught the first pass thrown to me, a post corner on the sideline from Ryan Clement against Pittsburgh. It was the third game of my freshman year. Those are memories you never forget.’’

Some of Moss’ favorite UM moments: Beating FSU for the first time as a senior and his last game in the Orange Bowl against Boston College, a 52-6 victory in which he scored three touchdowns and set the all-time UM all-purpose yards record with 4,402. He also broke a 62-year-old UM career punt-return record by accumulating 1,196 yards over his four seasons.

Morgan’s favorite memory was defeating the top-ranked Seminoles 27-24. “Absolutely the happiest time in my Hurricane history,’’ said the linebacker who won the Bednarik and Butkus Awards and Nagurski Trophy in 2000.

And Wayne’s most cherished memory, besides breaking the UM record for career receptions (173), which still stands: “Making a pledge after our 5-6 freshmen year that we wouldn’t cut our hair until we made a bowl game – me, Santana, Darryl Jones, Ed Reed, Delvin Brown… We beat N.C. State in the Micron PC Bowl

in 1998, and I went back to my old look. The dreads and stuff were never me.

“The years do go by fast,’’ Wayne said. “But I’ll always be a Hurricane.’’

Click here to order Reggie Wayne’s or Santana Moss’s or Dan Morgan’s proCane Rookie Card.



(miamiherald.com)

The 43rd Annual UM Sports Hall of Fame banquet is next Thursday, March 24th at Jungle Island...headlined by Dan Morgan, Santana Moss and Reggie Wayne!

Tickets are $85 each and can be ordered by calling 305-284-2775...reception starts at 6 p.m., dinner at 7 p.m.   Other inductees include baseball's Bobby Hill, NCAA track champion Yolanda McCray, Olympic diver Daphne Jongejans-Bousquet, NCAA champion diver Tyce Routson and former women's tennis coach Ian Duvenhage.

The 19th Annual UM Sports Hall of Fame Golf Tournament is Friday, March 25th at Miccosukee Golf and Country Club...go to UMSportsHallofFame.com for details.

Click here to order Reggie Wayne’s or Dan Morgan’s or Santana Moss’ proCane Rookie Card.

Ron Rivera got his man, and the Carolina Panthers appear headed for some changes on offense.

The Panthers agreed to a deal with San Diego assistant Rob Chudzinski to be their offensive coordinator, with only a contract signing standing in the way of the official announcement.

He was the first choice of Rivera, who had to sell him to Panthers officials who had built their own list of candidates before hiring Rivera. Chudzinski, 42, interviewed Friday.

Chudzinski, who played on two NCAA championship teams as a tight end at Miami, has a reputation for developing talent at that position, which would be new around here. He also has had success leading offenses, and with the Panthers coming off a league-worst year in points and yards, that's something they could use.

Former Panthers linebacker Dan Morgan was playing at Miami when Chudzinski was beginning his rise in the coaching ranks, and said he thinks the Panthers made an excellent decision.

"He's a great guy, and he just has such a bright mind, he really knows the game of football," Morgan said. "I know from seeing it first-hand, he's a great teacher, and he's had a lot of success with different guys over the years. He just has a gift for putting guys in the right places to make plays.
"He's not a yeller and a screamer, but he's a teacher, and he's definitely got the smarts for this job."

The biggest change he could bring is at his old position.

Since five-time Pro Bowler Wesley Walls was released after the 2002 season, the Panthers have had a hard time getting much from their tight ends. In fact, Kris Mangum's 34 catches during 2004 are the most by a Panthers tight end since Walls.

This year, Carolina's tight ends combined for 51 catches for 385 yards, led by Dante Rosario. Starter Jeff King is the best blocker of the lot, and he had 19 catches and two touchdowns.

Third-year man Gary Barnidge didn't have a catch this season, but he probably has the most potential to be the all-around answer they're apparently looking for.

Rivera said the search was on in his introductory news conference, when discussing the team's offensive personnel.

"The tight end is by committee," he said. "There are three guys there I like and they each have a quality of their own. But if there is a guy out there whether through the draft or free agency or on our roster that can become that guy that does it all of the time, we have to find him. I think that will help us as an offense."

By hiring Chudzinski, he has a guy who could bring about that kind of change.

Chudzinski coached three All-Americans at Miami (Bubba Franks, Jeremy Shockey, Kellen Winslow), and under his tutelage, San Diego's Antonio Gates had his only 1,000-yard seasons during 2005 and 2009.

He also has succeeded at the macro level.

When he was Cleveland's offensive coordinator during 2007, the Browns were eighth in the league in scoring and yardage, helping quarterback Derek Anderson to his most productive season. Anderson threw for 3,787 yards and 29 touchdowns that year, leading to Pro Bowl invitation.

As the Hurricanes offensive coordinator in 2001-03, he led offenses that played in three Bowl Championship Series games and won two
national championships. In 2002, the Hurricanes set school records for points and yards, losing only to Ohio State in the title game.

His hiring also illustrates the shuffle-the-deck reality of coaching. He replaced Jeff Davidson here and in Cleveland, and was replaced in Cleveland by Brian Daboll. Daboll was just hired by the Miami Dolphins to replace Dan Henning, whom Davidson replaced here in 2007.



(charlotteobserver.com)