Washington Announces Newest Husky Hall of Fame Class
May 30, 2008
SEATTLE - A quartet of All-Americans, a national coach of the year and a pair of national champion rowing squads are among the four individuals and two teams selected to enter the Husky Hall of Fame as its Class of 2008, the school's Big "W" Club announced today.
The class is comprised of football player Blair Bush, former women's tennis coach Mary DeLay, record-setting baseball player Chris Magruder, women's soccer standout Hope Solo, football player Mark Stewart, the IRA national champion 1997 men's varsity eight crew and the NCAA team champion 1997 women's crew.
The Class of 2008 will be formally inducted into the Husky Hall of Fame on Friday, Nov. 14, in a ceremony at the UW's Bank of America Arena and will be introduced during halftime of Washington's final home football game of the season the next day in Husky Stadium against UCLA.
"The University of Washington has a great athletics heritage and the Husky Hall of Fame class of 2008 is certainly representative of a high degree of excellence," said acting director of athletics Scott Woodward, "The Husky Hall of Fame symbolizes the thousands of student-athletes and coaches throughout the years who have represented the UW in athletic competition. This class of 2008 is comprised of outstanding representatives of the university who personify the ideals of competitive success, academic excellence and good sportsmanship."
Inaugurated in 1979 to "honor and preserve the memory of those athletes, teams, coaches and administrators of UW Athletic Department who have contributed in an outstanding and positive way to the promotion of the University of Washington athletic program," the Husky Hall of Fame has recognized some 136 individuals and 15 teams in its 27-year existence. Classes were inducted annually from 1979-2001, and have been inducted bi-annually since 2004; no classes were inducted in 2002 or 2003.
Blair Bush
Football Letterwinner, 1975-77
A three-year letterwinner and two-year starter at center, University of Washington football team standout Blair Bush served as a team captain and leader for the 1977 UW team that went 10-2 on the season and defeated Michigan in the school's first Rose Bowl appearance in 14 seasons. That season, he was selected a second-team All-America selection by the Associated Press and was honored in 1978 with a NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship. In 1977, Bush was a first-team all-Pac-10 Conference selection and earned the 101 Club Scholarship Award for academic excellence. He became the third UW player ever selected in the first round of the National Football League Draft when the Cincinnati Bengals made him the 16th overall pick in 1978. The Palos Verde, Calif. played 17 years in the NFL for the Bengals, Seattle Seahawks, Green Bay Packers and Los Angeles Rams.
Mary DeLay
Head Women's Tennis Coach, 1973-1983
Credited with officially starting the University of Washington's intercollegiate women's tennis program, Mary DeLay served as the team's first-ever coach and compiled a 137-45-2 record in 10 seasons between 1973-83. She led Washington to eight straight Northwest College Women's Sports Association (NCWSA) championships. Her 1978 squad finished second in the Association for Intercollegiate Athletics for Women (AIAW) regional championship, while the 1979 team qualified for the AIAW national championships. In 1979, she tutored Lisa Moldrem and Christi Dorsey to qualification in the AIAW national singles championships, while Moldrem and Gretchen Van Dyke qualified for the national doubles field. Her .750 winning percentage remains the best among the four women's tennis coaches in school history.
Chris Magruder
Baseball Letterwinner, 1996-1998
A major leaguer with the Rangers, Indians and Brewers, Chris Magruder earned All-Pac-10 first-team honors in each of his three seasons at Washington. He led the Huskies to Pac-10 Northern Division championships in each of his three years and to the overall Pac-10 title in 1997 and 1998. A graduate of West Valley High School in Yakima, Wash., Magruder scored more runs in a three-year career (225) than any player in Pac-10 history and batted .400 twice (.400 in 1997 and .402 in 1998). Magruder, who started in center field for the 1997 U.S. National Team, made a name for himself in the postseason, hitting safely in his last 16 straight postseason games and batting .515 with 27 runs and 17 RBI in 17 career games. He still holds the UW single-season records for at bats, hits, runs, steals and walks and the career records for runs, steals and walks.
Hope Solo
Women's Soccer Letterwinner, 1999-2002
One of the top goalkeepers in United States soccer history, Hope Solo was a three-time All-American at the University of Washington and set school career records for shutouts (18), saves (325) and goals against average (1.02). A rare two-time Parade All-American while in high school, Solo started in goal for the USA in every age level of the national team program. A native of Richland, Wash., Solo started 68 games in four seasons and twice was listed as a nominee for the prestigious Hermann Trophy that honors the national player of the year. She was a four-time all-Pacific-10 Conference honoree and was the 2001 league player of the year. In 2000, she led Washington to its first-ever Pac-10 women's soccer championship.
Mark Stewart
Football Letterwinner, 1979-82
A first-team All-American at outside linebacker, Mark Stewart was one of the top defensive players to step on the gridiron at the University of Washington. In 1982, he set school records for quarterback sacks in a game with five against UCLA and fumbles caused in a season with five. A native of San Jose, Calif., Stewart registered the third-most solo tackles in a single game with 15 against the Bruins and his 10 sacks that season ranks fifth in the school record books. Stewart was an academic all-district and academic all-Pac-10 selection as a senior as well as a team captain. Following the season, he was selected to play in the Senior Bowl and Hula Bowl all-star games. Stewart was selected in the fifth round of the National Football League draft by Minnesota and played two seasons with the Vikings. In 2000, he became the head football coach at Meadowdale High School and, for the first time since 1979, led the team to a win in the state playoffs in 2007. He also served as a football coach at Mercer Island, Renton, Garfield and Highline high schools and at Western Washington University.
1997 Women's Crew & Men's Crew Varsity Eight
The University of Washington's 1997 women's crew claimed the school's first-ever NCAA team title in any sport and in the process became the inaugural NCAA women's rowing champions. The Huskies clinched the team trophy with an impressive open-water victory in the varsity eight grand final on Lake Natoma, near Sacramento, Calif. The Huskies' top boat registered an undefeated season. The crew consisted of coxswain Alida Purves along with rowers Sabina Telenska, Denni Nessler, Kelly Horton, Katy Dunnet, Annie Christie, Jan Williamson, Tristine Glick and Kari Green. The varsity eight triumph followed silver-medal performances by the second varsity eight and varsity four crews, enabling UW to claim the overall team points lead. The team was coached by Jan Harville.
The 1997 Husky men's varsity eight crew went undefeated en route to Washington's first Intercollegiate Rowing Association national championship since 1970. The Huskies completed their perfect season by overtaking Brown in the final 500 meters of the grand final. The crew consisted of coxswain Sean Mulligan along with rowers Bob Cummins, Brett Reisinger, Silas Harrington, Andy Tyler, Matt Andersen, Matt Schostak, Aaron Beck and Carl Bolstad. The varsity eight victory capped a UW sweep of the top three races at the IRA Regatta for the first time since 1950, including wins by the junior varsity eight and freshman eight. The team was coached by Bob Ernst.
