TOLEDO, OH - The University of Toledo Varsity ‘T’ Hall of Fame announced its 2009 inductees today. Included in the Class of 2009 is Gary Pinkel, who coached the Rocket football team from 1991-2000 and currently is the head coach at Missouri. Pinkel is joined by seven former student-athletes who will be inducted into the Hall of Fame at the induction banquet on Friday, Feb. 27 at The Pinnacle in Maumee. Social hour for the event begins at 6:00 p.m. and dinner will follow at 7:00 p.m.

The 2009 Varsity ‘T’ Hall of Fame class will also be introduced at halftime of both the men’s and women’s basketball games on Saturday, Feb. 28, when the women host Eastern Michigan while the men square off with Western Michigan.

Tickets for the Varsity ‘T’ Hall of Fame induction dinner can be purchased by calling the Athletic Development Office at 419-530-2510 . Tickets for Rocket basketball games can be purchased at the UT Athletic Ticket Office or by calling (419) 530-GOLD.

The 2009 Varsity ‘T’ Hall of Fame inductees are as follows:

Bob Aston was one of the top rebounders in Rocket history, ranking fourth all-time in career boards (10.9 per game). A first-team All-MAC selection as a senior in 1965-66, Aston ranks tied for second in career rebounds in MAC games (11.7). He led the Rockets in rebounding as a junior (12.5 rpg) and as a senior (13.2). His total of 316 rebounds in 1965-66 ranks fifth all-time, while his average of 13.2 ranks fourth. Four times he grabbed at least 20 boards in a game, including 25 vs. Kent State on Jan. 26, 1966, tied for the third-most in UT history. In his three years on the varsity squad, Aston scored 901 points and grabbed 749 rebounds. He averaged 7.3 points and 6.3 rebounds as a sophomore; 12.9 points and 12.5 rebounds as a junior and 18.3 points and 13.2 rebounds as senior. His 18.3 points led the Rockets in his senior season, as did his field goal percentage of 52.0.

Lucretia LeGault was a key member of the women’s basketball team that went 100-28 from 1989-92. She was the MAC Freshman of the Year in 1988-89, and All-MAC second-team selection as a junior in 1990-91, and honorable mention All-MAC as a senior in 1991-92. She proved to be a valuable member of her team, leading UT to the MAC Championship and NCAA Tournament appearances in 1990-91 and 1991-92. She led the Rockets in rebounding in 1990-91 (8.5) and 1991-92 (7.1). She averaged 14.3 points a game as a junior and 11.9 points as a senior. Not only was she an excellent rebounder, but she was a deadly long-range shooter, knocking down 160 three-pointers in her career. LeGault ranks third in career games played (126); fourth in career rebounds (884); tied for fourth in field goals attempted (1,349); fifth in steals (189) and three-point field goals attempted (483); eighth in free throws (443) and three-point field goals (160); 10th in free throws (285); and 11th in total points (1,409).

A three-time, first-team All-MAC selection, Maier ranks as one of the greatest hitters in UT history. His name can be found in the top 10 in nine offense season categories and seven career ones. He ranks first in career batting average (.414) and RBI (147); second in career total bases (370) and hits (238); third in career doubles (42); fourth in runs scored (152); and tied for fourth in home runs (26). He also ranks No. 1 in two season categories: batting average (.448) and stolen bases (29). Maier began his career by earning MAC Freshman of the Year and Louisville Slugger Freshman All-America honors in 2001, and finished it in 2003 by being selected to numerous All-America teams, including first-team All-American by Baseball America, second-team All-America by CollegeBaseballInsider.com, and Collegiate Baseball magazine. Maier was drafted in the first round (No. 30 pick overall) of the MLB draft by Kansas City in 2003. Maier has been a rising star as an outfielder in the Royals organization, earning all-star honors in the Texas League in 2006. He appeared in five games with the Royals in 2006, and returned to the majors in 2008, hitting .286 in 34 games before being sidelined with an injury.

Steve Morgan finished his playing career in 1984 as UT’s career rushing leader with 2,540 yards, a mark that still ranks sixth on the Rockets’ all-time list. He played on MAC Championship teams in 1981 and 1984, earning first-team All-MAC honors as a senior in 1984. He gained 1,137 yards and scored 10 touchdowns that year, and was named the team’s Most Valuable Player. Morgan was the team’s leading rusher as a junior (630 yards) and sophomore (598). Nine times he rushed for at least 100 yards in a game. As a freshman, Morgan helped lead his team to the 1981 MAC Championship, finishing the season as UT’s leading punt and kickoff returner. He was honored as the team’s top freshman, receiving the Cohen Trophy. After graduating, he was signed by the Seattle Seahawks and later played for the Arizona Wranglers of the USFL.

Bill Nagy was a three-time Mid-American Conference champion at No. 1 singles, winning the top league crown in 1961, 1962 and 1963. He is one of only two Rockets ever to achieve this feat (the other is current UT Hall of Famer Dean Eisner). Nagy also won the MAC No.1 doubles crown in 1962.

Mike Parker was a two-time All-MAC player who scored 1,057 points in his three years on the men’s basketball team. His highlights included 30 points each against Arizona State and Indiana during the 1974 Conference Commissioner’s Association (CCA) Tournament. He also had 18 points and seven rebounds in a three-point loss to Marquette that year. Parker, the team captain in 1973-74, scored 15.1 points and earned first-team All-MAC honors as a senior. As a junior, Parker scored 14.2 points and earned second-team All-MAC honors. As a sophomore, he averaged 10.6 points. During his three years on the team, the Rockets went 53-26 and were MAC co-champs in 1971-72, finishing in second place the other two years.

Gary Pinkel was the head coach of the Rockets for 10 years from 1991-2000. Before he left to accept the head coaching position at Missouri, he racked up the most wins in school history (73), as well as the highest winning percentage (.659) among those coaches who coached for at least three seasons. He won a MAC Championships in 1995, when his team went 11-0-1, won the Las Vegas Bowl and ended the season ranked No. 22 in the final coaches poll. He also led his team to MAC West Division titles in 1997 and 1998. In his final season in 2000, Pinkel’s Rockets went 10-1, including a 24-6 win at Penn State. His teams ranked in the Top 25 in three different seasons (1995, 1997 and 2000). He was MAC Coach of the Year in 1995 and 1997. He currently is the head coach at the University of Missouri, where his team has cracked the top 10 in each of the past two seasons.

Shantel Ransom was a seven-time MAC Champion and two-time All-American in sprinting and jumping events. She also holds nine school records, was voted "Athlete of the Meet" in two MAC Championship meets, and was twice chosen as the MAC Athlete of the Week. Ransom was 1990’s MAC Female Athlete of the Year after being voted MAC Track Championship’s "Top Performer." Ransom won MAC titles in the outdoor 100 meters in 1989 and 1990; the outdoor 200 meters in 1989, 1990 and 1991; the long jump in 1990; and was part of the winning 4x100 meter relay champions in 1990. She set MAC records in the 100 and 200 meters in 1990 with times of 11.57 and 23.87, respectively. Ransom represented UT at the National Sports Festival in 1989 and 1990. She also ran a personal best 200m time (23.48) at the 1990 U.S. Olympic Festival. Ransom then represented the U.S. in World University Games in Sheffield, England as well as the Pan American Games in Havana, Cuba in 1991. At the Pan American Games, she was the only American to reach the finals and earned a seventh-place finish in the 200 meters. Earning a spot on the Dean’s list in 1989, Ransom was a member of the Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority and a Homecoming Court nominee in 1991. She received both her bachelor’s and master’s degrees from UT.