The Virginia Sports Hall of Fame announced its class of 2016 on Tuesday at the Virginia State Capitol in Richmond, as chosen by the statewide Honors Court committee.
The Class of 2016 features:
- James Farrior, a former University of Virginia Linebacker who enjoyed a 15-year NFL career with the Pittsburgh Steelers and New York Jets. Farrior was a two-time Pro Bowl selection and two-time Super Bowl Champion.
- Rich Murray, a former Sports Information Director at the University of Virginia who served in the sports journalism industry for over 40 years with the University of Virginia and James Madison University.
- Charles Oakley, a Virginia Union University standout and NBA All-Star who enjoyed a 19-year NBA career and tallied over 12,000 rebounds.
- Dave Rosenfield, a four-time Minor League Baseball Executive of the Year, who spent over 50 years in Minor League Baseball, 48 of them as the General Manager of the Norfolk Tides.
- Marianne Stanley, who spent ten years as head basketball coach of the Old Dominion University Lady Monarchs and led them to three national championships.
- Charlie Stukes, a Super Bowl Champion who enjoyed an eight-year NFL career with the Baltimore Colts and Los Angeles Rams, amassing 32 career interceptions.
- Robert Ukrop, an All-American soccer player at Davidson College who embarked on a 12-year professional soccer career, playing for his hometown team, the Richmond Kickers.
The 45th annual Induction Banquet will take place on Saturday, April 30, 2016 at the Renaissance Portsmouth- Norfolk Waterfront Hotel in Portsmouth, VA as the headline event of Hall of Fame weekend. Tickets are now on sale. For more information, call (757) 393-8031 or
visit www.vshfm.com.
The Class of 2016
James Farrior, a native of Ettrick, Virginia, was a Parade High School All-America selection at Matoaca High School before attending the University of Virginia. As a Cavalier, he racked up 381 tackles, ranking him third on the school’s all-time list. The linebacker was selected as the 8th overall pick in the 1997 NFL Draft by the New York Jets, where he spent the next five seasons. Following the 2001 season, Farrior signed with the Pittsburgh Steelers, making him one of the greatest free agent signings of all-time. Over his 15-year NFL career, Farrior was a two-time Pro Bowl selection, first-team All-Pro selection and two-time Super Bowl Champion.
Rich Murray, a 1971 graduate of Washington and Lee University, served in the sports information industry for nearly 40 years at James Madison University and the University of Virginia. Murray is a founding member of the Virginia Sports Information Directors Association, and was the organization’s inaugural President. In 2007, the Virginia Sports Information Directors Association named its Excellence in Sports Journalism Scholarship for Murray.
Charles Oakley attended Virginia Union University in Richmond, where he was named NCAA Division II Player of the Year in 1985, averaging 24.3 points and 17.3 rebounds per game. In 1985, Oakley was drafted ninth overall by the Cleveland Cavaliers. Oakley played for the Chicago Bulls, New York Knicks, Toronto Raptors, Washington Wizards and the Houston Rockets in his NBA Career. A rebound machine, Oakley placed in the top ten in rebounds per game five times between 1987 and 1994. The NBA All-Star finished his career with 12,417 points, 12,205 rebounds and 3,217 assists.
Dave Rosenfield served as General Manager of the Tidewater and Norfolk Tides for 48 years, having started the job in 1963 and holding it through the 2011 season. In this time, Rosenfield won four International League Executive of the Year Awards, and the Tides won five International League titles. Rosenfield was named the 2004 “King of Baseball” where Minor League Baseball salutes a veteran from the world of professional baseball for long-time dedication and service to the game. In 2008, he was inducted into the International League Hall of Fame.
Marianne Stanley played collegiate basketball at Immaculata College, where her 1972–1974 teams were announced as part of the 2014 induction class of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. Stanley received her first head coaching job at Old Dominion University and compiled a ten-year mark of 268-59 and helped put the Lady Monarch basketball program on the map as ODU captured three national championships during those ten years. Stanley later coached at The University of Pennsylvania, The University of Southern California, Stanford University, The University of California and also coached in the WNBA. She was also inducted into the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame in 2002.
Charlie Stukes, a native of Chesapeake, Virginia, was one of the greatest athletes ever at Crestwood High School, starring in football, basketball and baseball. Stukes was a two-sport star athlete at Maryland State and was drafted by the Baltimore Colts in 1967. Stukes was a ball hawk, finishing with eight interceptions in both 1971 and 1974, and 32 total in his career. Stukes’ Baltimore team won Super Bowl V against the Dallas Cowboys in 1971.
Robert Ukrop, a native of Richmond, Virginia, brought Davidson College into National prominence by leading them to the NCAA Final Four in 1992 and being named first team All-American and ISAA Player of the Year. Ukrop later had a 12-year career in professional soccer, playing for his hometown team, the Richmond Kickers. Ukrop led the Kickers to the 1995 US World Cup and was named the championship game MVP. Ukrop retired holding the club records for career goals, career assists, career points and matches.
About the Virginia Sports Hall of Fame & Museum
Since 1972, the Virginia Sports Hall of Fame & Museum has been proud to honor Virginia’s contributions to the world of sports. The Virginia Sports Hall of Fame & Museum is the Commonwealth’s official hall of fame, and one of only 16 throughout the nation. Their mission is to honor athletic excellence and serve as a nonprofit educational resource centered on health, math, science and character development programs, while inspiring visitors through sports history and interactive entertainment. For more information, go to www.vshfm.com.
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