University of California, Los Angeles, Athletics
Bruins Nominated for U.S. Olympic Hall of Fame
February 27, 2012 | Bruin Athletics
Feb. 27, 2012
The U.S. Olympic Committee and Allstate Insurance Company today announced the list of nominees eligible for induction into the U.S. Olympic Hall of Fame presented by Allstate and invited fans to start voting for those athletes and teams they feel are most deserving of a spot in the Class of 2012.
The nominee list consists of the following 18 individual Olympic athletes, five Paralympic athletes and five teams featuring 12 Bruin alums. Bruins named to the nomination list include - Gail Devers (track); Lisa Fernandez (softball); the 1967 women's swimming 4x100m freestyle relay (Shirley Babashoff); the 1988 men's volleyball team featuring Karch Kiraly, Ricci Luyties, Doug Partie and Dave Saunders; and the 2004 women's softball team featuring Lisa Fernandez, Tairia Flowers, Amanda Freed, Stacey Nuveman and Natasha Watley.
Devers is a two-time Olympic gold medalist, four-time World Indoor champion, two-time Pan American Games gold medalist and the American Record holder in the 100m hurdles.
Fernandez is a three-time Olympic and Pan American Games gold medalist, three-time World champion and Honda Award winner and a two-time Sportswoman of the Year recipient.
The 1988 men's vollyeball team went 7-0 and won 21 out of 25 sets to take the gold medal in Seoul, Korea.
The 1976 4x100m freestyle relay team won the lone gold medal for the American women at the 1976 Olympic Games. Babashoff helped the team shatter the then-world-record of 3:48.80 by almost four seconds to win the gold medal. The team finished .68 seconds ahead of the reigning world-record-holding East Germans, who entered the race having won every gold medal but one in those Games.
The 2004 softball team was named the "Real Dream Team" on the cover of Sports Illustrated after dominating the 2004 Games. They were a perfect 9-0 with eight consecutive shutouts and outscored their opponents 51-1 in nine games.
"The U.S. Olympic Hall of Fame celebrates a commitment to excellence and perseverance and recognizes American athletes who are role models and heroes," said Mark LaNeve, Allstate's chief marketing officer and senior executive vice president of agency operations. "Allstate is proud to protect the legacy of these athletes and their accomplishments while offering fans the chance to play an important role in selecting who will be eternally etched in Olympic history."
The public is invited to vote for their preferred candidates and teams by visiting a dedicated voting portal at Team USA Hall of Fame. Voters will be allowed to vote once per day, per category, through April 9, 2012. Recognizing the ongoing support that fans give U.S. Olympians, Paralympians and hopefuls in their training and competition, the U.S. Olympic Hall of Fame presented by Allstate was one of the first major sports halls of fame to incorporate fan voting into the selection process.
Once voting closes, the public vote totals will be added to the vote totals of Olympians, Paralympians and U.S. Olympic Family members to determine the six Olympians, one Paralympian and one team that will make up the 2012 class. The U.S. Olympic Hall of Fame presented by Allstate Class of 2012 will be announced in May and inducted on July 12 during an induction ceremony at the Harris Theater in Chicago, Ill.
"It is a privilege to introduce this incredibly deserving group of nominees for induction into the U.S. Olympic Hall of Fame and an honor to invite the American public to vote for who they want to be a part of the class of 2012," said Scott Blackmun, USOC chief executive officer. "With excitement building ahead of the London Games this summer, there is no better time than now to honor the legacy of the great individual and team performances, and make them a permanent part of U.S. Olympic Team history."
The nominees for the 2012 U.S. Olympic Hall of Fame presented by Allstate class were selected by a nominating committee comprised of individuals representing the following areas of the U.S. Olympic Movement: United States Olympians Association, Athletes' Advisory Council, media members, USOC executive team, USOC Board of Directors, one at-large committee member and a Paralympic sports representative.
