Three Individuals and 1959 Men's Soccer Team Set For Induction Into UB Athletic Hall of Fame on November 7, 2009

Three Individuals and 1959 Men's Soccer Team Set For Induction Into UB Athletic Hall of Fame on November 7, 2009
October 6, 2009

Bridgeport, CT – University of Bridgeport Director of Athletics Jay Moran has announced that three new members and one team will be inducted into the University of Bridgeport Athletic Hall of Fame on November 7, 2009.

The members of the University of Bridgeport Athletics Hall of Fame Class of 2009 are stellar student-athletes Pat Morris (Men's Basketball, UB Class of 1992), Angela Varney (Gymnastics, UB Class of 1997) and Tracy (Tyler) Wells (Softball, UB Class of 1993), plus the 1959 UB Men's Soccer Team.

The 2009 University of Bridgeport Hall of Fame Class will be enshrined during an awards dinner that will begin with a 6:00 p.m. reception in the Henry B. duPont Tower Room of UB's Arnold Bernhard Arts and Humanities Center on the University of Bridgeport campus.  
 
Pat Morris was the silent leader of four of the most successful men's basketball teams in University of Bridgeport history from 1989-1992. In 1991 and 1992 Pat's UB teams made it to back-to-back NCAA Division II Championship Games and earned number one national rankings during the regular season. As a freshman and sophomore, the Purple Knights also qualified for the NCAA Tournament reaching the Elite Eight in 1990. During his time in a UB uniform, Pat was one of the most feared and consistent shooting guards in the East. Legendary Bridgeport head coach Bruce Webster referred to Morris as the "Iron Man" for not missing a single game in his four-year career. Pat was also referred as the "Unsung Hero" and "Quiet Man" for his ability to get the job done without the notoriety of some of his teammates.   Currently, Pat ranks fourth on the all-time UB career scoring with 1841 points. 
 
Angela Varney starred on the University of Bridgeport gymnastic teams from 1993-1997. A two-time captain, Varney led the Purple Knights to appearances in the NCAA Gymnastics National Championships Meet all four years of her career. An eight-time All-American and two-time ECAC Gymnast of the Year, Angela still holds many UB team records. She was a four-time ECAC bars champion and led her team to a sixth place showing at nationals her senior year. That same year, Angela was ranked number one regionally in the all-around against all opponents, including Division I schools, and was also a Honda Award finalist.  
 
Tracey (Tyler) Wells was the engine behind some of the most successful softball teams in school history at the University of Bridgeport from 1990-1993. As a junior in 1992, Tracey led the Purple Knights with a single-season school record 26 wins, an ERA of 0.65 and a single-season school record of 125 strikeouts and was named Conference Player of the Year, First Team All-Northeast Region and became the first UB softball player to be honored as an All-American. Tyler Wells finished her stellar career as the UB leader in wins with 77, had a career earned run average of 1.12 ERA and held the opposition to a paltry .180 batting average.
 
The 1959 Men's Soccer Team, led by head coach John McKeon, catapulted the University of Bridgeport men's soccer program into national prominence. With a group of talented, hard working and committed players, the Purple Knights advanced into the inaugural Men's NCAA National Championship Final (now known as the NCAA College Cup) only a day after winning one of the longest games in NCAA soccer history, a 2-1, eight overtime thriller against West Chester University of Pennsylvania. The next day in the final, which was played in Storrs, Connecticut, after scoring the first goal of the game, UB finally succumbed to the powerful St. Louis University Billikens, but the team did the University, the City of Bridgeport and the State of Connecticut proud.
 
The UB Athletic Hall of Fame was formed in 1981, and this year marks the fourth year of a revitalization that began in 2006 after 15 years without a class being inducted. This year's four inductees bring the total number of members to 66.
 
For ticket information for the awards dinner November 7, contact the UB Athletic Department, (203) 576-4017.