Pitt announces 12-member, 2023 Hall of Fame class

Pitt Athletic Director Heather Lyke on Monday announced the university’s 2023 Athletics Hall of Fame class, a 12-member group from seven sports that includes championship coaches and athletes, NFL first-round draft choices and the second-most prolific scorer in Panthers basketball history.

Pitt’s sixth Hall of Fame class will be inducted Sept. 22 at Petersen Events Center and will be introduced Sept. 23 at Acrisure Stadium at the North Carolina football game.

“On behalf of the University of Pittsburgh, I am incredibly proud to announce our 2023 Pitt Athletics Hall of Fame induction class,” Lyke said in a statement. “I’m continually amazed at our wonderful history of achievement across each of our sports. This group really embodies that excellence. We are greatly looking forward to hosting them this September for their formal inductions.”

The class includes the following people:

• Richard Bradshaw (swimming and diving coach): He served two tenures as head men’s coach (1971-78 and 1987-90) and also led the women’s program for six years (1975-81). In 10 seasons with the men’s teams, he recorded a 76-24 record (.760). He won three Big East men’s championships and led the women to an 46-8 record. He coached 13 All-Americans and five Olympians.

• Ruben Brown (football): A four-year starter at offensive tackle from 1991-94, he was a three-time All-Big East selection and first-team All-American as a senior. Brown was a first-round draft choice of the Buffalo Bills in 1995 and was voted to eight consecutive Pro Bowls (1996-2003). Brown concluded his career by spending four seasons with the Chicago Bears (2004-07). Named to the Bills’ 50th Anniversary All-Time Team in 2009, he also is enshrined in the College Football Hall of Fame.

• Matt Cavanaugh (football): He led Pitt to the 1976 national championship and was MVP of the 27-3 Sugar Bowl victory against Georgia that solidified it and an undefeated season. His career (1974-77) coincided with Pitt’s reemergence as a national power, and he is considered one of the greatest to play quarterback at Pitt. He was a first-team All-American as a senior in 1977, and he led Pitt to a 34-3 victory against Clemson in the Gator Bowl while throwing for 387 yards and four touchdowns. He was MVP of that bowl game, too.

• Chris Doleman (football, posthumous): He was a dominant defensive end for the Panthers from 1981-84 and finished his career third all-time at the university with 25 sacks, a total that still ranks eighth. Doleman played in the Sugar, Cotton and Fiesta bowls while helping the Panthers earn three top-20 finishes, including a No. 2 in 1981 and No. 9 in 1982. He was the fourth overall selection in the 1985 NFL Draft by the Minnesota Vikings and was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2012.

• Larry Fitzgerald (football): He starred at Pitt from 2002-03 before going on to a prolific, 17-year NFL career with the Arizona Cardinals. In only 26 collegiate games, Fitzgerald recorded 161 catches for 2,677 yards and a Pitt-record 34 touchdowns. He caught a touchdown in 18 consecutive games to set an NCAA record. In total, Fitzgerald set or tied four NCAA and 11 Pitt marks and eight Big East records. In 2003, he made 92 catches for 1,672 yards (18.2.)

• Keith Gavin (wrestling): Now Pitt’s wrestling coach, Gavin is one of 12 men in program history to win an NCAA championship. Competing for the Panthers from 2003-08, he compiled a 120-37 (.764) record, and his victory total still ranks among the top 10 all-time at Pitt. Overall, the two-time All-American was 55-4 (.932) over his final two collegiate seasons, including a 33-0 mark as a senior when he won the NCAA 174-pound title.

• Bobby Lewis (baseball coach, posthumous) — He led his alma matter for 36 seasons (1955-90). When he resigned, Lewis had compiled a 438-389 record and owned the most victories by any coach in school history. His players included major-leaguers George “Doc” Medich and Ken Macha, as well as Pro Football Hall of Famer Mike Ditka.

• Joe Luxbacher (men’s soccer athlete and coach): Luxbacher was a star player (1970-73) before he served as head coach for 32 seasons (1984-2015). He set school records for goals in a game (seven), points in a game (15), career goals (37) and career points (84). He also had a school-record four career hat tricks. After serving as a Pitt assistant in 1983, Luxbacher became head coach the next season and went on to compile a program-record 224 victories.

• Maureen McCandless (women’s track and field/cross country): Competing for the Panthers from 2002-06, she was a three-time All-American, earning national honors in cross country as well as the indoor and outdoor 5,000 meters. McCandless won two Big East individual championships (indoor 3,000 and 5,000 meters).

• Suzanne Pulley-Klacik (women’s swimming): She was a six-time All-American from 1978-81, earning those honors as part of the Panthers’ 400 free relay (three times), 200 free relay, 800 free relay and 200 medley relay. She became just the second women’s swimmer at Pitt to earn All-America status in each of her four collegiate seasons (joining fellow Pitt Hall of Famer Kathy Stetler).

• Clive “Clyde” Vaughan (men’s basketball): Legendary St. John’s coach Lou Carnesecca called Vaughn “one of the best shooters I’ve seen” and a rebounder “like someone 6-9 or 6-10.” At just under 6-5, Vaughan led Pitt basketball into the Big East and gained fame as the university’s second all-time leading scorer (2,045, 12 behind Charles Smith). He led the Panthers in scoring and rebounding in each of his final three seasons (1981-84) and helped Pitt win the 1981 and 1982 Eastern 8 Tournament championships.

• Allison Williams-Murphy (women’s track and field): She was a decorated hurdler at the conference and national levels during her Pitt career (1989-94). She was a seven-time Big East champion and three-time outdoor All-American, winning the indoor 55-meter hurdles four times, the outdoor 100-meter hurdles twice and also earning gold as part of the outdoor 1,600-meter relay team. Her performances helped lead the Panthers to three Big East outdoor team championships. On the NCAA stage, Williams-Murphy was a three-time outdoor All-American.