Former Nevada greats receiving their just due

The University of Nevada’s annual Hall of Fame dinner is set for Sept. 16 at the Reno Ballroom.

The event is open to the public, and entrance is $60 per person. Çocktails start at 6 p.m. and dinner/induction ceremonies to follow. On Sept. 17, the inductees will be introduced at halftime of the Nevada-Buffalo football game which starts at 6 p.m. Call 682-6901 for more information.

The inductees:

• The 2003-04 Nevada basketball team which upset Michigan State and Gonzaga to reach the Sweet 16 where it lost to Georgia Tech.

• Golfer Rich Barcelo, who was on the PGA Tour for several years.

• Football player Mike Crawford, who went to Whittell High School.

• Salaia Salave’a, who played volleyball and basketball between 2002 and 2006.

• Football standout Harvey Dahl, who starred on the Nevada offensive line for Chris Ault from 2001 to 2004, and went on to start in the NFL. Dahl attended Churchill County High School.

• Baseball standout Jim Puzey, who played from 1982-85, and was in the St. Louis Cardinals organization. His daughter, Brittany, briefly played softball at Carson before transferring to Douglas.

• Mark Fox, who was a coach at Nevada from 2000 to 2009. As a head coach, he guided Nevada to a 123-43 record, and three times was named the WAC’s top coach.

This is a class I really identify with for many reasons.

I was fortunate enough to cover those good Pack basketball teams that went to three straight NCAA Tournaments.

It’s a blast to see guys like Kirk Snyder, Kyle Shiloh, Nick Fazekas, Kevin Pinckney, Ramon Sessions and Garry Hill Thomas get recognized. The wins over Michigan State and Gonzaga were huge, and had it not been for a late-game meltdown, the Pack would have beaten Georgia Tech and reached the Elite 8. Those years put Nevada on the national basketball map.

Fox has been at Georgia since 2009, and he led Nevada to a school-record 29-5 mark in the 2006-07 season.

Puzey was a fixture on the summer travel ball circuit, coaching his daughters Samantha and Brittany. Both went on to play at UNR, though Samantha’s career was cut short by injury. Puzey also coached at Douglas High School.

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While we’re on the subject of college sports, the Mountain West will have 99 basketball games televised this season.

Nevada will play approximately 20 times, and 17 of the Pack’s 18 games can be seen. The only MW game not on is the home-opener Dec. 28 against San Jose State at Lawlor Events Center.

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Nevada is poised for another big year in basketball under coach Eric Musselman. The team has four players returning, including outstanding frontline player Cameron Oliver.

Musselman will also have the services of three transfers — Marcus Marshall, Leland King II and Jordan Caroline — all of whom sat out last season under NCAA rules. Devearl Ramsey and Josh Hall, both freshmen, will also be in action this year.