Ellen Townsend
RENO — As the University of Nevada celebrates 100 years of women’s athletics in 2019-2020, the Wolf Pack Hall of Fame will induct a historic all-female class this fall.
The nine-person class includes one of the top softball players in school history in Brittany Puzey; two volleyball standouts who led the Pack to the NCAA Tournament in Teal Ericson and Karly Sipherd, a two-time All-American from the rifle team in Meghan Morrill; a basketball standout, athletics administrator and community leader in Angie Taylor; and four multi-sport stars from the 1970s in Pat Hixson, Regina Ratigan, Cindy Rock and Ellen Townsend.
The class will officially inducted at the Hall of Fame Dinner on Sept. 12 at the Reno Ballroom and the class will be honored at halftime of the Wolf Pack’s football game against Weber State on Sept. 14.
Since its inception in 1973, the Nevada Athletics Hall of Fame has inducted 210 individuals and five teams.
2019 Hall of Fame Inductees
Teal Ericson – Volleyball (2004-07)
One of the top offensive players in the history of Wolf Pack volleyball… helped Nevada to NCAA Tournament appearances in 2004 and 2005… earned first-team All-WAC honors in 2007… was a second-team selection in 2005 and 2006… named to the 2004 WAC All-Freshman squad… a two-time WAC All-Academic selection… was selected to an all-tournament team six times in her career... appears in the Wolf Pack record book 14 times… ranks second in career kills and third in career points with 1,653.5… was named the AVCA national player of the week in October of 2007.
Pat Hixson – Volleyball, Women’s Basketball & Softball (1974-77), Softball Assistant Coach (1978-79), Softball Head Coach (1980-89)
Four-year starter in volleyball, women’s basketball and softball… also coached softball and was instrumental in the development of Wolf Pack women’s athletics in the post-Title IX era… helped lead Nevada to three NCIAC titles in 1976-77 (volleyball, women’s basketball & softball)… earned All-Western Region honors as a catcher in 1977…hit .413 in 1976, which ranked second on the team… led the 1977 squad in home runs and doubles… set school career and single-season records for home runs, hits and walks… helped lead the Wolf Pack volleyball team to its first and only conference championship in the Northern California Intercollegiate Athletic Association in 1975… served as a softball assistant coach in 1978 & 1979 before taking over as the head softball coach from 1980-89… also served as a player-coach with Reno Royals, a Reno summer league championship team… led Nevada to its first appearance in the AIAW Division II World Series in 1980, her first year at the helm… returned to the AIAW Small College World Series two years later in 1982 in a season that saw the Wolf Pack win a then school record 27 games and finish fifth in the nation… consistently finished in the top half of its league… was named conference coach of the year in 1988.
Meghan Morrill – Rifle (2004-08)
Earned first-team All-America honors in 2006 and 2008… Had the highest individual air rifle score at NCAA Rifle Championships in 2005 with a 593/600... four-year letter-winner and two-year team captain on the Wolf Pack rifle team… was also a four-time academic honoree by the National Collegiate Rifle Coaches Association… finished first in eight of the Wolf Pack’s 10 competitions her senior year and set a number of school records, including the high team individual aggregate score… was one of the top 10 honorees representing NCAA Division I institutions for the 2008 NCAA Woman of the Year Award… earned a 2008 NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship, graduating magna cum laude from the University’s Honors College with a degree in accounting and information systems… also received one of the university’s 11 Outstanding Senior Awards from the College of Business Administration and the professor-nominated Outstanding Accounting Student of the Year Award… represented the University of Nevada at the APLU’s Convocation for the 150th Anniversary of the Morrill Land Grant Act in 2012… continued her shooting career as part of the U.S. National Rifle Team… finished seventh at the 2008 U.S. Olympic Trials and fourth in the 2012 U.S. Olympic Trials… led the US Women’s Air Team to a Bronze Medal at World Championships in 2010… medaled at three U.S. Championships and was national champion in 2011… traveled extensively for international competitions achieving an international ranking of 13th and first domestically, finishing eighth at World Championships in 2010, all while attending law school at the University of Virginia… and is currently serving as corporate counsel for Amazon in Seattle while continuing her efforts in veterans pro bono and shooting sports education.
Brittany Puzey – Softball (2006-09)
Earned first-team All-Western Athletic Conference honors in each of her last three seasons (2007-09)… earned second-team All-West Region honors in 2007, the first player in school history to earn those honors… was also a first-team All-West Region selection in 2009… three-time Academic All-WAC selection… helped lead Nevada to the WAC Tournament championship and an NCAA Regional appearance in 2006 as well as WAC regular-season championships and NCAA Regional appearances in 2008 and 2009… hit the first homerun in the history of Hixson Park in the first game at the field in March 2007… later hit the first grand slam in Hixson in April of that year… turned in a career slugging percentage of .534 which ranks sixth all time at Nevada… is Nevada’s career leader in stolen bases… ranks second all time in doubles (54), home runs (34), total bases (389) and runs batted in (166)… also ranks third in at-bats (729) and runs scored (135) and fourth in career hits (223)… also appears 16 times in the single-season record book… tied for first in single-season stolen bases with 19 in 2009 (19 of 22)… played in 245 games with 244 starts, the most games started and played by a Wolf Pack softball player in the modern era.
Regina Ratigan – Women’s Basketball, Softball & Volleyball (1977-80)
Was instrumental in the development of Nevada’s women’s sports in the post-Title IX era… also played softball and volleyball… helped lead Nevada to three NCIAC titles in 1976-77 (volleyball, women’s basketball & softball)… set the single season scoring record with 399 points in 1979-80 (since broken)… also held the top two single season marks for assists (57 in 1979-80 and 48 in 1977-78)… finished her career as Nevada’s career record holder for free throw percentage (.801) and assists (82)… led the team in scoring in 20 of 31 games in 1979-80… became an assistant coach on the women’s basketball team after finishing her career.
Cindy Rock – Women’s Basketball, Softball & Volleyball (1977-79)
Was instrumental in the development of Nevada’s women’s sports in the post-Title IX era… three-sport standout from Portland, Oregon… helped lead Nevada to three NCIAC titles in 1976-77 (volleyball, women’s basketball & softball)… set school records for most points in a single game (44) and still ranks second on the single-game scoring list… finished her career with the best two single-season scoring averages in school history and still ranks ninth and 10th on the list… scored 17.6 points per game in 1978-79 and 17.4 points per game in 1977-78… received the first out of state scholarship for a Wolf Pack female student-athlete…set the career record for scoring with 799 points (since broken) and had the second and third best single seasons in scoring in 1977-78 (367) and 1978-79 (352)… became Nevada’s head coach in 1980-81… played professional basketball briefly after her college career ended.
Karly Sipherd – Volleyball (2004-07)
One of the top blockers in the history of Wolf Pack volleyball… helped Nevada to NCAA Tournament appearances in 2004 and 2005… earned first-team All-WAC honors in 2007 and second-team honors in each of her first three seasons… was named to the 2004 WAC All-Freshman team… 2007 WAC All-Academic team… also named to the WAC All-Tournament team in 2004, 2005 and 2007… appears in the Wolf Pack record book 16 times… holds the Nevada career record for block assists (482) and ranks second in total blocks (532)…also ranks eighth in solo blocks (50), third in points (1,504), sixth in hitting percentage (.277) and eighth in kills (1,182)… produced four of the top seven single seasons in block assists and four of the top nine in total blocks.
Angie Taylor – Women’s Basketball (1981-85) & Athletics Administration (1987-2000)
Played for the Wolf Pack women’s basketball team after starring at Reno’s Hug High School… joined the athletics staff at her alma mater in 1987 as women’s sports information officer… was promoted to assistant director of athletics and senior woman administrator in 1990 where she supervised a staff of 35 and a $2.8 million budget… was promoted to senior associate athletics director and second in command in athletics in 1999… founded Pack PAWS in 1995, a membership organization committed to Promoting and Advancing Women in Sports at the University of Nevada… secured the first $1 million gift to the Nevada’s women’s athletics program from the Wilbur May Foundation in 1997… also helped secure a second $1 million gift from the E.L Wiegand Foundation that primarily benefitted Wolf Pack women’s basketball.. Wolf Pack teams she oversaw won five conference titles… was instrumental in securing additional funding from the Nevada State Legislature that fully funded scholarships for existing women’s sports and allowed Wolf Pack Women’s Athletics to add women’s golf, women’s soccer and softball… helped Nevada increase its women’s athletics budget from about $700,000 to over $2 million in the 1990s… was active in the world of college athletics as a member of the NCAA Management Council and the NCAA Woman of the Year Committee and as a board member for the National Association of Collegiate Women Athletic Administrators… left athletics in 2000 to become Nevada’s director of alumni relations… has continued to serve the northern Nevada community in both leadership and community service positions… was appointed to the Washoe County School District’s Board of Trustees in the fall of 2014, becoming the first African American to serve in that capacity… also serves as President and Chief Executive Officer for Guardian Quest, Inc., an organization that provides training, organizational development and leadership solutions for corporate, government, educational and military clients across North America.
Ellen Townsend – Volleyball, Softball (1976-77) & Women’s Basketball (1976-79)
Three-sport standout who was instrumental in instrumental in the development of Nevada’s women’s sports in the post-Title IX era… helped lead Nevada to three NCIAC titles in 1976-77 (volleyball, women’s basketball & softball)… Records of women’s athletics from this era are scarce but is widely considered to be one of the top female athletes from this era by her teammates… played third base and led the softball team in on-base percentage in 1976 (.531), doubles (3), triples (6) and runs batted in (15) as a freshman… also had 16 RBI in 1977… led the volleyball team with 230 assists in 1977… also had 25 digs and eight aces that year… went on to become a teacher in the Washoe County School District and continues to serve as a volleyball official… has coached basketball locally.
The Hall of Fame Dinner is open to the public. Tickets are $75 with tables of 10 for $750. For information, visit www.NevadaWolfPack.com/HallOfFame or call 775-682-6902.
-->RENO — As the University of Nevada celebrates 100 years of women’s athletics in 2019-2020, the Wolf Pack Hall of Fame will induct a historic all-female class this fall.
The nine-person class includes one of the top softball players in school history in Brittany Puzey; two volleyball standouts who led the Pack to the NCAA Tournament in Teal Ericson and Karly Sipherd, a two-time All-American from the rifle team in Meghan Morrill; a basketball standout, athletics administrator and community leader in Angie Taylor; and four multi-sport stars from the 1970s in Pat Hixson, Regina Ratigan, Cindy Rock and Ellen Townsend.
The class will officially inducted at the Hall of Fame Dinner on Sept. 12 at the Reno Ballroom and the class will be honored at halftime of the Wolf Pack’s football game against Weber State on Sept. 14.
Since its inception in 1973, the Nevada Athletics Hall of Fame has inducted 210 individuals and five teams.
2019 Hall of Fame Inductees
Teal Ericson – Volleyball (2004-07)
One of the top offensive players in the history of Wolf Pack volleyball… helped Nevada to NCAA Tournament appearances in 2004 and 2005… earned first-team All-WAC honors in 2007… was a second-team selection in 2005 and 2006… named to the 2004 WAC All-Freshman squad… a two-time WAC All-Academic selection… was selected to an all-tournament team six times in her career... appears in the Wolf Pack record book 14 times… ranks second in career kills and third in career points with 1,653.5… was named the AVCA national player of the week in October of 2007.
Pat Hixson – Volleyball, Women’s Basketball & Softball (1974-77), Softball Assistant Coach (1978-79), Softball Head Coach (1980-89)
Four-year starter in volleyball, women’s basketball and softball… also coached softball and was instrumental in the development of Wolf Pack women’s athletics in the post-Title IX era… helped lead Nevada to three NCIAC titles in 1976-77 (volleyball, women’s basketball & softball)… earned All-Western Region honors as a catcher in 1977…hit .413 in 1976, which ranked second on the team… led the 1977 squad in home runs and doubles… set school career and single-season records for home runs, hits and walks… helped lead the Wolf Pack volleyball team to its first and only conference championship in the Northern California Intercollegiate Athletic Association in 1975… served as a softball assistant coach in 1978 & 1979 before taking over as the head softball coach from 1980-89… also served as a player-coach with Reno Royals, a Reno summer league championship team… led Nevada to its first appearance in the AIAW Division II World Series in 1980, her first year at the helm… returned to the AIAW Small College World Series two years later in 1982 in a season that saw the Wolf Pack win a then school record 27 games and finish fifth in the nation… consistently finished in the top half of its league… was named conference coach of the year in 1988.
Meghan Morrill – Rifle (2004-08)
Earned first-team All-America honors in 2006 and 2008… Had the highest individual air rifle score at NCAA Rifle Championships in 2005 with a 593/600... four-year letter-winner and two-year team captain on the Wolf Pack rifle team… was also a four-time academic honoree by the National Collegiate Rifle Coaches Association… finished first in eight of the Wolf Pack’s 10 competitions her senior year and set a number of school records, including the high team individual aggregate score… was one of the top 10 honorees representing NCAA Division I institutions for the 2008 NCAA Woman of the Year Award… earned a 2008 NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship, graduating magna cum laude from the University’s Honors College with a degree in accounting and information systems… also received one of the university’s 11 Outstanding Senior Awards from the College of Business Administration and the professor-nominated Outstanding Accounting Student of the Year Award… represented the University of Nevada at the APLU’s Convocation for the 150th Anniversary of the Morrill Land Grant Act in 2012… continued her shooting career as part of the U.S. National Rifle Team… finished seventh at the 2008 U.S. Olympic Trials and fourth in the 2012 U.S. Olympic Trials… led the US Women’s Air Team to a Bronze Medal at World Championships in 2010… medaled at three U.S. Championships and was national champion in 2011… traveled extensively for international competitions achieving an international ranking of 13th and first domestically, finishing eighth at World Championships in 2010, all while attending law school at the University of Virginia… and is currently serving as corporate counsel for Amazon in Seattle while continuing her efforts in veterans pro bono and shooting sports education.
Brittany Puzey – Softball (2006-09)
Earned first-team All-Western Athletic Conference honors in each of her last three seasons (2007-09)… earned second-team All-West Region honors in 2007, the first player in school history to earn those honors… was also a first-team All-West Region selection in 2009… three-time Academic All-WAC selection… helped lead Nevada to the WAC Tournament championship and an NCAA Regional appearance in 2006 as well as WAC regular-season championships and NCAA Regional appearances in 2008 and 2009… hit the first homerun in the history of Hixson Park in the first game at the field in March 2007… later hit the first grand slam in Hixson in April of that year… turned in a career slugging percentage of .534 which ranks sixth all time at Nevada… is Nevada’s career leader in stolen bases… ranks second all time in doubles (54), home runs (34), total bases (389) and runs batted in (166)… also ranks third in at-bats (729) and runs scored (135) and fourth in career hits (223)… also appears 16 times in the single-season record book… tied for first in single-season stolen bases with 19 in 2009 (19 of 22)… played in 245 games with 244 starts, the most games started and played by a Wolf Pack softball player in the modern era.
Regina Ratigan – Women’s Basketball, Softball & Volleyball (1977-80)
Was instrumental in the development of Nevada’s women’s sports in the post-Title IX era… also played softball and volleyball… helped lead Nevada to three NCIAC titles in 1976-77 (volleyball, women’s basketball & softball)… set the single season scoring record with 399 points in 1979-80 (since broken)… also held the top two single season marks for assists (57 in 1979-80 and 48 in 1977-78)… finished her career as Nevada’s career record holder for free throw percentage (.801) and assists (82)… led the team in scoring in 20 of 31 games in 1979-80… became an assistant coach on the women’s basketball team after finishing her career.
Cindy Rock – Women’s Basketball, Softball & Volleyball (1977-79)
Was instrumental in the development of Nevada’s women’s sports in the post-Title IX era… three-sport standout from Portland, Oregon… helped lead Nevada to three NCIAC titles in 1976-77 (volleyball, women’s basketball & softball)… set school records for most points in a single game (44) and still ranks second on the single-game scoring list… finished her career with the best two single-season scoring averages in school history and still ranks ninth and 10th on the list… scored 17.6 points per game in 1978-79 and 17.4 points per game in 1977-78… received the first out of state scholarship for a Wolf Pack female student-athlete…set the career record for scoring with 799 points (since broken) and had the second and third best single seasons in scoring in 1977-78 (367) and 1978-79 (352)… became Nevada’s head coach in 1980-81… played professional basketball briefly after her college career ended.
Karly Sipherd – Volleyball (2004-07)
One of the top blockers in the history of Wolf Pack volleyball… helped Nevada to NCAA Tournament appearances in 2004 and 2005… earned first-team All-WAC honors in 2007 and second-team honors in each of her first three seasons… was named to the 2004 WAC All-Freshman team… 2007 WAC All-Academic team… also named to the WAC All-Tournament team in 2004, 2005 and 2007… appears in the Wolf Pack record book 16 times… holds the Nevada career record for block assists (482) and ranks second in total blocks (532)…also ranks eighth in solo blocks (50), third in points (1,504), sixth in hitting percentage (.277) and eighth in kills (1,182)… produced four of the top seven single seasons in block assists and four of the top nine in total blocks.
Angie Taylor – Women’s Basketball (1981-85) & Athletics Administration (1987-2000)
Played for the Wolf Pack women’s basketball team after starring at Reno’s Hug High School… joined the athletics staff at her alma mater in 1987 as women’s sports information officer… was promoted to assistant director of athletics and senior woman administrator in 1990 where she supervised a staff of 35 and a $2.8 million budget… was promoted to senior associate athletics director and second in command in athletics in 1999… founded Pack PAWS in 1995, a membership organization committed to Promoting and Advancing Women in Sports at the University of Nevada… secured the first $1 million gift to the Nevada’s women’s athletics program from the Wilbur May Foundation in 1997… also helped secure a second $1 million gift from the E.L Wiegand Foundation that primarily benefitted Wolf Pack women’s basketball.. Wolf Pack teams she oversaw won five conference titles… was instrumental in securing additional funding from the Nevada State Legislature that fully funded scholarships for existing women’s sports and allowed Wolf Pack Women’s Athletics to add women’s golf, women’s soccer and softball… helped Nevada increase its women’s athletics budget from about $700,000 to over $2 million in the 1990s… was active in the world of college athletics as a member of the NCAA Management Council and the NCAA Woman of the Year Committee and as a board member for the National Association of Collegiate Women Athletic Administrators… left athletics in 2000 to become Nevada’s director of alumni relations… has continued to serve the northern Nevada community in both leadership and community service positions… was appointed to the Washoe County School District’s Board of Trustees in the fall of 2014, becoming the first African American to serve in that capacity… also serves as President and Chief Executive Officer for Guardian Quest, Inc., an organization that provides training, organizational development and leadership solutions for corporate, government, educational and military clients across North America.
Ellen Townsend – Volleyball, Softball (1976-77) & Women’s Basketball (1976-79)
Three-sport standout who was instrumental in instrumental in the development of Nevada’s women’s sports in the post-Title IX era… helped lead Nevada to three NCIAC titles in 1976-77 (volleyball, women’s basketball & softball)… Records of women’s athletics from this era are scarce but is widely considered to be one of the top female athletes from this era by her teammates… played third base and led the softball team in on-base percentage in 1976 (.531), doubles (3), triples (6) and runs batted in (15) as a freshman… also had 16 RBI in 1977… led the volleyball team with 230 assists in 1977… also had 25 digs and eight aces that year… went on to become a teacher in the Washoe County School District and continues to serve as a volleyball official… has coached basketball locally.
The Hall of Fame Dinner is open to the public. Tickets are $75 with tables of 10 for $750. For information, visit www.NevadaWolfPack.com/HallOfFame or call 775-682-6902.
