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2020 Hall of Fame

Baseball

UWA Athletic Hall of Fame to Induct Five

LIVINGSTON, Ala. - Malcolm Butler, Kyle Caldwell, Kent Partridge, Tanner Rainey and Houston Young have been selected for induction into the University of West Alabama Athletic Hall of Fame and will be officially inducted the morning of Oct. 17, 2020 prior to the Tiger football game against defending national champion West Florida. 
 
The ceremony will be the first in a revamped UWA Athletics Hall of Fame induction and celebration ceremony that gets underway with a Hall of Fame Breakfast at 8:15 a.m. at the Bell Conference Center on the UWA campus.
 
Including the five new inductees, all 87 members of the UWA Athletics Hall of Fame are invited to attend the event. Previous inductees will be honored alongside this year's class with a newly-minted HOF medallion in the ceremony that begins at 9 a.m.
 
Returning members of the Hall of Fame will be introduced on the field between the first and second quarters of the football game, while the 2020 inductees will serve as honorary game captains for the football game that afternoon against UWF and be recognized at halftime as well. Kickoff for the game is set for 1 p.m.
 
The first UWA Athletics Hall of Fame induction was in 1981.
 
The UWA HOF was founded to honor former student-athletes, coaches, students and administrators who have honored the university with outstanding play, coaching or leadership, both while on campus and/or in their careers. There is a five-year waiting period for former UWA student-athletes and coaches to be inducted. There is no waiting period for administrators.
 
Following are the thumbnail sketches for each of the 2020 inductees:
 
MALCOLM BUTLER – FOOTBALL – 2012-13
All-American … All-Region … All-GSC (2012, 2013) … Tied with four other players for UWA single game interception record with three … Member of Gulf South Conference Hall of Fame … In two years recorded 89 career tackles, 70 solo … Had seven interceptions and 33 passes broken up … 40 career passes defended, including 18 in 2013 … Averaged 28.8 yards per kickoff return over 25 career runbacks ... Made most iconic play in Super Bowl history to secure Patriots win over Seattle in Super Bowl XLIX ... Two-time Super Bowl Champion … All-Pro ... Pro Bowl ... New England Patriots Team of the Decade … Played four years for New England Patriots and now headed to third year with Tennessee Titans.
 
KYLE CALDWELL – FOOTBALL – 2011-14
Two-time GSC offensive player of the year (2013, 2014) as Tiger quarterback … GSC offensive freshman of the year (2011) … All-Region … All-American … All-GSC … First player in UWA history to account for more than 9,000 total yards … Harlon Hill national ballot … Finished UWA career as the school's all-time leader in total offense (9,201), yards passing (7,731), touchdown passes (72) and total touchdowns (86) … 28 TD passes in 2013 is UWA single-season record … All-time GSC Top Ten Honoree.
 
KENT PARTRIDGE – ADMINISTRATOR – ATHLETIC COMMUNICATIONS
Experienced sports communications veteran who traveled the country before returning to his alma mater in June 2010 … Member of UWA Society of Golden Key … One of just nine UWA alums with the distinction of belonging to both the Athletics HOF and Society of Golden Key … Named UWA Deputy Athletic Director in February 2019, and in addition to duties in sports communications, is also the sport administrator for Tiger football, baseball and men's basketball … 34 years of athletic media relations, marketing and event operations experience … Vice President for Communications for the National Basketball Association (NBA) … Public relations consultant for Utah Jazz of the NBA ... Coordinating producer for ESPN and NBA TV for a 16-episode all-access documentary on the North Charleston Lowgators of the NBA G League … Ghost writer for weekly column for NBA Hall of Famer Alex English … Director of public relations for XFL Birmingham Thunderbolts, a property of NBC and World Wrestling and Entertainment (WWE) … Also directed media relations and sports information operations at Auburn University, Texas Tech University, Samford University and the University of Montevallo ... Radio play-by-play voice for West Alabama baseball for the last eight years. 
 
TANNER RAINEY – BASEBALL – 2014-15
2015 Rawlings/ABCA All-American … 2015 NCBWA All-American as relief pitcher and first baseman … 2015 All-GSC as first baseman and relief pitcher … Drafted by Cincinnati Reds with the compensatory pick following the second round of the 2015 Major League Baseball Draft, the 71st player taken overall … Currently a relief pitcher for the World Champion Washington Nationals … Made four relief appearances in the 2019 World Series for the Nationals … Holds UWA single season home run record with 19 in 2015 … Hit three homers to lead Tigers to win in 2015 GSC Championship Game … Played in 91 games in two seasons at UWA after transferring from Southeastern Louisiana … .331 career hitter with 27 doubles, three triples and 24 home runs … Batted .386 as a senior … Scored 73 runs in two years … Made 41 relief pitching appearances in two seasons … 7-1 career record with 15 career saves … 15 saves is fourth on the UWA career list … 1.28 career earned run average … posted a 0.86 ERA as a junior … Allowed just 23 hits while striking out 79 in 49.1 career innings pitched.
 
HOUSTON YOUNG, TRACK AND FIELD
The Selma native and veteran track official is considered one of the nation's top authorities in track and field … Graduated from Livingston University (UWA) in 1968 ... In junior year went from manager on the football team to a sprinter and jumper on the college's inaugural track team ... Captain of track team as a senior … Started cross country team at Selma High School in 1971, compiling a dual meet record of 47-6 … In 1979 moved over to Selma's Wallace State Community College where he remained as an administrator until he retired in 2001 ... Earned service awards from the Alabama Veterans Association and the National Association of Veterans Program Administration … In 1968 started officiating track events and has continued since … Has worked every state track meet and currently serves as state meet director for all AHSAA track and field events … Named AHSAA Southwest District Official of the Year and AHSAA State Track Official of the Year in 2008 ... Received the National High School Federation Citation Award for Officiating in 2010 … Inducted into the AHSAA Hall of Fame's Class of 2015 and the Alabama Officials Hall of Fame in 2020 ... Worked as a starter and official at numerous Southeastern Conference, NCAA and Junior Olympic events ... Ran in the Vulcan Marathon in Birmingham in 1979 … Torch bearer for the 1996 Olympic Games … Worked the state high school track meet for the last 46 years and now serves as the director ... Named the AHSAA State and Southwest District Official of the Year in 2008.
 
 
 
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