General 9/29/2023 12:35:00 PM Layton Jackson, Assistant Athletic Director for Athletic Communications

UWA Inducts 2023 Hall of Fame Class this Weekend

LIVINGSTON, Ala. - Announced on Friday, the University of West Alabama Athletics Hall of Fame will see three new individuals and one team make up the Class of 2023.

The class, selected by an 11-member committee, will be recognized during Hall of Fame Weekend on Saturday, Sept. 30, when UWA faces Delta State. A reception will occur at 10 a.m. on Saturday morning on campus, followed by a pregame ceremony at approximately 3:35 p.m. inside Tiger Stadium.

"We are very excited about the Class of 2023. We have two All-American football stars, a National High School Hall of Fame coach, and a National Championship Women's Rodeo Team. They all represented UWA with honor and class and we are so proud to welcome them to our Hall of Fame," said Dee Outlaw, chair of the committee.

James Buonocore, Tyreek Hill and Deon Lacey are the individual inductees, and the 2022-23 UWA Women's Rodeo Team, coming off the second national championship in athletics history, will be enshrined.

The first UWA Athletics Hall of Fame induction was in 1981 to honor former student-athletes, coaches, students, teams and administrators who have represented the university with outstanding play, coaching, or leadership, both while on campus and/or in their careers. Since its inception, 95 members, plus two national championship teams, have been recognized.

For those wishing to submit a nomination, the form is HERE. There is a five-year waiting period following the end of their UWA career for former student-athletes. Administrators, coaches and teams have no waiting period.

Below are the bios of each inductee.

JAMES BUONOCORE – FOOTBALL – CLASS OF 1960
Starred in football, basketball and baseball and earned a BS Degree in Education ... Played semi-pro football and set a record in punt returns for the Providence Steamrollers that is listed in the Pro Football Hall of Fame … Outstanding career as a high school football coach in Connecticut where he put together a 209-94-8 record ... Only the fifth coach in Connecticut history to win 200 games ... His New London High School teams played in the state championship game seven times, winning titles in 1983, 1991, and 1992 … 1989 team was ranked sixth in the Northeast and 30th in the nation … 1991 team was a perfect 12-0 and top-ranked in the state ... Numerous Coach of the Year awards … Elected to the National Football Foundation Hall of Fame and the New London High School Hall of Fame … Also coached softball at New London and led his team to the state tournament 16 out of 17 years.

TYREEK HILL – FOOTBALL - 2015
Nine-year NFL veteran … Five-time All-Pro … Seven-time Pro Bowl selection … Super Bowl Champion … NFL 2010s All-Decade Team … Since finishing career at UWA in 2015, has played in 108 NFL games with 598 receptions for 8,340 yards and 63 touchdowns … Has rushed 100 times for 751 yards and seven TDs … Has third-most touchdown receptions in NFL since 2016 with 63 … Has third-most scrimmage yards in NFL since 2016 with 9,091 … As senior at UWA caught 27 passes for 444 yards and three scores … Rushed 25 times for 237 yards and one TD … Returned 20 punts for 257 yards and two scores and 20 kickoffs for 465 yards and two touchdowns.

DEON LACEY – FOOTBALL – 2009-12
Named to four All-America teams at UWA … 2011 GSC Defensive Player of the Year … All-region … All-GSC … Recorded 267 career tackles, including nine quarterback sacks, six forced fumbles and five interceptions ... Has played in both the NFL and CFL for the Edmonton Eskimos, Buffalo Bills, Miami Dolphins and Saskatchewan Roughriders … Has 287 career professional football tackles from the line of scrimmage and 76 more on special teams.

2022-23 WOMEN'S RODEO TEAM
Tiger Wranglers Taycie Matthews won the individual barrel racing national title at the 2023 College National Finals Rodeo, helping lead West Alabama to the women's team national championship. The team national title for the UWA Women Wranglers is the first team national championship in West Alabama Rodeo history and the second national title in UWA history in any sport.

Taycie Matthews won two of four Goes to capture the top spot in intercollegiate barrel racing. Matthews posted the best aggregate time for her event.

Taycie Matthews posted a 55.53 for the average after a 13.94 run in the Short Go on the final day of the event, scoring 380 points for the Tigers over the week. Raven Clagg was at 56.93 in the average and scored 155 points in barrel racing for UWA, including posting a 14.30 in the Short Go to leave her fourth in the overall standings. Jaylie Matthews horse clipped a gate in the barrel Short Go, leaving her without a Saturday night score, but still good enough for 12th place and 160 points.

Heather McLaughlin, a strong performer to lift UWA to an Ozark Region title in 2022-23, posted an accumulative time of 21.2 on three runs in the Goat Tying to finish 22nd at the national championship.

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Players Mentioned

Raven Clagg: Barrel Racing, Breakaway Roping, & Goat Tying; 5' 0"; Graduate Student

Heather McLaughlin: Goat Tying and Breakaway Roping; 5' 5"; Senior

Jaylie Matthews: Barrel Racing; 5' 3"; Junior

Taycie Matthews: Barrel Racing; 5' 3"; Junior

Players Mentioned

Raven Clagg
: 5' 0"; Graduate Student
: Barrel Racing, Breakaway Roping, & Goat Tying

Heather McLaughlin
: 5' 5"; Senior
: Goat Tying and Breakaway Roping

Jaylie Matthews
: 5' 3"; Junior
: Barrel Racing

Taycie Matthews
: 5' 3"; Junior
: Barrel Racing