Winthrop Announces Hall of Fame Selections for 2017 Class

ROCK HILL, SOUTH CAROLINA - A former athletic director and former men's soccer coach along with men's basketball standout and volleyball star have been selected for induction into the 2017 class of the Winthrop Athletics Hall of Fame.

The induction dinner and ceremony are scheduled for Friday, Jan. 27.

Those to be inducted include Tom Hickman (AD from 1996-2016, Associate AD from 1989-1996), men's soccer coach Rich Posipanko (1989-2015), men's basketball point guard Chris Gaynor (2005-08), and volleyball middle hitter Shannon (Sitzmann) Reid (2004-08).

This induction class will raise the number former players, coaches and administrators to 74 who will have been enshrined in the Winthrop Athletics Hall of Fame which was established in 2004.

Here is a brief bio on each of this year's inductees:

Tom Hickman - Hickman retired in June after leading the athletic department for 20 years and serving another six years as the associate AD. During his tenure as AD, Eagle teams captured 50 Big South Conference Championships and made 50 NCAA team appearances, while 15 student-athletes earned individual NCAA invitations. In 2007, Winthrop earned the Big South All-Sports Men's Cup, and was awarded the Kallander Cup four times by the Big South for community service by its student-athletes. During his tenure, more than $20 million of new facility construction and facility improvements were overseen by Hickman between 2000 and his retirement. In addition to his leadership of Winthrop Athletics, he was also involved in committee work on both the conference and NCAA levels.

Rich Posipanko - Posipanko completed his coaching career as the Big South Conference's all-time leader in wins (275) and was a four-time Big South Coach of the Year. He led Winthrop to five Big South championships and six NCAA College Cup appearances. During his Winthrop career, he produced 159 All-Big South players, 67 All-Region selections, 14 All-Americans, and four Olympic Team players. Counting 117 wins at Longwood, he ended his career with 392 coaching victories.

Chris Gaynor - Gaynor helped lead the Winthrop men's basketball program to four straight Big South Conference championships and NCAA tournament appearances. In 2007, the same year that Winthrop captured the biggest win in school history over Notre Dame in the NCAA tournament, he was selected the Collegeinsider.com Mid-Major Player of the Year. He was the starting point guard in a school-record 129 games and led Winthrop to an overall record of 101-30, a Big South regular season record of 52-8, and a perfect 12-0 Big South tournament record in his four years. He was voted MVP of the 2007 Orange Bowl Classic following Winthrop's win over previously undefeated and 20th ranked Miami. Gaynor is one of four players in Big South history with 1,000 points, 500 assists and 200 steals.

Shannon (Sitzmann) Reid - Sitzmann had an outstanding volleyball career that saw her voted the 2007 Big South Conference Player of the Year and the 2004 Big South Freshman of the Year. She was a four-time All-Big South First Team selection, and was chosen on the 2006 and 2007 Big South All-Tournament teams. She helped lead the Eagles to three Big South Conference championships and NCAA appearances. Sitzmann finished her collegiate career with a career .318 hitting percentage which ranks 6th all-time in the Big South, and she ranked 5th in conference history with 488 total blocks. In 2010, she was honored by the Big South Conference as a member of the Volleyball All-Decade Team for 2000-09.

For more information, contact Jack Frost, assistant athletics director for media relations, at frostj@winthrop.edu or call 803/323-2129 ext. 6245.