The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
Texas Women's Athletics Hall of Honor to induct six new members
07.27.2012 | Texas Athletics
July 27, 2012
- Kara (McGrath) Chavey (Swimming, 1984-87)
- Eva (Murray) Franco (Volleyball, 1983-86)
- Vickie Paynter-Finney (Tennis, 1990-93)
- Sandie Richards (Track, 1990-91)
- Angie Vaughn (Track, 1995-98)
- Mike Brown (Diving Coach, 1976-94)
AUSTIN, Texas -- Five distinguished former University of Texas student-athletes and one former coach will be inducted this fall into the UT Women's Athletics Hall of Honor, the Women's Hall of Honor Committee announced Friday. The 13th Longhorn Women's Hall of Honor class includes: Kara (McGrath) Chavey, 11-time All-American in swimming who led Texas to four consecutive NCAA team titles; Eva (Murray) Franco, volleyball All-American who paced the Longhorns to the 1986 NCAA Semifinals; Vickie Paynter-Finney, four-time tennis All-American who led Texas to the 1993 NCAA team championship; Sandie Richards, two-time Olympic medalist and seven-time All-American in track who paced the Longhorns to the 1990 NCAA Indoor team title; Angie Vaughn, three-time NCAA champion and seven-time All-American in track who led Texas to the 1998 NCAA Indoor and Outdoor team championships; and Mike Brown, three-time National Diving Coach of the Year who was a part of 14 National Championship teams during his 18 seasons (1976-94) at Texas.
The Class of 2012 will be inducted at an 11:30 a.m. (Central) ceremony and luncheon on Friday, Nov. 9 at the Frank Erwin Center in Austin. The six new members will be enshrined during ceremonies at the Texas-Iowa State football game the following day. Tickets to the Friday luncheon are $35 and available through the T-Association at 512-471-6340. Interested patrons may also sponsor a table of 10 for $450.
"We are proud of this 2012 Hall of Honor class, which corresponds with the 40th anniversary of Title IX," said UT Women's Athletics Director Chris Plonsky. "That legislation paved the way for these five young women to experience college sports and obtain a degree from our great University and allowed Mike Brown to have the opportunity to coach and develop so many male and female divers."
One of the top butterfly swimmers in school history, (McGrath) Chavey was an 11-time All-American and six-time honorable mention All-American who helped lead Texas to four consecutive NCAA team titles (1984-87). She recorded three runner-up finishes and one third-place effort in the 200-yard butterfly in her four NCAA Championship appearances. (McGrath) Chavey won a gold medal for Team USA in the 200-meter butterfly at the 1987 Pan American Games and placed fourth in the 200-meter butterfly at the 1986 FINA (Federation Internationale de Natation) World Championships. She was tabbed the 1987 Southwest Conference (SWC) Scholar-Athlete of the Year, earned an NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship and claimed a spot on the CoSIDA Academic All-America team.
(Murray) Franco is one of the top setters in UT history. She earned consensus first-team All-America and SWC Player of the Year accolades as a senior in 1986 while leading Texas to a 29-6 mark and a trip to the NCAA Semifinals. (Murray) Franco concluded her career as the school's all-time leader in assists (4,003) and ranked second in career digs (1,041) at the time of her graduation. Her single-season record of 1,596 assists set during her sophomore campaign in 1984 still stands today. A three-time NCAA Tournament All-Regional selection and three-time All-SWC First Team choice, (Murray) Franco was named to the SWC's All-Decade Team for the 1980s.
A four-time All-American and three-time Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) national champion, Paynter-Finney led the Longhorns to their first NCAA tennis team title in 1993. She still holds the school career mark for doubles winning percentage (.866) and the single-season record for highest doubles winning percentage (.946 in 1992 with partner Susan Gilchrist) and ranks second in UT history in career doubles victories (110) and third in career singles wins (124). Paynter-Finney teamed with Gilchrist to capture the doubles crowns at the 1991 ITA All-American Championship and both the 1992 and 1993 ITA National Indoor Championships. The duo also finished as the doubles runners-up at the 1992 and 1993 NCAA Championships, and their win at No. 1 doubles clinched UT's 5-2 victory against Stanford in the 1993 NCAA Championship match. Paynter-Finney earned ITA All-America honors in both singles and doubles during the 1992 and 1993 seasons.
Richards was an NCAA relay champion and seven-time All-American during her two seasons in Austin (1990-91). One of the top 400-meter runners in school history, she helped pace the Longhorns to three Top Two team finishes at the NCAA Championships, including the 1990 Indoor national title. Richards ran the anchor leg on the NCAA Champion 4x400-meter relay (which set a then-world record with a time of 3:32.01) and placed second in the 400 meters at the 1990 NCAA Indoor Championship. Representing her home nation of Jamaica, she competed in five Olympic Games (1988, 1992, 1996, 2000 and 2004) and won two medals as a member of the 4x400-meter relay (silver in 2000 and bronze in 2004). Richards also was a three-time world champion, claiming gold in the 400 meters at the 1993 and 2001 World Indoor Championship and running on the winning 4x400-meter relay team at the 2001 World Outdoor Championship.
One of the top sprint hurdlers in UT history, Vaughn was a three-time NCAA Champion and seven-time All-American. She led Texas to seven Top Three team finishes at the NCAA Championships, including the 1998 Indoor and 1998 Outdoor national titles. Vaughn won the 55-meter hurdles at the 1998 NCAA Indoor Championship, running an NCAA Indoor meet record-time of 7.41 seconds that still stands today. At the 1998 NCAA Outdoor Championship, she became the first Longhorn to win the NCAA individual title in the 100-meter hurdles and also ran on the NCAA Champion 4x100-meter relay. The Most Outstanding Collegiate Female Performer at the 1998 Penn Relays, Vaughn went undefeated in the 100-meter hurdles throughout her entire senior outdoor season. She held the No. 3 world ranking in the 100-meter hurdles in 1998 and won gold medals in the 100-meter hurdles and as part of the 4x100-meter relay for Team USA at the 1998 Goodwill Games.
Brown was a three-time National Diving Coach of the Year and a part of 14 National Championship and 31 conference championship teams during his 18 seasons (1976-94) at Texas. In his time in Austin, he coached 28 All-Americans, 18 U.S. National Team members and five Olympians, and his UT divers captured a total of seven NCAA individual titles and 26 conference individual championships. Brown helped the Texas women's program claim two AIAW (Association for Intercollegiate Athletics for Women) Championships, seven NCAA Championships and 16 conference crowns while producing three individual national champions and an NCAA Diver of the Year. He also helped the UT men win five NCAA Championships and 15 SWC titles while tutoring four NCAA individual champions. Brown served as the 1992 U.S. Olympic Team coach and worked as a U.S. National Team coach for 17 years.
The six inductees were selected by the 22-member UT Women's Athletics Hall of Honor Selection Committee. The committee is chaired by Dr. Jim Deitrick, professor of accounting in the Red McCombs School of Business. In addition to Deitrick, the committee includes: Tina Bonci, Beverly Bowes Hackney, Brad Buchholz, Rick Cantu, Jody Conradt, Stephanie DeMunbrun, Dr. Linda Ferreira-Buckley, Cindy Figg-Currier, Mary Herman, Courtney Houston, Becky Marshall, Howard Nirken, Chris Plonsky (ex officio), Lynn Pool, Dr. Robert Prentice, Dr. Randa Ryan, Sally Schlobohm Tan, Mary Steinhardt, Jill Sterkel, Lynn Wheeler and Pam Willeford.
2012 Longhorn Women's Hall of Honor Inductee Bios
Kara (McGrath) Chavey (Swimming, 1984-87) 
(B.A. English [magna cum laude], The University of Texas, 1987)
An 11-time All-American and six-time honorable mention All-American who helped lead the Longhorns to four consecutive NCAA team titles, (McGrath) Chavey was one of the top butterfly swimmers in school history. (McGrath) Chavey made an immediate impact on the Forty Acres in her freshman season in 1983-84, as she placed third in the 200-yard butterfly, eighth in the 100-yard butterfly and 12th in the 400-yard individual medley at the NCAA Championships to help Texas win its first NCAA team crown and third overall national title. She received the prestigious V.F. Neuhaus Endowed Presidential Scholarship, UT's highest endowed scholarship honor, following her freshman year. (McGrath) Chavey earned four All-America honors and one honorable mention All-America accolade as a sophomore in 1984-85 by placing second in the 200 butterfly and the 800 freestyle relay, seventh in the 400 individual medley, eighth in the 100 butterfly and 16th in the 200 freestyle. She also broke UT's school record in the 200 butterfly as a sophomore, a mark that stood until 2008. During her junior season in 1985-86, (McGrath) Chavey recorded her second consecutive NCAA runner-up finish in the 200 butterfly and also placed 15th in the 400 individual medley and 16th in both the 100 butterfly and the 500 freestyle to lead UT to its third consecutive NCAA title. During the summer prior to her senior season, she represented the United States at the 1986 FINA (Federation Internationale de Natation) World Championships in Madrid, Spain, where she placed fourth in the 200-meter butterfly. (McGrath) Chavey served as team co-captain as a senior in 1986-87 and led the Longhorns to their fourth consecutive NCAA team title. She placed second in the 200 butterfly and the 200 medley relay, sixth in the 100 butterfly and 14th in the 500 freestyle at the NCAA Championships. (McGrath) Chavey earned an additional All-America honor by swimming on UT's 800 freestyle relay in the preliminary round, before Texas won the event in the finals. Following her senior season, she claimed UT's prestigious Donna Lopiano Leadership Award. (McGrath) Chavey was also tabbed the Southwest Conference Scholar-Athlete of the Year, earned an NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship and claimed a spot on the CoSIDA Academic All-America team. A four-time league individual champion during her collegiate career, she also led the Longhorns to four consecutive SWC team titles. (McGrath) Chavey graduated magna cum laude from The University of Texas in 1987 with a Bachelor's degree in English. Following her graduation, she represented the United States at the 1987 Pan American Games and won a gold medal in the 200-meter butterfly. She and her husband, UT graduate Dr. William "Rusty" Chavey, live in Superior Township, Mich., with their seven children. (McGrath) Chavey is a homemaker who has homeschooled all seven of her children: Halley (21), Will (19), Sarah (17), Joseph (15), Maggie (13), Lucy (11) and Christopher (9).
Eva (Murray) Franco (Volleyball, 1983-86) 
(B.S. Education, Elementary Education-Speech, The University of Texas, 1987)
A first-team All-American and the Southwest Conference Player of the Year in 1986, (Murray) Franco was one of the top setters in school history. She concluded her career as the school's all-time leader in assists (4,003), a mark that stood for 14 years, and ranked second in career digs (1,041) at the time of her graduation. Her 163 service aces still rank fourth on UT's career charts. Prior to enrolling at Texas, (Murray) Franco participated in the 1983 Olympic Festival. During her sophomore season in 1984, she paced the Longhorns to a 32-7 mark and a trip to the NCAA Regional final while setting a school single-season record with 1,596 assists, a mark that still stands today. (Murray) Franco, who recorded 66 assists in the NCAA South Regional final against UCLA, tallied 50 or more assists in 10 matches and reached the 60-assist mark three times during the season. (Murray) Franco was a member of the 1985 United States Junior National Team in the summer prior to her junior season, serving as team captain for a squad that traveled to Japan and China. She then led Texas to a 26-6 mark and another NCAA Regional finals appearance as a junior in 1985. (Murray) Franco capped her collegiate career by earning CVCA (Collegiate Volleyball Coaches Association), Asics and Volleyball Monthly All-America First Team and SWC Player of the Year honors as a senior, while guiding the Longhorns to a 29-6 record and a trip to the NCAA Semifinals. In her final season, she recorded 1,050 assists to go along with 312 digs, 112 kills and 59 blocks. (Murray) Franco was a three-time NCAA Tournament All-Regional selection and a three-time All-SWC First Team pick, and later was named to the SWC's All-Decade Team for the 1980s. She earned a Bachelor's degree in Education in 1987 from The University of Texas and then played one season professionally with the Chicago Breeze of Major League Volleyball. (Murray) Franco spent 10 years as a classroom teacher at the third, fourth and fifth-grade level before working for the last 13 years as the physical education and health teacher at Naumann Elementary School in Cedar Park, Texas. She also is an ACE and AFAA certified fitness trainer and teaches adult fitness classes at Lifetime Fitness. (Murray) Franco has implemented many programs to create a proactive fitness lifestyle for children and adults alike. She runs a summer conditioning program for middle and high school volleyball players and gives private volleyball lessons, sharing her expertise and love of fitness with younger girls. (Murray) Franco has been a presenter at the annual convention for the Texas Association of Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance. She and her husband, Philip, reside in Cedar Park with their son, Christopher.
Vickie Paynter-Finney (Tennis, 1990-93) 
(B.A. Management Information Systems, The University of Texas, 1993)
A four-time All-American, three-time Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) national champion and two-time Southwest Conference doubles champion, Vickie Paynter-Finney helped lead Texas to its first NCAA tennis team title in 1993. She still holds the school career mark for doubles winning percentage (.866) and the single-season record for highest doubles winning percentage (.946 in 1992 while playing alongside Susan Gilchrist), and ranks second in school history in career doubles wins (110) and third in career singles victories (124). As a freshman in 1990, Paynter-Finney led Texas to a 26-5 record and the NCAA Semifinals. In the fall of her junior year, she teamed with Gilchrist to win the doubles title at the 1991 ITA All-American Championship. Paynter-Finney and Gilchrist also claimed doubles titles later that year at the 1992 ITA National Indoor Championship and the 1992 Southwest Conference Championship and finished as the doubles runners-up at the 1992 NCAA Championship. During the spring season, she paced the Longhorns to a 25-3 mark and a runner-up finish at the NCAA Championship. Texas defeated five-time defending national champion Stanford (5-3) on its home courts in the NCAA Semifinals, snapping the Cardinal's 53-match home win streak. She earned ITA All-America honors in both singles and doubles as a junior. Paynter-Finney capped her collegiate career in style, leading UT to a 25-4 record and its first NCAA team title during her senior season in 1993. She and Gilchrist clinched Texas' 5-2 victory against Stanford in the NCAA Championship match with a win at No. 1 doubles. Paynter-Finney and Gilchrist repeated as doubles champions at the 1993 ITA National Indoor Championship and the 1993 Southwest Conference Championship and finished as the doubles runners-up for the second straight year at the NCAA Championship. She again received ITA All-America honors in both singles and doubles and claimed the ITA Southwest Region Arthur Ashe Leadership and Sportsmanship Award following her senior season. During her collegiate career, Paynter-Finney helped UT capture three SWC regular season crowns (1990, 1992 and 1993) and four consecutive SWC Tournament titles (1990-93). She graduated from The University of Texas in 1993 with a Bachelor's degree in Management Information Systems. Following graduation, Paynter-Finney competed in the professional ranks and reached as high as No. 103 in the WTA doubles rankings and No. 311 in the WTA singles rankings. She reached the doubles semifinals at a pair of WTA Tier II and Tier IV events and won one singles title and nine doubles titles on the ITF Satellite/Challenger circuit. Paynter-Finney played in all four Grand Slam events (Australian Open, French Open, Wimbledon and U.S. Open) and notched doubles victories against Martina Navratilova, Zina Garrison, Katrina Adams and Meredith McGrath. After her playing career concluded, she sat on the Board of the Texas Tennis and Education Foundation in 2006. Paynter-Finney was inducted into the Morris Hills Regional District Hall of Fame in 2011, an honor recognizing past graduates of Morris Knolls High School (Rockaway, N.J.) who went on to make significant contributions to their community in the areas of leadership, service and integrity. She served as senior web developer at drkoop.com and later as web department manager with Future Protocol, Inc. Paynter-Finney is co-owner and Chief Development Officer for Dot Command Center, a technology consulting firm. She currently runs the web division of Dot Command Center, Inc. with her partner and husband, Rich Finney. The couple lives in Austin with their three children, Jon, Alexia and Jack.
Sandie Richards (Track, 1990-91) 
(A.A. Sociology, San Jacinto Junior College, 1989; B.A. Sociology, The University of Texas, 1991)
A two-time Olympic medalist, three-time world champion, one-time NCAA Champion and seven-time All-American, Richards is one of the top 400-meter runners in school history. Richards spent two years at San Jacinto Junior College (1988-89), where she set the national Junior College record in the 400 meters. She then transferred to Texas and, in her two seasons in Austin, helped lead the Longhorns to three Top Two team finishes at the NCAA Championships, including the 1990 Indoor national title. As a junior in 1990, Richards paced UT to the NCAA Indoor Championship with a second-place individual performance in the 400 meters while running the anchor leg on the NCAA Champion 4x400-meter relay (which set a then-world record with a time of 3:32.01). She then led the Longhorns to a tie for eighth place at the NCAA Outdoor Championship by helping the 4x100-meter relay to an eighth-place finish. During her senior season in 1991, Richards paced Texas to a second-place showing at the NCAA Indoor Championship by placing third in the 400 meters and helping the 4x400-meter relay to a second-place finish. She then led the Longhorns to a second-place showing at the NCAA Outdoor Championship by finishing second in the 400 meters and helping the 4x400-meter relay to a third-place finish. Richards also excelled on the conference level during her career, winning four league individual titles and three conference relay crowns. She graduated from The University of Texas in 1991 with a Bachelor's degree in Sociology. In addition to her achievements at the collegiate level, Richards had a very successful professional career while competing on the international stage. Representing her home nation of Jamaica, she competed in five Olympic Games (1988, 1992, 1996, 2000 and 2004) and claimed two medals as a member of the 4x400-meter relay, earning silver in 2000 and bronze in 2004. Richards also is a three-time World Champion, claiming gold in the 400 meters at the 1993 and 2001 World Indoor Championship and running on the winning 4x400-meter relay team at the 2001 World Outdoor Championship. An active community service participant throughout her collegiate career when she mentored academically-challenged children, she was named Jamaica's Sportswoman of the Year in 1998 and received the Order of Distinction from the Jamaican government in 2002 for outstanding and important services to the country. Richards continues to provide and distribute clothing and shoes to young children in Jamaica. She remains active as a track and field coach while also designing a new track and field stadium for up-and-coming Jamaican athletes. Richards currently works as a physical therapist and resides in Austin.
Angie Vaughn (Track, 1995-98) 
(B.B.A. Marketing, The University of Texas, 1998)
A three-time NCAA Champion and seven-time All-American, Vaughn is one of the top sprint hurdlers in school history. During her four seasons in Austin, she helped lead the Longhorns to seven Top Three team finishes at the NCAA Championships, including the 1998 Indoor and 1998 Outdoor national titles. As a sophomore in 1996, Vaughn paced UT to a second-place showing at the NCAA Outdoor Championship by helping the 4x100-meter relay to a second-place finish. During her junior season in 1997, she led the Longhorns to a second-place finish at the NCAA Outdoor Championship by placing fourth in the 200 meters, seventh in the 100-meter hurdles and helping the 4x100-meter relay to a runner-up finish. She concluded her collegiate career in style, leading Texas to a sweep of the 1998 NCAA Indoor and Outdoor national team crowns. Vaughn claimed her first NCAA individual championship in the 55-meter hurdles at the 1998 Indoor national meet, running a NCAA Indoor Championship meet-record time of 7.41 seconds that still stands today. At the 1998 NCAA Outdoor meet, she became the first UT athlete to win an NCAA individual title in the 100-meter hurdles and ran on the NCAA Champion 4x100-meter relay. The 1998 Texas team MVP, Vaughn also was named the Most Outstanding Collegiate Female Performer at the 1998 Penn Relays and went undefeated in the 100-meter hurdles throughout her entire senior outdoor season. She also excelled on the conference level during her collegiate career, winning two league individual titles and two conference relay crowns. Vaughn was the individual high-point scorer at both the 1998 Big 12 Indoor (23 points) and 1998 Big 12 Outdoor (28.5 points) meets. She still holds six of the Top 10 best times in school history in the indoor 55-meter hurdles and seven of the Top 10 best times in UT history in the outdoor 100-meter hurdles. Following her senior season, Vaughn held the No. 3 world ranking in the 100-meter hurdles. She placed second in the event at the 1998 U.S. Outdoor Championships. Vaughn then claimed a gold medal in the 100-meter hurdles (12.72 seconds) and ran the third leg on the gold medal-winning 4x100-meter relay for Team USA (meet record time of 42.06 seconds) at the 1998 Goodwill Games. She graduated from The University of Texas in 1998 with a Bachelor's degree in Marketing. Vaughn currently works as a national recruiter for Ernst & Young in Atlanta, Ga.
Mike Brown (Diving Coach, 1976-94) 
(A.B. Mathematics, Dartmouth College, 1970; M.S. Secondary Education, Indiana University, 1973)
A three-time National Diving Coach of the Year honoree, Brown was a part of 14 National Championship and 31 conference championship teams in his 18 seasons (1976-94) at the helm of the Texas men's and women's diving programs. During his tenure in Austin, Brown coached 28 All-Americans, 18 U.S. National Team members and five Olympians. His Texas divers captured a total of seven NCAA individual titles and 26 conference individual championships. Prior to beginning his coaching career, Brown was a successful diver in his own right. During his collegiate career at Dartmouth College, he earned three NCAA All-America honors and was a three-time EISL (Eastern Intercollegiate Swim League) Conference champion. Brown was an AAU National Champion in 1971 and competed internationally for the U.S. National Diving Team from 1972-76. After the completion of his competitive diving career, he moved into the role of head men's and women's diving coach at Texas. On the women's side, Brown helped UT claim two AIAW (Association for Intercollegiate Athletics for Women) National titles (1981, 1982) and seven NCAA Championships (1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1990 and 1991) in addition to a combined 16 conference titles (four Texas AIAW and 12 Southwest Conference). He developed one AIAW individual national champion (Denise Christensen, three-meter in 1980), two NCAA individual champions (Kelly Jenkins, three-meter in 1989; Robin Carter, three-meter in 1994) and one NCAA Diver of the Year (Robin Carter in 1994). Brown was honored as the National Coach of the Year by the College Swimming Coaches Association (CSCA) in 1983, 1991 and 1994. On the men's side, Brown helped UT win five NCAA Championships (1981, 1988, 1989, 1990 and 1991) and 15 Southwest Conference titles. He tutored four NCAA individual champions (Matt Scoggin, one-meter in 1983 and 1984; Jason Rhodes, three-meter in 1991 and 1992). Following his time at Texas, Brown spent six years with his family in Victoria, British Columbia, and one of those coaching with Pacific Coast Diving. Since 2000, Brown has coached both the men's and women's diving teams at the University of Hawai'i alongside his wife, Anita Rossing. Under Brown and Rossing's guidance, Hawai'i divers have earned 28 NCAA All-America honors and two NCAA individual titles. QiongJie Huang claimed the 2005 NCAA crown on the one-meter springboard, while Emma Friesen won the 2008 NCAA title on the one-meter springboard. In addition, the 2005-06 Hawai'i women's squad was the top point-scoring diving team at the NCAA Championships. A seven-time selection as Western Athletic Conference (WAC) Diving Coach of the Year while at Hawai'i, Brown just completed his fourth year on the NCAA Swimming and Diving Committee, where he is co-chair of the NCAA Diving Rules Subcommittee. Brown also has had extensive coaching experience at the international level. The 1992 U.S. Olympic Team coach and a four-time coach for Team USA at the World University Games (1979, 1981, 1985 and 1987), he served as a U.S. National Team coach for a 17-year period (1979-96). Brown earned a Bachelor's degree in Mathematics from Dartmouth in 1970 and went on to receive a Master's degree in Secondary Education from Indiana University in 1973. He and Rossing live in Honolulu, Hawai'i, with their daughter, Rika Rossing. A two-time All-American diver at Texas who graduated in 1985, Anita Rossing competed for Sweden in the 1984 and 1988 Olympic Games. Rika recently earned her Bachelor's degree in Performance from Naropa University in Boulder, Colo.
