South Carolina’s first WNBA Draft pick among 2023 inductees for athletics hall of fame
South Carolina will induct eight former Gamecocks into the USC Letterman’s Hall of Fame as the Class of 2023, the school announced Monday.
The 2023 class includes Allison Brennan (swimming and diving), Ernest Dye (football), Eric Ecker (men’s golf), Shaun Gortman (women’s basketball), Wallie Jones (baseball), Chris Mayotte (men’s tennis), Kim Pietro (softball) and Demetria Washington (women’s track and field).
Those eight Gamecock honorees will be inducted Oct. 12 and will also be recognized at the USC-Florida football game at Williams-Brice Stadium on Oct. 14. More information about USC’s Hall of Fame dinner will be announced at a later date.
USC Hall of Fame Class of 2023
Allison Brennan, swimming and diving (2001-06)
Brennan was the first — and only — USC individual to win a NCAA title, winning the 2004 NCAA championship in the one-meter event. Brennan also was named the 2006 SEC Diver of the Year, and she was an alternate for the U.S. Olympic team in the 2008 Olympics.
Ernest Dye, football (1991-92)
Dye was a two-year starter for the Gamecocks at offensive line after transferring from junior college. A standout in Columbia, Dye was drafted by the then-Phoenix Cardinals with 18th pick in the first round of the 1993 NFL Draft and played professionally from 1993-98.
Eric Ecker, men’s golf (1995-2000)
Ecker posted 26 Top-10 finishes throughout his USC career and posted a career scoring average of 72.1, while leading the Gamecocks to as high as No. 3 in the national rankings.
Shaun Gortman, women’s basketball (1998-2002)
Gortman scored 1,367 points during her four-year USC career, averaging over 13 points per game, leading the Gamecocks in 3-point shooting in both 2000-01 and 2001-02. Gortman was the ninth pick in the first round of the 2002 WNBA Draft by Charlotte — the first SEC player drafted into the WNBA.
Wallie Jones, baseball (1965-69)
Jones was a star second baseman, he earned first-team All-ACC honors his senior year. He led USC in stolen bases in 1967, in runs scored, doubles and triples in 1968 and in runs scored and stolen bases in 1969. After his playing career, Jones was an American Legion baseball coach in Sumter for 25 years.
Chris Mayotte, men’s tennis (1976-79)
Mayotte posted a 93-25 record as a singles player and a 62-18 mark in doubles competition. He won the Rafael Osuna Award in 1979. He played tennis professionally, winning three doubles titles and was the first Gamecock to play singles in all four Grand Slam events.
Kim Pietro, softball (1996-99)
A four-year letterwinner, Pietro led the Gamecocks to three NCAA regionals in four years, including the 1997 Women’s College World Series. Pietro won the 1999 SEC Softball Player of the Year after leading the team in batting average (.419), hits (83), runs (42) and doubles (16).
Demetria Washington, women’s track and field (1999-2003)
A 400-meter sprinter, Washington was a six-time NCAA champion and was part of the South Carolina women’s team that won the 2002 NCAA outdoor championship — the first team title in any sport for the Gamecocks. Her 21 All-American honors remain the most in school history, and she won the 2002 National Indoor Athlete of the Year.
This story was originally published July 17, 2023 at 4:43 PM.
