Georgia Tech Sports Hall of Fame Class of 2019 Announced

THE FLATS – Derrick Morgan, a veteran NFL defensive lineman, Alison Silverio, an All-American on Georgia Tech’s 2007 NCAA Championship women’s tennis team, and Cameron Tringale, a 10-year PGA Tour professional, are among seven former student-athletes and staff who have been elected to the Georgia Tech Sports Hall of Fame.

The Class of 2019 also includes two-time All-Atlantic Coast Conference running back Tashard Choice, All-America softball player Caitlin Lever, All-America baseball player Danny Payne and longtime head athletic trainer Jay Shoop. These outstanding individuals will be inducted into the Georgia Tech Hall of Fame on Friday, Oct. 4 at the Georgia Tech Hotel and Conference Center. The class will also be honored during Tech’s football game against North Carolina on Saturday, Oct. 5, at Bobby Dodd Stadium.

Georgia Tech Sports Hall of Fame

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Tech’s newest Hall of Fame members lifted their teams and departments to great heights during their time as Yellow Jackets.

Morgan and Choice each were part of Georgia Tech football teams that won the ACC Coastal Division and played in the ACC Championship game, and they played in bowl games each year of their Tech careers. Silverio becomes the second member of Tech’s 2007 NCAA Championship tennis team to be elected into the Hall of Fame, joining All-American Kristi Miller-North, who was inducted in 2018. Tringale was a part of three ACC Championship teams and three NCAA Championship finals teams.

Lever, who represented her native Canada in the 2008 Olympics, helped lead Georgia Tech to three NCAA regional appearances and an ACC Championship in 2005. Payne’s performance as an outfielder and pitcher spurred the Yellow Jackets to their most recent College World Series appearance in 2006, as well as an ACC Championship team in 2005. Shoop just recently retired from Georgia Tech athletics after caring for Yellow Jacket student-athletes for 29 years.

Tickets for the Oct. 4 induction dinner will go on sale next week, and complete information on pricing and how to purchase will be announced at that time.

Following are brief bios on the 2019 Hall of Fame class:

Tashard Choice, Football (2005-07)

Despite playing only three seasons at Tech after transferring from Oklahoma after his freshman year, Tashard Choice shares the school record for most 100-yard rushing games in a career with 18. A second-team All-ACC choice as a junior and a first-team selection as a senior, Choice also holds Tech records for most consecutive 100-yard rushing games (9 – 2006-07), most single-season 100-yard rushing games (9 – 2006) and most single-season rushing attempts (297 – 2006). In addition to those accomplishments, Choice ranks fourth in Tech history in career rushing yards (3,365), fourth in career rushing attempts (675) and sixth in career rushing touchdowns (28). Choice also holds the No. 2 and 6 positions in most rushing yards in a single season (1,473 yds. in 2006; 1,379 yds. in 2007), making him one of two players to hold two of the six best rushing seasons in program history. Choice owns two of the top 15 single-game rushing totals in school history (204 yds. vs. Miami, 2007 – 10^th; 196 yds. vs. Notre Dame, 2007 – 14^th) and owns six of the top 20 single-game rushing attempts totals in school history. Selected in the fourth round of the 2008 NFL Draft by the Dallas Cowboys, Choice played six years in the NFL for the Cowboys and the Buffalo Bills. He returned to campus in January to become the Yellow Jackets’ running backs coach under new head coach Geoff Collins.