University of Northern Colorado Athletics
2024 UNC Athletics Hall of Fame Class Revealed
4/2/2024 2:45:00 PM | General
GREELEY, Colo. – The University of Northern Colorado is proud to announce the 2024 Athletics Hall of Fame Class, with representatives from four different programs. Savannah Smith (women's basketball), Jordan Davis (men's basketball), Mariel Gutierrez (women's soccer), and Tom Runnells (baseball) are the newly elected members of the 25th class of the Northern Colorado Athletics Hall of Fame.
Additionally, men's basketball coach Tad Boyle, women's basketball coach Jaime White, and football standout Jed Roberts, who were voted in previously but deferred due to conflicts with their previous ceremony date, will be inducted.
"Congratulations to the outstanding 2024 University of Northern Colorado Athletics Hall of Fame class which includes some tremendous former student-athletes and incredible coaches," said UNC Director of Athletics Darren Dunn. "This is a well-deserved honor for each of these amazing individuals, and we are extremely proud of them and all their accomplishments. We look forward to celebrating them at their induction ceremony in September."
The group will be recognized at the University Center on UNC's campus on Friday, September 13, 2024, and recognized at the home football opener the following day. Registration for the event, which is $40 per person and $320 per table of eight until August 13 and $50/$400 after, is now open and can be completed online here.
Savannah Smith | Women's Basketball | 2015-2019
Savannah Smith is UNC's all-time leading scorer with 2,013 points. Smith was named Big Sky MVP for the 2017-18 season and was a three-time All-Big Sky First team selection. Smith was named 2018 Big Sky Tournament MVP, leading UNC to its first appearance in the NCAA tournament in program history. In the Big Sky Tournament, Smith broke the league scoring record with 78 points in three games played.
The former UNC guard holds career records in field goals attempted (1775), three-point field goals made (300) and three-point field goals attempted (943). Smith holds single-season records in points (708), points per game (22.8), field goals attempted (645), three-point field goals made (114), three-point field goal attempts (371), and free throw percentage (.928).
Further adding to her career resume, the Fort Collins native posted a pair of 40-point games in 2019 that set the program mark for points in a single game. Smith also holds single-game marks in field goals attempted (31), three-point field goals made (9), and three-point field goals attempted (24). She was named a 2018 Colorado Sportswoman of the Year.
Jordan Davis | Men's Basketball | 2015-2019
Jordan Davis is UNC's all-time leading scorer with 2,272 points. Davis was the 2019 Big Sky Conference Player of the Year and earned All-Big Sky First-Team honors.
Davis' name is seen throughout the UNC record books.
Davis holds career marks in assists (516), field goals made (819), games played (130), and is second all-time in steals (155). Davis is second all-time in Big Sky history for points. In the NCAA Division I era, Davis holds the program for points per game (17.5) and steals (155).
The Las Vegas, Nevada native was a part of the 2017-18 team that won the CollegeInsider.Com Postseason Tournament and won a program-record 26 games. Davis earned Third-Team All-Big Sky honors and was selected to the Preseason All-Big Sky First Team.
Davis has enjoyed a professional basketball career overseas, including stints with the UCAM Murica, Hamburg Towers, and Club Antonine Sports.
Mariel Gutierrez | Women's Soccer | 2014-2018
Mariel Gutierrez is one of the most decorated women's soccer student-athletes in UNC and Big Sky Conference history.
Gutierrez recorded 36 goals which ranks fourth all-time, and her 15 assists ranks seventh all-time. In the Division I era, Gutierrez is first in game-winning goals (14), shots attempted (220), and shots on goal (113). She is also fifth all-time in games played (84).
Gutierrez was the 2018 Big Sky Conference Offensive MVP and earned the Big Sky Conference's Golden Boot award for leading the league in goals during conference play. Gutierrez was a unanimous All-Big Sky Conference First Team selection.
The Gypsum, Colorado native was a member of the 2015 Big Sky Conference Women's Soccer Championship Team that earned an automatic berth in the NCAA tournament.
Tom Runnells | Baseball | 1974-1977
Tom Runnells is synonymous with baseball and for the Greeley, Colorado native, it started at UNC. Runnells played in UNC's last appearance in the College World Series in 1974 and was part of three Great Plains Athletic Conference regular season and tournament championship teams.
With Runnells on the team, UNC compiled a 106-49 record.
An effective hitter, Runnells finished his career with a .394 batting average, 51 RBI, and scored 73 runs under Hall of Fame Coach Tom Petroff.
In 1977, he batted .378 with 33 RBI and stole 15 bases.
Runnells spent 41 years in professional baseball. He played for the Cincinnati Reds in 1985-86 and was a manager for the Montreal Expos in 1991-92. Runnels was a member of the Colorado Rockies organization in 2007 and the World Series run, and 2009 when the team secured the wild card.
Runnells was presented with the Colorado Rockies' Abby Greer award in 2012. Presented to the MVP of Spring training, he was the first non-player to receive it.
After retiring from professional baseball, Runnells became a varsity baseball coach for the local high school, Northview (Sylvania, Ohio), and won the 2022 state championship, the first in the school's history.
Runnells serves on the athletic advisory board for Lourdes University, and the Sylvania Schools Foundation.
University of Northern Colorado Athletics accepts Hall of Fame nominations on an ongoing cycle. Nominations are accepted online at UNCBears.com here.
Additionally, men's basketball coach Tad Boyle, women's basketball coach Jaime White, and football standout Jed Roberts, who were voted in previously but deferred due to conflicts with their previous ceremony date, will be inducted.
"Congratulations to the outstanding 2024 University of Northern Colorado Athletics Hall of Fame class which includes some tremendous former student-athletes and incredible coaches," said UNC Director of Athletics Darren Dunn. "This is a well-deserved honor for each of these amazing individuals, and we are extremely proud of them and all their accomplishments. We look forward to celebrating them at their induction ceremony in September."
The group will be recognized at the University Center on UNC's campus on Friday, September 13, 2024, and recognized at the home football opener the following day. Registration for the event, which is $40 per person and $320 per table of eight until August 13 and $50/$400 after, is now open and can be completed online here.
Savannah Smith | Women's Basketball | 2015-2019
Savannah Smith is UNC's all-time leading scorer with 2,013 points. Smith was named Big Sky MVP for the 2017-18 season and was a three-time All-Big Sky First team selection. Smith was named 2018 Big Sky Tournament MVP, leading UNC to its first appearance in the NCAA tournament in program history. In the Big Sky Tournament, Smith broke the league scoring record with 78 points in three games played.
The former UNC guard holds career records in field goals attempted (1775), three-point field goals made (300) and three-point field goals attempted (943). Smith holds single-season records in points (708), points per game (22.8), field goals attempted (645), three-point field goals made (114), three-point field goal attempts (371), and free throw percentage (.928).
Further adding to her career resume, the Fort Collins native posted a pair of 40-point games in 2019 that set the program mark for points in a single game. Smith also holds single-game marks in field goals attempted (31), three-point field goals made (9), and three-point field goals attempted (24). She was named a 2018 Colorado Sportswoman of the Year.
Jordan Davis | Men's Basketball | 2015-2019
Jordan Davis is UNC's all-time leading scorer with 2,272 points. Davis was the 2019 Big Sky Conference Player of the Year and earned All-Big Sky First-Team honors.
Davis' name is seen throughout the UNC record books.
Davis holds career marks in assists (516), field goals made (819), games played (130), and is second all-time in steals (155). Davis is second all-time in Big Sky history for points. In the NCAA Division I era, Davis holds the program for points per game (17.5) and steals (155).
The Las Vegas, Nevada native was a part of the 2017-18 team that won the CollegeInsider.Com Postseason Tournament and won a program-record 26 games. Davis earned Third-Team All-Big Sky honors and was selected to the Preseason All-Big Sky First Team.
Davis has enjoyed a professional basketball career overseas, including stints with the UCAM Murica, Hamburg Towers, and Club Antonine Sports.
Mariel Gutierrez | Women's Soccer | 2014-2018
Mariel Gutierrez is one of the most decorated women's soccer student-athletes in UNC and Big Sky Conference history.
Gutierrez recorded 36 goals which ranks fourth all-time, and her 15 assists ranks seventh all-time. In the Division I era, Gutierrez is first in game-winning goals (14), shots attempted (220), and shots on goal (113). She is also fifth all-time in games played (84).
Gutierrez was the 2018 Big Sky Conference Offensive MVP and earned the Big Sky Conference's Golden Boot award for leading the league in goals during conference play. Gutierrez was a unanimous All-Big Sky Conference First Team selection.
The Gypsum, Colorado native was a member of the 2015 Big Sky Conference Women's Soccer Championship Team that earned an automatic berth in the NCAA tournament.
Tom Runnells | Baseball | 1974-1977
Tom Runnells is synonymous with baseball and for the Greeley, Colorado native, it started at UNC. Runnells played in UNC's last appearance in the College World Series in 1974 and was part of three Great Plains Athletic Conference regular season and tournament championship teams.
With Runnells on the team, UNC compiled a 106-49 record.
An effective hitter, Runnells finished his career with a .394 batting average, 51 RBI, and scored 73 runs under Hall of Fame Coach Tom Petroff.
In 1977, he batted .378 with 33 RBI and stole 15 bases.
Runnells spent 41 years in professional baseball. He played for the Cincinnati Reds in 1985-86 and was a manager for the Montreal Expos in 1991-92. Runnels was a member of the Colorado Rockies organization in 2007 and the World Series run, and 2009 when the team secured the wild card.
Runnells was presented with the Colorado Rockies' Abby Greer award in 2012. Presented to the MVP of Spring training, he was the first non-player to receive it.
After retiring from professional baseball, Runnells became a varsity baseball coach for the local high school, Northview (Sylvania, Ohio), and won the 2022 state championship, the first in the school's history.
Runnells serves on the athletic advisory board for Lourdes University, and the Sylvania Schools Foundation.
University of Northern Colorado Athletics accepts Hall of Fame nominations on an ongoing cycle. Nominations are accepted online at UNCBears.com here.
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