Utah to induct four into Hall of Fame
Press release from Utah sports information:
SALT LAKE CITY — The University of Utah will induct four former Ute athletes into the Crimson Club Hall of Fame on Monday, April 17 at the Little America Hotel. Honored at the 2011 Hall of Fame induction ceremony will be Luther “Ticky” Burden (basketball), Jeff Griffin (football), Wat Misaka (basketball) and Sue Stednitz (gymnastics).
Tickets to the banquet — which also honors this year’s Ute senior student-athletes — are available to the public for $50. The social hour is at 6 p.m., with dinner and a program following at 7 p.m. For more information call 801-585-UTES (8837), or to RSVP call the Crimson Club hotline at 801-581-8519.
Luther “Ticky” Burden
The sixth-leading scorer in Utah history, Luther “Ticky” Burden was an All-American and a two-time first-team all-WAC selection from 1972-75. Burden scored 1,790 points in 80 games as a Runnin’ Ute, averaging 22.4 points for the third-best scoring average in school history — all without the benefit of 3-pointers or slam dunks.
Burden averaged 23.7 points per game as a sophomore to lead Utah to a 22-8 record and a runner-up finish in the NIT. During his All-America season as a senior, Burden tied Utah’s second-best scoring average at 28.7 points per game.
In 1974, Burden led the U.S. to the bronze medal at the FIBA World Championships. He set a tournament scoring mark of 20.2 points per game that stood for 36 years. Burden played professionally in both the ABA (Virginia Squires) and the NBA (New York Knicks).
Jeff Griffin
An All-American and a two-time all-WAC selection from 1977-80, Jeff Griffin is one of the best defensive backs in Utah football history.
As a sophomore on Utah’s 8-3 team of 1978, Griffin tied the school single-season record for interceptions returned for touchdowns with three–a record that still stands today. He was named all-conference as a junior and senior. Griffin earned second-team All-America honors in 1980, earning national attention after getting 12 unassisted tackles against No. 8 Nebraska and rolling up 147 interception return yards.
Griffin still ranks in Utah’s career top-10 in seven categories. He is 10th in solo tackles (151), ninth in total tackles (304), tied for fifth in interceptions (13), third in interception return yards (265), fifth in pass breakups (24), tied for the fourth in fumbles forced (6) and tied for second in fumbles recovered (8).
Griffin was taken by the St. Louis Cardinals in the third round of the 1981 NFL Draft as the 61st overall pick and played five years with the organization. He also played with Philadelphia Eagles in 1987.
Wat Misaka
After leading Utah to an NCAA and NIT championship in the 1940s, Wat Misaka went on to become the first person of color to play in the NBA.
Born to Japanese immigrants in Ogden, Utah, Misaka led Ogden High School to a state title in 1940. After spending two years at Weber Junior College, Misaka enrolled at the U. in 1943-44. Utah went 18-3 that year and was invited to both the NCAA and NIT post-season tournaments.
After the Utes lost their first round game in the NIT, they were asked to fill Arkansas’ spot in the NCAA field following the team’s involvement in a fatal auto accident. Utah won the NCAA title by getting past Dartmouth in overtime and went on to defeat NIT winner St. John’s in a Red Cross benefit game, both played in New York City’s Madison Square Garden.
After spending two years serving in World War II, Misaka helped lead the Utes to the 1947 NIT crown. He was drafted by the New York Knicks in the 1947 professional draft, playing three games with team. He returned the U. to earn his degree in mechanical engineering in 1948.
Sue Stednitz
The NCAA began sponsoring women’s gymnastics in 1982 and the first all-around champion crowned was Utah freshman Sue Stednitz. Stednitz also became the NCAA’s first double winner, capturing the NCAA balance beam title while leading the Utes to their first NCAA team championship in 1982. She also earned All-America honors on vault (fifth place) and floor exercise (sixth place).
Off to another great season in 1983, Stednitz was preparing to defend her NCAA all-around title only to suffer a season-ending injury prior to the NCAA Championships. With Stednitz lending moral support, the Utes defended their NCAA title to become the first NCAA back-to-back champions in the sport of women’s gymnastics.
Before coming to Utah, Stednitz qualified for Elite status and was considered one of the top six gymnasts in the United States. She had her sights fixed on competing in the 1980 Olympics before injuries began to mount. Hoping to resurrect her career while working on a college degree, Stednitz came to the U. in the fall of 1981.
The knee injury in the 1983 postseason ended her competitive career. Stednitz stayed with the team as a student assistant coach in 1984 and would go on to a successful coaching career before entering the health care administration field.