The UAB Department of Athletics has announced that five Blazer legends will be inducted into the UAB Athletics Hall of Fame as the Class of 2024.
The five inductees are follows:
Marla Townsend – Softball (Head Coach)
Izell Reese – Football
Sam Serley – Volleyball
Frank Schaffner – Men’s Tennis
Drew Ferguson – Athletic Trainer & Sports Medicine
All five of these Blazers had a tremendous impact on UAB Athletics and their accomplishments have earned them an enshrined spot in UAB history forever.
Marla Townsend– Softball (2000-18)
First softball coach in program history and coached from 2000-2018…Led UAB to five straight NCAA Tournament appearances (2010-14), including a NCAA Super Regionals in 2013…Three-time Conference USA Coach of the Year.
Izell Reese – Football (1994-97)
Second UAB player ever drafted in the NFL…6th Round pick of the Dallas Cowboys in 1998…Seven-year NFL career with three different teams (Dallas, Denver, Buffalo) which included 226 career tackles, eight interceptions and 19 passes defended…At UAB as a safety, ranks eighth in career tackles (276), third in solo tackles (180) and tied for ninth in interceptions (7).
Sam Serley – Volleyball (2009-12)
Lowes Senior Class All-America…Three-time AVCA All-America…Three-time All-Midwest Region…Three-time All-Conference USA…Conference USA All-Freshman Team…UAB career leader in blocks (564)…1,245 career kills while hitting .340, which is the second highest percentage in school history.
Frank Schaffner – Men’s Tennis (1991-94)
First UAB All-America honoree in school history…ITA Singles All-America…Great Midwest Conference Player of the Year…Ranked as high as No. 7 nationally in singles.
Drew Ferguson – Athletic Trainer & Sports Medicine (1979-82, 1982-Present)
First ever head athletic trainer for UAB Athletics under Coach Gene Bartow and Director of Sports Medicine (1979-82)…Distinguished career in sports medicine at UAB and Children’s of Alabama. Blazer Alum and season ticket holder since 1982.
The UAB Department of Athletics will honor these five individuals at the Hall of Fame induction ceremony at The Florentine on Friday, Nov. 1 at 7 p.m.
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