Current Members of the San Antonio Sports Hall of Fame
Class of 2020
Stan Bonewitz Jr.
Class of 2020
Stan Bonewitz Jr.
Stan Bonewitz Jr. was one of the greatest scorers in San Antonio high school basketball history. Touted as an “outstanding” three-point shooter by ESPN, he made a name for himself first at East Central High School before moving to Texas Tech University.
Bonewitz’s success in basketball really began his junior season for the Hornets, coached by his father, Stan Bonewitz. The next two years would be some of the best high school basketball San Antonio has ever seen. In 1994, he led the team to the state semifinals before losing to Plano East. The following year, the Hornets went on a tear of the state. The team finished the year 35-0 behind Bonewitz’s 32.1 points per game. In the state championship, he scored 36 points against Dallas Carter.
After graduating, Bonewitz moved north to Texas Tech, displaying his scoring prowess for a new team. Averaging over 12 points per game and shooting .438 percent from the three over his last three years in Lubbock, he was a reliable marksman who could always produce points on the board. He left the Red Raiders as only the second player all time to score 1,000 points and have 400 assists. In 2004, Bonewitz, continuing his dad’s coaching legacy, became the head coach of Concordia University. Along with head coach, he also holds the title of associate director of athletics for the Tornadoes.
Class of 2020
1972 Trinity University Men's Tennis Team
Class of 2020
1972 Trinity University Men's Tennis Team
The 1972 Trinity University Men’s Tennis team was one of the most dominant teams in collegiate tennis history. In 30 years of the program’s standing, they had never won a national championship. That all changed in ‘72 when the team finished with a record of 36-0, winning the team title in a record 36 points.
The team knew they had something special when the University of Southern California flew out to play them. Rarely leaving their home court, much less coming all the way to Texas, this was an unprecedented move by USC that set up what the Associated Press would refer to as “The Superbowl of College Tennis”. The crowd of students for the match was so packed that rooftops became filled with spectators. The Tigers would go on to win 6-3, sending the Trojans packing. That year they would also beat the University of California at Los Angeles, something the program hadn’t done in 13 years.
Later that year, the Trinity team went into the championships game in Athens, Georgia as heavy favorites, eventually winning the team title and dethroning USC and UCLA as champions for 13 years running. Members of the team included Dick Stockton, who won the NCAA singles title, beating teammate Brian Gottfried in the championship match. Gottfried and Paul Gerken were the runners-up in the NCAA doubles title. Bob McKinly reached the singles quarterfinals. Other team members included John Burrmann, Howard Butt, Bill McGowan and Pancho Walthall. The team’s head coach was Clarence May, and the assistant coach was John Newman.
Class of 2020
General Robert McDermott
Class of 2020
General Robert McDermott
Brigadier General Robert McDermott served in the United States Air Force from 1943-1968. During that time, he became the first permanent Dean of the U.S. Air Force Academy, where he became known as the “Father of Modern Military Education.” He later served as Chairman and CEO of USAA in San Antonio, where he became an original owner of the San Antonio Spurs.
McDermott served as combat pilot and operations officer of a fighter-bomber group in the European Theater during World War II. While serving, he earned such decorations as the Bronze Star, the Air Medal with five oak leaf clusters, both the Army and Air Force Distinguished Service Medal and the Legion of Merit. In 1957 he became the first permanent professor of the U.S. Air Force Academy, and the first permanent Dean of the Faculty in 1959. During his time at the position, he was a recognized leader in higher education and a pioneer in military education.
After retiring from the military in 1968, McDermott moved to San Antonio, where he became CEO of USAA. In 1993, he formed a group of 22 investors to buy the Spurs and keep the team in San Antonio. As chairman in 1994, he hired Greg Popovich as general manager and president of basketball operations, who would later become head coach. In 2006, McDermott passed away at the age of 86.
Class of 2020
Lynn Hickey
Class of 2020
Lynn Hickey
Lynn Hickey’s leadership at the helm of the University of Texas at San Antonio’s athletics department spurred the program to heights it had never reached. In her 18-year tenure at UTSA, she added three new sports, moved conferences twice, and boomed in total budget, among other accomplishments.
Before arriving in San Antonio, Hickey was a star athlete and a successful coach. In high school, she led Welch High School to a 76-5 record over her last three years. She went on to play at Ouachita Baptist University and was the second-leading scorer for the U.S. National Team in 1973. After graduating, she became an assistant coach at Oklahoma University for a stint before becoming head coach at Kansas State University. In five years with the Wildcats, she led them to a 125-39 record and an Elite Eight Appearance. In 1984, she assumed the double role of head coach and assistant athletic director at Texas A&M University. After 10 years of coaching the Aggies, which included a Sweet Sixteen appearance, she became a full-time administrator at the school, where she spent the next five years as senior associate athletics director.
In 1999, Hickey was hired as UTSA’s athletic director. The hiring made her the only female Division 1 athletic director in Texas. Upon her arrival, the school’s athletics program was only 15 years old, was a member of the Southland Conference, and had 14 sports. Over the next 18 years, Hickey worked to add women’s golf and soccer, as well as the addition of football in 2009. In 2013, all sports made the switch to Conference USA. UTSA was the host of numerous NCAA Championship events during her time, including five men’s and women’s Final Fours. Upon leaving the position in 2017, the school’s athletics budget had risen from 1 to 28 million. In 2018, Hickey was hired as the athletic director at Eastern Washington.
Class of 2020
Mike Ayala
Class of 2020
Mike Ayala
San Antonio native Mike Ayala, nicknamed “El Ciclon”, compiled a 45-6 record over his professional career, including 23 knockouts. He is the oldest of the fighting Ayala brothers, Tony Ayala Jr., Sammy and Paulie, and considered the best all-around boxer of the four.
As an amateur, Ayala won National Golden Gloves Championships in 1973 and 1975. In 1974, he won the 1974 National AAU Bantamweight Championship. As a professional, he was the North American Boxing Federation super bantamweight and featherweight champions.
In 1979, Ayala fought Danny Lopez for the World Featherweight Title in a 15-round TKO loss dubbed “Fight of the Year” by Ring Magazine. Ayala retired in 1991 after a final win against Lee Cargle in San Antonio. He is credited with helping the Jesse James Leija Gym become one of the nation’s top boxing facilities. Ayala has since returned to his hometown of San Antonio.