The San Antonio Sports Hall of Fame has announced its Class of 2025: 1999 NBA Champion San Antonio Spurs, the original Spurs Coyote, Tim Derk, Charlie Boggess, the winningest high school basketball coach in San Antonio history, multi-sport All-American and University of Texas Hall of Honor inductee, Sharon Neugebauer-Shepard and former SAISD superintendent, pioneering educator and athlete, Dr. Victor Rodriguez. They will be inducted into the San Antonio Sports Hall of Fame on Saturday, September 20, 2025, in the Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center Stars at Night ballroom.
The 1999 San Antonio Spurs had a remarkable 15-2 post-season record. They wrapped a lockout shortened season with a 37-13 record, winning 31 of their last 36 games. Although the Spurs had only reached the Western Conference Finals four times in the previous 26 seasons, their defense was a force to be reckoned with during the ‘99 season. They stormed through the playoffs, defeating a Lakers team that included Shaquille O’Neal and Kobe Bryant and eventually triumphed over the New York Knicks 4-1 in the Finals. The team included San Antonio Sports Hall of Fame members David Robinson, Malik Rose, Avery Johnson and Sean Elliott.
Tim Derk, the original Spurs Coyote, joined the Spurs in 1983. Over 21 years, he entertained fans at 992 Spurs home games and made more than 5,000 public appearances. He was forced to retire from performing in 2004 due to an ischemic stroke. The Coyote was elected to the Mascot Hall of Fame in 2007 and has received a Lifetime Achievement award by the NBA. Now retired, Derk worked 34 years for the Spurs organization and has five NBA Championship rings. He continues to be a beloved figure in the San Antonio community.
A San Antonio native, Charlie Boggess grew up in gyms as the oldest son of Charles “Chuck” Boggess, one of San Antonio’s top high school boys basketball coaches at Harlandale. In 1978, Charlie became the Alamo Heights High School head basketball coach, kickstarting a historic 37-year career. Over the course of his tenure with the Mules, Boggess achieved a 785-309 record, which included a UIL state runner up finish in 1991, 10 district titles and two regional championships. Additionally, 30 out of 33 of those years with Alamo Heights, his team won 20 or more games. In 2011, he became the head coach at Antonian Prep and averaged 28 wins per season in four years with the Apaches. He retired in 2015 with 915 total wins, making him the winningest coach in San Antonio history. He was inducted into the Texas High School Basketball Hall of Fame in 2017.
Sharon Neugebauer-Shepard is one of only four athletes in University of Texas Longhorn history to be named an All-American in two sports. Excelling in both track and field and volleyball, she was on multiple relay championship winning teams for track and played a vital role in leading UT’s ’84 volleyball team to an Elite 8 NCAA championship finish. Neugebauer-Shepard was named Southwest Conference MVP her sophomore year and set the UT record for career blocks. Before college, she helped lead Jefferson High School volleyball to a 33-2 record and state championship in 1979, while earning All-State honors in track and basketball. After graduation, Neugebauer-Shepard pursued a career in teaching and coaching for Jefferson High School, reaching the 26-4A regional finals as a volleyball coach in 2006. That same year, she was inducted into the University of Texas Hall of Honor.
Dr. Victor Rodriguez is a pioneering educator, athlete and administrator for San Antonio ISD. As a track star at Edna High School, he set a new UIL district mile record and became a multi-time national champion at Victoria Junior College. In 1952, he became the first Hispanic to receive an athletic scholarship from North Texas State College (now the University of North Texas) where he earned several titles at national meets. Earning a master’s in education and a PhD, he coached cross country, track and football at Cooper Junior High School and at Lanier and Highlands High Schools, amassing three city cross country championships. In 1982, he was named the first Hispanic superintendent of San Antonio ISD. Rodriguez was the first Hispanic chairman of the Texas University Interscholastic League. He is in both the UNT athletic Hall of Fame (2006) and the SAISD Athletic Hall of Fame (2015) and is a member of the Hispanic Sports Hall of Fame.
The San Antonio Sports Hall of Fame is a partnership between San Antonio Sports, the City of San Antonio, and San Antonio Express-News. The black-tie San Antonio Sports Hall of Fame Tribute, where the Class of 2025 will be inducted, will be held Saturday, September 20 in the Stars at Night Ballroom of the Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center.
Proceeds from the San Antonio Sports Hall of Fame Tribute benefit San Antonio Sports’ youth and community programs. For more information, visit SanAntonioSports.org.