Nevada’s Tahnee Robinson during a game against Utah State in the Lawlor Events Center in 2010.
Nevada Athletics
Nevada has announced the seven-member Class of 2022 which will be inducted into the Wolf Pack Athletics Hall of Fame this September.
The class features: Sam Bias (softball, 2007-10), Bill Bonsall (football, 1985-88), Ryan Church (baseball, 1997-2000), Bridget Galvin Brush (women’s basketball, softball, volleyball, 1973-77), Faron Hand (men’s basketball, 1994-97), David Nelson (men’s golf, 1975-79), and Tahnee Robinson (women’s basketball, 2009-11).
The Class of 2022 will be officially inducted at the Hall of Fame Dinner on Friday, Sept. 9, at the Eldorado Convention Center, and the class will be honored at halftime of Nevada’s Sept. 10 football game against Incarnate Word.
The Hall of Fame Dinner is open to the public, and tickets are $75 with tables of 10 for $750. To purchase tickets, contact Associate Athletic Director, Special Events Kim Anastassatos at 775-233-7205 and kima@unr.edu.
Since its inception in 1973, the Nevada Athletics Hall of Fame has inducted 226 individuals and five teams.
2022 Inductees
Sam Bias – Softball (2007-10)
Earned first-team All-WAC honors and Louisville Slugger/NFCA All-Pacific region accolades in 2009… named to the WAC All-Tournament team in 2007… helped lead Nevada to WAC championships and NCAA Tournament appearances in 2008 and 2009… holds Nevada’s career records for assists and sac flies… also ranks in the career record book for games played, games started, at bats, run, doubles, homeruns, total bases, hits, RBI, triples & hit by pitch… played in the inaugural Wolf Pack-Aces baseball exhibition… four-year starter for the Wolf Pack… earned her degree in criminal justice and has worked as a deputy for the Douglas County and Carson City sheriff’s departments… is now a detective in Carson City… served as assistant and head coach at Douglas High School.
Bill Bonsall – Football (1985-88)
Four-year starter at nose tackle… earned first-team All-Big Sky honors in 1986 and was a second-team selection in 1987 and 1988… led the defensive line in tackles all four years… won the Striker Award twice (given to a defensive player performing at the highest level)… won the Golden Helmet awards as defensive player of the week in 1985 and 1988… also won the team’s Effort Habit Award… was the top scout player in 1984 as a redshirt… recorded 263 tackles in his career… also had 60 tackles for loss and 28 sacks… forced five fumbles and recovered eight fumbles… retired in 2020 after 30 years as a probation officer in Santa Clara County… is an acclaimed expert in sex offenders and delivered presentations and trained officers throughout California… started the Internet Safety Program that was later modeled in other states… has also worked with Yahoo to develop presentations to protect youth from internet sexual predators… was awarded the Probation Officer of the Year in the Bay Area region and Employee of the Year Award for the state of California in 2017… also coached high school football and has been active in Nevada Alumni Football chapter… his two sons are graduates of the University of Nevada – Alec (2019) and Jason (2020)… Alec spent two seasons at linebacker on the Wolf Pack football team.
Ryan Church – Baseball (1997-2000)
Earned first-team All-Big West honors in 2000 and second-team accolades in 1999… outfielder who hit .382 with 14 home runs and 62 runs batted in as a senior in 2000… also pitched all four years with an 8-8-8 record in 39 career games (26 starts)… ranks seventh in career batting average (.364)… played on three NCAA Regional and Big West Conference championship teams (1997, 1999, 2000)… was drafted in the 14th round by the Cleveland Indians in 2000… made his Major League debut on Aug. 21, 2004 with the Cleveland Indians and enjoyed seven seasons in MLB.
Bridget Galvin Brush – Women’s Basketball, Softball & Volleyball (1973-77)
Three-sport star who was instrumental in the development of Nevada’s women’s sports in the post-Title IX era… four-year starter in basketball, softball and volleyball… earned one of Nevada’s first tuition waivers for women’s sports… helped lead Nevada to three Northern California Intercollegiate Athletic Association titles in 1976-77 (volleyball, women’s basketball and softball)… helped lead the Wolf Pack basketball team to AIAW Regionals in 1976 and 1977 and the softball team to AIAW Regionals in 1976 & 1977… also helped volleyball qualify for the AIAW Regionals and Small College Nationals in 1976… was captain of the volleyball team that finished third nationally that year… was an outside hitter and defensive specialist before that position was created… ranked second on the basketball team with 13.4 points and 8.4 rebounds per game in 1977… started at shortstop and led the softball team with a .351 batting average in 1976… became an assistant coach after her college career ended and helped the Nevada softball team to its first appearance in the AIAW Division II College World Series in 1980… also played as the starting shortstop on the Reno Royals, a summer league team in Reno… went on to teach elementary school with the Carson City School District (since retired)… also served as the JV volleyball coach at Hug High School in Reno and a high school volleyball official.
Faron Hand – Men’s Basketball (1994-97)
1997 Big West Player of the Year… earned honorable-mention All-Big West honors in 1995 and first-team accolades in 1997… was named to the Big West All-Tournament team in 1997… 29th in career scoring at Nevada with 1,034 points… averaged 14.6 points and 5.9 rebounds per game in his career… also turned in 112 assists and 78 steals… shot 57.7 percent from the field in 1996-97 which still ranks fourth on Nevada’s single-season list… was a member of Omega Psi Phi fraternity… transferred to Nevada after starring at Dixie College in Utah… played professionally overseas for 10 years after college… has worked as a youth counselor and mental health professional… has also coached high school basketball and track in his hometown of Philadelphia.
David Nelson – Men’s Golf (1975-79)
Won a pair of West Coast Conference individual championships in 1977 and 1979… also helped lead the Wolf Pack to three conference championships from 1977-79… local product who grew up in Reno and attended Wooster High School… has had a successful amateur career and continues to play in senior amateur events… most recently played in the 2022 British Senior Amateur Championship at Royal Dornoch in Scotland… qualified for the 1982 U.S. Open in Pebble Beach as an amateur… has won a total of seven Nevada state championships (4 state match-play championship, 2 state mid-amateurs and 1 state senior amateur)… is the only player in USGA history to qualify for all eight amateur events, including the U.S. Amateur, U.S. Open and U.S. Publinks Championship… founded Hole-in-One International in Reno in 1991… retired in 2020 after 30 years as president of the successful golf promotions company and purchasing group.
Tahnee Robinson – Women’s Basketball (2009-11)
Was named the WAC Newcomer of the Year and earned first-team All-WAC honors in 2010… was a two-time team captain… came to Nevada from Sheridan College after starting her career at Wyoming… finished ninth in the nation in scoring with 22.1 points per game in 2010-11… led Nevada to a school-record 22 wins and the second round of the WNIT in 2011… earned first-team All-WAC, WAC All-Tournament and WBCA All-Region honors that year… became one of 12 of Nevada's 1,000-point scorers, averaging 19.5 points per game in her career… was named one of five finalists for the Sullivan Award, given annually to the nation's top amateur athlete… received her Bachelor of Science Degree in General Studies with emphasis in Health Education, Communication and Native American Studies at Nevada-Reno… became Nevada's first WNBA selection, and the first enrolled full blooded Native American woman drafted in 2011… was taken in the third round by the Phoenix Mercury and then traded to the Connecticut Sun were she played for them overseas before she was released from the roster… played professionally for four seasons in Israel, Bulgaria, Ukraine, Poland and China… returned to Nevada as a graduate assistant for the Wolf Pack Women's basketball team and earned her master's degree in the University of Nevada's educational leadership program… was then promoted to the Director of Player Development for the Wolf Pack, making her one of three Native women coaching at the NCAA Division I level… also became a Nike N7 basketball ambassador and served as the national spokeswoman for “Let’s Move! In Indian Country,” a Michelle Obama-led health initiative… also served as the national spokeswoman for Big Brothers & Big Sisters.
