St. Thomas University Athletics announced its 2026 Athletics Hall of Fame class on Sept. 9, with Lorel Beckford, Dana Dollinger and the 1996 Baseball Team set for induction during the university’s Homecoming on Friday, Oct. 16, in Miami Gardens, Fla. Beckford will be inducted for men’s basketball, while Dollinger, formerly Nowaczyk, will be honored for women’s volleyball. The 1996 Baseball Team also will join the St. Thomas University Athletics Hall of Fame.
Beckford was a four-year letterman for the Bobcats from 2011-2015. During his tenure, St. Thomas University went 87-41, made four consecutive trips to the NAIA Division II National Tournament and won the 2013-2014 Sun Conference regular-season title. The 2013-14 men’s basketball team won 26 games, setting the program record for wins in a season, and the 2022-23 team later matched that total.
Beckford averaged 10.7 points and 8.3 rebounds in his final year and earned Sun Conference All-Defensive Team honors. He shot .479 from the field for his career and averaged 7.1 rebounds. His induction recognizes his contributions to the St. Thomas University men’s basketball program.
Dollinger set a volleyball standard
Dollinger was the first member of the St. Thomas University women’s volleyball program to earn All-Sun Conference honors for four consecutive years. During her time with the Bobcats, the team went 86-39, recorded three consecutive 20-win seasons and won the 2014 Sun Conference regular-season crown. Dollinger recorded 3,569 career assists, which stood as the school’s record until the 2026 season.
1996 Baseball Team made school history
The 1996 Baseball Team went 47-21 and became the first team in St. Thomas University history to advance to the NAIA National Championships. Led by Sun Conference Coach of the Year Jim Pizzalatto and featuring six All-Sun Conference recipients, the Bobcats won the Sun Conference regular-season championship and the South Region Tournament. The team then advanced to the NAIA College World Series.
St. Thomas University went 2-2 at the World Series and lost in the semifinals to eventual champion Lewis-Clark State. The team’s 47 wins remained the program record for more than 20 years, until the 2018 team won 56 games. The 1996 Baseball Team will be inducted alongside Beckford and Dollinger during the Oct. 16 Homecoming ceremony.
Source: Original report