Eight Picked for Wave Hall of Fame

September 19, 2007

Tulane athletics staff
newwave@tulane.edu

Janell Burse set records as the star center for the Wave women's basketball team. Now playing professionally, she will join the Tulane Athletics Hall of Fame during Homecoming.

Tulane Homecoming activities in October will have special meaning for seven former student-athletes who will be inducted into the Tulane University Athletics Hall of Fame along with the man who served as the longtime radio announcer for Green Wave football.

Baseball great Jake Gautreau and tennis standout Anna Monhartova, already named Conference USA Players of the Decade, and five other former student-athletes will be honored at the Hall of Fame ceremony on Friday, Oct. 26, from noon until 2 p.m. at the Lavin-Bernick Center on the uptown campus.

During the ceremony, the Billy Slatten Award will be presented to Bruce Miller, who was the play-by-play announcer for radio broadcasts of Tulane football games from 1959 to 1975. The inductees also will be honored at halftime of the Tulane Homecoming game against Memphis University on Saturday, Oct. 27, at the Louisiana Superdome.

In addition to Gautreau, Monhartova and Miller, the 2007 eight-member class includes Jack Ardon (men's basketball), Janell Burse (women's basketball), Andy Cannizaro (baseball), Hanne Lyngstad (track and field/cross country) and Bernard Robertson (football). Reservations for the hall of fame event are available by e-mailing Sue Bower or calling 504-865-5513.

Rick Dickson, director of athletics, says, "Each of these recipients exudes the characteristics that have become a hallmark of the Tulane student-athletes, competing throughout their lives with character and class. This is an extraordinary group who brought great honor and recognition to Tulane University."

A standout Tulane baseball player, alumnus Jake Gautreau now plays for a minor-league team. He will be inducted into the Tulane Athletics Hall of Fame in October. (Photo from Tulane athletics)

Gautreau was a three-year starter at third base for the Green Wave baseball team from 1999 to 2001. He was the starting second baseman for the New Orleans Zephyrs (Triple-A Affiliate of the New York Mets) in 2007.

Regarded as one of the finest Tulane women's tennis players, Monhartova was one of the cornerstones of Tulane's success in tennis during the late 1990s and early 2000s. She is scheduled to receive her PhD from Tulane later this year.

Ardon, who will be honored posthumously, starred at Tulane on the men's basketball team in 1959-63, and remains the only Green Wave player to collect over 1,000 rebounds in his career. A three-time C-USA Defensive Player of the Year, Burse dominated the frontcourt for Green Wave women's basketball team from 1998 to 2001. She currently plays in the WNBA with the Seattle Storm.

Cannizaro was a four-year starter at shortstop for the Green Wave from 1998 to 2001. He made his professional debut in 2006 with the New York Yankees. One of the most successful student-athletes to ever don a Green Wave uniform, Lyngstad was a 10-time C-USA champion in various track and field events and a six-time All-American.

A four-year starter at right tackle from 1997 to 2000, Robertson was a starter in 44 games. He played for the Chicago Bears, Oakland Raiders and Buffalo Bills before retiring from professional football.