Utah Athletics Announces 2022 Crimson Club HOF
Jun 29, 2022, 1:25 PM
University of Utah's Eric Weddle in action against University of Tulsa during the Armed Forces Bowl played at Amon Carter Stadium in Ft Worth Texas on December 23, 2006. Utah won the game 25-13. (Photo by L. Scott Wambsganss/Getty Images)
(Photo by L. Scott Wambsganss/Getty Images)
SALT LAKE CITY- Utah Athletics announced eight inductees for the 2022 Crimson Club Hall of Fame class Wednesday afternoon. The inductees span seven sports and three different decades in Utah Athletics history. Headlining the inductees is former safety and newly minted Super Bowl Champion Eric Weddle. The class will be officially inducted into the Crimson Club Hall of Fame on September 9 at Rice-Eccles Stadium.
Introducing the Utah Athletics 2022 Hall of Fame Class#GoUtes https://t.co/wq65RkYZRD
— Utah Athletics (@utahathletics) June 29, 2022
Meet The 2022 CCHOF Class
- Eric Weddle played safety for the Utah football team from 2003-2006 and most famously for their 2004 “BCS Busting” Fiesta Bowl team. Weddle was an unknown prospect of high school that quickly demanded respect on the field. He is a two-time Mountain West Conference Defensive Player of the Year (2005, 2006) and went on to have a 14-year NFL career that he infamously finished coming out of retirement to help the Los Angeles Rams to a Super Bowl win in 2022.
- Chris Kemoeatu is another former football star for the Utes on the undefeated Fiesta Bowl team. In 2004, Kemoeatu’s efforts on the offensive line helped to set single-season school records for total offense and scoring offense on the way to “busting” the BCS. The Football Writers Association of America and SportsIllustrated.com honored Kemoeatu with All-American honors. Kemoeatu was selected in the sixth round of the 2005 NFL Draft to the Steelers, helping the team to Super Bowl wins in 2009 and 2011.
- Melissa Vituj shined as a Red Rock with four top-ten finishes at the NCAA Championships. She also finished her career at Utah as an 11-time All-American while also impressing in the classroom as a third team Academic All-American as a senior. Vituj helped the Red Rocks to the Super Six in all four of her seasons at Utah while also being named the team’s Most Valuable Performer three times.
- Mitch Smith made noise on the basketball court for the Utes from 1985-1989. He is a three-time All-Western Athletic Conference and All-District forward, and one of just four Runnin’ Utes to record 1,000 points and 1,000 rebounds in their career. To this day, Smith ranks tenth in program history in career scoring, fourth in rebounds, third in blocked shots, seventh in steals and eighth in free throws made.
- Shona Thorburn was a two-time All-American and two-time first team All-Mountain West Conference point guard for the women’s basketball team in the mid ’00’s. In 2006, Thornburn helped the Utes to the Elite Eight of the NCAA Tournament and was taken number 7 overall in the WNBA Draft later that year.
- Christi Hager tore down the slopes for Utah skiing becoming the only three-time national champion skier in program history. Hager impressively either won or shared a piece of the Toril Forland Women’s Oustanding Skier Award all four years she competed with the Utes.
- Heidi Hausknecht became the first All-American female swimmer for the Utes in 1999 after finishing eighth in the 100 fly at the NCAA Championships. In 2000, Hausknecht was crowned the Mountain West Conference champion in the 50 freestyle and 100 butterfly while also competing the 100 fly at the Olympic Trials that year. Hausknecht set seven school records for the Utes in the 50 free, 100 free, 100 fly and four relay events.
- Carla Pittelkow was a three-time All-American for Utah’s cross country/track and field team in the early ’80’s. Pittelkow was part of the 1982 cross country team that won the AIAW Division II National Championship.
