NASHVILE, Tenn. – The Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame has announced its 2022 induction class, which includes five former Vols and Lady Vols. The UT alums highlighting this year’s class are Sharrieffa Barksdale, R.A. Dickey, Harry Galbreath, Nikki McCray-Penson and Tony White.
SHARRIEFFA BARKSDALE
Track and Field
Barksdale ran for the Lady Volunteers from 1981-84. The 12-time All-American won four NCAA Titles, coming in the 4×400 relay at both indoors and outdoors, the mile relay and the 4×200 medley relay. In 1981, she also won the 4×400 relay at the AIAW National Championship. In total, she claimed 11 SEC Titles and was a crucial part of the 1981 Women’s AIAW Outdoor National Championship team that delivered the University of Tennessee its first national championship in women’s athletics.
Barksdale competed at the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, running in the 400m hurdles. She won silver at the 1983 Pan American Games in Caracas, also competing in the 400m hurdles.
R.A. DICKEY
Baseball
Dickey pitched for the Vols from 1994-96. He still holds the program-record for innings pitched (434), wins (38) and games started (54), while having the second-most strikeouts (345) and being top-10 in appearances (73), win percentage (.792) and compete games (13). Dickey was an All-American in each of his three seasons on Rocky Top and was the 1994 Freshman of the Year after going 15-2 in 21 appearances (20 starts). He pitched 147 innings that year, holding opposing batters to a .239 average. Dickey also holds a program record for innings pitched in a single game, tossing 11 innings twice, once in 1995 and again in 96.
Dickey played 15 years in the MLB, earning the National League Cy Young Award in 2012 when he won 20 games as the New York Mets’ ace. He also earned bronze at the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta with Team USA.
HARRY GALBREATH (POSTHUMOUS)
Football
Galbreath spent five years on Rocky Top from 1983-87. He played in 41 football games for the varsity squad, earning All-America recognition in 1987. As a senior that fall, he earned the Jacobs Trophy, awarded to the top blocker in the SEC. Head coach Johnny Majors described Galbreath as the most dominating and aggressive run blocker he ever coached. That was evident when freshman Reggie Cobb ran for 1,197 yards in 1987—marking just the second time in school history UT’s leading rusher had more than 200 attempts.
Galbreath played nine seasons in the NFL, primarily at right guard, for the Miami Dolphins, Green Bay Packers and New York Jets.
NIKKI MCCRAY-PENSON
Basketball
McCray-Penson played basketball for the Lady Volunteers from 1991-95 and is currently 19th in program history for points scored with 1,572. Her scoring ability—coupled with an eye for steals—made her an unstoppable force on the court. She still ranks fifth in program history with 289 steals, and she tallied five games with eight takeaways. She earned three SEC Championships, including one tournament championship, during her time at Tennessee and was a two-time SEC Player of the Year in 1994 and 1995. She also was a two-time Kodak and Naismith All-American in 1994 and 1995.
McCray-Penson won gold with Team USA at the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta, then again at the 2000 Olympics in Sydney. She was inducted to the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame in 2012 and played 10 seasons in the WNBA, earning three All-Star selections and the 1997 ABL MVP award.
TONY WHITE
Basketball
White starred on the hardwood as a guard for the Vols from 1983-87. He still holds the program record for points in a game (51) and owns the third-highest point total in school history with 2,219. His offensive excellence was exemplified by 16 career 30-point games for the Big Orange. White is one of nine Vols to score at least 300 points in four different seasons and was the 1987 SEC Player of the Year. That same season, he was a third-team All-American. He earned first-team All-SEC distinction in both 1986 and 1987.
White played one season in the NBA, scoring 261 points while shooting 45.7 percent from the field. He earned gold with USA Basketball at the 1993 Tournament of the Americas.
-UT Athletics
