Five Bobcats inducted into 2018 Hall of Honor Class
Texas State’s “T” Association inducted five members into the Hall of Honor on Nov. 23.
The 2018 Hall of Honor class included CJ Carroll (football), Greg Gilcrease (football) and Rick Sanders (football), James Ortiz (Track and Field/Cross Country) and Darwin Pennye (baseball).
Carroll was a four-year letterman as a defensive back for then-Southwest Texas State from 1997-2000. Carroll was named the 2000 Southland Conference Player of the Year.
During his senior campaign, the Bobcats went 7-4, which was their best record since joining the Southland in 1987. He received the J.C. Kellam Award, which is given to the top male student-athlete at Texas State. He was also named a first team All-American by multiple outlets, including The Associated Press.
Carroll is Texas State’s all-time sack leader with 32. He holds the school record for career fumble returns with three, career fumble return yards with 182 and single-season fumble return yards at 97.
He graduated in 2000 with a Bachelor of Business Administration in accounting and earned his Master of Business Administration in 2001. Carroll currently works as a CFO for Performance Equipment Service in San Antonio.
Carroll graduated from Texas State in 2000 with a Bachelor of Business Administration in accounting and achieved his Master of Business Administration in 2001.
Gilcrease was a three-year letterman as an offensive lineman. He was a two-time academic All-American in 1980 and 1981.
During Gilcrease’s senior year, Then-Southwest Texas State won the national championship and Lone Star Conference title. The Bobcats won the Lone Star Conference championship during his junior season.
Gilcrease helped lead the Bobcats to a 7-4 record in 1979, 8-3 in 1980 and 13-1 in 1981. Texas State recorded the most rushing yards in program history during his senior campaign with 3,205 yards.
Gilcrease graduated in 1983 with a Bachelor of Science degree. He majored in biology and minored in chemistry. He earned his Doctor of Dental Surgery in 1987 from the University of Texas Dental Branch.
Gilcrease is the owner of Gilcrease Dental in San Marcos. He is a board member of both the “T” Association and University Alumni Association.
Sanders was a four-year letterman at running back from 1980-83. He is a two-time Super Bowl Champion.
The Bobcats won back-to-back NCAA Division II National Championships in 1981 and 1982 with Sanders in the backfield. Then-Southwest Texas State went 13-1 in 1981 and 14-0 in 1982. Sanders earned the MVP award at the NCAA Division II National Championship in 1982. He was named to the All-Lone Star Conference first team during his senior year.
Sanders holds multiple individual records for Texas State. He ranks top 10 in school history with 2,461 rushing yards and 3,126 all-purpose yards.
He played two seasons in the United States Football League and then played 10 years in the NFL. Sanders put together a strong performance in Super Bowl XXII with nine receptions for 193 yards and two touchdowns in Washington’s 42-10 win over Denver.
Sanders also helped Washington win Super Bowl XXVI .
Ortiz was a four-year letterman for the Texas State Cross Country team and three-year letterman for the Track and Field Team from 2002-05.
Ortiz specialized in distance runs. He holds the school record in the 1,500-meter run with a time of 3:48.35. He holds the third, fifth and 10th record times in the 1,500 at 3:51.91, 3:53.01 and 3:54.88.
He was named to the first team all-Southland in both indoor and outdoor track and field in 2005.
In cross country, he won the Texas State and Rice meets during his senior campaign.
After an accident resulted in Ortiz’s right leg being amputated, he returned to the track in 2013 to set the T-44 1,500-meter world record for below-the-knee amputees with a time of 4:33.46. He holds the current American record at 4:29.04.
Ortiz earned his Bachelor of Science degree in 2017. He holds a Master of Education in sports administration from East Central University.
Ortiz is currently the head cross country coach at Giddings High School.
Pennye was a two-time letterman as a centerfielder in 1987-88. He was a two-time conference batting champion and first team all-conference member.
He is the the Bobcats leader in career batting average. He was named to the Southland All-Decade team.
Pennye holds the highest batting average in a season at .419.
He was named to the All-Southland first team in his senior season. He was the Southland Hitter of the Year and conference batting champ in 1988.
After his senior campaign, he was selected by the Pittsburgh Pirates in the 1988 MLB Draft. He played for the Pirates, Chicago Cubs and Montreal Expos.
Pennye currently works for the Kansas City Royals as the Executive Director of the Royals Urban Youth Academy, which is a non-profit that empowers Kansas City’s underserved youth through baseball and softball, academic and social opportunities.
