GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Current Gators Men's and Women's Track & Field and Cross Country Head Coach Mike Holloway, former UF football player Scott Hutchinson and former UF Athletic Trainer Chris Patrick have been selected to be inducted into the Florida Sports Hall of Fame as part of the 2024 class. The announcement was made on Friday, as the three Gator greats will be joined by five others (William Floyd, Linda Gooch, Ashley Harris, Tracy McGrady, and Jan Stephenson) on Oct. 16 at the Kia Center in Orlando for the induction ceremony.
"We are excited to be able to recognize such a talented and accomplished class of figures who have all contributed tremendously to their respective sports," said Ginger Kane, President and Chair of the Florida Sports Hall of Fame board. "Their contributions to their sports, their communities and impacts they've had on a worldwide stage make this a remarkable class. We are honored to welcome them as the newest members of the Florida Sports Hall of Fame."
Mike Holloway – Track and Field
Holloway just completed his 22nd season as the men's track and field head coach and his 17th season at the helm for the women. Holloway earned his 7th National Men's Outdoor Head Coach of the Year accolade 11 days ago, in route to his 14th overall. A graduate of UF in 2000, Holloway has anchored the Gators to 14 national championships (12 men's and 2 women's,) including taking home the last three men's outdoor titles. Holloway has 17 SEC Championships, 32 NCAA Top-5 finishes and 94 Men's and Women's National Championship Event Titles. He's coached 12 World Championship Gold Medal winners and athletes directly coached by Holloway have conquered 11 Olympic medals. A native of Columbus, Ohio, Holloway was inducted into the US Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association Hall of Fame in 2016.
Scott Hutchinson - Football
Growing up just outside Orlando in Winter park, Fla., Hutchinson was a defensive lineman for the Gators from 1974 to 1977. Hutchinson played under College Football Hall of Fame coach Doug Dickey, where as a senior he was a captain, a first-team All-SEC selection and an Associated Press honorable mention All-American. Hutchinson was selected in the 2nd round and 38th overall by the Buffalo Bills in the 1978 NFL Draft, where he played for three seasons appearing in all 48 games. In 1981 he played in 16 games for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, before finishing his NFL career back with the Bills in 1983. Hutchinson recorded three sacks and three fumble recoveries in 69 NFL games, as he finished his professional career in 1985 with the Orlando Renegades of the United States Football League (USFL).
John Christopher (Chris) Patrick – Athletic Trainer
Patrick was a highly esteemed Athletic Trainer who provided care for thousands of student-athletes at the University of Florida over his 40-year career that began in 1970. He oversaw the expansion of healthcare services from seven original male sports to the current group of 21 male and female sports. With the implementation of Title IX and women's sports, he hired the first female athletic trainer and helped develop the women's athletic training program and facilities. Known as CP, Patrick left his mark at UF, outlasting four Athletic Directors and six Head Football Coaches, earning the Athletic Training Facility in Ben Hill Griffin Stadium to be named after him.
Also, while at Florida, he worked with Dr. Robert Cade, the inventor of Gatorade, to further refine its flavors, packaging and other creative product development. The SEC established the Chris Patrick Award, an honor given out to the most outstanding athletic trainer in the SEC during the league's sports medicine meetings. While becoming the first ever Athletic Trainer to be inducted into the Florida Sports Hall of Fame, Patrick is a member of three other Hall of Fames; the National Athletic Trainer's Association (1989), the Florida Athletic Trainer's Association (1995) and the University of Florida Athletic (1994).
With the addition of Holloway, Hutchinson and Patrick, the Gators now have 49 members represented in the Florida Sports Hall of Fame. Below are the members of the 2024 class.
The Florida Sports Hall of Fame Class of 2024
| William Floyd | Football – Florida State 1990-1993, NFL 1994-2000 |
| Linda Gooch | Cheerleading Coach – UCF 1986-present |
| Ashlyn Harris | Soccer – Pro Soccer 2009-2022 |
| Mike Holloway | Track & Field and Cross Country – Florida 2003-present |
| Scott Hutchinson | Football – Florida 1974-1977 |
| Tracy McGrady | Basketball – 7x All-NBA, Inducted into NBA Hall of Fame in 2017 |
| Chris Patrick | Athletic Trainer – Florida 1970-2010 |
| Jan Stephenson | Golf – LPGA Golfer, World Golf Hall of Fame Inductee in 2019 |
About the Florida Sports Hall of Fame
Started by the Florida Sports Writers and Sportscasters Association, the Florida Sports Hall of Fame was established in 1961 to recognize and honor the state's greatest and most significant sports figures. Since then, the organization has inducted close to 300 members, sharing their inspiring stories of struggles, perseverance and achievement as part of its mission to make a difference in the lives of the youth of our state. Along with our campaign to promote fitness and combat childhood obesity/childhood diabetes, our mission also speaks to the promotion and qualities of discipline and honor among our state's young athletes. It is our goal to use the life-stories and lessons learned by our Hall of Fame members to encourage and support today's competitors. Memorabilia from Hall of Fame members is on display at the MidFlorida Events Center, 9221 SE Event Center Place, Port St.Lucie, FL 34952. The center is free and open to the public Wednesday - Friday from 10 am to 5 pm. To learn more, visit https://flasportshof.org/.
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