Antonio Davis and Seth Joyner Highlight 2017 UTEP Hall of Fame

UTEP announced today that Antonio Davis, Seth Joyner, Blessing Okagbare, Cynthia Ruelas and Paul Stankowski will be inducted into the UTEP Athletics Hall of Fame Class of 2017. The banquet will be held on Friday, October 27th at the Larry K. Durham Sports Center. The 15th induction class will also be honored at the UTEP football game versus UTSA on Saturday, October 28th.

"Every year we look forward to inducting our all-time greats into the UTEP Athletics Hall of Fame," Director of Athletics Bob Stull said. "The 2017 class is outstanding. We are particularly excited about getting the first representatives from the men's golf and volleyball programs in. It should be a fun weekend in October and we can't wait for these Miner Legends to return to campus."

Here are the bios on all five former Miner athletes courtesy of the UTEP Athletic Department:

Antonio Davis was a part of four NCAA Tournament teams and 95 victories as a member of the Miner men’s basketball squad from 1986-90. He appeared in 122 games, scoring 1,117 points with 744 rebounds, 104 blocks and a .539 field goal percentage. He was a two-time All-Western Athletic Conference honoree. After leaving UTEP, Davis spent 13 seasons in the NBA with Indiana, Toronto, Chicago and New York, combining to play in 903 games with 9,041 points, 6,755 rebounds and 889 blocks. He was a 2001 NBA All-Star and, a year later, played for Team USA at the FIBA World Championships. He is currently an NBA analyst with ESPN. Davis is also a member of UTEP’s Basketball Centennial Team.

Seth Joyner played football at UTEP from 1982-85. He arrived on campus as an undersized walk-on before hours in the weight room transformed him into a college standout and, ultimately, one of the NFL’s top linebackers. His Miner career produced 325 tackles before he was picked by Philadelphia in the 1986 NFL Draft. Joyner played for the Eagles for eight seasons, where he was a three-time Pro Bowl selection and the 1991 Sports Illustrated NFL Player of the Year. He later played for Arizona, Green Bay and Denver, and was a part of the Broncos’ Super Bowl championship run in his final year as a pro (1998). Joyner was credited with 52 sacks and 24 interceptions in 195 NFL games. He is a member of UTEP’s Football Centennial Team.

Blessing Okagbare was one of three finalists for The Bowerman Award during her senior year at UTEP – the highest honor given to collegiate track and field student-athletes by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA). Okagbare notched NCAA crowns in the 100 meters and long jump during the 2010 outdoor season, the first athlete in collegiate history to achieve such a feat. During the 2010 indoor season, she won national titles in the 60 meters and long jump, setting a meet record in the latter event. Okagbare was an 11-time All-American and a 15-time conference champion at UTEP. She was a silver medalist in the long jump at the 2008 Olympic Games. She was a silver medalist in the long jump and a bronze medalist in the 200 meters at the 2013 World Championships. Okagbare has also captured gold medals at the Commonwealth Games, the All-Africa Games, the African Championships and the IAAF World Relays.

Cynthia Ruelas is the initial inductee from the volleyball program into the UTEP Athletics Hall of Fame. One of the most dominating middle blockers in school history, she notched 1,181 kills and 636 blocks during her stint with the Miners. She ranked in the top five nationally in single season blocks in 1997 (fourth) and 1994 (fifth), and ranked in the top 10 in 1993 (ninth) and 1996 (10th). She is first in school history in blocks, fourth in hitting percentage (.251) and fifth in kills. Ruelas-Macias left UTEP with 17 separate school records, including every single game, season and career blocking record.

Paul Stankowski becomes the first player from the UTEP men’s golf program to be inducted into the Athletics Hall of Fame. He was on the Miner roster from 1987-91. Stankowski won two tournaments at UTEP (Red River Classic 1990, WAC Championships 1990). He is the only UTEP male golfer to win the individual WAC title. He was a three-time honorable mention All-American with the Miners (1988, 1989, 1991). He helped UTEP finish second at the NCAA Championships in 1988 and ninth in 1991. Stankowski played on the Nationwide Tour and the PGA Tour, winning the 1996 Nike Louisiana Open, the 1996 BellSouth Classic and the 1997 United Airlines Hawaiian Open. His best finish in a major was a tie for fifth place at the 1997 Masters Tournament.