ALAMOSA - The Adams State University Athletics Hall of Fame committee is excited to announce that nine new inductees and a historic football team have been elected into the storied hall as members of the class of 2023.

The 2023 inductees include Jared Deauguaro (Wrestling); Kyle Sand (Wrestling); Indira Spence (Track & Field); Arsenia Barksdale (Wrestling); Thomas Bilotta (Football); Lauren Martin (Cross Country/Track & Field), Tanya Guarmer (Cross Country/Track & Field); Jack Ransone (Athletic Training); Andrew Graham (Cross Country/Track & Field), Nicole Goosby (Track & Field), and the 1966 Football Team.

In addition, Liz Thomas-Hensley has been tabbed to be honored with the Ted and Janet Morrison Special Citation. Notably, Tabor Stevens, who was elected as a member of the Class of 2022, will be in attendance to accept his induction.

The hall of fame ceremony is scheduled for Friday, Oct. 27th, at 4 p.m. inside the Plachy Hall Fieldhouse. Tickets are available for purchase by calling 719-587-7401 or emailing Chandelle Lancaster at [email protected].

For more information about the ASU Athletics Hall of Fame or to nominate a future candidate, email the ASU Athletics Hall of Fame Committee chair, Eric Flores, at [email protected].

Jared Deauguaro, Wrestling

Jared Deauguaro has had his life come full circle but the name “Adams” has been a constant during his time at both Adams City High School and Adams State University.

A two-time state champion for Adams City in high school, Deauguaro continued his success at the collegiate level as he was a two-time All-American for the Grizzlies. In 2007, Deauguaro won the 184-pound championship while finishing fourth in 2008.

He has since returned to Adams City, where he is the reigning back-to-back Colorado High School Coach of the Year in 5A wrestling and a football coach for the Eagles.

Kyle Sand, Wrestling

One of the most storied names in Colorado wrestling, Kyle Sand, will be enshrined just before he makes his head coaching debut in Grizzly Green. The 2009 184-pound champion was recently named the inaugural Head Women’s Wrestling Coach for the Grizzlies.

He is the only four-time undefeated state champion in Colorado High School history, going a perfect 125-0 while winning 2001, 2002, 2003, and 2004 crowns for the Arvada West High School Wildcats. His 125-match consecutive winning streak is still the second-longest in state history.

After departing Adams State as an athlete, Sand worked in Grand Junction as a youth staff supervisor at Grand Mesa Youth Services Center and Ecogen Laboratories while also serving as the head wrestling coach at Grand Junction High School from 2019-22.

Indira Spence, Track & Field

Indira Spence brought her flash of Jamaican speed to the San Luis Valley as she won five NCAA Division II national titles-two indoors and three outdoors-in her stint in the Grizzly Green. But an even more eye-boggling note is that she is a 19-time All-American.

Spence captured the 60-meter hurdles indoors in the back-to-back seasons of 2010 and 2011. In the outdoor seasons, Spence was a member of the 4x100-meter relay that won in 2008 and 2012. In 2012, Spence won the 100-meter hurdles.

She went on to represent her country at the 2011 World Championships reaching the semifinals, and the 2014 World Indoor Championships.

Arsenia Barksdale, Wrestling

Arsenia Barksdale joins the ASU Athletics Hall of Fame just a couple of months after being inducted into the Jim Koch Division II Wrestling Hall of Fame.

Barksdale was a four-time NCAA Division II All-American, winning a national title at 125 pounds for the Grizzlies as a junior in 2009. He finished third as both a freshman and a senior and was fourth in his sophomore year in 2008. He was also a three-time NCAA Division II regional champion and the region freshman of the year in 2006.

Since graduating from Adams State, Barksdale has coached at both the high school and college level. He coached five All-Americans, two national runners-up, and one national champion while assisting at his alma mater. Also, he helped coach 11 All-Americans and three national sponsors as an assistant at Northwest Kansas Junior College.

Tom Bilotta, Football

One of the best defensive units in ASU history was buoyed by Tom Bilotta. Not only did teams that included Tom Bilotta go 27-10, but he was also a pivotal member of the 1966 Mineral Water Bowl Championship. One of Bilotta’s most impressive highlights includes a 92-yard fumble recovery for a touchdown.

In the 1966 season, Bilotta led the Grizzly defense to hold opponents to 87 rushing yards per game and a miniscule 8.9 points per game.

After having a successful career as an Adams State Indian, Bilotta was drafted in Round 16 of the 1968 NFL Draft by the New York Jets.

Lauren Martin Masterson, Cross Country / Track & Field

Having been around the Adams State Green since before she was even born, everyone knew it was just a matter of time before Lauren Martin Masterson was a member of the storied hall.

After helping the Alamosa High School Mean Moose to a 4x800 meter relay state championship in 2008 and the 2009 Class 3A Colorado State Championship as a team, she was a four-time National Champion, including two at the 2016 NCAA DII Outdoor Track & Field Championships. She was a nine-time All-American, five-time RMAC Champion, and four-time RMAC All-Academic for cross country and track and field.

In addition to being the RMAC Woman of the Year in 2016, she was selected to the NCAA Woman of the Year Top 30 list in a pool of 517 nominees.

She and her husband continue to shape the Alamosa running scene as coaches at Trinidad State Junior College.

Tanya Guarmer, Cross Country / Track & Field

Tanya Guarmer, a Westminster, Colo. native, will join the hall as a 15-time All-American and celebrated every year of her career by earning a national championship.

Guarmer was a 12-time National Champion, including five outdoor and seven indoors. Outdoors she won the 1,500-meter title in 2006 and 2007, both the 3,000-meter and 5,000-meter titles in 2008. Indoors she was a three-time distance medley relay champion (2005, 2006, and 2008), a three-time mile champion (2006, 2007 and 2008) and the 5,000-meter champion in 2008.

In addition, she was a member of four - 2005, 2006, 2007 & 2008 - NCAA Division II Women’s Cross Country Championships.

Jack Ransone, Athletic Training

Jack Ransone, Ph.D., ATC, FACSM, who served as the Head Athletic Trainer for Adams State from 1980-1984, saw his career take off as he is presently working at US Air Force Academy after serving as the Head Athletic Trainer at the College of William and Mary.

Prior appointments include University of Nebraska, the NBA’s San Antonio Spurs, Texas State University, Oklahoma State University and San Jose State. Dr. Ransone has over 30 publications, multi-million-dollar external grant funding, an educational text, four patents and numerous national and international presentations.

Dr. Ransone has also served as an athletic trainer for more than 15 international athletic completions including 2008 and 2012 Olympic Games.

Dr. Ransone holds a PhD in Physiology (Exercise) from the University of New Mexico and obtained Fellowship in American College of Sports Medicine in 2001. Additionally, named a Most Distinguished Athletic Trainer by the National Athletic Trainers Association (NATA) in 2008 and Most Distinguished Athletic Trainer by the Southwest Athletic Trainers Association in 2010.

Dr. Ransone is married to Connie (Calkin) Ransone, Adams State graduate, multiple All-American in Track and Field and member of Adams State Athletic Hall of Fame. They have two boys, Cody working for the Texas Water Commission and Tyler works as a physical therapist for Columbia University Hospital in NYC.

Andrew Graham, Cross Country / Track & Field

Battling adversity is what Andrew Graham is used to, and he has fought his way into the ASU Hall of Fame.

During his running career at ASU, Graham was a four-time National Champion, a 15-time All-American, and was named USTFCCCA’s Division II Indoor Track Male Athlete of the Year. Following his running career, he moved into coaching as a Graduate Assistant at Adams State University.

Graham was paralyzed in an accident at the Cherry Creek Reservoir while visiting his wife, Laura, back in 2014 when he was in his second year as a distance coach at Abilene Christian.

After a year of rehabilitation in America, Graham returned to England in December 2015 and he is the CEO of Gym Possible, a one-of-a-kind gym space, purpose built for wheelchair users including the availability of specialist personal trainers.

1966 Football Team

One of the best football teams to grace Alamosa and Adams State is enshrined. Not only did the 1966 ASU Indians football team finish the season with an 8-2 record, but they also had one of the best defensive teams in ASU history.

The Grizzly defense held defenders to 87 rushing yards per game (2.2 rushing yards per carry) and 8.9 points per game.

Members of the team included seven All-American selections, six NFL Draft selections, and now six Hall of Fame inductees, including ASU Hall of Famer Bill Rakow, ASU Hall of Famer and former NFL Player Don Cockroft, and Ken Walters, who had the first 1,000-yard rushing season in ASU history.

Nicole Goosby, Track & Field

Nicole Goosby has been elected into the hall, but will not be in attendance. She is a eight-time All-American with three in the indoor season and five outdoors.

In addition, she is a two-time NCAA Division II Champion as she captured the 2004 long jump title and he 2005 Distance Medley relay title.

Liz Thomas Hensley - Ted & Janet Morrison Special Citation

One of the biggest supporters of Alamosa as a city councilwoman, of Adams State as the chair of the ASU Business Department and of student-athlete success experience, Liz Thomas Hensley goes above and beyond and has been selected as the 2023 Ted & Janet Morrison Special Citation recipient.

The award is given annually to recognize an individual who continues to impact Adams State University athletics.

Stay tuned to ASUGrizzlies.com for updates and more information on the 2023 Adams State University Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony and weekend.