Dallas 2016 Hall of Fame Class Introduced Sunday
IRVING, Texas – On Sunday the University of Dallas recognized three former student-athletes being inducted into the Hall of Fame. Edgar Tavares was selected for men’s soccer, Kelli Fuentes was selected for volleyball, and Bastian Vaandrager was selected for men’s tennis. This trio becomes the 19th class - since the first in 1998 - to introduce former Crusaders into the Dallas Athletics Hall of Fame. The total number of inductees has now reached 67 after Sunday’s ceremony.
Plaques were presented at the luncheon held at the Rathskeller on the campus of the university, and a few moments were dedicated for each inductee to reflect on their time at the Dallas.
Fuentes was the mainstay of UD volleyball from 2007 to 2010, claiming three most valuable player awards in the time. In 2008 she led the Crusaders to the championship of the North Eastern Athletic Conference (NEAC), being named the conference tournament most valuable player and taking the team to the NCAA tournament for the only time. In 2010 she led the team to the best record in school history with a 26-11 .702 mark. At the start of this season, she had the most digs, 2438 in school history, 2nd in digs per game (4.97) and is 4th in games played (491). She was 1st team All-NEAC selection as well as 1st team selection for The Association of Division Three Independents.
“UD gave me so much more than athletics,” Fuentes commented on her experience at UD. “You get so many more life experiences. The classes here, studying abroad, the community you get here and not anywhere else. It truly is a one-of-a-kind place.”
Tavares was the midfield engine on the University of Dallas men’s soccer team that won the United States Collegiate Athletic Association (USCAA) championship in 2002, the first men’s soccer championship in UD soccer history. 2002 also marked his selection to the USCAA All-America Team. In his UD career of 69 games, he scored 10 goals and had 28 assists for a total of 48 points. His career assists place him 4th on the UD career list. He holds the school single game record for assists with 8 against St. Mary’s College of Kansas. That ties him for second on the NCAA Division III record list for assists in a game. He also tied for most assists in a UD season with 16.
“UD meant everything to me. I met my wife here and made many great friends here,” Tavares reflected. “The job that I have now I have because of the network I built here. [UD] is a great place and great education. I am excited to see the University continue to grow and I am excited to maintain the relationships that were afforded to me.”
Vaandrager played tennis at the University of Dallas in the late 1970’s at a time when the men’s tennis team competed favorably with the best collegiate tennis teams in the southwest. The 1979 team holds the school record for most wins and on an individual basis he was a quarter finalist in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) doubles championship. In his UD career he holds the 3rd best career winning percentage in singles. In 1980 he was ranked 333rd in the world in singles.
Unfortunately Vaandrager was unable to attend the induction, and Athletics Director Dick Strockbine spoke on his behalf. Strockbine highlighted Vaandrager - recruited from the Netherlands’ - came over to the institution and performed highly against several NCAA Division I programs at the time. This list included but was not limited to: University of North Texas, TCU, Baylor University, and Trinity University.