Bowling Green State University Athletics
Andy Tracy: 2006 BGSU Hall of Fame Inductee
September 07, 2006 | General
Sept. 7, 2006
BOWLING GREEN, Ohio - The Bowling Green State University Athletics Hall of Fame will welcome nine new members TOMORROW (Friday, Sept. 8). The 2006 class will be inducted during a formal dinner on the BGSU campus.
The class of 2006 includes Sara Collas '90 (women's cross country/track and field), Carlyn Esslinger '96 (volleyball), Steve Klein '98 (men's soccer), Brian Leaver '95 (football), Carla Marshack '92 (women's tennis), Jim McDonald '59 (men's basketball), Megan McGuire '91 (women's basketball and volleyball), Vince Palko '95 (football) and Andy Tracy (football and baseball).
The official induction ceremony will take place Friday evening in the grand ballroom of BGSU's Bowen-Thompson Student Union. The social hour begins at 6:00 p.m., with dinner served at 7:00 p.m. and the program starting shortly thereafter.
In addition, the class will be introduced at halftime of Saturday's (Sept. 9) BGSU-Buffalo football game at Doyt Perry Stadium. The game begins at 3:00 p.m. and is designated as Hall of Fame Day.
Tickets for Friday's dinner are $35 ($30 for Varsity BG members), and advanced reservations are preferred. Tickets can be reserved by calling the Falcon Club office at (419) 372-7100. Football game tickets can be purchased through the ticket office by phone, at 1-877-BGSUTICKET, or on the web at www.BGSUFalcons.com.
The public is invited to attend the induction dinner. As mentioned, reservations are encouraged, but walk-ups are welcomed as well.
The following is the ninth of a nine-part series that takes a look at this year's inductees...
ANDY TRACY (baseball and football; 1993-96)
Andy Tracy, a native of Bowling Green, Ohio, is the top home-run hitter in BGSU baseball history, with 45 in his career. An All-MAC and All-Mideast Region First-Team selection as a senior in 1996, he led the MAC and finished ninth in the nation in slugging percentage that spring (.777), while ranking among the conference leaders in virtually every offensive category. A four-year starter on the diamond, Tracy started his career with a bang, being named the MAC's Freshman of the Year in 1993. He was an all-league honorable-mention choice as both a freshman and a soph. As a junior in '95, he tied the school seasonal record with 15 homers, including four in a seven-inning contest vs. Wright State. Primarily a third baseman, Tracy also pitched in each of his four years at BG.
Additionally, Tracy was a four-year letterwinner in football, earning all-league honorable mention as a senior punter in 1995. That fall, he averaged 41.7 yards per kick to rank third in the MAC. Tracy finished his gridiron career with an average of 40.4 yards per boot. He still ranks sixth in BGSU career history in both punting yardage and average. His name, of course, remains throughout the baseball record book as well, as Tracy is still tied for the BGSU career lead in homers, and ranks among the all-time top 10 in runs scored, total bases, walks and RBI.
He has played professional baseball since leaving BGSU, and has played in the Montreal Expos, Colorado Rockies and New York Mets organizations. Tracy also spent the bulk of the 2005 season playing for the Tohoku Rakuten Eagles in Japan's Pacific League.
Tracy is currently in the Baltimore Orioles organization, and has played with the Ottawa Lynx, the Orioles' AAA affiliate in the International League.
