*Courtesy Tulane Sports Information
NEW ORLEANS — The 2023 Tulane Athletics Hall of Fame class was announced today by Director of Athletics Troy Dannen and Hall of Fame Committee Chair Lenny Vangilder.
The five former student-athletes that were selected to the 2023 class include: football’s Orleans Darkwa (2010-13) and Ryan Griffin (2009-12), men’s basketball’s Carlin Hartman (1990-94), volleyball’s Britney Hurst (1990-2002) and baseball’s Billy Mohl (2003-09). In addition, the 1958-59 national champion men’s tennis team will also be inducted.
The Billy Slatten Award, given annually to someone who has given extraordinary service, commitment and support to Tulane University and its student-athletes, will be presented to the former Tulane broadcaster Todd Graffagnini for his longtime service as Voice of the Green Wave. This award was established in 2004 in honor of William A. “Billy” Slatten, a longtime supporter of Tulane Athletics, a member of the Tulane Board of Trustees and the Intercollegiate Athletics Committee.
“This class consists of some of the finest Tulanians in our history,” Dannen said. “These inductees boast accomplishments that are truly admired by everyone in the Green Wave family. We are thrilled to have them back on campus in September.”
New for this year’s ceremony will be the introduction of the Don and Lora Peters Career Achievement Award. This award honors a former Tulane student-athlete who earned his or her undergraduate degree while competing for the Green Wave. The recipient has combined his/her athletic experience with their Tulane education to achieve a career of distinction in an athletics-related field. Receiving the 2023 award will be Andrew Friedman, President of Baseball Operations for the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Donald “Don” J. Peters (’81) and his wife, Lora, have been passionate supporters of Tulane Athletics for many years and have especially focused on enhancing the student-athlete experience. Their philanthropic legacy is a tribute to the values and perseverance of our student-athletes. In recognition of their steadfast support and dedication, and their commitment to helping prepare student-athletes for their futures post-graduation, this award is named in their honor.
The induction ceremony for the 2023 Hall of Fame Class has been set for Friday, September 29 inside the Glazer Family Club.
2023 Tulane Athletics Hall of Fame Class
Orleans Darkwa (Football, 2010-13)
• One of the most prolific running backs ever at Tulane, whose 39 rushing touchdowns are tied for the most in school history
• Ended his career with 2,953 rushing yards, fourth-most in school history, on 663 carries, and added 77 catches for 595 receiving yards
• One of four players in school history (Eddie Price, Mewelde Moore, Matt Forte) to lead Tulane in rushing four consecutive seasons, including a school freshman record 925 rushing yards in 2010
• Ten career 100-yard rushing games ranks fifth in school history
• Had three different seasons of 10 or more rushing touchdowns
• Finished his career with three-touchdown performance vs. Louisiana in 2013 R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl, becoming only player in bowl history from non-winning team to be voted MVP
• Played four seasons in NFL with Dolphins and Giants
Ryan Griffin, Football, 2009-12
• Four-year letterman played in 42 games with 39 starts
• Completed 836-of-1,396 passes (.599) for 9,026 yards, 56 touchdowns and 35 interceptions while catching a pass for 15 yards and scoring one rushing touchdown during his career.
• Set Tulane career records in pass attempts, completions, completion percentage while finishing second in passing yards, passing yards per game (214.90), pass attempts per game (33.24), completions per game (19.83) and 300-yard passing games (10), fourth in touchdown passes, fifth in touchdown passes per game (1.333), sixth in passing efficiency (122.40), eighth in lowest interception percentage (4.19) and 10th in yards per pass attempt (6.465).
• Sits second in Green Wave single-season history in passing yards per game (307.88 in 2012) and completions per game (27.22 in 2012), second and eighth in pass attempts per game (43.8 in 2012 and 33.8 in 2010), fourth, ninth and tied for 10th in completions (245 in 2012, 227 in 2011 and 223 in 2010), fifth, eighth and 10th in pass attempts (408 in 2011, 394 in 2012 and 372 in 2010), fifth and tied for ninth in completion percentage (.622 in 2012 and .599 in 2010), sixth in touchdown passes per game (2.22 in 2012), seventh in passing yards (2,771 in 2012), seventh and ninth in touchdown-to-interception ratio (1.818 in 2012 and 1.750 in 2010), eighth in passing efficiency (132.43 in 2012), 10th in yards per pass attempt (7.033 in 2012) and tied for 10th in touchdown passes (20 in 2012).
• Holds Tulane single game records in pass attempts (66 at Houston on 11/24/12) and passing yards (476 vs Rice on 11/3/12).
• Named honorable-mention All-Conference USA after leading the team in total offense (2644)
• Has been on an NFL roster for each of the last 10 years with Saints and Buccaneers.
Carlin Hartman, Men’s Basketball, 1990-94
• Played on NCAA Tournament teams as sophomore and junior and reached NIT as a senior, winning a first-round game in each of those postseason tournaments.
• Began his Tulane career as a member of the famed “Posse” before moving into the starting lineup for his final two seasons.
• Ended his career with 1,180 points, currently No. 23 in Tulane history, and 538 rebounds.
• Career field goal percentage of .526 ranks fourth all-time in school history and his 269 offensive rebounds are fifth-most over the last three decades.
• Had six points and 11 rebounds in 23 minutes in Tulane’s first-ever NCAA Tournament win over St. John’s in 1992.
• Named to Metro Conference All-Freshman team in 1991.
• Part of 1991-92 team that was inducted as team into Tulane Athletic Hall of Fame Class of 2020.
• Has become a successful college coach in his post-playing days and now serves as associate head coach at Florida.
Britney Hurst, Volleyball, 1999-2002
• Baton Rouge product who played four seasons at Tulane and was named Louisiana Player of the Year as a senior.
• Twice earned first-team All-Louisiana and second-team All-Conference USA.
• As a senior, set single-season records for Tulane in kills (692) and digs (464), while posting five of the top 10 single-match kill totals in school history, including a record 37 kills vs. Bowling Green.
• As a junior, led Tulane in kills (485), kills per game (4.85) and attack percentage (.285) while finishing second on the squad in digs (336), digs per game (3.17) and service aces (30).
• Career average of 4.26 kills per set ranks second in school history.
Billy Mohl, Baseball, 2003-06; Baseball Assistant Coach, 2007-09
• Closed his career with 25 and 224 strikeouts.
• Still ranks in the all-time top 10 in wins (25) and innings pitched (308.0).
• Helped his team to four Regionals, two Super Regionals and a College World Series.
• Saved his best year for his senior season when he posted career bests in nearly every statistical category
• In 2006, he was a second-team All-Louisiana selection, paced the team in wins (9-0) while ranking second in ERA (4.03) and innings pitched (105.0), and third in opponent batting average (.275) and strikeouts (67).
• With a 9-0 record in his final year, Mohl became just the second regular starter in school history to go undefeated to tie Jason Navarro’s (11-0 in 1996) single-season winning percentage.
• Set the Tulane single-season and career record for fewest walks-per-nine-inning average with marks of 1.27 (in 2003) and 1.67, respectively. He is the only Green Wave hurler to hold four of the Top 10 spots on the single-season walks-per-game list, and completed his career ranked tied for fourth in school history in games started (44), fifth in winning percentage (.781), sixth in innings pitched (308.0), eighth in appearances (71) and tied for eighth in wins (25).
• Earned C-USA All-Freshman Team honors in 2003 for his accomplishments as a rookie.
• Currently serves as the head coach of the University of South Florida baseball team.
• Has raised over $125,000 in cancer research after the loss of his wife Sarah (a 2007 Tulane graduate).
1958-59 Men’s Tennis Team
• 1959 NCAA team champions (only NCAA team championship in Tulane history).
• 1959 SEC Team Champions.
• Had two first-team All-Americans in Crawford Henry and Ron Holmberg.
• Henry/Holmberg were the NCAA Doubles champions and SEC doubles champions at #1.
• Carl Goodman and Bob Hardcastle were SEC doubles champions at #3.
• Henry and Holmberg were also SEC Singles Champions at #1 and #3.
Billy Slatten Award
Todd Graffagnini
• Served as the “Voice of the Green Wave” from 2007-19 where he called men’s basketball, football and baseball games for the Green Wave.
• Served as the full-time baseball radio play-by-play broadcaster at Tulane University since 1994.
• He also hosted the Tulane coaches’ television and radio shows.
• Called some of Green Wave baseball’s biggest games, including the team’s appearances in the 2001 and 2005 College World Series.
• A fan favorite among Tulane supporters, Graffagnini would often take time out of his day to promote the Green Wave to local, regional and national radio shows to promote the Green Wave and their accomplishments.
• A graduate of Jesuit High School and Loyola University in New Orleans, Graffagnini has also served as the studio host for the New Orleans Hornets (2002-05) as well as a play-by-play announcer and color analyst for Minor League Baseball’s New Orleans Zephyrs in 2001.
• Currently serves as the play-by-play voice for the New Orleans Pelicans.
Don and Lora Peters Career Achievement Award
Andrew Friedman
• Named Executive of the Year in 2008 and 2020 by The Sporting News
• President of Baseball Operations of the Los Angeles Dodgers since October of 2014.
• Previously served as Executive Vice President, Baseball Operations for the Tampa Bay Rays
• Also served as an analyst with Bear Stearns from 1999–2001 and then was an associate at MidMark Capital, a private equity firm, from 2001-04.
• Played outfield for the Green Wave’s baseball team in 1995-96.
• Earned a B.S. in management with a concentration in finance at Tulane’s Freeman School of Business in 1999.
