The University of Toledo Varsity T Club announced its 2023 Hall of Fame inductees Monday.
Members of the Class of 2023 include seven former student-athletes: Henry Burch, Football (1963-66); Andola Dortch, Women’s Basketball (2009-14); Justin Drummond, Men’s Basketball (2013-15); Claire Leichty, Women’s Swimming and Diving (2008-12); Rick Isaiah, Football (1987-1990); David Menefee, Football (1978-81); and Chris Selfridge, Men’s Golf (2011-15).
The 2023 Varsity T Hall of Fame induction banquet is scheduled for Friday, Sept. 22, at The Premier, 4480 Heatherdowns Blvd. in Toledo. The class also is scheduled be introduced at halftime of the Rockets’ football game vs. Western Michigan on Sept. 23.
Receiving the Distinguished Service Award from the Varsity T Club is Tom Guitteau, a former Rocket football player and longtime supporter of Toledo Athletics.
Tickets for the Varsity T Hall of Fame induction dinner are $45 or $450 for a table of 10 and can be purchased by calling the Athletic Development Office at 419.530.5087.
Tickets for Rocket football games can be purchased at the Athletic Ticket Office, online at UTRockets.com/tix, or by calling/texting 419-530-GOLD (4653).
The 2023 Varsity T Hall of Fame inductees are as follows:
Henry “Hank” Burch, Football (1963-66)
Henry “Hank” Burch was a three-time letterwinner from 1964-66, earning first-team All-MAC honors as an offensive end as a senior in 1966. He led the Rockets in receptions in each of his three seasons on the varsity, compiling 121 catches and 1,217 receiving yards, both school records at the time. After recovering from knee surgery in 1963, Burch led the MAC with 47 receptions and 412 receiving yards as a sophomore in 1964. He led the MAC again in 1965 with 36 receptions to go with 325 receiving yards. In 1966, he caught 38 passes, third-best in the MAC, and set the then-school record with 480 receiving yards. During his freshman and sophomore years, he also was on the UT basketball team. When his playing career ended, he had more career receptions than any college player in the state of Ohio, shattering the previous mark of 81 set by Cincinnati’s Jim Kelley (1948-50). After graduating in 1967, Henry coached football briefly at Lakota High School and Toledo Woodward High School. He left the U.S. postal service to become an ordained minister at a Lutheran church in Fremont, Ohio. Burch is now retired from the ministry and lives in Burgoon, Ohio.
Andola Dortch, Women’s Basketball (2009-14)
Andola Dortch was a three-time All-MAC player who twice was named MAC Defensive Player of the Year in her four-year career. As a senior, Dortch was a finalist for the Nancy Lieberman Award, recognizing the top point guard in the country. Dortch, who battled through two torn ACL injuries during her career, is tied for 13th all time in school history with 1,454 points. She is second in Toledo annals in career games played (136), third in career steals (293) and sixth in career assists (553). She was a key part of regular-season MAC Champions in 2011 and 2013; the 2011 team won the WNIT Championship. During her four seasons, the Rockets went 98-38, an average of 24.5 wins per season. After redshirting in 2009-10, Dortch moved into the starting lineup in 2010-11 and was named to the MAC All-Freshman Team. She averaged 6.6 points, 3.6 rebounds, 2.6 assists and a team-best 1.7 steals. She led the team with nine rebounds and three steals in the WNIT Championship Game vs. USC that season. As a sophomore, Dortch was named MAC Defensive Player of the Year and was voted second-team All-MAC. She led the Rockets with 13.6 points, 4.8 assists and 2.0 steals per game. Toledo advanced to the quarterfinals of the WNIT that season, losing to Syracuse in overtime; Dortch scored 23 points and added five assists, five rebounds and four steals in that game. In 2012-13, Dortch earned first-team All-MAC honors and was again named MAC Defensive Player of the Year. She averaged 10.7 points, 4.8 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 2.7 steals. The Rockets advanced to the third round of the WNIT before falling to Illinois. Dortch earned third-team All-MAC honors as a senior, averaging 12.3 points, 4.1 rebounds, 5.6 assists and 2.4 steals. For overcoming her injuries, Dortch was awarded the Chuck Ealey Undefeated Spirit Award in 2012. She earned her bachelor’s degree in information systems and her master’s degree in recreation and leisure studies. Dortch played professional basketball in Latvia and Belarus, helping both teams to league titles and earning Defensive Player of the Year for her Belarussian team.
Justin Drummond, Men’s Basketball (2013-15)
Justin Drummond was a two-time All-MAC guard who served as a captain for a Toledo squad that posted 47 victories in his two seasons (2013-14, 2014-15) in a Rocket uniform. In his junior season, Drummond helped lead the Rockets to a school-record 27 victories and a Mid-American Conference championship by averaging 14.2 ppg, 5.2 rpg and 2.7 apg in 27.5 mpg en route to earning third-team All-MAC honors for one of the highest-scoring teams in the nation. The Rockets posted a 20-11 record when Drummond was a senior, and he repeated as a third-team All-MAC selection by averaging 13.1 ppg and 4.6 rpg. Drummond scored in double digits in 53 of 65 games during his Rocket career and topped the 20-point mark on eight occasions. He scored a career-high 28 points and grabbed eight rebounds in a big late-season win over Western Michigan that helped Toledo share the 2013-14 league title with the Broncos. Drummond established his own cyber security and training technology firm near his hometown in Washington, D.C. in 2013. He was one of seven former NCAA basketball players featured as “Off Court Champs” as part of Dove Men+Care’s Commit to C.A.R.E. Now Initiative in 2021 for his success as a businessman.
Rick Isaiah, Football (1987-1990)
Richard “Rick” Isaiah lettered as a wide receiver from 1987-1990, earning first-team All-MAC honors in both his junior and senior seasons. Isaiah also served as the co-captain of the 1990 MAC Champion Rockets as a senior. He led the Rockets in pass receptions for three consecutive season: 1988 (25), 1989 (46) and 1990 (49). Isaiah was in the Top 10 on UT’s career list for pass reception yardage (1,939) and receptions (126) at the end of his career. After graduating, Isaiah was signed by the NFL’s Cincinnati Bengals for the 1992 season. He graduated from UT in 1991 with a degree in communication. Isaiah has worked for the Fellowship of Christian Athletes since 1999 and served as the chaplain for the Rockets during the coaching tenures of Tom Amstutz, Tim Beckman and Matt Campbell.
Claire Leichty, Women’s Swimming and Diving (2008-12)
Claire Leichty was a three-time All-MAC swimmer who won four MAC Championship titles and still holds the school record in the 1000 freestyle and 1650 freestyle. She was part of teams that won the 2009-10 and 2011-12 MAC Championships, the only league titles in school history. As a sophomore, Leichty finished in third place in the 1650 freestyle and seventh place in the 500 freestyle at the MAC Championships, making second-team All-MAC and helping the Rockets win their first-ever MAC title. A year later, she took the MAC crown in the 1650 freestyle and came in fourth in the 500 freestyle, earning first-team All-MAC honors. As a senior, Leichty captured the gold in both the 1650 and 500 freestyle at MACs, as well as being a part of the first-place 800 freestyle relay team, as the Rockets again won the league title. She set the pool record in all three events, as well as the MAC meet record in the 1650. A first-team All-MAC selection and first-team Mid-Major All-America pick by Collegeswimming.org, Leichty qualified for the NCAA Championships in the 500 and 1650 freestyle. A three-time Academic All-MAC honoree, Leichty was a CSCAA Scholar All-American in 2010. She had 50 top-five finishes in her four-year Rocket career. She received her bachelor’s degree in special education from UT in 2012, graduating Magna Cum Laude. She went on to receive her master’s degree in special education from Ball State in 2015, where she studied autism and applied behavioral analysis. She has been a special education teacher since 2015, specializing in students with autism. Leichty has remained active in swimming as a club, middle school and high school coach.
David Menefee, Football (1978-81)
David Menefee was a three-time All-MAC selection on the offensive line from 1978-81, earning second-team All-MAC as a sophomore and junior, and first-team all-league as a senior. A four-year starter, Menefee was a key member of the 1981 MAC Championship team that went 9-3, 8-1 in MAC play and went on to win the California Bowl over San Jose State. After graduation, he signed a free-agent contract with the Dallas Cowboys. Menefee graduated from UT with a bachelor’s degree in business and was a firefighter/paramedic for the city of Toledo for 32 years before retiring.
Chris Selfridge, Men’s Golf (2011-15)
Chris Selfridge was a four-time All-MAC player who was named MAC Men’s Golfer of the Year in 2015. His career scoring mark of 73.1 is the second-best of all-time at UT behind Hall of Famer Brad Heaven’s 72.4. Selfridge earned MAC Freshman of the Year honors and second-team All-MAC accolades in 2012, leading the team with a 74.3 stroke average. He finished the season with three straight top-10 finishes, including a one-under par 215 score for third place at the MAC Championships. As a sophomore, Selfridge earned first-team All-MAC and Ping Midwest All-Region honors. This time he came in second at the MACs with a one-over par 289. He led the MAC with a 72.1 stroke average, and earned a berth at the NCAA Regionals, where he came in 25th place. As a junior, Selfridge once again made first-team All-MAC, as well as Academic All-MAC and GCAA All-America Scholar. He made first-team All-MAC for the third time as senior, and also was named MAC Men’s Golfer of the Year as he ranked No. 1 in the league with a 72.4 stroke average. Selfridge finished the spring season with four straight top-six finishes, including a fourth-place showing at the MAC Championships. He was named MAC Golfer of the Week seven times in his career and posted 12 top-five finishes.
