Tulane Athletics Announces 2026 Hall of Fame Class
May 19, 2026 | General
NEW ORLEANS – The 2026 Tulane Athletics Hall of Fame class was announced today by Ben Weiner Director of Athletics Chair David Harris and Hall of Fame Committee Chair Lenny Vangilder.
The class includes: women's golf's Meghan Bolger (1996-2000), football's Lorenzo Doss (2012-14), baseball's Jason Fitzgerald (1995-97) and tennis's Mariam Kurdadze (2008-12).
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 retiring Director of Bands Barry Spanier. 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.
Bret Just, a partner at William Morris Endeavor (WME), is the 2026 recipient 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. This award was established in 2023 to recognize Donald "Don" and Lora Peters in acknowledgement of their steadfast support and dedication, and their commitment to helping prepare student-athletes for their futures post-graduation.
"We have the privilege of celebrating another distinguished group of individuals who have left an indelible mark on our program," Harris said. "Time and again, I am inspired by those whose dedication and achievements have shaped the legacy of Tulane Athletics. We look forward to honoring their contributions and welcoming them home in September. Roll Wave!"
The induction ceremony for the 2026 Hall of Fame Class is set for Friday, September 25, followed by in-game recognition as the Green Wave takes on Southern Miss inside Yulman Stadium on Saturday, September 26.
Meghan Bolger (Women's Golf, 1996-2000)
• Two-time All-Conference USA selection
• Set the career stroke average record while at Tulane (since broken)
• Led Tulane women's golf program to its first NCAA regional berth
• Continued successful amateur career after college, winning four U.S. Women's Mid-Amateur Championships (2006, 2007, 2010, 2012) and Philadelphia Women's Amateurs
• Played in four U.S. Women's Opens
• Represented winning USA Team for the Curtis Cup at St. Andrews
• Will serve as captain of the USA Team for the 2026 Curtis Cup in June
• Was head coach at Ole Miss for seven years
• Member of Florida State Golf Hall of Fame
Lorenzo Doss (Football, 2012-14)
• Big play cornerback at Tulane who went on to play five NFL seasons
• Ranks third in school history with 15 career interceptions and holds four other interception records: return yards in a season (185 in 2013) and career (271), and interception returns for touchdowns in a season (2, 2013) and career (2)
• Had seven interceptions in 2013, tied for sixth in school history and second-most by a Tulane player in last half-century
• Was a second-team All-America by several publications in 2013
• Named first-team All-Conference USA in 2013 and second-team All-American Conference in 2014
• Earned CUSA All-Freshman honors in 2012
• Selected in the fifth round of the 2015 NFL Draft by the Denver Broncos
• Played three seasons with the Broncos (2015-17), where he was a part of the Super Bowl 50 champions, and two with the Carolina Panthers (2018-19)
Jason Fitzgerald (Baseball, 1995-97)
• Career .347 hitter with 36 home runs and 172 RBI at Tulane
• Ranks in Tulane career top 10 in doubles (58, 8th) and in single-season top 10s in doubles, triples, home runs, RBI and slugging percentage
• Third-team All-American in 1997 by Baseball America after hitting .387 with 20 home runs and 79 RBI
• First-team All-Conference USA in 1997 and second-team All-CUSA in 1996, when he led Tulane in hitting each season
• Three-time all-conference tournament selection: 1995 in Metro and 1996-97 in Conference USA
• Most Valuable Player of the inaugural Conference USA Tournament in Hattiesburg, Miss., in 1996, when he hit a key grand slam in winner's bracket game against Southern Miss
• Taken with the 41st overall pick (sandwich round) by Cleveland in the 1997 MLB Draft
Mariam Kurdadze (Women's Tennis, 2008-12)
• Four-time All-Conference USA and All-Louisiana selection who consistently played at No. 1 throughout her career
• Native of the Republic of Georgia was named Louisiana Freshman of the Year in 2009 and the state's Player of the Year as a senior, the first Tulane player to earn such honors since 2004
• Had career records of 91-38 in singles and 79-31 in doubles
• Ranked No. 7 in the Southern Region in both singles and doubles as a senior
• 2012 recipient of CUSA Spirit of Service Award, designed to recognize the community service efforts of the league's student-athletes
Barry Spanier, Director of Bands (2004-25) – Billy Slatten Award
• Came to Tulane in 2004 to re-launch a dormant marching band program
• Remained with the university for 21 years as Director of Bands before his retirement at the conclusion of 2025 football season
• Has built TUMB into more than 100 members, the largest in school history
• Led and produced music for some of the world's most prominent cultural events, including two Olympic Games, a World Exposition, and major international festivals
Bret Just, Men's Basketball (1990-93) – Don and Lora Peters Career Achievement Award
• Chicago native who was a popular walk-on player on Tulane's first two NCAA men's basketball tournament teams
• After graduation, joined his father's firm and later spent eight years as a high school basketball coach before re-joining the agent business in 2010 with Creative Artists Agency
• In the decade-plus since, he has become one of the most important figures in basketball, representing coaches throughout the sport – men's and women's college basketball and the NBA
• Left CAA for another mega-firm, WME, in 2019
• In 2017, was named one of the top five most powerful people in college basketball in a CBS Sports poll
GREEN WAVE CLUB
Giving to the Green Wave Club provides Tulane Athletics with the resources student‑athletes need to excel in competition and in the classroom. Your support directly improves the lives of current and future Green Wave student‑athletes and enhances Tulane's competitiveness in intercollegiate athletics. Make a gift today by calling (504) 865‑5356, emailing greenwaveclub@tulane.edu, or visiting GreenWaveClub.com.
The class includes: women's golf's Meghan Bolger (1996-2000), football's Lorenzo Doss (2012-14), baseball's Jason Fitzgerald (1995-97) and tennis's Mariam Kurdadze (2008-12).
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 retiring Director of Bands Barry Spanier. 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.
Bret Just, a partner at William Morris Endeavor (WME), is the 2026 recipient 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. This award was established in 2023 to recognize Donald "Don" and Lora Peters in acknowledgement of their steadfast support and dedication, and their commitment to helping prepare student-athletes for their futures post-graduation.
"We have the privilege of celebrating another distinguished group of individuals who have left an indelible mark on our program," Harris said. "Time and again, I am inspired by those whose dedication and achievements have shaped the legacy of Tulane Athletics. We look forward to honoring their contributions and welcoming them home in September. Roll Wave!"
The induction ceremony for the 2026 Hall of Fame Class is set for Friday, September 25, followed by in-game recognition as the Green Wave takes on Southern Miss inside Yulman Stadium on Saturday, September 26.
Meghan Bolger (Women's Golf, 1996-2000)
• Two-time All-Conference USA selection
• Set the career stroke average record while at Tulane (since broken)
• Led Tulane women's golf program to its first NCAA regional berth
• Continued successful amateur career after college, winning four U.S. Women's Mid-Amateur Championships (2006, 2007, 2010, 2012) and Philadelphia Women's Amateurs
• Played in four U.S. Women's Opens
• Represented winning USA Team for the Curtis Cup at St. Andrews
• Will serve as captain of the USA Team for the 2026 Curtis Cup in June
• Was head coach at Ole Miss for seven years
• Member of Florida State Golf Hall of Fame
Lorenzo Doss (Football, 2012-14)
• Big play cornerback at Tulane who went on to play five NFL seasons
• Ranks third in school history with 15 career interceptions and holds four other interception records: return yards in a season (185 in 2013) and career (271), and interception returns for touchdowns in a season (2, 2013) and career (2)
• Had seven interceptions in 2013, tied for sixth in school history and second-most by a Tulane player in last half-century
• Was a second-team All-America by several publications in 2013
• Named first-team All-Conference USA in 2013 and second-team All-American Conference in 2014
• Earned CUSA All-Freshman honors in 2012
• Selected in the fifth round of the 2015 NFL Draft by the Denver Broncos
• Played three seasons with the Broncos (2015-17), where he was a part of the Super Bowl 50 champions, and two with the Carolina Panthers (2018-19)
Jason Fitzgerald (Baseball, 1995-97)
• Career .347 hitter with 36 home runs and 172 RBI at Tulane
• Ranks in Tulane career top 10 in doubles (58, 8th) and in single-season top 10s in doubles, triples, home runs, RBI and slugging percentage
• Third-team All-American in 1997 by Baseball America after hitting .387 with 20 home runs and 79 RBI
• First-team All-Conference USA in 1997 and second-team All-CUSA in 1996, when he led Tulane in hitting each season
• Three-time all-conference tournament selection: 1995 in Metro and 1996-97 in Conference USA
• Most Valuable Player of the inaugural Conference USA Tournament in Hattiesburg, Miss., in 1996, when he hit a key grand slam in winner's bracket game against Southern Miss
• Taken with the 41st overall pick (sandwich round) by Cleveland in the 1997 MLB Draft
Mariam Kurdadze (Women's Tennis, 2008-12)
• Four-time All-Conference USA and All-Louisiana selection who consistently played at No. 1 throughout her career
• Native of the Republic of Georgia was named Louisiana Freshman of the Year in 2009 and the state's Player of the Year as a senior, the first Tulane player to earn such honors since 2004
• Had career records of 91-38 in singles and 79-31 in doubles
• Ranked No. 7 in the Southern Region in both singles and doubles as a senior
• 2012 recipient of CUSA Spirit of Service Award, designed to recognize the community service efforts of the league's student-athletes
Barry Spanier, Director of Bands (2004-25) – Billy Slatten Award
• Came to Tulane in 2004 to re-launch a dormant marching band program
• Remained with the university for 21 years as Director of Bands before his retirement at the conclusion of 2025 football season
• Has built TUMB into more than 100 members, the largest in school history
• Led and produced music for some of the world's most prominent cultural events, including two Olympic Games, a World Exposition, and major international festivals
Bret Just, Men's Basketball (1990-93) – Don and Lora Peters Career Achievement Award
• Chicago native who was a popular walk-on player on Tulane's first two NCAA men's basketball tournament teams
• After graduation, joined his father's firm and later spent eight years as a high school basketball coach before re-joining the agent business in 2010 with Creative Artists Agency
• In the decade-plus since, he has become one of the most important figures in basketball, representing coaches throughout the sport – men's and women's college basketball and the NBA
• Left CAA for another mega-firm, WME, in 2019
• In 2017, was named one of the top five most powerful people in college basketball in a CBS Sports poll
GREEN WAVE CLUB
Giving to the Green Wave Club provides Tulane Athletics with the resources student‑athletes need to excel in competition and in the classroom. Your support directly improves the lives of current and future Green Wave student‑athletes and enhances Tulane's competitiveness in intercollegiate athletics. Make a gift today by calling (504) 865‑5356, emailing greenwaveclub@tulane.edu, or visiting GreenWaveClub.com.
"What's Next?" - Welcome to Uptown: Off-Season 2026 - Episode 3
Friday, May 01
Players Only Podcast - Jude Abbadessa & Sam Larson
Monday, April 13
"Who Are We Going To Be?" - Welcome to Uptown: Off-Season 2026 - Episode 2
Thursday, April 09
Give Green Thank You
Thursday, April 09
