Former football coach George O’Leary heads a seven-member class selected for induction into the Georgia Tech Sports Hall of Fame.
O’Leary was the Yellow Jackets’ head coach from 1994-2001 and compiled a record of 52-33. Joining him in the Class of 2020 are Morgan Burnett (football), Chesson Hadley (golf), Amanda McDowell (tennis), Deck McGuire (baseball), Aileen Morales (softball) and Gail Nevo (swimming).
McDowell won the NCAA women’s singles championship as a sophomore in 2007, the first Tech women’s player to accomplish that feat. Nevo is a three-time Olympian and twice was honored as ACC Swimmer of the Year.
O’Leary was Tech’s defensive coordinator from 1987-91 and in 1994, which includes the 1990 UPI national championship. He succeeded Bill Lewis as interim coach for the final three games of the 1994 season, all losses, but was named coach after the season. He led the Jackets to a 9-3 record in 2000, a 10-win season in 1998 and to three consecutive victories against Georgia from 1998-2000.
Because of the uncertainty surrounding college football because of the coronavirus pandemic, Tech will not conduct an induction ceremony this fall. The Class of 2020 will be inducted in the fall of 2021, with the Class of 2021, which will be elected early next year.
