PENSACOLA, Fla. – The UWF athletics department will welcome three Argonaut legends and a national championship team into the Class of 2022 Athletics Hall of Fame next month.
 
The Class of 2022 UWF Athletics Hall of Fame class includes Otto Bonning (men's golf), Marcela Franco (women's soccer), Patricia Gandolfo (women's volleyball) and the 2012 women's soccer team.
 
An induction ceremony and brunch is planned for Saturday, Oct. 1 at 9:30 a.m. in the UWF Conference Center, and the class will be recognized that evening at Pen Air Field during the Argonauts' football game against North Greenville.
 
Tickets to the ceremony and brunch can be purchased for $40. Contact Karen Emmons at kemmons@uwf.edu for more information.
 
Below are brief bios on the four newest additions to the UWF Athletics Hall of Fame:
 
Otto Bonning, Men's Golf 2007-11
Skanor, Sweden
Bonning was a 4-time All-Gulf South Conference performer, a 3-time All-South Region player and a Third Team All-America in 2010. He finished his career with a 73.45 stroke average, ranking fifth in UWF history at the time (now ranks 14th). Additionally, he had 48 rounds at par or better which is eighth at UWF and is one of only three men's golfers to rank in the top six at UWF in both career birdies (5th with 341) and eagles (4th with 11). His lone individual win at the college level came in the 2011 Bobcat Invitational in Eatonton, Georgia. The Argonauts won the 2008 Division II Men's Golf National Championship his freshman season, along with the 2008 and 2011 GSC titles to bookend his career. He was also named to the 2010s GSC All-Decade Team. Bonning graduated from UWF in 2012 with a degree in Sports Management. He is currently a business development manager for Genius Sports in London.
 
Marcela Franco, Women's Soccer 2005-09
Sao Paulo, Brazil
Franco spent five years in Pensacola and appeared in 92 matches during her four seasons. She totaled 44 goals and 22 assists for 110 points as an Argonaut. She was a 3-time First Team All-GSC selection while grabbing a pair of selections to the GSC All-Tournament Team including being named the Most Outstanding Player in 2006. The midfielder earned six combined All-South Region honors from the coaches and the media, in addition to a pair of three All-America honors. Franco finished among the top 10 in UWF history in career goals (4th), career assists (9th) and career points (4th). She was a 2-time GSC Fall All-Academic Team honoree and was GSC First Team All-Time Team selection for players in the 1990s and 2000s. UWF went 81-6-7 (.899) overall and 25-0 in GSC regular-season play, while winning 3 GSC Tournaments in her four seasons. The Argonauts also appeared in four NCAA Tournaments, reaching the national final in 2008 & national semifinal in 2009. Franco earned her bachelor's degree from UWF in Finance in 2010.
 
Patricia Gandolfo, Women's Volleyball 2008-09
Porto Alegre, Brazil
Gandolfo spent two seasons at UWF, helping the program build on the early seasons of success under the direction of head coach Melissa Wolter. Gandolfo made an impact in both years she was in Pensacola, earning two First Team All-GSC honors, four All-South Region awards and was a Third Team AVCA All-America choice in 2009. She was a force in the GSC and was the league tournament's Most Outstanding Player in 2009. Gandolfo hit .312 in her career to rank fourth in UWF history and was the highest ever for a 2-year player until this past season. She compiled 244 total blocks to rank fourth at UWF (now 11th). The program went 54-21 (.720) overall and 20-2 in GSC regular-season play in her two seasons and she was on UWF's first two GSC Tournament Championship teams. UWF appeared in the 2008 & 2009 NCAA Regional Tournaments, just the third and fourth appearances in program history. Following two seasons as a student assistant, she became the first full-time assistant coach in program history, a position she held from 2012-18. She earned a bachelor's degree in Advertising from UWF and later added a master's in Physical Education and Human Performance. She is currently the head women's volleyball coach at Pensacola State College.
 
2012 Women's Soccer
In 2008 and 2009, the women's soccer program advanced to the national semifinal and championship matches but were unable to reach the ultimate prize of the championship. The 2012 captains – Tori Fish and Monica Malavasi – were not going to let UWF endure that pain again. The duo helped mold the group of exceptionally talented individuals into a team-first mentality while putting their egos aside. The formula worked as UWF went 24-1 on its way to the program's first-ever national championship. The team won its first 11 games before a 1-0 loss to top-ranked Armstrong on Oct. 8. A players-only meeting followed as the group reaffirmed their commitment to the season. The Argos never lost again, including getting revenge against Armstrong with a 1-0 decision at home in the national quarterfinals before defeating Saint Rose in overtime in the semifinal and UC San Diego in the championship. Five players were named All-America, led by NSCAA National Player of the Year Chelsea Palmer. Head coach Joe Bartlinski was named the National Coach of the Year for the second time in five seasons.