Marist University Athletics

Marist Athletics Hall of Fame Class of 2026

The Marist University Athletics Department is proud to announce its inaugural Hall of Fame class, honoring the exceptional achievements, championship moments, and transformative impact of Red Fox student-athletes, coaches, teams, and supporters. 

The class features a former NFL standout, an NBA all-star, two legendary MAAC student-athletes, a championship-winning coach with 11 conference titles, and a longtime Trustee whose leadership helped shape the future of Red Fox athletics. 

The six-member class consists of Terrence Fede ’13, Rachele Fitz ’10, Jack Gartland, Brian Giorgis, Rik Smits ’88, and Chris Tracz ’05. The induction ceremony will take place on Friday, Oct. 23, 2026 at the McCann Center in conjunction with Homecoming & Reunion Weekend. The first inductees will have plaques installed and will be part of an enduring annual tradition that pays tribute to Marist's best athletic performers.

Brian Giorgis

As head coach of the Marist women’s basketball program from 2002-23, Giorgis won 11 MAAC championships. This includes the program’s first title in 2004, an unprecedented run of nine straight from 2006-14, and his final one came in 2021. The total of 11 championships is the most of any coach in MAAC women’s basketball history. Giorgis captured 13 MAAC regular-season titles and 8 MAAC Coach of the Year awards.

In 2007, Giorgis became first MAAC coach (women’s or men’s) to lead a team to the NCAA Tournament Sweet 16. He earned five NCAA Tournament wins in his tenure, with four as a double-digit seed.

Giorgis won 463 games in his 21 seasons at the helm, including two seasons of 30+ wins. He guided Marist to a program-record 32 wins in 2007-08, and 31 in 2010-11. The Red Foxes reached the second round of the NCAA Tournament in both seasons.

Giorgis’ teams posted a perfect 18-0 record in MAAC regular-season play three times: 2007-08, 2010-11, and 2012-13.

In 2013, Giorgis was selected to be an assistant coach for Team USA in the World University Games. Team USA captured the gold medal.

Rik Smits

The 7-foot-4 Smits became Marist’s first NBA Draft selection when he was selected second overall by the Indiana Pacers in 1988. He enjoyed a distinguished 12-year NBA playing career, all of which came with the Pacers. Smits was named to the 1998 NBA All-Star Game, and he played in the 2000 NBA Finals in the final year of his career. In the NBA, Smits totaled 12,871 points, 5,277 rebounds, and 1,111 blocked shots. 

In his career at Marist from 1984-88, Smits was named an Associated Press Honorable Mention All-American in 1988. He earned numerous ECAC Metro honors, including Player of the Year twice (1987 and 1988), First Team All-Conference three times (1986, 1987, and 1988), Tournament MVP (1986), and Rookie of the Year (1985).

Smits set 25 school records in his career, including a then-single game scoring record of 45 points in his final collegiate game to match his uniform number, which is retired.

Smits led Marist to its first two NCAA Tournament berths in program history in 1986 and 1987.

Chris Tracz

A pitcher for the Red Foxes from 2001-05, Tracz remains the program’s all-time leader in wins (38), strikeouts (298), starts (56), complete game (14 – tied), innings pitched (379.1), and starts (56) while ranking second in ERA (3.13).

Tracz burst onto the scene as a freshman in 2001, when he was named a Freshman All-American by Louisville Slugger/Baseball America and MAAC Rookie of the Year. He was selected First Team All-Region in 2002 and 2005, and he was honored as MAAC Pitcher of the Year in both seasons.

Tracz underwent Tommy John Surgery in 2004, but he came back in 2005 to lead the Red Foxes to the third MAAC championship of his career, following conference titles in 2001 and 2002. In the 2002 season, Marist set a program record for wins. Tracz allowed just one run over seven innings in Marist’s NCAA Regional opener that season, which the Red Foxes won against Missouri State.

Following his playing career, Tracz served as the Red Foxes’ pitching coach from 2006-08. He returned in 2010 to begin a 13-season run as head coach. Tracz is the Red Foxes’ all-time leader with (313) wins, and he led Marist to a MAAC championship in 2017.