Tan inducted into UOG Athletic Hall of Fame

Top photo shows Northern Marianas Sports Association president Jerry Tan, center, posing with University of Guam senior vice president and provost, Dr. Anita Borja Enriquez, right, and dean of Enrollment Management and Student Success, Dr. Lawrence F. Camacho, after receiving the UOG Athletic Hall of Fame trophy during the Class of 2022 Induction Ceremony last Saturday at the UOG Calvo Field House. Bottom photo, Tan joins four of the five NMI student-athletes playing for UOG for a group photo. (CONTRIBUTED PHOTOS)

Northern Marianas Sports Association president Jerry Tan was enshrined into the University of Guam Athletic Hall of Fame last Saturday at the UOG Calvo Field House.

Tan made it to the Class of 2022 honorees, joining former UOG president Dr. Robert A. Underwood, Guam national volleyball player Larry G. Gamboa, Guam national basketball and volleyball player Michelle Tiasipic, and the undefeated 1977 UOG Football Team to the select group. UOG senior vice president and Provost, Dr. Anita Borja Enriquez, and dean of Enrollment Management and Student Success, Dr. Lawrence F. Camacho, led the induction ceremony at halftime of the game between the UOG Tritons and the Four Stars in the Triton-KFC Men’s Basketball League. 

Tan and Underwood were inducted into the elite group as sports administrators with the NMSA president recognized for his outstanding work for various sports organizations in the NMI and his support to health and wellness activities across Micronesia. 

Tan, who graduated magna cum laude at UOG in 1983 with a double major in accounting and management, took leadership roles in the Northern Marianas Badminton Association and Saipan Bowling Association before being elected as NMSA president in 2020. He is also the president of the Northern Marianas Islands Football Association, a member of the East Asian Football Federation Executive Committee, and was part of the Pacific Mini Games Organizing Committee that successfully delivered the Northern Marianas Pacific Mini Games 2022 amid the challenges brought by the COVID-19 pandemic. Recently, he worked with UOG to pave the way for five NMI student-athletes to earn athletic scholarships from the university.

“I am very honored and humbled with this recognition and thanked the people who nominated and voted for my inclusion into the Class of 2022 Hall of Fame. It’s inspiring to get recognized for something that you love to do, but what’s even more inspiring is to see many people, especially our youth, staying active by playing sports. It does not matter which sport they are involved with as long as they go out, play, and enjoy the game,” Tan said.

“I am happy that after the pandemic, UOG has resumed sports competitions and even brought back other sports programs. UOG has also made athletic scholarship opportunities available to student-athletes from the NMI. I hope to see more NMI student-athletes play for UOG and complete their degrees,” Tan added.

Meanwhile, the NMI sports community congratulated Tan for his induction into the UOG Athletic Hall of Fame.

“On behalf of the NMSA Board and our sports community, I would like to congratulate Jerry for this latest achievement. A well-deserved recognition for someone who has supported, not just one, but a lot of sports organizations and leads the efforts in providing opportunities for our athletes and encouraging our community to live a healthier lifestyle,” Northern Marianas Athletics president and NMSA vice president Ramon Tebuteb said.

NMI Sports Hall of Famer Kurt Barnes, who nominated Tan to the UOG Athletic Hall of Fame, noted that the NMSA president’s support to the sports community is unparalleled and under his leadership, NMI sports and the islands’ athletes can look forward to many milestones.

“Jerry has an impeccable insight and vision on what needs to be done and how to do it. In this regard, he stands head and shoulder above most people in the sports world. He sincerely belongs to the UOG AHOF and will continue to create a pipeline for athletes from the NMI to further their education at UOG with the help of athletic scholarships,” said Barnes.

Athletes and their parents also joined the long list of individuals who congratulated Tan for his latest achievement and thanked him for leading programs that open many doors of opportunities for NMI residents. (PR)