The 2024 Texas A&M Athletics Hall of Fame Class was enshrined Friday evening by the Texas A&M Lettermen’s Association inside the Ford Hall of Champions at the 46th Burgess Banquet. Among the class were a pair of U.S. Olympic swimmers: Cammile Adams (’14) and Breeja Larson (’14), who were key parts of the Aggies’ rise to one of the best programs in the country in the 2010s.
They were joined in the induction by Alex Caruso ‘16 (Men’s Basketball), Laurie Corbelli (Volleyball), Amy Berend Hidalgo ‘08 (Soccer), Brenda Goldsmith Hocott ’78 (Women’s Golf), Breeja Larson ’14 (Women’s Swimming & Diving), Seth McKinney ’01 (Football) and Ross Stripling (Baseball).
Additionally, Kay Don and Duke Butler III were recognized as Hall of Honor and Lifetime Achievement Award winners, respectively.
According to Texas A&M, “The Hall of Honor is reserved for individuals who have gone above and beyond in contributions and support of the athletic programs at Texas A&M. The Lifetime Achievement Award recognizes lettermen, who after graduation, have gone on to gain prominence through his or her efforts in industry, commerce, technology, athletics, the professions or other worthy endeavors.”
Adams represented the United States in the 200 fly at the 2012 and 2016 Olympic Games. Adams, a Houston native, swam for A&M from 2010 through 2014. In her four seasons in College Station, she never finished lower than 2nd at the NCAA Championships in the 200 yard fly. She placed 2nd as a freshman and sophomore and won titles as a junior and senior.
Watch Adams’ Induction Speech Below
Breeja Larson, meanwhile, came to A&M from further away. A native of Mesa, Arizona, Larson was less-heralded that Adams out of high school, but those were the kind of recruits that made this program famous under the recently-retired coach Steve Bultman.
A tall, powerful swimmer, with monster pullouts, Larson changed paradigms for the 100 breaststroke while at A&M.
In her freshman season, she finished 2nd in both the 100 and 200 breaststroke at the NCAA Championships.
As a sophomore, she won the NCAA title in the 100 breaststroke. In prelims at the Big 12 Championships, she swam 57.92 to become the first collegiate swimmer under 58 seconds in the event, and a few weeks later at NCAAs, she swam 57.71 as the fastest swim in history by anybody in the event.
As a junior, she defended her NCAA title in the 100 breaststroke, and swam the fastest times ever in both the 100 breaststroke (57.43) and 200 breast (2:04.48).
As a senior, she lowered the 100 breaststroke record again to 57.23, a standard that stood for two years until Lilly King took it out.
After her sophomore season, Larson qualified for the U.S. Olympic Team in the 100 breaststroke individually and the 400 medley relay. She was initially disqualified in the 100 breaststroke final, but the issue was blamed on a technical malfunction of the starting system and she was reinstated, ultimately placing 6th.
She also swam a prelims leg of the American 400 medley relay, which would ultimately win her a gold medal in finals.
Watch Larsons’ Speech Below
The 2013 and 2014 teams, that Larson and Adams were both a part of, finished 4th at the NCAA Championships, which at the time was the highest placement in program history. It also kicked off a streak of six consecutive top 4 finishes at NCAAs.
Larson came out of retirement and placed 41st at the US Olympic Trials in the 100 breast and 11th at the Speedo Summer Championships.
Breeja looks like she could jump in right now and rip off a 59.
Probably could. She swam at Trials this past summer.