MONTGOMERY, Ala. ----- The 2019 Auburn University of Montgomery Athletics Hall of Fame Class was announced Thursday, with the inductees featuring a four-time First-Team All-American from the women's tennis program, a top-five scorer and rebounder from the women's basketball program, a conference Athlete of the Year and MLB Draft pick from the baseball team, an NAIA National Player of the Year from the men's soccer program and the women's basketball program's winningest head coach and a long-time athletics administrator.
 
Jade Curtis (women's tennis), Monica Diamond (women's basketball), Cody Shields (baseball), Taian Souza (men's soccer) and Steve Crotz (women's basketball/administration) will take their place alongside the greatest student-athletes, coaches and administrators in AUM history as the 13th class to be inducted into the Hall of Fame.
 
Below is a look at the 2019 AUM Athletics Hall of Fame inductees:
 
Jade Curtis (2010-14)
Jade Curtis was a four-time NAIA First-Team All-American, ITA Singles All-American and ITA Doubles All-American, while helping the women's tennis program to three National Championships and an 89-23 record in her four seasons at AUM. Curtis finished her career with an 82-5 singles record and 87-8 record in doubles play, including a stretch of 78 consecutive undefeated singles matches over nearly three years. At the time of her selection, she was one of just three women's tennis players in school history to earn All-Star Team honors from the Intercollegiate Tennis Association and was a two-time Marvin P. Richmond Outstanding Player of the NAIA National Tournament. She was selected the Southern States Athletic Conference Female Athlete of the Year as a junior, was named the SSAC Player of the Year her final two seasons and selected the SSAC Freshman of the Year. She was ranked in the top-10 in the final NAIA singles and doubles all four years and dropped just 17 singles sets during her career. Equally successful in the classroom, Curtis was a three-time ITA Scholar Athlete, two-time NAIA Scholar Athlete and was selected to the CoSIDA Academic All-District and All-America teams following her junior and senior seasons.
 
Monica Diamond (2001-05)
Monica Diamond helped the women's basketball program to an 88-43 record and three NAIA National Tournament appearances from 2001-05. At the time of her selection, she ranked fifth in the program's history in scoring with 1,473 points and third in career rebounds with 797, while also ranking fifth in field goals made (566) and tied for fourth in games played (130). Diamond earned first-team all-conference accolades her final three seasons and was selected to the Georgia-Alabama-Carolina Conference All-Freshman team her first season. She earned Second-Team NAIA All-American honors as a junior after averaging 11.3 points and 5.8 rebounds per game, while helping the then-Senators to the Sweet 16 of the NAIA Tournament. As a senior, she averaged a career-best 14.6 points and 6.3 rebounds earning an Honorable Mention All-American selection. She averaged 11.3 points per game and 6.1 rebounds per game during her career.
 
Cody Shields (2008-09)
A two-year letterman with the baseball team from 2008-09, Cody Shields led the then-Senators to an 80-44 record, a conference tournament championship and two postseason appearances during his tenure. Shields ranked sixth in career batting average at AUM with a .404 mark and was fourth in career triples with 12 at the time of his selection. Shields earned NAIA Second-Team All-American honors and was selected the Southern States Athletic Conference Male Athlete of the Year as a senior, when he matched a school record by hitting .461. His 73 runs scored, 107 hits and nine triples that year ranked third in school history for a season at AUM. Additionally, he earned SSAC Player of the Year honors, was selected a Conference Gold Glove Award winner and an all-conference performer his final season. For his career, he appeared in 121 games, finishing with 181 hits, including 22 doubles, 12 triples and 10 home runs. He drove in 81 runs, scored 121 times, tallied 35 stolen bases and posted a career on-base percentage of .458. Following his senior campaign, he was selected in the 15th round (pick 470) of the Major League Baseball Draft by the Chicago Cubs, becoming the highest draft pick from AUM at the time.
 
Taian Souza (2010-13)
Taian Souza anchored the men's soccer back line from 2010-13, helping the team to a 52-25-10 record during his tenure. During his career, he recorded seven goals from his defender position, including the game-winning goal in AUM's victory in the 2012 Southern States Athletic Conference Tournament Championship match. The National Soccer Coaches Association of America's NAIA Player of the Year as a senior, Souza led the program to a pair of NAIA Tournament appearances, highlighted by a national runner-up finish in 2013. He earned First-Team All-American honors from both the NAIA and NSCAA following his senior season and was tabbed the SSAC Defensive Player of the Year that same season. Souza also earned NAIA Scholar Athlete honors his final two seasons and was a three-time member of the SSAC All-Academic Team.
 
Steve Crotz (WBKB: 1996-2008, Director of Athletics: 2002-03, 2006-15)
Steve Crotz served Auburn University at Montgomery for nearly 20 years, leading the women's basketball program from 1996-2008 and the athletic department for more than 10 years over two stints. On the hardwood, Crotz holds the program record for victories, posting a career record of 284-116. He led the then-Senators to four regular-season conference championships, two conference tournament titles and 10 NAIA National Tournament appearances, including two Sweet 16's, two Elite Eight's and one National Runner-up. He was selected a conference or regional coach of the year 10 times and earned Nikon/WBCA National Coach of the Year honors in 1999-00 after leading the Senators to the national title game. As Director of Athletics, Crotz was instrumental in AUM's acceptance into the NCAA Division II transition process and oversaw the addition of softball, men's and women's cross country and volleyball as varsity sports. Under his leadership, eight of AUM's sports spent time ranked in their respective NAIA Top 25 Coaches' Polls and teams won 10 national championships. He spent two years serving as chair of the Southern States Athletic Conference Board of Athletic Directors within the Southern States Athletic Conference and was selected the 2010-11 SSAC Athletic Director of the Year by his fellow administrators. He also played a key role in facilities improvements, including the construction of an on-campus softball facility. Academically, the department flourished, as more than 230 student-athletes earned conference academic honors and nearly 90 students were honored as NAIA Scholar Athletes.
 
The 2019 Hall of Fame Class will be formally inducted on Saturday, May 16, 2020 on AUM's campus. For ticket information, contact Tim Lutz via email at tlutz1@aum.edu or phone at 334-244-3832.