TYLER, TEXAS – Brett Holland will be one of five inductees into the UT Tyler Hall of Fame, marking another historic class that will forever be remembered on campus.
"I had no idea I was going to be inducted as an individual," said Holland. "I was on a conference call with a couple of teammates and Coach Vilade when we heard the news of the 2007 team being inducted, but I never expected to hear I was being inducted."
Holland came to UT Tyler from Lindale, Texas, and as the story goes head coach James Vilade came to a game to scout a teammate. However, a strong game from Holland on the mound caught the program's attention, and as soon as Holland saw Irwin Field and the academic standing of UT Tyler, it was a no-brainer for him to attend.
During his time with the Patriots, Holland served as a two year captain and formed himself into one of the program's best arms, making 36 starts over four seasons and throwing 231.2 total innings, both third in program history. Along the way, he posted the two highest strikeout seasons in program history and posted 284 strikeouts in total, the highest mark in program history by 65.
Holland played an instrumental role in one of the best seasons in program history, the 2007 campaign. In that year, the Patriots went 37-1 overall and claimed the ASC East division title for the second time in program history, all while still being NCAA provisional members.
He would close out his career on the 2009 team, the first team to ever appear in the NCAA Regional Tournament.
"2009 was our first chance to go to the postseason, but we lost an early game in that ASC Tournament. We had to battle through the loser's bracket and after some delays we actually won the tournament at 2 a.m. to book our spot in regionals. Seeing those guys coming through in the huge moments in that tournament and creating memories while making an impact on each other and the program is something I will always cherish."
Holland credits teammates and coaches for the success of his career. "Stan Phelps stayed in touch with me throughout the recruiting process and developed me into a strong pitcher. He developed me from a thrower into a pitcher. Ultimately this induction is a reflection of my teammates and the coaching staff pushing me to be my best."
Brett Holland will take his place amongst the all-time greats at UT Tyler this weekend, and he hopes his legacy reflects the hard work and effort he put in.
"I want to be remembered as a guy who came in and led by example and did things the right way. I watched how my older teammates did things as a freshman and followed that throughout my career. Hopefully I will be known as someone that really helped lay the foundation and helped lead the program into what it is today."
