ST. LOUIS – Missouri Baptist University is pleased to announce the 2026 Spartans Hall of Fame Class, honoring a trio. of former student-athletes who excelled as both competitors and as examples of the tradition of excellence within Spartan Athletics. This year's inductees include two-time women's volleyball national champion Giovanna (Tapigliani) Evans, women's wrestling pioneer Sarah (Bollinger) Doty, and men's wrestling gold medalist Matthew Collum.
"The 2026 Hall of Fame class truly embodies what it means to be a Spartan," said Director of Athletics Jeff Fore. "Each honoree achieved the highest level of excellence in their respective sport, pushed the boundaries of what was possible, and left a lasting impact that will inspire generations of Spartans to come. We are proud to celebrate these individuals and the tremendous influence they have had on Missouri Baptist University."
Giovanna (Tapigliani) Evans | Women's Volleyball (2019-21)
Giovanna (Tapigliani) Evans is the ninth former Missouri Baptist University women's volleyball player to be enshrined in the Spartan Athletics Hall of Fame, and the first of which that was a member of the back-to-back national championship teams in 2020 and 2021.
The Spartan attacker was a headache for opposing teams during her three-year career in navy and white. In the 2020 season, Evans was named AMC Player of the Year, earning First-Team All-AMC honors and one Player of the Week nod. Across six NAIA National Tournament games, Evans tallied 89 kills and 23 blocks for a total of 100.5 points, including a personal tournament-high 22 kills against Midland University in the championship game. Such a performance granted her a place on the NAIA All-Tournament team.
After that breakout season, Evans outdid herself with a stellar 2021 campaign. Across 33 matches, she accrued 416 kills, averaging 4.16 kills per set on a .345 percentage, adding 77 blocks for a total of 495.5 points. A dominant year earned her a second straight First-Team All-AMC, four more Player of the Weeks, and an NAIA First-Team All-American honor. After cementing the victory over former AMC and current Heart of America opponent Park University with a team-high 15 kills in the championship game and winning a second NAIA National Championship for the women's volleyball program, Evans was named to the NAIA All-Tournament team once again, ending one of the most successful careers for any athlete at Missouri Baptist.
Sarah (Bollinger) Doty | Women's Wrestling (2012-16)
Sarah (Bollinger) Doty becomes the first member of the Missouri Baptist University women's wrestling program to be inducted in the Spartan Athletics Hall of Fame.
A standout for four years in one of college's fastest growing sports, Doty is a true pioneer for women's wrestling at Missouri Baptist. A three-time All-American with the World Class Wrestling Association and one-time Academic All-America, Doty was a menace on the mats to whoever faced her. Despite being an imposing opponent, though, her sportsmanship never faltered, as Doty was also an NAIA Champion of Character in 2015.
Beyond her career as an athlete, Doty first spent two years as an assistant coach at Missouri Baptist, helping to produce six All-Americans, one national champion, and one NAIA Champion of Character. She now works as the Director of Female Operations at the Edwardsville Wrestling Club, where she has won five team state championships and coached eight individual state champions, earning Coach of the Year in 2025 and 2026. Her coaching experience also extends over the USA Wrestling National Team, where she has developed over 100 All-Americans, winning both team and coaching awards alike.
Matthew Collum | Men's Wrestling (2007-09)
Matthew Collum joins three former Spartans as a member of the Spartan Athletics Hall of Fame for men's wrestling.
Over a career that spanned four institutions, Collum found himself at Missouri Baptist for his final two seasons of competition. In those years, Collum was a back-to-back NAIA All-American, placing third at the NAIA National Championship each season. During that stretch, he was also the number one ranked wrestler at the 157-pound weight class.
Beyond his time as a Spartan, Collum continued to make an impact on the sport. He spent from 2012 to 2018 as the head wrestling coach at Timberland High School and now works as the head coach at Loyola Academy in Chicago. In 2022, Collum was named the Chicago Catholic League "Tony Lawless" Coach of the Year. As a competitor, he was on the mats as recently as 2023, winning an individual gold medal for Team USA at the Veterans World Championships. Already a member of the Neuqua Valley High School and Illinois Wrestling Hall of Fames, Collum receives the well-deserved honor at his collegiate alma mater as well.
Induction Ceremony
The 2026 Spartan Athletics Hall of Fame Class will be formally inducted during Homecoming Weekend on Friday, Sept. 25, at 5:30 p.m. at Tapawingo National Golf Club in St. Louis, Mo. For tickets, click HERE.
