VERMONT SPORTS HALL OF FAME

(Photo Courtesy Saint Michael's Athletic Comm.)

Saint Michael’s College

Basketball

Inducted 2019

His school’s all-time scoring leader, Rich Tarrant established himself as one of the most dynamic Vermont collegiate basketball players during his All-American career at Saint Michael’s College in Colchester.

A native of New Jersey, Tarrant is the only Associated Press first team All-American selection in SMC history. United Press International twice named him to its second-team All-America team.  

In his three varsity seasons at Saint Michael’s, Tarrant became the first Vermont collegian to score over 700 points in a season and 1,500 points in a career. He set 13 scoring records for the Purple Knights finishing with 1,762 points, averaging 26.7 per game. He also had 880 rebounds, an average of 13.3 per game. 

Selected in the fourth round (No. 32 overall) in the National Basketball Association entry draft, Tarrant was one of the final cuts that year by the World Champion Boston Celtics.

He was a two-time Catholic College All-American and was named the 1965 Catholic Small College Player of the Year. His other honors in 1964-65 included NCAA All-Regional Team; 16 All-opposition teams, and the NCAA All-Championship Team. The 1964-65 Purple Knights was the NCAA Northeast Regional champion and reached the College Division Final Four.

He is a member of the St. Michael’s College Athletic Hall of Fame and his No. 22 jersey is retired. Tarrant was selected for the inaugural class of the New England Basketball Hall of Fame.

A highly successful Vermont businessman, Tarrant has supported many athletic causes. He helped fund the Jeremiah J. and Kathleen C. Tarrant Student Recreation Center, named in honor of his parents at SMC, the Gucciardi Fitness Center at UVM and was the lead donor in 2018 for UVM’s planned Tarrant Events Center.

Three of his sons were varsity athletes at the University of Vermont, and at least one of his grandchildren has been a Division I student-athlete in college. He joins his Saint Michael's College coaches, Doc Jacobs and Ed Markey, in the Vermont Sports Hall of Fame.