Hall of fame
The University of Illinois honors the 2018 class of Fighting Illini Athletics Hall of Fame inductees.
This fall, the University will induct the Athletics Hall of Fame Class of 2018. The 21 inductees include some of greatest athletes and coaches in Fighting Illini history.
“These men and women represent all that we value at Illinois, including integrity, work ethic, sportsmanship and excellence,” says Josh Whitman, Illinois’ director of athletics. “Individually and collectively, their accomplishments, both on our campus and across the world of sports, are the stuff of legend.”
National hall of famers, Olympians, national champions, multi-sport stars and All-Americans dominate this list of legendary Fighting Illini names. There are 14 living members of the Class, 10 men and four women.
The inductees include such notable coaches as Lou Henson (basketball), Ray Eliot (hockey, football), Charles Pond (gymnastics) and Maxwell Garret (fencing).
Outstanding athletes include basketball’s Dave Downey, Kendall Gill and Johnny “Red” Kerr; track and field’s Celena Mondie-Milner, Tonya Williams and Willie Williams; volleyball’s Nancy Brookhart Cherin; soccer’s Tara Hurless; football’s Jim Grabowski and Dana Howard; baseball’s Darrin Fletcher; tennis’ Kevin Anderson; golf’s Scott Langley; gymnastics’ Justin Spring and wrestling’s Joe Sapora.
Multi-sport athletes are Alex Agase (football, wrestling) and Charles Carney (football, basketball).