CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – The University of Illinois continues to celebrate its incredible athletics legacy by inducting its fourth class to the Illinois Athletics Hall of Fame Saturday at State Farm Center.
Some of the greatest names in Fighting Illini history comprise the 15-person Class of 2020, with six of the 10 living honorees scheduled to be on hand for the induction ceremony. Those scheduled to be on campus include three-time Olympic pole-vaulting medalist Bob Richards, Michelle Bartsch-Hackley, who recently helped the U.S. to a Gold Medal in volleyball at the Tokyo Olympics, 1995 Butkus Award winner Kevin Hardy, former American record holder in the discus Gia Lewis-Smallwood, all-time women's basketball scoring and rebounding leader Jenna Smith and wrestling national champion Adam Tirapelle. Several other honorees have provided video comments that will be shared during the ceremony.
The Hall of Fame Ceremony is scheduled for Saturday, September 18 and will begin at 1 p.m. at State Farm Center. The event is free and open to the public with seating inside the west main entrance.
Several members of the class will be available the media Friday at 12:30 pm inside the main west entrance to the Bielfeldt Athletics Administration Building. Expected to be in attendance for the media session is Bob Richards, Kevin Hardy, Michelle Bartsch-Hackley, Adam Tirapelle and Jenna Smith from the Class of 2020, along with Deon Thomas, Dana Howard and Tara Hurless from previous classes. Travel plans will preclude Gia Lewis-Smallwood from arriving until later in the day.
Richards, Bartsch-Hackley, Tirapelle, Smith, Hardy and Lewis-Smallwood will be recognized on Zuppke Field at halftime of the Illinois-Maryland football game Friday night.
The Class of 2020 induction was postponed until now because of the COVID-19 Pandemic. The Class of 2021 will be selected and announced in the coming months.
Fighting Illini Athletics Hall of Fame Class of 2020
- Michelle Bartsch-Hackley, Volleyball – 2008-11
- Tal Brody, Basketball – 1963-65
- Vanessa DiBernardo, Soccer – 2010-13
- Morris "Moe" Gardner, Football – 1987-90
- Kevin Hardy, Football – 1992-95
- Derek Harper, Basketball – 1981-83
- Leo Johnson, Track & Field Coach, Football Scout – 1938-65
- Gia Lewis-Smallwood, Track & Field – 2000-02
- Ray Nitschke, Football – 1955-57
- Bob Richards, Track & Field – 1945-47
- Art Schankin, Fencing – 1956-58 / 1973-93
- Jenna Smith, Basketball – 2007-10
- Garland "Jake" Stahl, Baseball, football – 1899-1903
- Adam Tirapelle, Wrestling – 1998-2001
- Don Tonry, Gymnastics – 1956-59
