CHAMPAIGN, Ill.– The University of Illinois Varsity "I" Association will honor seven individuals who embody what it means to be a Fighting Illini at the annual Orange Affair on Friday evening at the Colonnades Club of Gies Memorial Stadium.
"We are pleased to recognize an outstanding group of leaders during our annual Varsity 'I' Weekend," Director of Athletics Josh Whitman said. "The 2025 honorees – former track and field athlete Doug Dossey, cheerleading coach Stephanie Record, legendary soccer coach Janet Rayfield, and philanthropists Chris and Debbie Smith and the late Dale and Deborah Smith – have all left a lasting imprint on Fighting Illini Athletics and our student-athletes through their loyal service and meaningful contributions. We are incredibly fortunate to have their support, and we look forward to celebrating the impact they have made on the University of Illinois."
Former Fighting Illini track and field high jumper Doug Dossey is being recognized with the Varsity "I" Achievement Award, the highest honor bestowed upon a member of the Varsity "I" family for post-graduate success.
A four-year letterwinner with Illinois men's track and field, Dossey was a member of the 1994 Outdoor Men's Big Ten champion squad. Dossey is the co-founder and co-managing partner of Tensile Capital Management, where he leads the firm's private equity investment activities. Prior to Tensile, Dossey was a managing partner and co-portfolio manager at Blum Capital. From 1998 to 2009, he served as a managing director and co-owner of FdG Associates, a middle-market private equity firm.
Dossey has extensive board experience, having served on 32 corporate boards of directors, including 15 as chairman. Beyond his professional commitments, he is a member of the Dean's Legacy Council at Gies College of Business and serves as chairman of the Investment Committee for Summer Search. Dossey received his Bachelor of Science in accountancy with High Honors from the University of Illinois in 1995 and passed the Certified Public Accountant examination that same year.
Long-time Fighting Illini cheerleading coach Stephanie Record will receive the Merit Award, presented to an individual who has impacted the lives of countless Illinois student-athletes as a coach or administrator. Record is a lifelong Illini, passionate leader, and dedicated advocate for children and families.
For the past 31 years, Record has coached the Illinois cheer team, shaping not just athletes, but leaders, teammates, and ambassadors of school spirit. She has mentored generations of student-athletes and built a culture of excellence, pride, and tradition. Her impact on the sidelines is matched only by her leadership off the field. For the past 17 years, Record has served as executive director of Crisis Nursery, a nationally recognized nonprofit committed to preventing child abuse and neglect by providing emergency care and support to children and families in crisis.
A proud University of Illinois alum, Record earned three degrees from Illinois: a Bachelor of Science in psychology and two master's degrees—in social work and educational leadership. As a student, she cheered for the Fighting Illini and was a Varsity "I" letterwinner, laying the foundation for an enduring commitment to the University and its student-athletes.
Five individuals are also being inducted as honorary members into the Varsity "I" Association for their long-standing support of Fighting Illini student-athletes.
Former Fighting Illini soccer coach Janet Rayfield was at the helm of the Illinois program from 2002 until her retirement following the 2024 campaign. Rayfield is Illinois' winningest head soccer coach, guiding the program to 234 overall victories and 108 wins in conference play. She also led the Orange and Blue to 10 NCAA Tournaments during her tutelage.
Rayfield coached six student-athletes to seven Big Ten Player of the Year honors, while her players racked up 50 All-Big Ten nods. Five individuals were recognized with the Big Ten Medal of Honor under Rayfield's guidance, and seven of her players earned nine NSCAA All-America laurels. Rayfield saw seven players chosen in the NWSL draft, and on the world stage Emily Zurrer went on to represent Canada in both the 2008 and 2012 Olympic Games while Alicia Barker represented the Philippines in the 2023 Women's World Cup. She coached two-time Big Ten Forward of the Year Jannelle Flaws to a school-record 23 goals in 2013, which was tied for the most in the NCAA, and Flaws graduated as Illinois' career goals leader with 54. Under Rayfield, Vanessa DiBernardo, who became Illinois' highest drafted player in school history, completed her decorated career No. 3 on the all-time list with 43 goals along with being named a three-time All-American.
The couples of Henry Dale Smith, Jr. and Deborah Klang Smith along with James Christopher Smith and Debra Nickelson Smith are being honored for their incredible generosity and support of the University and Fighting Illini Athletics. The H.D. Smith Foundation, led by brothers Dale and Chris Smith, has become one of the most loyal supporters of the University of Illinois. The brothers were instrumental in making the family gift to the U of I that resulted in the Henry Dale and Betty Smith Football Center.
The late Henry Dale Smith, Jr. was a graduate of Davidson College in North Carolina. Deborah is a graduate of Illinois College in Jacksonville and has a master's degree from the University of Illinois in history.
Dale joined his father's company, H. D. Smith, in 1974 as a salesman, successfully acquiring several new territories for the company before advancing to sales manager. In 1995, he engineered the company's first successful acquisition and was handed the reins of the company by his father. He held numerous positions of leadership in the industry and was recognized as Entrepreneur of the Year of Illinois in 2005 by Ernst and Young. In 2016, he won the Nexus Award, the wholesale drug industry's highest honor. He and his father Henry Dale Smith (2003 winner) are the only father-son duo in history to have received this award.
Dale served as chairman and CEO of Smith Holding Company up to the time of its sale to AmerisourceBergen in 2018. From then until his passing, Dale and his wife, Deborah, focused on philanthropic pursuits.
Chris is a 1979 University of Illinois graduate with a Bachelor of Science degree in business administration while earning the highest honor of Bronze Tablet Scholar. He was a member of the original Orange Krush and went on to earn a master's degree from the J. L. Kellogg Graduate School of Management at Northwestern University in 1980. He began work at H. D. Smith in 1980 as a buyer. Chris would retire as the H. D. Smith president and chief operations officer in 2018.
Debra is a second-generation University of Illinois graduate and was the first female in her family to earn a bachelor's degree. After earning a degree in Classical Greek with a minor in speech communication in 1975, Debra received a master's degree in speech communication in 1977, becoming a two-time graduate from Illinois.
The Henry Dale and Betty Smith Football Center opened in August 2019. The world-class 107,650 square foot, $79.2 million facility is the home for Fighting Illini Football, including expanded strength and conditioning and sports medicine spaces, coaches' offices, position meeting rooms, player development areas, locker rooms, and other areas for recruiting and prospect hosting.
