Last modified: Tuesday, August 25, 2009
Legendary coaches headline 2009 Athletics Hall of Fame class
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 23, 2009
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- Vice President and Director of Athletics Fred Glass announced today (August 23) that legendary IU coaches Bob Knight and Jerry Yeagley -- each the winningest NCAA coaches in their respective sports -- will headline the 2009 Indiana University Intercollegiate Athletics Hall of Fame inductee class. Knight (men's basketball, 1972-2000), who won three national championships, and Yeagley (men's soccer, 1973-2004), who captured seven NCAA titles, are among seven IU greats to be formally inducted this fall.
Knight and Yeagley join former Hoosier standouts Steve Downing (men's basketball, 1971-73), Katrin Koch (women's track and field, 1989-92), Joe Norman (football, 1975-78), the late Mike Rabold (football, 1956-58), and Alan Somers (swimming, 1961-63) as honorees. The class will be officially inducted at the annual Hall of Fame dinner on November 6, and will be recognized at halftime of the football game against Wisconsin at Memorial Stadium, the following day.
"I am honored to have been a part of selecting this outstanding class of tremendous coaches and student-athletes," said Glass. "For my first Hall of Fame class to include heroes from my childhood as well as my student days is a dream come true."
The Hall of Fame was established in 1982 by the Indiana University Varsity Club National Board of Directors, in cooperation with Indiana University, its Department of Intercollegiate Athletics, the I Association, and the Indiana University Alumni Association. Its purpose is to recognize and honor individuals who have made exceptional contributions to the achievements and prestige of Indiana University in the field of athletics and who have demonstrated the values imparted by intercollegiate athletics. Each year, a subcommittee of the Indiana University Varsity Club National Board of Directors selects inductees for the Hall of Fame. This year's class brings the current roster of IU Hall of Fame inductees to 164.
2009 Inductees:
Steve Downing
Steve Downing -- Won basketball letters in 1971-1973; Indiana and Big Ten most valuable player in 1973 after leading the Hoosiers to Final Four of the NCAA championship; was the first All-American under Coach Bob Knight; first team All-Big Ten in 1973 after averaging 20.1 points and 10.6 rebounds; averaged 15.1 rebounds in 1972, second best mark in IU history for season; ranks fifth in career rebounds with 889; played professional basketball for two years with the Boston Celtics; served as IU Associate Athletic Director for 20 years; the Indianapolis native is currently a senior associate athletic director at Texas Tech.
Bob Knight -- Basketball coach from 1972-2000; career record of 661-240 at IU; coached teams that won 11 Big Ten Championships, a Big Ten record, and NCAA championships in 1976, 1981 and 1987; only coach in history to lead teams to NCAA (1976, 1981 and 1987), NIT (1979), Pan American (1979) and Olympic (1984) championships; last coach to have perfect winning season (32-0 in 1976); coached 16 All-Americans, had nine players win Big Ten MVP honors, and had 29 players who played in the NBA; Big Ten Coach-of-the-Year six times and National Coach-of-the-Year in 1975, 1976, 1987 and 1989; inducted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame in 1991; he is the all-time winningest coach in college basketball history with a 902-371 record (70.8) which was compiled at Army, IU and Texas Tech; after playing at Orrville (Ohio) High School, he played at Ohio State under Hall of Fame Coach Fred Taylor and was a member of the Buckeyes 1960 national championship team.
Katrin Koch
Katrin Koch -- Won track letters in 1989, 1990, 1991 and 1992; won Big Ten Medal in 1992; won Big Ten indoor shot put title in 1992, Big Ten outdoor shot put titles in 1991 and 1992, and Big Ten discus titles in 1991 and 1992; NCAA champion in the shot put outdoors in 1992; three-time All-American indoors in the shot put, four-time All-American outdoors in the shot put and twice in the discus; still owns IU discus record, and the IU indoor and outdoor shot put records; set Big Ten shot put records both indoors and outdoors, and in the discuss; served as Indiana's assistant director of strength and training; NCAA champion power lifter; came to Indiana out of Max-Plank High School in Neutinger, Germany.
Joe Norman
Joe Norman -- Won football letters in 1975-78 and was co-captain in both 1977 and 1978; linebacker who was IU most valuable player in 1977 and 1978; all-Big Ten in 1978; second team All-American by NEA in 1978; played in 1978 Hula Bowl; later went on to play professionally with Seattle Seahawks; he came to IU from West Holmes High School in Millersburg, Ohio.
Mike Rabold
Mike Rabold -- Won football letters in 1956, 1957 and 1958 and was captain in 1958; was IU's Most Valuable Player as a guard in '58; third team All-American by Central Press in '58; played in 1958 Blue-Gray game; later played professionally with the Chicago Bears; he was a graduate of Fenwick High School in Chicago and is deceased.
Alan Somers
Alan Somers -- Won swimming letters in 1961-63 and was captain in 1963; won five Big Ten championships in the 400, 1500 and 1650 freestyles; competed in 1960 Olympics in the 400 (fifth) and 1500 freestyles (seventh); won four AAU championships in freestyle events; owned American record in 400 freestyle for three years; originally from Indianapolis, he is a neurologist in Bloomington; awarded the Z.G. Clevenger in 2007.
Jerry Yeagley -- Developed IU's club soccer program and established its varsity sport status in 1973; soccer coach from 1973-2004; won six national championships and led teams to the College Cup 16 times, 12 times advancing to the championship game; won 10 regular season Big Ten championships and 10 Big Ten tournament championships; had overall record of 544-101-45 to become all-time NCAA leader in victories; Big Ten Coach of the Year eight times, NSCAA Coach of the Year six times; 1989 inductee into the United States Soccer Federation Hall of Fame; playing surface at Armstrong Stadium was named for him in 2004; in 2008 he was inducted into the National Soccer Coaches Association of America Hall of Fame; Yeagley hails from Myerstown, Penn.; he is the only person to play on a high school state championship team, an NCAA championship team and coach an NCAA championship squad; was a midfielder on the Myerstown High School championship squad and played the same position as a senior in 1961 for the NCAA champion West Chester State team.
