ILLINOIS TRACK & FIELD INDUCTEES
CLASS OF 2024
CLASS OF 2025
Mike Conley Sr. - From Chicago IL
Teams
University of Arkansas Razorbacks
US Olympic Track & Field Team
Awards
6x Gold Medalist
Dawn Harper Nelson
Teams
UCLA Bruins
US Olympic Track & Field Team
Awards
4x Gold Medalist
Al Joyner - From East St. Louis IL
Teams
Arkansas State University
US Olympic Track & Field Team
Awards
Gold Medalist
Jackie Joyner Kersee - From East St. Louis, IL
Teams
UCLA Bruins
US Olympic Track & Field Team
Awards
12x Gold Medalist
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Harold Osborn - From Butler IL
Teams
University of Illinois
US Olympic Track & Field Team
Awards
2x Gold Medalist
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Bob Richards - From Champaign IL
Teams
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Pole Vault
US Olympic Track & Field Team
Awards
4x Gold Medalist
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Jim Thorpe
Teams
US Olympic Track & Field Team
Awards
2x Olympic Gold Medalist
Tonja Buford-Bailey
Teams
University of Illinois
US National Women’s Athletics (Track and Field)
Olympic Medalist
Perdita Felicien
Teams
University of Illinois
Canada National Women’s Athletics
Awards
2x World Championship Gold Medalist
Aja Evans
Teams
University of Illinois Shot Put
US Olympic Bobsledding
Awards
Olympic Medalist
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Jan Johnson
Teams
Bloom High School
University of Kansas
University of Alabama
US Men's Olympic Team
Awards
Illinois State- Champion
World Indoor Record at 17 feet 7 inches
Alabama School Record in the Pole Vault at 18 feet 1/2 inch
Olympic Bronze Medalist 1972
Pan American Games Gold Medalist 1971
CLASS OF 2026
Vic Durchholz - From Logan County IL
Teams
Milikin University
Teams Coached
Illinois Bluffs Community School
Coached for 6 Decades
Mike Durkin
Teams
University of Illinois
US Olympic Track & Field Team
Awards
All American
Big Ten Champion 1975
Inductee University of Illinois Athletics Hall of Fame
​​
Harry Gill
Teams
University of Illinois
US Olympic Track & Field Team
Teams Coached
University of Illinois
US Olympic Track & Field Team
Awards
Organized the First NCAA Championship in any Sport
19x Big Ten Titles
2x US National Titles
Discus World Record Holder
Inductee University of Illinois Athletics Hall of Fame​
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Chase Jackson - From Springfield IL
Teams
Los Alamos High School
Oklahoma State University
US Olympic Track & Field Team
Awards
Ranked #1 in the World in Shot put - 2023
World Championships
Gold Medal – 2022 Eugene/Shot Put
Gold Medal – 2023 Budapest/Shot Put
Silver Medal –2025 Tokyo/Shot Put
World Indoor Championships
Silver Medal – 2022 Belgrade/Shot Put
Bronze Medal – 2024 Glasgow/Shot Put
Bronze Medal – 2025 Nanjing/Shot Put
Diamond League
1st- 2022 Zürich/Shot Put
1st- 2023 Eugene/Shot Put
Pan American Junior Championships
Bronze medal – 2013 Medellin/Shot Put
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Lee LaBadie - From Des Plaines IL
Teams
Maine West High School
University of Illinois
Teams Coached
Parkland College
Bowling Green
University of Illinois
Ohio State University
Kent State University
Akron University
Awards
Illinois High School State Cross Country Champion
NCAA Division I Outdoor Championships 1971
NCAA Champion - 2 Mile Relay 1972
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Angela Bizzari-Pflugrath
Teams
William Mason High School
University of Illinois
Mammoth Track Club
Awards
D1 Track and Field State Champion - 3,200m
3x NCAA Champion - 5,000m, Cross Country & Indoor 3,000m
3 x University of Illinois Dike Eddleman Female Athlete of the Year
9x All-American
5x Big Ten Champion
2009 USTFCCCA National Cross Country Athlete of the Year
2009–10 Honda Sports Award Winner for Cross Country
2009 Big Ten Outdoor Track Athlete of the Year
7x School Record-Holder (Illinois)
2x Academic All-American
Academic All-Big Ten
Inductee University of Illinois Athletics Hall of Fame
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Gia Lewis-Smallwood - From Champaign IL
Teams
University of Illinois
US Olympic Track & Field Team
Awards
Gold Medal – 2014 IAAF Continental Cup/Discus Throw
Bronze Medal – 2015 Pan American Games/Discus Throw
Inductee University of Illinois Athletics Hall of Fame
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Dike Stirrett
Teams
Eastern Illinois University
Teams Coached
Central High School-Champaign
Unity High School - Tolono
Awards
1969 National Championship - EIU
Cross Country Coach of the Year 2011
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