Michigan Athletics Announces 2026 Hall of Honor Class
8/3/2026 10:00:00 AM | Baseball, General, Men's Basketball, Softball, Women's Gymnastics, Water Polo, Wrestling
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- The University of Michigan athletic department announced its eight-member 2026 Hall of Honor class on Monday (Aug. 3) with John Beilein (men's basketball), Joe McFarland (wrestling), Nikki Peters (women's gymnastics), Bev Plocki (women's gymnastics), Sierra Romero (softball), Kellen Russell (wrestling), Chris Sabo (baseball) and Shana Welch (water polo) set for induction.
The Hall of Honor induction ceremony will be held on Friday, Sept. 11, at Crisler Center. The eight inductees will also be honored on Saturday, Sept. 12, at Michigan's football game against Oklahoma.
Criteria for consideration includes being an NCAA champion or member of a national championship team, an All-American, Olympic medalist, Olympic team member, professional league champion or world championship team medalist/member, NCAA or conference player of the year, conference champion, record holder or all-conference award winner.
The U-M Athletics Hall of Honor was established in 1978 to recognize individuals who have made significant contributions as athletes, coaches and administrators to the tradition of Wolverine athletics and, in doing so, have enhanced the image and reputation of the University of Michigan.
John Beilein | Men's Basketball
John Beilein transformed Michigan men's basketball into a national power during his 12 seasons (2007-19), rebuilding the Wolverines into one of college basketball's elite after nearly a decade without an NCAA Tournament appearance. He guided Michigan to nine NCAA Tournament appearances, including two Final Fours and NCAA Championship game appearances (2013, 2018), two Big Ten regular-season championships (2012, 2014) and back-to-back Big Ten Tournament titles (2017, 2018). Renowned for his innovative offensive system and exceptional player development, Beilein coached two consensus All-Americans, two Big Ten Players of the Year, consensus National Player of the Year Trey Burke, and nine NBA Draft picks, including seven first-round selections. He compiled a 278-150 record, leaving as the winningest coach in Michigan history while restoring the Wolverines as a perennial Big Ten and national championship contender.
Joe McFarland | Wrestling (coach and student-athlete)
Joe McFarland retired in 2018 after 19 years at the helm of the Michigan wrestling program. Under his leadership, the Wolverines claimed three Big Ten dual titles (2004, '05, '06) and earned 11 top-10 NCAA finishes, including an NCAA runner-up performance in 2005 and a fourth-place finish in his final season in 2018. He compiled a 214-105-6 record, ranking third among Michigan's winningest coaches. McFarland led 31 different student-athletes to five NCAA individual titles, including fellow inductee Kellen Russell, as well as 60 All-America citations and 19 Big Ten individual crowns.
As a Michigan wrestler (1981-82, '84-85), McFarland was himself a four-time NCAA All-American -- just the third Wolverine to achieve the feat at the time -- and a two-time NCAA finalist at 126 pounds (1984, '85). He finished fifth (1981) and sixth (1982) in his first two national championship appearances. Serving as team captain in each of his final two seasons, McFarland helped lead the Wolverines to a fifth-place finish at the 1985 NCAA Championships. His 166-24-4 career record ranks third only to John Fisher (183 wins) and Otto Olson (175), while his 48 wins during the 1983-84 season are the most recorded by a Michigan wrestler in a single season. He won the Big Ten crown in 1984, reaching the conference final all four seasons, and twice claimed titles at the prestigious Midlands Championship (1982, '83). After college, McFarland was the silver medalist at the 1986 World Championships in Budapest, Hungary, and captured the 1987 Tbilisi Tournament bronze medal before winning the 1988 World Cup Championship,
Nikki Peters | Women's Gymnastics
Nikki Peters led Michigan to a runner-up team finish at the 1999 National Championship and three Big Ten Conference titles as she ranks 14th all-time in Michigan gymnastics history with six All-America citations. Peters tied for second nationally on the uneven bars at the 1999 NCAA Individual Event Finals and earned six career All-America honors: three on uneven bars, two on vault and one on floor exercise. She also ranks third in Michigan history with nine career perfect 10s, including six during the 1997 season. She was a three-time Big Ten Individual Champion on the uneven bars and won a share of the floor exercise in the 1997 campaign. Additionally, Peters was a four-time All-Big Ten honoree and was the individual regional champion on the uneven bars in her senior season.
Bev Plocki | Women's Gymnastics
Bev Plocki turned Michigan women's gymnastics into a national powerhouse during her 36-year tenure as the head coach, winning the program's first-ever national title in 2021. She led the Wolverines to 26 Big Ten championships -- the most by any coach, in any sport -- in Big Ten history. She also guided the squad to eight Big Ten regular-season titles, 26 NCAA Championship appearances and 10 NCAA Super Six berths. Plocki's coaching tree has seen numerous student-athletes and assistant coaches go on to coach at the NCAA level, including seven head coaches at the nation's top programs across the country. Plocki is an 11-time Big Ten Coach of the Year, a 13-time NCAA Regional Coach of the Year and a two-time National Coach of the Year, earning the honor in 2021 and 1994. She has led Michigan to 13 NCAA Regional titles and guided the Wolverines to 25 top-10 finishes at the NCAA Championships. Under her tutelage, Michigan captured a Big Ten-record seven conference titles in a row from 1999 to 2005, while 53 of her student-athletes have secured 212 NCAA All-America honors and nine NCAA individual national titles.
Sierra Romero | Softball
The most decorated player in Michigan softball history, Sierra Romero was named the 2016 USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year and Honda Award recipient for softball, 2015 NFCA Division I Player of the Year as well as the inaugural winner of the espnW Softball Player of the Year in 2015. She contributed to a senior class that posted a 210-43 record, won four Big Ten titles and a Big Ten Tournament title and made three WCWS appearances over four seasons. She is the first four-time NFCA All-American in program history, earning first-team honors each of her final three seasons, and was twice a top-three finalist for the USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year (2014, '15) before winning the top honor in 2016. Romero was a three-time Big Ten Player of the Year (2013, '14, '16) and four-time unanimous selection to the All-Big Ten first team. She completed her collegiate career as the NCAA record holder in career runs (302) and grand slams (11), and with her 300th run, she became the first player to ever record 300 runs, 300 hits and 300 RBI. She boasted a career .443 batting average and, at the time of her graduation, she also ranked fourth all-time in NCAA history in career RBI (305) and slugging percentage (.882) and eighth in home runs (82) and walks (225). Romero enjoyed a 10-year professional career with National Pro Fastpitch and Athletes Unlimited and just retired from competition earlier this month.
Kellen Russell | Wrestling
Among the best wrestlers in Michigan wrestling history, Kellen Russell was a two-time NCAA champion at 141 pounds (2011, '12) and a three-time All-American, also placing seventh as a sophomore (2009). Russell, who redshirted after his sophomore season, claimed 71 of 72 matches over his final two seasons, including a perfect 38-0 mark as a junior, and boasted a perfect 14-0 record in collegiate overtime matches. Russell also claimed four Big Ten titles at 141 pounds, becoming just the 11th four-time Big Ten champion in conference history and the first for Michigan. He was named the co-Most Outstanding Wrestler of the Championships as a senior (2012) and Big Ten Freshman of the Year in 2008. Twice named Michigan's Male Athlete of the Year (2011, '12), Russell completed his collegiate career with a 134-12 record, tying for eighth place on Michigan's all-time wins list. His career win percentage of .918 ranks second in program history. Russell captured a U.S. Open title in freestyle after graduation and spent seven seasons as an assistant coach for the Wolverines -- and returned to the U-M coaching staff earlier this month.
Chris Sabo | Baseball
Chris Sabo helped the Wolverines to two Big Ten Tournament Titles (1981, '83), with U-M appearing in the College World Series both years as well. Sabo earned All-America honors from Baseball America and Sporting News in 1984, as Michigan went 50-9. He burst onto the scene as a freshman and still ranks among Michigan's top 10 all-time freshmen in batting average, hits, home runs and stolen bases. His freshman home run record stood for 37 years before it was broken in 2018. He also ranks among the program's top 30 in seven career categories, including tied for ninth in home runs (30), 15th in total bases (321), 19th in stolen bases (39) and 12th in slugging percentage (.568). Sabo played in 171 games over three seasons before being selected 30th overall by the Cincinnati Reds in the 1983 MLB Draft. He went on to a nine-year Major League career, appearing in 911 games while hitting 116 home runs with a .268 batting average. His professional accolades include National League Rookie of the Year honors, a 1990 World Series championship and three All-Star selections.
Shana Welch | Water Polo
Shana Welch becomes the second water polo player inducted into the Michigan Hall of Honor, joining Betsey Armstrong. Welch was named to the 2005 ACWPC All-America third team as one of just 11 players in program history to earn All-America honors. Welch was a 2005 ACWPC third-team All-American and received honorable mention recognition in 2006 and 2007. She was inducted into the CWPA Hall of Fame in 2016 after a decorated collegiate career that included three consecutive CWPA Division MVP awards (2005, 2006, 2007), the 2004 CWPA Rookie of the Year honor and four first-team All-CWPA selections. Welch remains the program-record holder for career goals scored with 297, while holding three top-10 marks for goals scored in a season. She also holds the school record for goals in a game, scoring eight against CSU Bakersfield on April 16, 2005.
