Five Former Multi-Sport Athletes Headline 2026 Class of the National High School Hall of Fame

Five former standout high school athletes, including baseball star Joe Carter and football standout Patrick Willis, along with volleyball stars Alisha Glass Childress and Jordan Larson and ice hockey standout Krissy Wendell-Pohl, highlight the 2026 class of the NFHS National High School Hall of Fame.

Joining the five former athletes are three high school coaches with a combined 23 state titles, two contest officials with a combined 110 years of service, one former state association administrator and one former fine arts educator. The 12 honorees will be inducted June 29 during the 43^rd induction ceremony of the National High School Hall of Fame, which will be held at the 107^th NFHS Summer Meeting in Salt Lake City, Utah.

Joe Carter, who hit the iconic walk-off home run to win the 1993 World Series for the Toronto Blue Jays, was a phenomenal four-sport athlete at Millwood High School in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. In addition to his baseball prowess, he helped the Millwood basketball team to three consecutive state championships. Patrick Willis was a football and basketball standout athlete at Hollow Rock-Bruceton Central High School in Bruceton, Tennessee, before his stellar career with the San Francisco 49ers.   

Alisha Glass Childress and Jordan Larson are two of the top players in the history of high school volleyball. Childress still holds three national records from her days at Leland (Michigan) High School, and she went on to win three NCAA championships at Penn State University. Larson was one of the most celebrated players in Nebraska history at Logan View High School in Hooper, before her days at the University of Nebraska and an Olympic standout at the past four Summer Games.

Krissy Wendell-Pohl, the girls ice hockey phenom from Park Center High School in Brooklyn Park, Minnesota, is the other athlete in the 2026 class. Wendell-Pohl is the most prolific scorer in the history of high school girls ice hockey and continued her success at the University of Minnesota with two NCAA championships. 

The three highly successful high school coaches in the 2026 class include Jan Barker, who led Amarillo (Texas) High School to 10 Texas University Interscholastic League Class 5A state volleyball championships in 31 years; David Gentry, the winningest football coach in North Carolina history who led Murphy High School to nine North Carolina High School Athletic Association Class 1A state football titles; and Flo Valdez, the multi-sport coach at Roswell (New Mexico) High School who finished her career as the outstanding volleyball coach at Franklin High School in El Paso, Texas. 

The officials in this year’s class are Burney Jenkins, a three-sport official from Georgetown, Kentucky, with 50 years of service; and Mary Lou Thimas, who for 60 years in Massachusetts has been the guiding light as an official in the girls sports of field hockey and lacrosse.

The final members of this year’s class are Steve Savarese, who led the Alabama High School Athletic Association from 2007 to 2021 after an outstanding 33-year high school coaching career; and Craig Ihnen, former director of the Iowa High School Speech Association for 28 years after 13 years as a classroom speech teacher. 

The National High School Hall of Fame was started in 1982 by the NFHS to honor high school athletes, coaches, contest officials, administrators, performing arts coaches/directors and others for their extraordinary achievements and accomplishments in high school sports and performing arts programs. This year’s class increases the number of individuals in the Hall of Fame to 552.

The 12 individuals were chosen after a two-level selection process involving a screening committee composed of active high school state association administrators, coaches and officials, and a final selection committee composed of coaches, former athletes, state association officials, media representatives and educational leaders. Nominations were made through NFHS member associations.

Following is biographical information on the 12 individuals in the 2026 class of the National High School Hall of Fame.

ATHLETES

Joe Carter
Oklahoma

Long before his iconic walk-off home run to win the 1993 World Series for the Toronto Blue Jays, Joe Carter was a phenomenal four-sport athlete at Millwood High School in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. And despite his five Major League Baseball all-star awards and two World Series championships, Carter continues to carry the spirit and pride of Millwood with him to this day.

In baseball, Carter was a four-year starting pitcher for Millwood; and when he wasn’t pitching, he was a shortstop, third baseman or outfielder. As a senior, Carter batted .633 with 10 home runs and 31 runs batted in and was first-team all-state. He batted .412 as a sophomore and .475 as a junior and was first-team all-city. 

In basketball, Carter helped Millwood to the Oklahoma Secondary School Activities Association (OSSAA) state championship game three consecutive years, winning the title twice and finishing second as a junior. He was all-state as a senior and also was the Class 2A State Tournament MVP while leading Millwood to the state title.

Carter was the starting quarterback on the football team for three consecutive years and was Class 2A runner-up as a sophomore. He also played defensive back and was the team’s punter.

While he did not participate in track full time since it was conducted concurrently with baseball, Carter unexpectedly won the Class 2A long jump title in his senior season. He attended the regional track meet to watch his girlfriend compete. The boys team’s coach asked Joe if he wanted to compete in the long jump. He accepted the invitation, borrowed a uniform, won the regional long jump title and then won the long jump at the state meet the following weekend with a 23-0 effort – fourth longest in the state that year regardless of class.

“Joe’s accomplishments at Millwood speak for themselves,” said Lorenza “Lo” Andrews, a basketball teammate of Carter’s at Millwood. “He was not only a standout performer in every sport he played, but a generational talent whose ability, confidence and competitive spirit elevated everyone around him. His performance, presence and commitment helped define an era of excellence for Millwood athletics.”

Carter played college baseball for three years at Wichita State University in Kansas and was first-round selection of the Chicago Cubs (No. 2 overall in the draft) in 1981. Carter set 10 season and 11 career records at Wichita State, including career marks of 58 home runs, .430 batting average and .788 slugging average. Among his season records were a .450 batting average, 34 doubles and 13 triples.

After beginning his professional career with the Cubs, Carter played for five other teams. In addition to his 1993 World Series heroics, Carter also played on the 1992 Blue Jays’ team that won the World Series. He finished his 16-year career in 1998 with 2,194 hits, 396 home runs and 1,445 runs batted in. 

Among his honors, Carter has been inducted into five other halls of fame, including the Wichita State University Hall of Fame, Kansas Sports Hall of Fame, Missouri Valley Hall of Fame, Ontario Sports Hall of Fame and the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame.

In 2010, Carter started the Joe Carter Classic Golf Tournament, which raises money for the Children’s Aid Foundation of Canada and scholarships for underprivileged and at-risk youths. Each year, the tournament gives 120 one-year scholarships and four four-year scholarships and has raised about $8 million since its inception.

“Throughout his life, Joe has been admired not only for his athletic prowess but for his humility, generosity and respect for others,” said David Jackson, OSSAA executive director. “His warmth, sportsmanship and dedication to his community have made an impact on countless lives, inspiring young athletes to follow his path of hard work and integrity. Joe represents the very best qualities of a Hall of Famer: a commitment to excellence, an unwavering dedication to his team and community, and an inspiring example of resilience and character.”

Alisha Glass Childress
Michigan

Alisha Glass Childress was a standout volleyball and basketball player at Leland (Michigan) High School in the mid-2000s, although volleyball would soon take center stage and has led to a career in the sport that continues today.

Playing volleyball for her mother Laurie Glass, one of Michigan’s winningest volleyball coaches in state history, Childress finished her Leland High School career with still-standing national career records of 3,584 kills and 937 aces, and a season record of 296 aces as a junior. Her then-national record of 680 career blocks now ranks second all-time. 

Childress continues to hold four Michigan High School Athletic Association (MHSAA) records, including 48 kills in the 2006 Class D State Volleyball Championship, and her name appears 19 times in the MHSAA Record Book.

As a senior, Childress was selected Miss Volleyball and Gatorade Player of the Year in Michigan. With Childress leading the way, Leland was Class D runner-up in 2005 and made the semifinals in 2004.

In basketball, Childress was selected to the all-state team as a junior and senior, averaging 18 points and 11 rebounds as a junior; and 16 points, 10 rebounds and 3.7 blocks as a senior.   

Childress’ volleyball prowess accelerated at Penn State University, where she led the Nittany Lions to three consecutive NCAA championships and a combined record of 110-2. A four-year starter for the Nittany Lions, she concluded her Penn State career ranked fourth in program history with 5,800 assists and 12.47 assists per set.

Childress was named to the American Volleyball Coaches Association (ACVA) All-America first team twice and the second team once, and she was back-to-back recipient (2013, 2014) of the Female Athlete of the Year by USA Volleyball. She also was a three-time all-Big Ten Conference and three-time NCAA Championship All-Tournament selection.      

At the 2016 Olympics in Brazil, Childress led the U.S. volleyball team to a bronze medal, and she was named best setter of the tournament. Childress earned gold medals in three consecutive FIVB World Grand Prix Finals (2010, 2011, 2012) and at the 2014 FIVB World Championships. She collected Best Setter accolades at the 2010 and 2013 FIVB World Grand Prix, as well as at the 2014 World Championships.

Childress played professionally in the United States, Puerto Rico, Italy, Turkey, Poland and Brazil. She played for the Pro Volleyball Federation’s Vegas Thrill in 2024 and 2025 and played in the league’s first all-star match this past season.

Last August, Childress was named coach of the San Diego Mojo of Major League Volleyball and is currently coaching the team in her first season after leading the Athletes Unlimited team last year. She previously was an assistant coach of the Stanford women’s volleyball team from 2019 to 2021 and was on the staff during Stanford’s NCAA championship in 2019. 

Childress is married to the former NBA player and Stanford alum, Josh Childress, and the couple has three children.

“Just as meaningful as her athletic achievements is Alisha’s continued commitment to the volleyball community,” said Vicky Groat, volleyball coach at St. Philip High School in Michigan. “She has remained deeply connected to her hometown of Leland and to youth volleyball in Michigan. Whether leading camps, speaking to high school athletes, mentoring young setters, or emphasizing the importance of leadership and character, Alisha has consistently used her platform to inspire the next generation—not just to become better volleyball players, but to become better teammates, leaders and people.”

“It’s a strong argument that Alisha Glass continues to set the bar as not only our state’s best female athlete all-time, but arguably the most accomplished volleyball player in national high school history,” said Mark Uyl, executive director of the MHSAA.

Jordan Larson
Nebraska

Jordan Larson’s preparation for volleyball on the biggest stages started at Logan View High School in Hooper, Nebraska. Larson committed to the University of Nebraska prior to her junior season and then proceeded to back that up with two fabulous seasons to close her high school career.

As a junior in 2003, Larson averaged 15 kills per game to set a Class C1 state record and help Logan View to the Nebraska School Activities Association Volleyball championship finals. A year later as a senior, she set a C1 record with 501 kills, and Logan View advanced to the NSAA Volleyball Championship semifinals. 

Also while in high school, Larson played for the Nebraska Juniors at the USA Junior Olympics Girls Volleyball Championships in 2003, 2004 and 2005. She was selected as an All-American all three years.

Larson also participated in basketball and track and field at Logan View. She helped her team qualify for the NSAA Girls Basketball Championships in her senior year.  As a junior, she qualified for the NSAA Track and Field Championships in the 400-meter dash. 

Larson moved from Hooper to Lincoln to launch her collegiate career and help maintain the dominant University of Nebraska program. She was selected Big 12 Conference Freshman of the Year and helped the Huskers finish second in the NCAA Women’s Volleyball Championships. In 2006, Larson led Nebraska to the NCAA national title and was named to the AVCA All-America first team.

As a senior at Nebraska, Larson was named Big 12 Conference Player of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year – the first time a player had achieved both honors in the same year. During her four years at Nebraska, Larson totaled 1,600 kills and 1,410 digs.

While Larson’s high school and college careers were outstanding, her star was about to shine even brighter over the next 15 years as a part of the U.S. women’s national volleyball team. Considered one of the best players in the history of USA Volleyball, Larson has competed in the past four Olympic competitions, helping the United States to a silver medal in 2012 in London, a bronze medal in 2106 in Rio de Janeiro, a first-ever gold medal in 2020 in Tokyo and another silver medal in 2024 in Paris. 

At the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo, Larson was selected the Olympic MVP and Best Outside Hitter to help the United States to the gold medal.

Other accomplishments with the U.S. women's national team include earning medals at several major international competitions, including gold medals at the FIVB World Grand Prix (2010, 2011, and 2015), the FIVB World Championships (2014), and the FIVB Volleyball Nations League (2018, 2019, 2021).

In addition to preparing for the 2024 Olympics, Larson took on some additional duties as assistant volleyball coach at her alma mater. She helped the Huskers to an NCAA Championship appearance in 2023 and a semifinal appearance in 2024, with the team finishing 33-2 and 28-5 in her two seasons. 

Larson began her professional career in Puerto Rico and has played on teams in Russia, Turkey and China. In 2021, she played in the inaugural Athletes Unlimited Pro Volleyball season, where she became the first-ever champion. Larson is a founding athlete/co-owner for League One Volleyball’s (LOVB) inaugural Omaha team, which launched last year.

“Jordan Larson’s career reflects not only extraordinary skill but also an unwavering dedication to team, community and country,” said Jennifer Schwartz, NSAA executive director. “She has inspired countless young athletes in Nebraska and beyond, particularly young women who see in her a clear example of what is possible through hard work, passion and perseverance.”

Krissy Wendell-Pohl
Minnesota

After one of the best two-year stretches in any sport by any high school athlete, Krissy Wendell-Pohl established herself as Minnesota’s most celebrated player in girls ice hockey for her exploits at Park Center High School in Brooklyn Park from 1998 to 2000. 

As a junior, Wendell-Pohl scored a single-season national record 109 goals and registered 30 assists. One season later, she set a still-standing national mark of 110 goals. She finished her two-year career with a national record 314 points. In that amazing two-year stretch of dominance, Park Center had a 54-1 record, which included the Minnesota State High School League state championship as a senior in 2000.

Some 25 years later, Wendell-Pohl’s name still appears more than a dozen times in the NFHS’ online National High School Sports Record Book.

 Wendell-Pohl played boys hockey through her sophomore season but was intrigued when the MSHSL added girls hockey to its sanctioned sports, so she made the switch. The timing could not have been better for the awareness of girls hockey in Minnesota and eventually around the country. Thanks to Wendell-Pohl’s performances, a surge of participation in the sport occurred across the state. 

Not surprisingly, a number of awards followed for Wendell-Pohl after her two-year stretch on the girls team, including being named Ms. Hockey in Minnesota in 2000. During the 2018-19 season, the MSHSL celebrated the 25^th year of girls ice hockey and Wendell-Pohl was declared the top player of all time.

Despite her excellence in ice hockey, Wendell-Pohl was far from a one-sport athlete. At Park Center High School, she played tennis in the fall and was an all-state catcher in softball. She is the first girl to start at catcher in the Little League World Series.

Wendell-Pohl’s success continued at the University of Minnesota. She helped her team to back-to-back NCAA Girls Ice Hockey Championships in 2003 and 2004, and she was tournament MVP in 2004. In 2005, Wendell-Pohl received the Patty Kazmaier Award (Heisman Trophy for women’s ice hockey) and the Bob Johnson USA Hockey Award. In three seasons at the University of Minnesota, Wendell-Pohl had 106 goals and 247 points in 147 games. 

In addition, Wendell-Pohl helped the U.S. women’s hockey team win a silver medal at the 2002 Olympics and a bronze medal at the 2006 Games. 

Wendell-Pohl has previously been inducted into the Minnesota State High School League Hall of Fame (2017), the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame (2019) and the Hockey Hall of Fame (2024).

Wendell-Pohl currently serves as an assistant coach at Hill-Murray High School in suburban St. Paul. Her husband, John Pohl, former University of Minnesota and NHL standout, is the school's activities director and head girls hockey coach. Together, they led Hill-Murray to the MSHSL’s Class AA Girls Ice Hockey championship in 2025. Wendell-Pohl is also employed by the NHL's Pittsburgh Penguins as a regional scout.

“Krissy not only wowed longtime hockey fans, she became an idol and role model for so many young girls across our state,” said Erich Martens, MSHSL executive director. “Her accomplishments motivated girls to give hockey a try and for years, girls grew up wanting to be the next Krissy Wendell-Pohl. While she was a fierce competitor, she also played with joy and embraced each opportunity and experience. As she went on to further pursuits, her leadership was always recognized, often serving as the captain, and her energy and love of the game remained fully evident throughout her career.” 

Patrick Willis
Tennessee

Patrick Willis was one of the state’s top multi-sport athletes and two-way football players in Tennessee history during his days at Hollow Rock-Bruceton Central High School in Bruceton. Willis was a two-way, four-year starter and team captain in football, and four-year starter and one of the school’s all-time leading scorers in basketball. He also played baseball three years and made the all-district team.

In his senior season, Willis was the first and only person in Tennessee history to be nominated for the Mr. Football Award for a lineman, and the Mr. Football Award for a back. He received the Mr. Football-Lineman Award – and for good reason.   

During his four years as a linebacker, Willis recorded 465 tackles, 20 sacks, 42 tackles for loss and 13 interceptions – all school records. He also holds the school record for career interception return yards (385). In 2001, he was named to the all-region, all-West Tennessee and all-state teams.

Willis enjoyed equal success on the basketball court. In four years, he scored 1,609 points – ranking second all-time in the modern era. His yearly scoring averages were 10.7, 18.5, 20.5 and 19.0, with a career mark of 17.3 points per game. He also averaged about 10 rebounds and two blocks per game for his career.

Willis’ individual exploits resulted in tremendous team improvement as well. In the three years before Willis arrived at Central High School, the team had a combined 0-68 record. After a 3-19 mark in his first year in 1999-2000, the school became district champions by 2003 and advanced to the regional finals.   

Willis played football at the University of Mississippi from 2003 to 2006. As a junior, he led the Southeastern Conference (SEC) in total tackles, and he was named SEC Defensive Player of the Year. As a senior, he led the SEC in tackles again, repeated as Defensive Player of the Year and was named consensus first-team All-American. He was the recipient of both the Dick Butkus Award, given to the most outstanding linebacker in college football, and the Jack Lambert Award.

In the 2007 NFL draft, Willis was selected by the San Francisco 49ers with the 11^th pick in the first round. In his first season, he led the NFL with 174 total tackles, along with four sacks and two forced fumbles and was selected to the Pro Bowl. Other honors in his first year included NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year, first-team all-pro and Linebacker of the Year.

Willis was selected to the Pro Bowl seven times, was first-team all-pro five times and made the 2010s All-Decade Team. He has been selected to the San Francisco 49ers Hall of Fame, the Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame, the Carroll County Sports Hall of Fame, and last year he was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. 

“Patrick’s journey embodies what a great high school career should look like,” said Mark Reeves, executive director of the Tennessee Secondary School Athletic Association. “Hailing from the very small community of Hollow Rock-Bruceton, Patrick rose to great prominence while playing for his local school. He achieved this success while overcoming significant personal adversity in his life. Crucially, he did so with an unwavering sense of humility and grace, a spirit which, according to his coaches and peers, remained with him throughout his college and professional careers.”

COACHES

Jan Barker
Texas

After playing high school volleyball in Washington and college volleyball in Oregon, Jan Barker made the trek to the panhandle of Texas in 1982 to begin her high school coaching career. Amazingly, 36 years after landing in Amarillo looking for a job, she retired as one of the most successful volleyball coaches in Texas and U.S. history.

Five years after moving to the Lone Star State, Barker accepted the head volleyball coaching position at Amarillo High School, and in only her second season, led the Sandies to the Texas University Interscholastic League (UIL) Class 5A state championship. Six years later in 1994 she won another UIL state title, then a third championship in 1998 and a fourth title in 2001.

Not only did Barker’s teams win state titles in 1994 and 1998, they did it without dropping one match. The 1994 team was 37-0 and the 1998 team recorded a 39-0 record. The 1995 squad opened the season with 33 consecutive victories to extend Barker’s winning streak to 70 matches.

By the time she retired in 2018, Barker’s teams at Amarillo High School had claimed 10 state titles, and she had amassed an unbelievable 1116-175 record (86 percent winning percentage), which computes to less than six loses a season for her entire career.

While Barker won state titles throughout her career, the late 2000s were the most dominant years. Beginning with her fifth UIL state title in 2006, Barker led Amarillo High School to four consecutive championships with a combined record of 187-8. The year-by-year records during that stretch were 45-1, 46-1, 48-3 and 48-3. Amarillo High is the only 5A team to win four consecutive UIL state volleyball titles.

Among the players on those four teams were Barker’s daughters, Brianne and Danielle.  Brianne (Barker-Groth) helped the team to the first two titles before departing for her all-American career at the University of Oklahoma, and Danielle helped her mom’s team to titles in 2008 and 2009 as the team’s setter. Barker-Groth is following in her mother’s coaching footsteps having won two UIL Class 6A state volleyball titles at Byron Nelson High School in Trophy Club, Texas.

In addition to the 10 state titles, Barker’s teams were state runner-up once, state semifinalists three other times and regional finalists four times. Her teams also claimed 24 district championships during her 31 years at the helm. And not surprisingly, her list of awards is endless.

Barker was selected National Volleyball Coach of the Year by the American Volleyball Coaches Association (2016), the NFHS (2007, 2009), Mizuno/Volleyball Magazine (2007), National High School Coaches Association (2002) and Student Sports/Prep Volleyball (2001). She has been inducted into the Panhandle Hall of Fame (2018) and the Texas Girls Coaches Association Hall of Fame (2017). In 2017, Barker was selected Woman of the Year by the Amarillo Globe-News.  

In an article in the Amarillo Globe-News, Kori Cooper-Clements, perhaps her best player who went on to a stellar career at the University of Nebraska and now is director of operations for the Texas Tech volleyball program, said, “In my eyes, she defines volleyball in Texas. She set a bar very early in her career. Everyone has tried to reach that bar. She’s one of the very few to reach it and maintain it. That’s a testament to her investment. But more importantly that shows the investment to the players as individuals. Her players will tell you the same thing. She cares about you as a person and that makes it easy to play for her. When people talk about Texas high school volleyball, her name will always be in the conversation, no matter how long she is away.”  

David Gentry
North Carolina

When it comes to the respect of coaches in the state of North Carolina the past 50 years, David Gentry stands alone – certainly with regard to the sport of football. The respect comes partly from his amazing career in which he became the winningest football coach in state history, but equally due to the impact he had on the students he coached and the community in which he lived.

After graduating from Elon College (North Carolina), Gentry coached at Chatham High School for three years and then his alma mater, Edneyville High School, for nine years, but his coaching success exploded when he became head football coach at Murphy High School in 1983. Over the next 38 years, Gentry put the far western North Carolina city on the map with his successful football program at Murphy High School.

From 1983 until his retirement in 2021, Gentry compiled a 361-117-1 record at Murphy, a 75 percent winning percentage and led his teams to nine North Carolina High School Athletic Association (NCHSAA) Class 1A State Football Championships. Including his first 12 years at the other two schools, Gentry finished his record-breaking career with a 426-195-3 record – the most wins in state history and among the top 15 all-time nationally.

Gentry won his first two NCHSAA state championships back-to-back in 1986 and 1987, followed by ones in 1991 and 1996. After 15 years without a title, Gentry returned to the winner’s circle in 2011, followed by championships in 2013, 2016, 2018 and in his final year in 2021.

Along the way, his teams won 18 conference championships, which led to an equal number of Conference Coach of the Year awards. He was selected North Carolina Coach of the Year by USA Today in 2013 and North Carolina Coach of the Year in 2007. He was named NFHS National Football Coach of the Year in 2013 and Western North Carolina Coach of the Year in 2018.  

Gentry has been previously inducted into several halls of fame, including the North Carolina Sports Hall of Fame (2025), the NCHSAA Hall of Fame (2023), Western North Carolina Sports Hall of Fame (2017) and the National High School Athletic Coaches Association Hall of Fame (2019). 

Other honors include the NCHSAA Commissioner’s Choice Award in 2019, and in 2013 he was named one of the Top 100 Coaches to Remember by the NCHSAA, and the Murphy High School Field was named after him.

“During his educational journey and career, David has touched many lives, especially in western North Carolina,” said Que Tucker, NCHSAA commissioner. “While honing his skills as a coach in the athletic arena, he was also a dedicated teacher and role model for his players and students. David Gentry is a jewel! Role models like him are not easily found today – anywhere! So, it is only fitting that he be recognized at the national level.”

"The tradition, the pride he carries with himself, and how he wants to win . . . is just something you want to be a part of. He’s super respected by not just everyone in Murphy but everybody in the state. Seeing him do what he does, it’s pretty special,” said Micah Nelson, a former player for Gentry at Murphy High School, in an article in the Asheville Citizen-Times. 

Flo Valdez
New Mexico

Flo Valdez’s outstanding 44-year coaching career was evenly divided between Texas and New Mexico, and along the way she supported and promoted education-based activity programs through service to multiple coaches associations, and state and national organizations, including the NFHS.

After graduating from Roswell (New Mexico) High School and Texas Woman’s University (Denton, Texas), Valdez launched her 44-year career at her alma mater in 1974 as Roswell’s volleyball, basketball, and track and field coach. In 22 years at Roswell, Valdez led the school to three New Mexico Activities Association (NMAA) State Volleyball Championships (1976, 1977, 1993), and one NMAA State Track and Field Championship (1989). Her basketball teams made seven trips to the state playoffs, with a third-place finish in 1978 and fourth-place finish in 1977.

Valdez posted a 376-67 record as the Roswell volleyball coach, which computes to an average 17-3 mark per season, and her teams won 14 district titles in 22 years. As the school’s basketball coach, Valdez posted a 251-124 record and led the school to district titles in 1977 and 1978. In addition to the 1989 state track championship, her teams finished runner-up at the state meet four times and won 10 district titles.

Valdez moved to El Paso, Texas, in 1996, and spent the next 22 years as volleyball coach at Franklin High School until her retirement in 2018. She compiled a 705-181 record at Franklin with 15 district championships, nine bi-district titles and three area championships. Overall at both schools, Valdez posted a 1,081-248 career volleyball coaching record (81.3 percent winning percentage). She also served three years as the Franklin softball coach (1999-2001) and won two area championships.

Beyond her exploits on the court and track, Valdez had innumerable contributions to high school sports through her service on boards, committees, and state and national organizations.  

During her years in New Mexico, she was a volleyball rules clinician for the NMAA, and she hosted the NMAA State Volleyball Championships at Roswell 10 times. In 1992, she was a member of a coaches’ group sent by the NFHS to the Virgin Islands to conduct clinics in volleyball, basketball, and track and field. She also was the founder and host for all-star volleyball matches during the 1980s and 1990s.

After moving to Texas, Valdez became active with the Texas Girls Coaches Association (TGCA), serving on the TGCA Board of Directors for four terms.   

Nationally, Valdez had immense contributions to the NFHS during the 1990s when the organization was located in Kansas City. She was a member of the NFHS Coaches Association Board of Directors from 1992 to 1999 and was president in 1998. She also served on the NFHS Coaches’ Quarterly Publications Committee for five years.

In addition, Valdez was selected to serve on the NFHS Strategic Planning Committee for the 1996-1998 NFHS Strategic Plan, and she was a member of the NFHS Sportsmanship, Ethics and Integrity Committee (1996-98).

During the same time period in the early 1990s, Valdez was the high school representative on the Women’s Player Selection Committee for USA Basketball and was on the Player Evaluation Team in 1992. 

Valdez was the first woman to be inducted into the New Mexico High School Coaches Hall of Honor, and she also has been inducted into the Texas Girls Coaches Hall of Fame, the El Paso Athletic Hall of Fame and the New Mexico Sports Hall of Fame.

“Flo Valdez’s career is defined not only by her achievements, but by her enduring commitment to expanding opportunities for young women in sports, her passion for education-based athletics, and her leadership at the state and national levels,” said Dusty Young, NMAA executive director.

OFFICIALS

Burney Jenkins
Kentucky

One of Kentucky’s most decorated officials, Burney Jenkins has dedicated 50 years of his life to high school sports, serving as a referee, umpire and later as an assigning secretary – all “for the love of the game.”

During his officiating career, Jenkins has called six Kentucky High School Athletic Association (KHSAA) State Football Championships (three as referee), five KHSAA State Basketball Finals and five State Baseball Final Four Tournaments, in addition to countless college contests and a National Football League game in 2001.

As an undergraduate student at Georgetown College, Jenkins got into officiating as a way to make some extra money – a decision that would eventually develop into a lifetime career path. He began teaching at Georgetown Middle School after graduating, where he coached football for 28 years (18 as head coach). Urged by Principal George Lusby to get back into officiating, Jenkins returned to football officiating and took up baseball three years later.

In the years that followed, Jenkins went on to work nine regional tournaments, seven regional finals and seven state tournaments (five in basketball). Upon retiring from officiating, Jenkins spent six years as the JV Supervisor of Officials for the 10th and 11th Region before becoming the Supervisor of Officials for the 8th Region in 2001. 

Jenkins has been a licensed baseball umpire and football official for 51 years and a licensed basketball official for 48 years. In addition to the six state football finals, he has officiated state football playoff games in 34 of his 51 years. 

In 2003-04, he was honored with the KHSAA Supervisor of the Year award and was inducted into the Baseball Coaches Hall of Fame as an official later that year, having worked 31 regional tournaments, 15 state sectionals and five state tournaments (four championship finals). In 2013, Jenkins was inducted into the DAWAHARES/Kentucky High School Athletic Association Hall of Fame as a sports official. In 2020, he was selected the KHSAA Outstanding Football Official of the Year.

In addition to officiating games at the high school level, Jenkins has been a longtime collegiate official in football and basketball for several conferences, including the Ohio Valley, Gulf-South and Mid-South. He has officiated six NAIA National Football Playoffs and the NAIA Men’s Basketball Tournament for eight years, as well as 10 NCAA Division I-AA National Playoff games, and the Football Championship Series (FCS) National Championship game in 2009.

Jenkins, who obtained his master’s degree from Georgetown College in 1981, worked at the Scott County Schools for 44 years in various capacities before retiring in 2022. Shortly thereafter he was elected mayor of Georgetown, the sixth-largest city in the state and is finishing his first term and seeking a second term. 

“As a supervisor and a teacher, Jenkins always strived to instill in others his beliefs that integrity, honesty and trustworthiness are the cornerstones of officiating, and that every game should be treated like a state championship,” said Julian Tackett, KHSAA commissioner. “He teaches others to rely on the abilities they are blessed with, while maintaining humility at all times.”

Mary Lou Thimas
Massachusetts

For 60 years, Mary Lou Thimas has been the guiding light for the girls sports of field hockey and lacrosse in the state of Massachusetts. From her days as a student and coach, and now in her seventh decade of officiating at the age of 81, no one in Massachusetts has contributed more to these high school sports than Mary Lou Thimas.

Thimas started as a field hockey official in 1965 in her sophomore year at Bridgewater State College and continues to officiate the sport today. She has officiated Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association state tournaments, sectionals, semifinals and state finals in field hockey and, amazingly, has officiated in EVERY postseason field hockey tournament since the MIAA started championships in the 1980s.

Additionally, she added girls lacrosse to her officiating duties in 1982 and, like field hockey, has officiated in every MIAA girls lacrosse tournament since the inception of the sport. She has never missed a postseason tournament in either sport for the entirety of her 60-year officiating career.        

As impressive as her on-field officiating accomplishments has been her passion for mentoring and using officiating as a vehicle for teaching, learning and growth. It is estimated that Thimas has mentored at least 15-20 officials a year for the entirety of her career – a total that exceeds 1,000 individuals she has guided.

Thimas has been a strong leader and advocate for girls sports throughout her career. She has been a part of the MIAA Girls and Women in Sport Committee for 30 years, and she has been instrumental in organizing and supporting the annual Massachusetts Girls and Women in Sport Day celebration. 

Thimas also has been a part of the MIAA Field Hockey Committee for decades. She has chaired multiple subcommittee efforts to enhance the sport of field hockey across the state, and she has presented and facilitated workshops for both coaches and officials to grow and improve the knowledge base of these stakeholders.

Outside her officiating duties, Thimas has coached basketball, field hockey, lacrosse and tennis at both the high school and college levels. She also has served as director of athletics for women and associate director of athletics at her alma mater, Bridgewater State College, as well as associate director of athletics at the University of Massachusetts, Dartmouth.

Thimas also served for a period of time as director of athletics at Framingham North High School and Framingham South High School, and she also served a stint as senior assistant commissioner of the Eastern College Athletic Conference. 

Among her numerous awards, Thimas has received Hall of Fame honors as an athlete, coach, administrator and advocate. She was named MIAA Official of the Year for girls lacrosse and received the Massachusetts Women in Athletics Distinguished Service Award. In 2024, she was honored with the MIAA Distinguished Service Award.

“As an educator, Mary Lou has an unswerving desire to use her exposure to the rules and understanding of the game to better all of those around her,” said Bob Baldwin, MIAA executive director. “She has been a leader since the inception of the sports and the organization of the officiating boards in the state that guide the instruction and scheduling of officials. She has shepherded two female sports from the beginning and worked with others to make it happen.”

“Mary Lou’s greatest contribution may be her unwavering character,” said Sherry Bryant, MIAA deputy director. “In my decades of experience, I have never met a person who has expressed anything but the utmost respect and appreciation for her. Her reputation as a humble, hard-working, kind and giving person of integrity is known statewide.” 

ADMINISTRATOR

Steve Savarese
Alabama

When Steve Savarese assumed the reins of the Alabama High School Athletic Association in 2007 after a highly successful 33-year football coaching career, he was stepping into an organization that had been directed by three Hall of Fame administrators for the previous 59 years. To say that he maintained that excellence – both in the state of Alabama and nationally – would be an understatement. 

Savarese, who guided the AHSAA from 2007 to 2021, followed in the footsteps of Cliff Harper (1948-66), Herman (Bubba) Scott (1966-90) and Dan Washburn (1990-2007) – all of whom have been inducted into the National High School Hall of Fame. The AHSAA joins the Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association as the only states with four former executive directors in the Hall of Fame.

Within the state, Savarese’s tenure was highlighted by the introduction of the AHSAA’s  Revenue Share initiative which annually returns funds back to member schools when the AHSAA has at least one year’s working capital in reserve.

Savarese also moved the Super 7 Football Championships to the University of Alabama’s Bryant-Denny Stadium and Auburn University’s Jordan-Hare Stadium on a rotating basis in 2009 and added Birmingham’s new Progressive Stadium to the rotation beginning with the 2021 championships.

Other accomplishments include adding back the Indoor Track Championship, as well as starting programs for bowling, esports and girls flag football. In 2011, he founded the AHSAA Making a Difference Award program, which honors individuals in each classification for their positive impact in their schools and communities.

Nationally, Savarese was heavily involved in the NFHS Network, serving as chairman of the NFHS Network Board of Directors, and was instrumental in the financial success of the venture for schools and state associations. He also served a term on the NFHS Board of Directors, including a year as president-elect prior to his retirement.

Through his innovative leadership, the AHSAA was one of the first state associations to join the NFHS Network. Currently, 365 member schools have joined the NFHS Network through the School Broadcast Program – which will have generated close to $600,000 in revenue for those member schools by the end of this school year.

“Steve had a deep belief in the mission of the NFHS Network and the important role it would play in communicating the value of education-based athletics going forward,” said David Rudolph, former CEO of PlayOn Sports for 17 years. “He made sure that Alabama was the first state to adopt any new initiative that the Network Board decided to move forward with so that he could show ‘leadership from the front.’” 

Prior to joining the Alabama association in 2007, Savarese had built an impressive record as a football coach – beginning in Kansas and finishing the majority of his career at four Alabama schools. He spent five years at Douglass High School in Kansas and won one state title. After moving to Alabama, he coached three years at Birmingham High; 12 years at Benjamin Russell High School in Alexander City; seven years at Daphne High School, where he posted a 77-14 record and one state championship (2001) and two runner-up finishes; and three years (2004-06) at McGill-Toolen Catholic High School in Mobile. Overall, he posted a 291-98 record in 33 years.

“Coach Savarese’s impact on Alabama high school athletics will be everlasting,” said Heath Harmon, said current Executive Director Heath Harmon. “His guidance as executive director took the AHSAA to its greatest heights in its 100-year history. His leadership helped prepare the AHSAA for the future – and his focus on sportsmanship, health and safety, and student participation has been modeled nationwide.”

FINE ARTS

Craig Ihnen
Iowa

When it comes to the success of speech, debate and theatre programs in Iowa high schools the past 30 years, Craig Ihnen should receive much of the credit. Ihnen, the passionate, enthusiastic and innovative former director of the Iowa High School Speech Association (IHSSA), moved the organization to new heights during his 28 years (1994-2022) at the helm.

Ihnen began his education career as speech/drama teacher at West Bend School District and LeMars School District for 13 years before joining the IHSSA. His students were decorated with more than 200 all-state appearances and sweepstakes awards. He directed more than 250 plays and musicals and had numerous students qualify for the National Forensic League national tournament.

Under his leadership at the IHSSA, the association expanded festivals, strengthened adjudication systems, increased professional development offerings for educators and promoted essential life skills fostered through speech and debate. Within the state of Iowa and nationally through his work with the NFHS, Ihnen became a widely respected advocate, admired for his ability to bring people together in service of education-based activities. 

In addition to his influence in the fine arts. Ihnen also served as associate director of the Iowa Girls High School Athletic Union (IGHSAU) for 14 years. He administered the IGHSAU’s tennis program in addition to serving as the swimming and diving administrator. He also served as the site administrator at the Iowa High School Athletic Association’s Boys State Tennis Meet for 35 years and was honored twice for his contributions to youth tennis by the Iowa Tennis Association and the United States Tennis Association.

Ihnen had immense contributions nationally as well with the NFHS and the Educational Theatre Association (EdTA). He served eight years as a member of the NFHS Speech Committee and another four years as committee chair. He was a national leadership coach for the EdTA and a member of the EdTA National Individual Events Showcase. He was a workshop presenter at numerous NFHS Summer Meetings and several EdTA national conferences.

In retirement, Ihnen is still a highly-sought adjudicator for theatre and speech events – both locally and across the nation. His empathetic, enthusiastic judging style has led him to opportunities throughout Iowa, Wisconsin, Michigan, South Dakota, Ohio, Kansas, Nebraska and Louisiana, among others.

Ihnen is a member of six other halls of fame, including the Educational Theatre Association Hall of Fame, the Iowa High School Speech Association Hall of Fame and the Iowa Thespian Hall of Fame. He received the Bernie Saggau Award of Merit from the Iowa High School Athletic Association (IHSAA) in 2017 and the NFHS Citation in 2018. This past year, he was recognized with the Arts Legacy Award by the Iowa Governor’s Office for fostering artistic expression and excellence in speech and performing arts education.

“Craig Ihnen continues to enrich the speech/drama/debate education,“ said Stacy Hansen, IHSSA executive director. “He possesses the special gift to innovate, inspire and lead with a lens to the future.” 

“Few individuals have influenced the performing arts education landscape as profoundly as Craig Ihnen,” said Tom Keating, IHSAA executive director. “His lifelong commitment to excellence, innovation and student opportunity has elevated not only programs but people – leaving a legacy that continues to shape the landscape.    

“One of Craig’s most significant contributions has been his ability to bridge the often-separate worlds of arts and athletics within the high school community. By serving authentically and effectively in both roles, he demonstrated that speech education deserves the same respect, resources and administrative support as athletic programs.”