Chicagoland Sports Hall of Fame

The Class of 2026 is here! We’re proud to welcome a new generation of legends into the Chicagoland Sports Hall of Fame and we’re celebrating in a big way on Thursday, October 15. This is your chance to be in the room as icons from across the sports world take the stage. Seats are limited and they will go fast. Get your tickets now: chicagolandsportshalloffame.com/2026-induction… We will see you in October at the Rosemont Convention Center! @mark_giangreco @grunwald_glen @RonRivera80 @georgerogers38 @bguzan @JerryAzumah

Congratulations to Candace Parker and Elena Delle Donne on their induction into the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame! @Candace_Parker is a Naperville Central graduate and three-time Ms. Basketball of Illinois, brought the Chicago @chicagosky their first-ever WNBA title in 2021, capping a career that included three championships, two MVPs, and two Olympic gold medals. The Sky retired her No. 3 last season. @De11eDonne launched her pro career in Chicago, winning Rookie of the Year and her first MVP with the Sky in 2015. A two-time MVP and the first player in WNBA history to join the elite 50/40/90 club, she redefined what dominance looked like. Chicago was lucky to watch greatness up close. Congratulations to two of the very best! 🏀

We will be proud to welcome Tony Petitti to the Class of 2026 on October 15th in Rosemont! From the commissioner's office right here in Rosemont, Tony Petitti leads one of the most powerful conferences in college sports, and helps shape the future of the game from the heart of Chicagoland. A graduate of Haverford College and Harvard Law School, Petitti built a remarkable career across sports and media, serving as the launch president of @MLBNetwork, chief operating officer of @MLB , and a top executive at both @CBSSports and ABC Sports. In 2023, he was named the seventh commissioner of the @bigten, where he has guided the league through a transformative era of expansion and growth. Will we see you at the induction ceremony? Tickets are available now at chicagolandsportshalloffame.com/2026-induction…

We will be proud to welcome Ron Rivera to the Class of 2026 on October 15 in Rosemont! A cornerstone of the most dominant defense in @NFL history, Ron Rivera helped the 1985 @ChicagoBears bulldoze their way to a Super Bowl title, and made history doing it. A linebacker drafted by the Bears in 1984, @RonRivera80 spent all nine of his playing seasons in Chicago and became the first player of Puerto Rican descent to win a Super Bowl when the Bears captured Super Bowl XX. He returned to the city as the Bears' defensive coordinator, earning Assistant Coach of the Year honors in 2005 and helping develop Brian Urlacher into a Defensive Player of the Year en route to Super Bowl XLI. Rivera went on to become a two-time NFL Coach of the Year as a head coach, leading Carolina to Super Bowl 50. Will we see you at the induction ceremony? Tickets are available now at chicagolandsportshalloffame.com/2026-induction…

We will be proud to welcome Steve Smith to the Class of 2026 on October 15 in Rosemont! A rock on the blue line who brought his championship pedigree to the @NHLBlackhawks, Steve Smith helped define an era of gritty, winning hockey in the Windy City. A three-time Stanley Cup champion with the Edmonton Oilers, Smith arrived in Chicago in 1991 and spent six seasons anchoring the Blackhawks' defense, playing in the 1991 NHL All-Star Game at Chicago Stadium and helping lead the team on a deep run to the Stanley Cup Final. Over a 16-year NHL career, the towering defenseman appeared in more than 800 games and represented Canada in the 1991 Canada Cup. He later returned to the game as an NHL assistant coach for more than a decade. Will we see you at the induction ceremony? Tickets are available now at chicagolandsportshalloffame.com/2026-induction…

We will be proud to present George Rogers with the Gale Sayers Award at our Class of 2026 ceremony on October 15 in Rosemont! Named for one of the greatest to ever wear a @ChicagoBears uniform, the Gale Sayers Award honors the finest running backs the game has produced and George Rogers earned his place among them. A 1980 Heisman Trophy winner at South Carolina, Rogers entered the NFL as the first overall pick in 1981 and immediately made history, leading the league in rushing and earning Offensive Rookie of the Year honors with a record-setting 1,674-yard debut season. Over seven seasons with the Saints and Washington, he rushed for more than 7,000 yards and 54 touchdowns, capping his career as a Super Bowl XXII champion before earning his place in the College Football Hall of Fame. Will we see you at the induction ceremony? Tickets are available now at chicagolandsportshalloffame.com/2026-induction…

We will be proud to welcome Glen Grunwald to the Class of 2026 on October 15 in Rosemont! From East Leyden High School standout to one of basketball's most respected executives, Glen Grunwald has left his mark on the game at every level. The only four-time All-Chicago Area selection in history, Grunwald went on to captain Indiana University's 1981 national championship team before building a distinguished NBA executive career with the Toronto Raptors, New York Knicks, and beyond. Will we see you at the induction ceremony? Tickets are available now at chicagolandsportshalloffame.com/2026-induction…

We will be proud to welcome @mark_giangreco to the Class of 2026 on October 15 in Rosemont! For decades, Mark Giangreco brought Chicago sports fans the stories, highlights, and moments that defined generations. A three-time Emmy Award winner and one of the most recognizable voices in Chicago broadcasting history, Giangreco was sports director and lead sports anchor at ABC7, becoming a fixture in homes across the city. Will we see you at the induction ceremony? Tickets are available now at chicagolandsportshalloffame.com/2026-induction…

We will be proud to welcome Jordan Lynch to the Class of 2026 on October 15 in Rosemont! From Mt. Greenwood to the Heisman ceremony in New York, Jordan Lynch has carried Chicago with him every step of the way. A @MountCarmelHS student and Northern Illinois legend, Lynch was a 2013 Heisman Trophy finalist and first-team All-American who shattered the NCAA single-season rushing record for a quarterback. He went on to win a Grey Cup with Edmonton, scoring the game-winning touchdown, before returning home to coach Mount Carmel to five state championships and earning a place in the College Football Hall of Fame. Will we see you at the induction ceremony? Tickets are available now at chicagolandsportshalloffame.com/2026-induction

We will be proud to welcome Ben Zobrist to the Class of 2026 on October 15 in Rosemont! From a small-town field in Eureka, Illinois to the biggest stage in baseball, Ben Zobrist delivered Chicago a championship generations had been waiting for. A switch-hitting "super utility" star and three-time All-Star, Zobrist was the ultimate winning player, a back-to-back World Series champion who took home World Series MVP honors in 2016, driving in the go-ahead run in Game 7 to bring the @Cubs their first title in 108 years. Born and raised downstate, he carried Illinois with him to the very top of the sport. Will we see you at the induction ceremony? Tickets are available now at chicagolandsportshalloffame.com/2026-induction…

NEW CEREMONY DATE: Thursday, October 15, 2026 The Class of 2026 Induction Ceremony & Awards Dinner has moved from October 22 to October 15. We look forward to celebrating the Class of 2026 with all of you! 🎟️ Tickets available now at chicagolandsportshalloffame.com/2026-induction…

We mourn the passing of Dennis Hull, the "Silver Jet", who passed away yesterday at the age of 81. Dennis stepped out of his brother Bobby's shadow to become a Chicago hockey great in his own right. Five-time NHL All-Star. 90 points in his finest season. Three Stanley Cup Finals runs with the @NHLBlackhawks in 1965, 1971, and 1973. A wit that lit up every room. He was inducted into our hall of fame as part of the class of 1990. We are honored to call him one of our own. Rest in peace, Dennis.

Mark your calendar! The Chicagoland Sports Hall of Fame's 29th Annual Induction & Awards Dinner is coming and you don't want to miss it. 📅 Thursday, October 22, 2026 📍 Donald E. Stephens Convention Center | Rosemont, IL 🍸 Doors & Cocktail Hour @ 5:30 PM 🏆 Dinner & Awards @ 7:00 PM The Class of 2026 will be announced soon. Follow along to stay up to date. We look forward to celebrating the legacy of Chicago sports with you! 🎟️ Tickets on sale NOW at chicagolandsportshalloffame.com/tickets/

In memory of Coach Lou Holtz, we're sharing his Chicagoland Sports Hall of Fame induction video from our Class of 2019. For over 3 decades, Coach Holtz led programs across the country, but it was his 11 seasons at Notre Dame from 1986 to 1996 where he truly made his mark, building champions and developing some of Chicagoland's finest. His 1988 Fighting Irish went a perfect 12–0, won the Fiesta Bowl, and claimed the consensus national championship. He is the only college football coach to lead six different programs to bowl games, a record that may never be broken. Rest in peace, Coach.

We are deeply saddened by the passing of Lou Holtz, one of the greatest college football coaches of all time. We are proud to have inducted Coach Holtz into the Chicagoland Sports Hall of Fame as part of our Class of 2019, introduced by fellow inductee Dan Hampton (Class of 1998), who played under Holtz during his time at the University of Arkansas. It was a fitting tribute from one legend to another. Over 3 decades of remarkable coaching, Holtz became the only college football coach to lead six different programs to bowl games. His 1988 Notre Dame team went a perfect 12–0, capped by a Fiesta Bowl victory and a consensus national championship, a season that cemented his legacy forever. Beyond the wins and records, Coach Holtz had deep ties to the Chicago community and the players he shaped here. We were honored to welcome him into our Hall and to celebrate what he meant to this region. Rest well, Coach. The game is better because of you.

We mourn the passing of Mike Wagner, a four-time Super Bowl champion. We had the honor of inducting him to our hall as part of the Class of 2000. From his roots in Waukegan to becoming a cornerstone of the Pittsburgh Steelers “Steel Curtain” defense, Wagner built a legacy defined by toughness, consistency, and heart. An 11th-round draft pick who recorded 36 career interceptions and helped deliver four Super Bowl titles to Pittsburgh, he embodied perseverance at every level of the game. His impact as a champion, mentor, and leader will never be forgotten.

We are saddened to hear of the passing of Wilbur Wood, a 1990 inductee into the Chicagoland Sports Hall of Fame. One of the toughest and most beloved pitchers in White Sox history, Wilbur gave everything to the city of Chicago and helped shape the team's identity in the 1970s. His legacy as a workhorse, a knuckleball master, and a true professional lives on in the hearts of Sox fans and baseball lovers across the country. Our thoughts are with his family and all who were inspired by his remarkable career.