Amidst the rowdy shouts and scarlet-covered stands cheering on the We Are Family Weekend football game against Beloit College on Sept. 21, 10 alumni graced Rosenbloom field at halftime to be inducted into the Grinnell College Athletic Hall of Fame, a recognition of achievement among family, friends and current Grinnell students alike.
The Hall of Fame induction process happens every two years at Grinnell since its founding in 1996 to honor the 150th anniversary of the College. The Hall of Fame Selection Committee, made up of nine members of faculty, staff, students and alumni athlete representatives, decides the recipients of the honor in a competitive, iterative process, said Jayn Bailey Chaney `05, assistant vice president of alumni and donor relations.
Anyone can nominate a member from a form found on the alumni page of the Grinnell website. Adam Kelley-Chown, assistant director of regional & virtual engagement, said that this year, “65 nominations were received, and they span from graduates from some of the earliest days of Grinnell College athletics, one of them in the 1920s, through very recent graduates.”
Selection involves an anonymous rating process where “candidates are reviewed by sport … because sometimes statistics, they just really vary a lot,” said Chaney. This is followed by “lengthy meetings” with continuous voting until a consensus is reached. Academic achievement is also considered, especially with inductees Jeff Pedersen `02 and Graham Fisher `16, who both have contributions to football, along with Vidushi Sinha ’19 and Vrishali Sinha ’19, prominent women’s golf alumni, all of which are All-American honorees.
During the ceremony, the inductees –– excluding posthumously awarded Norris Stubs `72, who ran track for the Bahamas in the 1968 Summer Olympics –– stood on the Rosenbloom Field to receive their medals. As they stepped forward one by one, their many accomplishments were read off, and President Anne Harris placed the medals, bearing scarlet and black ribbons and the Honor G, over their necks.
“It’s just a testament to the time and effort you put into it, both alone and with your teammates,” says inductee and recordbreaker in both baseball and football, Graham Fisher `16. Kayla Morrissey `18, a record holder in basketball and softball, said, “I was glad to be sharing that moment with the other nominees,” adding on to Fisher’s sentiment.
Current Grinnell athletes were among the loudest cheers for the honorees. “You have here people [inductees] who … whether it is coming back as Jeff Pedersen `02 has done to coach, really continue to help shape Grinnell athletics,” said Chaney.
Fisher hopes these achievements can inspire other athletes. “It was hopefully good for current athletes to see that … I can be that if I put in the work, time and effort,” he said.
The honor also served as an opportunity for the inductees to relive old memories, reconnect with teammates and coaches and see how Grinnell athletics has grown. “I learned the value of teamwork here,” said Felipe Bautista `02, the first Grinnell tennis player to earn a spot in the NCAA Division III tournament. “It’s been awesome seeing the new facilities, how much the school has grown and come to the next level.”
Unlike previous years, the Fall Athletics Weekend that is usually celebrated every other year coincided with We Are Family Weekend. “The more the merrier. This is a great opportunity to come together … in support of all of our athletes,” said Chaney. This recognition cemented the mark the athletes left on the College’s athletics, and the strength of the Grinnell community. “The award was not just an honor for myself,” said Morrissey. “It was a culmination of all the people who gave me support.”
