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United States Athletics Hall of Fame Celebrates Its Foundational Classes and Looks Ahead to First Physical Location in 2027
Led by co-founders Kirk Buchner and Evan Nolan, USAHOF brings American sporting legacies together as it expands its national presence…
Led by co-founders Kirk Buchner and Evan Nolan, USAHOF brings American sporting legacies together as it expands its national presence
NEW YORK, NEW YORK, November 9, 2026 — The United States Athletics Hall of Fame (USAHOF), led by co-founders Kirk Buchner and Evan Nolan, is launching a broader national effort to celebrate its foundational classes and expand its presence, with an inaugural physical location expected in 2027.
Supporting that vision is a leadership and selection committee that includes Ken Crippen, founder of the Football Learning Academy and a former member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame’s Contributor Blue-Ribbon Committee; Upton Bell, former New England Patriots general manager and son of former NFL Commissioner Bert Bell; seven-time NFL Pro Bowl selection Richmond Webb; Chicago sports historian and author Jack Silverstein; Pro Football Research Association associate and published sports author Mike Richman; Raiders fan ambassador and entrepreneur Wayne Mabry; five-time Olympic gold medalist Bonnie Blair; Jim Thorpe legacy holder, sports autobiography author, and multi-sports committee member Anita Thorpe; former professional athlete and investment mogul Gill Florentino; and sports Hall of Fame advocate Ron Katz. Together, they bring experience in athletic competition, NFL leadership, sports law, historical research, Hall of Fame selection, and fan culture to USAHOF.
USAHOF recognizes athletes, coaches, contributors, and commentators across sports, eras, and generations, with public participation central to its selection process. Its foundational classes honor individuals whose extraordinary achievements have helped shape American sport.
“The fans who remember these performances, follow these careers, and pass these stories down should have a voice in who is recognized,” said Evan Nolan, President and Co-Founder of USAHOF. “That public involvement is central to what we are building. As we work toward our first physical location, we want to create more opportunities for people to discover these legacies and connect with the history they share.”
“American sports history is often told one league or one sport at a time,” said Kirk Buchner, Chairman and Co-Founder of USAHOF. “We created this Hall to bring those stories together. The achievements may look different on a basketball court, a football field, or an Olympic track, but their place in our sporting history deserves to be celebrated together.”
Buchner brings extensive research into sporting recognition and Hall of Fame selection, alongside his work as a published author and host. He founded Not in Hall of Fame in 2009 and co-founded The Buck Stops Here with Nolan. Their shared vision grew out of a need for a national Hall where recognition is determined by the American public, bringing achievements across professional, Olympic, collegiate, and individual competition into one American sports hall.
Sporting Legends Across Leagues and Generations
USAHOF’s foundational classes include some of the most recognizable figures in American sport, with careers that helped define celebrated franchises and historic Olympic moments.
Select honorees include:
NBA honorees include Chicago Bulls legend Michael Jordan, Boston Celtics great Larry Bird, and Los Angeles Lakers icons Magic Johnson and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.
NFL honorees include San Francisco 49ers legends Joe Montana and Jerry Rice, alongside Detroit Lions great Barry Sanders, whose careers helped define generations of professional football.
MLB honorees include Ken Griffey Jr., whose career connects the Seattle Mariners and Cincinnati Reds; Philadelphia Phillies great Mike Schmidt; and Nolan Ryan, whose career spanned the New York Mets, California Angels, Houston Astros, and Texas Rangers.
Olympic honorees include Bonnie Blair, Carl Lewis, Florence Griffith Joyner, Mark Spitz, Jackie Joyner-Kersee, and Kristi Yamaguchi, reflecting excellence in American Olympic representation.
Coaching honorees include Bill Belichick, whose championship legacy is closely associated with the New England Patriots; Joe Gibbs, who led Washington to three Super Bowl titles; and Tony Dungy, whose head coaching career included the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Indianapolis Colts.
For the complete classes of honorees and their individual stories, visit the Honorees page at https://www.theusahof.com/current-inductees.
Recognizing the Foundational Classes and Expanding the Hall’s Presence
As USAHOF grows, it is undertaking a phased recognition effort for its foundational classes, including outreach to honorees and their representatives, coordination of award delivery, and opportunities to share acceptance statements and personal reflections.
This effort preserves each honoree’s original class designation while bringing greater visibility to their induction, achievements, and lasting influence.
The Hall is also working toward its inaugural physical location, expected in 2027. This next stage will extend USAHOF’s presence beyond its online platform. Further details about the location and opening plans will be announced as they are finalized.
Voting for USAHOF’s 2026 class is now open across four categories: Athletes, Coaches, Contributors, and, for the first time this year, Commentators. Fans are invited to help shape the next class by casting their votes at https://www.theusahof.com/voting.
About the United States Athletics Hall of Fame
Founded in 2019 by Kirk Buchner and Evan Nolan, the United States Athletics Hall of Fame grew from a shared passion for sports history and a belief that American sporting greatness deserved a home spanning every sport. While individual leagues and disciplines had their own halls of fame, the founders saw an opportunity to bring those legacies together, recognizing athletes, coaches, contributors, and commentators across eras and generations. Built on the principle “by the people, for the people,” USAHOF gives fans a meaningful voice in selecting its honorees while preserving the achievements and stories that have shaped American sport. The Hall is expanding its national presence, with its inaugural physical location expected in 2027. Learn more at www.theusahof.com
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Pamela Valerio -
pamela@proppublicity.com -
https://www.theusahof.com
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