7 Wolverines listed in voting for Michigan Sports Hall of Fame with deadline approaching
Seven prominent figures from U-M Athletics history are nominated for the 2023 Michigan Sports Hall Of Fame class in the ballot for this year’s class.
Football stars Larry Foote, Jim Harbaugh, Drew Henson, Jake Long, Mark Messner and Lamar Woodley and softball legend Sierra Romero have been nominated for the 2023 class. Voting closes on May 12 and can take place here.
“The Hall of Fame was organized in 1954 by Lt. Governor Philip A. Hart, Michigan State University Athletic Director Biggie Munn, Donald Weeks, President of the Greater Michigan Foundation, W. Nicholas Kerbawy, General Manager of the Detroit Lions and George Alderton of the Lansing State Journal who conceived of the project,” the MSHOF website states. “It is believed to be the oldest State Sports Hall of Fame in the United States, having elected its inaugural Class in 1955.
“The Michigan Sports Hall of Fame Induction Classes are made up of memorable contributors from multiple sports that have achieved prominence and represented their teams, schools and the State of Michigan.”
Here are the U-M finalists that are involved in the vote this year.
Professional finalists
Larry Foote: The Detroit native attended Pershing High School and won All-Big Ten honors twice in 2000-01, and also grabbed first-team All-American and Big Ten Player of the Year honors in 2001. He won a pair of Super Bowls with the Pittsburgh Steelers and also spent time with the Detroit Lions and Arizona Cardinals.
Amateur finalists
Jim Harbaugh: Michigan’s current head coach won the Chicago Tribune Silver Football trophy as the most valuable player in the Big Ten and was third in Heisman Trophy voting in 1986. Harbaugh quarterbacked the Wolverines to a pair of top-10 finishes and a pair of wins over Ohio State.
Drew Henson: The Brighton, Michigan native was a storied multi-sport athlete, playing both football and baseball. Henson was an All-American quarterback and punter and USA Today’s High School Baseball Player of the Year, then took his talents to Michigan and led it to a Big Ten title and Citrus Bowl win in 2000.
Jake Long: The No. 1 overall pick in the 2008 NFL Draft and Lapeer native was a two-time first-team All-American and won a pair of Big Ten offensive Lineman of the Year awards. He was also an all-state player in both football and basketball in high school.
Mark Messner: Riverview’s star was an All-American at Detroit Catholic Central High and holds Michigan’s records for tackles for loss and sacks. Messner grabbed Co-MVP honors at the 1986 Fiesta Bowl, named a consensus All-American in 1988 and is one of three players to receive All-Big Ten honors four years in a row. He made the College Football Hall of Fame indicted in 2022.
Sierra Romero: The Michigan softball star from 2013-16 led the program to four Big Ten titles and a runner-up finish in the 2015 Women’s College World Series. She is the first U-M softball player to earn four-time All-American honors and holds the NCAA records in career runs and grand slams, in addition to being the Big Ten’s all-time leader in batting average, home runs and RBI.
Lamar Woodley: Hailing from Saginaw, Woodley was the defensive MVP of the 2005 Rose Bowl and was a unanimous All-American during his senior year. He won the Lombardi and Ted Hendricks Awards. He was the 2006 Big Ten Defensive Player and Defensive Lineman of the Year.
