Myra Van Hoose Blackwelder
Winner of the Kentucky PGA junior title three straight times, Blackwelder won four straight high school state tournament individual titles at Lafayette. She was the first female athlete awarded a full athletic scholarship to the University of Kentucky. While at UK, Blackwelder won 10 college invitational tournament championships. She was the Kentucky Women’s State Golf Association champ in 1975 and ’76.  Blackwelder played 14 years on the LPGA tour, where she was named 1980 Rookie of Year.

Tim Couch
An All-Stater at Leslie County as well as Mr. Football, Couch was an All-American at the University of Kentucky, where he became UK’s all-time leading passer. He led the Wildcats to the Outback Bowl after the 1998 season, when he was a Heisman Trophy finalist. In 1999, Couch became the first UK player ever chosen with the 1st pick in the NFL draft, when he was selected by the Cleveland Browns.

Clarence “Bighouse” Gaines
The Paducah native coached 47 years at Winston-Salem State University, compiling an 828-447 record. In 1967, his team won the NCAA Championship with a 31-1 record, becoming the first predominantly black school to win an NCAA Division II title. When he retired from coaching in 1993, he was 6th all-time in coaching victories for any NCAA school.

Bill Keightley
One of the great fixtures in University of Kentucky basketball, Keightley began his career as UK Equipment Manager in 1962.  He is the only person in the history of the program to work for Adolph Rupp, Joe B. Hall, Eddie Sutton, Rick Pitino and Tubby Smith. Affectionately known as “Mr. Wildcat,”  UK honored Keightley in 1997 with a retired jersey in his honor.

Ron Kordes
As the Assumption High School volleyball coach, Kordes built perhaps the greatest high school sports dynasty in Kentucky. After Kordes arrived in 1988, Assumption became one of the top national volleyball powers. Kordes led Assumption to 13 state titles in a 15-year span, including two national titles during that time. More than 20 of Kordes’ players have received scholarships.

Jeff Mullins
A graduate of Lafayette High School in Lexington, Mullins was named Kentucky’s Mr. Basketball in 1960. He went on to become an All-American at Duke, which retired his number. Mullins was a member of the 1964 Olympic gold medal team, and was chosen fifth overall in the NBA draft. He spent 13 years in the NBA with St. Louis and San Francisco/Golden State and was named an NBA All-Star three-times. Mullins also coached North Carolina-Charlotte from 1985-96.

Chris Redman
An All-Stater at Louisville Male High School, Redman was named a Parade All-American and the national high school offensive Player of the Year.  He set passing records at U of L; his career total of 12,541 yards was 3rd-highest in Division I history. Redman won the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award as the nation’s top senior quarterback. He was the first U of L quarterback to lead the Cardinals to back-to-back bowl appearances. Redman spent 5 seasons in the NFL.

Kenny Walker
The number 2 scorer in UK men’s basketball history at the time of his induction, Walker was a 2-time All-American who helped lead the Wildcats to the 1984 Final Four. He spent 7 seasons in the NBA with the New York Knicks and the Washington Bullets, winning the Slam Dunk contest at the 1989 All-Star game. Walker also played professionally in Europe and Japan.

  Secretariat
Arguably the greatest thoroughbred of the modern era, “Big Red” was the 1973 Triple Crown winner, the first racing had seen in 25 years. A son of the great Bold Ruler, Secretariat set a Kentucky Derby record with the first sub-two minute time in the history of the race, winning in 1:59 2/5. Secretariat ran each Derby quarter-mile faster than the one before it.   He also went on to set records in the Preakness and Belmont Stakes.