Ball State Announces 2024 Hall of Fame Class
June 05, 2024 | Baseball, Football, Men's Swimming and Diving, Softball, Women's Volleyball, Cross Country, Track & Field, Cardinal Varsity Club
Induction ceremony to take place Oct. 4 at Worthen Arena
MUNCIE, Ind. –- Ball State Athletics has announced the newest members of its Athletics Hall of Fame. The 2024 induction class includes the winningest team in baseball program history, a highly decorated softball player, an NCAA outdoor All-American in the hurdles, two record-breaking football players, a three-time All-MAC recipient in women's volleyball and a five-time MAC champion diver.
The seven-member class features the 1999 Ball State baseball team, Sean Baker (football), Dave Garrow (swimming & diving), Jenny Gilbert (softball), Linise Gordon (cross country/track & field), Megan Hammons (women's volleyball) and Keith Wenning (football).
The group will be inducted Friday, Oct. 4, at Worthen Arena. The class will also be honored at the Oct. 5 football game against Western Michigan in Scheumann Stadium.
"We look forward to celebrating this year's talented hall of fame class," said Director of Athletics Jeff Mitchell. "I continue to be impressed by the standard of excellence within Ball State Athletics, and this year's class represents the very best of that proud tradition."
1999 Ball State Baseball Team
Ball State's 1999 baseball team still holds the program record for wins after finishing that season with a 42-18 ledger. The Cardinals owned a 25-6 Mid-American Conference mark which earned Ball State the 1999 conference title and the right to host the league's tournament.
This star-studded roster had the MAC player and freshman of the year in Larry Bigbie and current assistant coach Justin Wechsler, respectively, along with two All-America selections.
The Cardinals had 11 players from this squad picked in the Major League Baseball draft from 1999-2001, including five in 1999.
Sean Baker, Football
This defensive powerhouse set the tone early in his career earning MAC Freshman of the Year honors in 2008. Baker was a member of the 2008 squad that finished the season 12-0 helping Ball State to a MAC West Division Championship, a national ranking of No. 23 and an appearance in the GMAC Bowl. He also earned Walter Camp Foundation National Defensive Player of the Week as a freshman.
Baker continued to succeed throughout his tenure as a Cardinal earning All-MAC Second Team accolades in 2010 and was voted to the 2011 All-MAC First Team squad. After his senior season in 2012 he competed in the Casino Del Sol College All-Star game.
Following his four years at Ball State, Baker signed as an NFL free agent with Tampa Bay, Cleveland, Atlanta and Indianapolis. Baker is currently a defensive/special teams assistant coach for the Houston Texans.
Dave Garrow, Swimming and Diving
A five-time MAC champion diver, earning three-straight titles on the 1m (1996, 1997, & 1998) and two on 3m (1996 & 1997), Garrow still remains one of the most decorated divers in the Cardinals record books.
The 1996 and 1997 MAC Diver of the Year, Garrow also earned All-MAC First Team honors in 1998.
Garrow's accolades went well beyond the diving well, as he was a three-time (1996, 1997, & 1998) Academic All-MAC recipient.
Jenny Gilbert, Softball
A two-time All-American left fielder as a student-athlete for Ball State from 2011-2014, Gilbert helped guide the Cardinals to three MAC Regular Season Championships (2012, 2013 & 2014) over her playing career.
Gilbert, the only All-American in program history, became just the fourth two-time All-America selection in MAC history when she was named a second team NFCA All-American in 2014 after earning third team status one year earlier. The only three-time MAC Player of the Year (2012, 2013 & 2014), Gilbert finished her career as one of only 11 players in NCAA Division I history to earn her respective conference player of the year award three times.
Gilbert finished her collegiate career as the league's record holder in runs batted in (246), runs scored (215), home runs (75), doubles (62) and slugging percentage (.810). Her 75 home runs ranked eighth in NCAA Division I history at the conclusion of her career, and she became the NCAA career home run leader among Canadian-born players with her 66th blast versus North Dakota State (March 22, 2014). In addition, she ended her playing career tied for ninth in NCAA Division I history with 246 RBI, while her .810 slugging percentage was 10th.
Following her Ball State playing days, Gilbert signed with the Akron Racers after being selected with the 10th overall pick in the 2014 National Pro Fastpitch Draft.
Linise Gordon (Cross Country/Track & Field)
A 2000 All-American in the outdoor 400m hurdles, Gordon was a part of five Ball State MAC championship teams (1998, 2000 & 2001 outdoor; 1998 & 2001 indoor).
Gordon earned All-America status for the 2000 outdoor season after finishing among the top eight America-born runners in the 400m hurdles at the NCAA Outdoor Championships. Her senior season, Gordon was selected as the Co-Most Valuable Performer at the 2001 MAC Outdoor Championships.
Gordon finished her career as the record holder in the 400m hurdles and the 4x400 relay.
Megan Hammons (Women's Volleyball)
A member of two teams which advanced to the NCAA Tournament (1999 & 2000), Hammons not only set the school record for career kills during her playing days for the Cardinals, but also finished her career as the MAC's all-time kills leader with 1,827.
Hammons was a highly decorated player, earning first team All-MAC (2000 & 2001), second team All-MAC (1999), MAC All-Freshman Team (1998) and MAC All-Tournament Team (1998 & 2001) honors.
A true team player, Hammons helped Ball State to the 1998 MAC regular season title and the 1999 regular season and tournament championships.
After Hammons' collegiate career, she played with the Grand Rapids Force of the United States Professional Volleyball League.
Keith Wenning (Football)
After a decade and at the time of his induction, this quarterback still holds Ball State career records for touchdown passes (91), passing yards (11,187), pass completions (1,012) and pass attempts (1,598). Wenning became the first quarterback in Ball State history to pass for 10,000 or more yards in a career.
A two-time All-Mid-American Conference second team selection, Wenning was a 2013 Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award Finalist and had a spot on the 2013 Maxwell Award Watch List and 2013 Davey O'Brien Award Watch List as a senior.
Wenning's name is etched into the record books as he still owns the top five single-game completion totals and the top three single-game pass attempt totals in Ball State history, along with the top three marks for completions in a season by a Ball State quarterback including a school record 301 in 2012.
Wenning guided Ball State to two bowl game appearances: the 2012 Beef O'Brady's Bowl and the 2013 GoDaddy Bowl.
The seven-member class features the 1999 Ball State baseball team, Sean Baker (football), Dave Garrow (swimming & diving), Jenny Gilbert (softball), Linise Gordon (cross country/track & field), Megan Hammons (women's volleyball) and Keith Wenning (football).
The group will be inducted Friday, Oct. 4, at Worthen Arena. The class will also be honored at the Oct. 5 football game against Western Michigan in Scheumann Stadium.
"We look forward to celebrating this year's talented hall of fame class," said Director of Athletics Jeff Mitchell. "I continue to be impressed by the standard of excellence within Ball State Athletics, and this year's class represents the very best of that proud tradition."
1999 Ball State Baseball Team
Ball State's 1999 baseball team still holds the program record for wins after finishing that season with a 42-18 ledger. The Cardinals owned a 25-6 Mid-American Conference mark which earned Ball State the 1999 conference title and the right to host the league's tournament.
This star-studded roster had the MAC player and freshman of the year in Larry Bigbie and current assistant coach Justin Wechsler, respectively, along with two All-America selections.
The Cardinals had 11 players from this squad picked in the Major League Baseball draft from 1999-2001, including five in 1999.
Sean Baker, Football
This defensive powerhouse set the tone early in his career earning MAC Freshman of the Year honors in 2008. Baker was a member of the 2008 squad that finished the season 12-0 helping Ball State to a MAC West Division Championship, a national ranking of No. 23 and an appearance in the GMAC Bowl. He also earned Walter Camp Foundation National Defensive Player of the Week as a freshman.
Baker continued to succeed throughout his tenure as a Cardinal earning All-MAC Second Team accolades in 2010 and was voted to the 2011 All-MAC First Team squad. After his senior season in 2012 he competed in the Casino Del Sol College All-Star game.
Following his four years at Ball State, Baker signed as an NFL free agent with Tampa Bay, Cleveland, Atlanta and Indianapolis. Baker is currently a defensive/special teams assistant coach for the Houston Texans.
Dave Garrow, Swimming and Diving
A five-time MAC champion diver, earning three-straight titles on the 1m (1996, 1997, & 1998) and two on 3m (1996 & 1997), Garrow still remains one of the most decorated divers in the Cardinals record books.
The 1996 and 1997 MAC Diver of the Year, Garrow also earned All-MAC First Team honors in 1998.
Garrow's accolades went well beyond the diving well, as he was a three-time (1996, 1997, & 1998) Academic All-MAC recipient.
Jenny Gilbert, Softball
A two-time All-American left fielder as a student-athlete for Ball State from 2011-2014, Gilbert helped guide the Cardinals to three MAC Regular Season Championships (2012, 2013 & 2014) over her playing career.
Gilbert, the only All-American in program history, became just the fourth two-time All-America selection in MAC history when she was named a second team NFCA All-American in 2014 after earning third team status one year earlier. The only three-time MAC Player of the Year (2012, 2013 & 2014), Gilbert finished her career as one of only 11 players in NCAA Division I history to earn her respective conference player of the year award three times.
Gilbert finished her collegiate career as the league's record holder in runs batted in (246), runs scored (215), home runs (75), doubles (62) and slugging percentage (.810). Her 75 home runs ranked eighth in NCAA Division I history at the conclusion of her career, and she became the NCAA career home run leader among Canadian-born players with her 66th blast versus North Dakota State (March 22, 2014). In addition, she ended her playing career tied for ninth in NCAA Division I history with 246 RBI, while her .810 slugging percentage was 10th.
Following her Ball State playing days, Gilbert signed with the Akron Racers after being selected with the 10th overall pick in the 2014 National Pro Fastpitch Draft.
Linise Gordon (Cross Country/Track & Field)
A 2000 All-American in the outdoor 400m hurdles, Gordon was a part of five Ball State MAC championship teams (1998, 2000 & 2001 outdoor; 1998 & 2001 indoor).
Gordon earned All-America status for the 2000 outdoor season after finishing among the top eight America-born runners in the 400m hurdles at the NCAA Outdoor Championships. Her senior season, Gordon was selected as the Co-Most Valuable Performer at the 2001 MAC Outdoor Championships.
Gordon finished her career as the record holder in the 400m hurdles and the 4x400 relay.
Megan Hammons (Women's Volleyball)
A member of two teams which advanced to the NCAA Tournament (1999 & 2000), Hammons not only set the school record for career kills during her playing days for the Cardinals, but also finished her career as the MAC's all-time kills leader with 1,827.
Hammons was a highly decorated player, earning first team All-MAC (2000 & 2001), second team All-MAC (1999), MAC All-Freshman Team (1998) and MAC All-Tournament Team (1998 & 2001) honors.
A true team player, Hammons helped Ball State to the 1998 MAC regular season title and the 1999 regular season and tournament championships.
After Hammons' collegiate career, she played with the Grand Rapids Force of the United States Professional Volleyball League.
Keith Wenning (Football)
After a decade and at the time of his induction, this quarterback still holds Ball State career records for touchdown passes (91), passing yards (11,187), pass completions (1,012) and pass attempts (1,598). Wenning became the first quarterback in Ball State history to pass for 10,000 or more yards in a career.
A two-time All-Mid-American Conference second team selection, Wenning was a 2013 Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award Finalist and had a spot on the 2013 Maxwell Award Watch List and 2013 Davey O'Brien Award Watch List as a senior.
Wenning's name is etched into the record books as he still owns the top five single-game completion totals and the top three single-game pass attempt totals in Ball State history, along with the top three marks for completions in a season by a Ball State quarterback including a school record 301 in 2012.
Wenning guided Ball State to two bowl game appearances: the 2012 Beef O'Brady's Bowl and the 2013 GoDaddy Bowl.
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