St. Joseph Sports Commission announces 2026 St. Joseph Area Hall of Fame inductees
· Yahoo Sports
ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (News-Press NOW) — The St. Joseph Sports Commission announced Tuesday the members of the 2026 St. Joseph Area Sports Hall of Fame Class.
With at least one recipient and family members of those recognized in the audience, Brett Esely, executive director of the St. Joseph Sports Commission, announced the 10 individual members, the team inductee and the Special Olympics Area Athlete of the Year, presented by the Hook family.
Visit sportbet.reviews for more information.
“When I look at this class, I look at the men and women who have excellence in longevity,” he said. “Men and women who went through the progression of their career, no matter what their trade was, whether they were a player, whether they were a coach, in all cases these folks were mentors.”
The 2026 Hall of Fame Class includes:
*
Jesse Barbosa – Christian Brothers Boys Basketball
*
Jeff Brown – Central High School/Missouri Western Basketball
*
Tony Dudik – Central & Bishop LeBlond High School Coaching Mentor
*
Gary Hazelrigg – Athletic Training/Sports Medicine Pioneer
*
Lisa Hughes – Central High School and MWSU Women’s Basketball Record Holder
*
Jim Perry – Golf and Basketball Coaching Icon/Three Time State Championship Coach
*
Bob Roth – Hillyard Companies President & Chairman/Basketball History Development
*
Paul Schoenlaub – Running & Endurance Record Holder
*
Ron Selkirk – Tennis Player, Coach and Mentor
*
Jennifer Trotter – Missouri Western & MIAA Elite Softball Coach
*
1992, 1993, 1994 – Central High School Boys State Golf Champions (Three-Peat)
*
Patty Sutton – Special Olympics Area Athlete of the Year presented by the Hook Family
Esely spoke about each of the inductees during a press conference on Tuesday at the St. Joseph Convention and Visitors Bureau. Biographies of the inductees are available below.
“It seems like we just announced our first,” he said. “Like I always say, time flies when you’re having fun.”
This year, the commission received 46 individual nominations and 10 team nominations. Each year a maximum of 10 individuals and one team — This year’s team inductee is a bit unique in that it is three consecutive year teams. — and one Special Olympics athlete are selected.
The induction ceremony in memory of Frank O’Malley, founding father of the St. Joseph Sports Commission, will be held on Sunday, Aug. 23 at the Stoney Creek Hotel & Conference Center.
“He was its first chairman, put together its first marketing plans and was very instrumental in getting the entity off the ground in 1997,” Esely said.
Family members of the late Ron Selkirk were in the audience for the announcement. His wife, Marilyn, said she has always been very proud of her husband’s work ethic.
“When I wrote Ron’s obituary, I said he dedicated six decades to the sport he loved, and he did that,” she said. “Tennis was his life. And he especially loved teaching.”
She always believed that he could have played at a level after college, but that he chose family, “which I am very appreciative of.”
Inductee Jesse Barbosa was in the audience during the announcement and afterward told the News-Press that he is honored to be selected for the Hall of Fame.
“It’s just tremendous,” he said. “I’m deeply honored. It’s just hard to put into words.”
Playing basketball all his life, Barbosa said he’s excited to to be recognized.
In 2020, the St. Joseph Area Sports of Hall was created to recognize the individuals, families, teams, entities or significant feats/accomplishments that have made a significant impact on sports history in Buchanan County. The inaugural induction class was enshrined in September 2021.
To be eligible for selection, the individual or team must have been born in Buchanan County, must have made their sports career/accomplished their feat in Buchanan County or must be contributing to sports in Buchanan County at the present time.
In addition, the Fifth Annual Coach Bill Snyder Woman of Impact Award will be presented by Coach Snyder. The award recognizes a female athlete, coach, administrator or other outstanding feat accomplished in Buchanan County over the past year.
The award is named in Coach Snyder’s honor as a tribute to not only the impact that his mother made on his life and upbringing in our community but the impact of women in all levels of sport in celebration of Title IX. This year’s recipient will be announced later this summer.
Social hour presented by Ellison-Auxier Architects begins at 4 p.m. with the enshrinement and presentation of awards beginning at 5 p.m. A limited amount of tickets for the event will go on sale in late June for $25 per person and may be purchased at stjomosports.com. Contact Esely to inquire about sponsorship of the event, congratulatory program ads and other engagement opportunities, at [email protected] or call 816-233-6688.
Biographies written by St. Joseph Sports Commission
Jesse Barbosa – Christian Brothers Boys Basketball
One of the best high school basketball players to ever hit the basketball hardwood in St. Joseph history, Jesse Barbosa holds a record that will never be broken as his 1,722 points scored over his four-year career at Christian Brothers High School were the most ever scored by a city player prior to the three-point shot being implemented. Barbosa starred on the varsity team at CB all four years of his career playing for St. Joseph Area Sports Hall of Fame Class of 2025 member Don Tabor. In the days of the city league and the Christian Brothers Invitational Basketball Tournament at City Auditorium, Barbosa recorded many memorable nights including a 42 point performance against Central High School. For his efforts, Barbosa was a four-time All-City selection, three-time All-District and All-State selection and was an Honorable Mention All-American in 1963.
Jeff Brown – Central High School/Missouri Western Basketball
Jeff Brown has had as storied of a career in local basketball as anyone that has ever taken the court in St. Joseph. Brown, who also starred in football at Central High School, was a force at center at his 6-8, 215 pound frame for the Indians and earned All-City and All-District Basketball honors. Brown kept his talents local in signing to play for St. Joseph Area Sports Hall of Fame
Class of 2022 inductee Gary Filbert at Missouri Western State University. Brown helped lead the Griffons to 74 wins in his four year career including helping them to new heights, as he starred on a team that won the Griffons’ first ever NAIA District 16 Championship and appearance in the NAIA National Tournament. Individually, Brown averaged nearly a double/double for his career. He is third on the all-time scoring list with 1,946 points scored, third in rebounding with 1,063 and is still the all-time career leader in field goals made with 845. He was a three-time NAIA All-American including being named First Team in his senior season. Brown was drafted in the 5th Round of the 1976 NBA Draft by the Philadelphia 76ers (#81 overall).
Tony Dudik – Central & Bishop LeBlond High School Coaching Mentor
An icon and mentor in the high school football and wrestling coaching profession for 45 years, Tony Dudik has taught and coached more then 20,000 student-athletes the game of sport and life. Dudik began his career in 1977 at Central High School in which he quickly became the head wrestling coach, a title he held for 21 years and after a nine year stint as an assistant football coach, he was promoted to Head Coach in 1987 and continued to lead the Indians on the gridiron for 23 years. Following his tenure at 26th & Edmond, Coach Dudik led the Bishop LeBlond Football program as the Head Coach for another nine seasons. In all, Dudik accumulated 133 career football victories, seven state playoff appearances including leading Central to it’s last district championship in 1995 coaching 44 All-State players while more then 100 of his players went on to play college football. Dudik’s impressive run coaching on the wrestling mat included winning the city championship 17 times, leading his team to two top 10 state finishes while leading 53 wrestlers to the state meet in which 22 finished as medalist. Dudik is a 2011 inductee into the Missouri Football Coaches Hall of Fame, a 2019 inductee into the Central High School Hall of Fame and 2023 inductee in the Greater Kansas City Football Coaches Association Hall of Fame.
Gary Hazelrigg – Athletic Trainer/Sports Medicine Pioneer & Trailblazer
A 1959 graduate of Lafayette High School, Gary Hazelrigg is a pioneer & trailblazer in the field of athletic training and sports medicine. Hazelrigg was the first athletic trainer in the history of Missouri Western State University upon opening in 1969 hired by Class of 2021 St. Joseph Area Sports Hall of Fame inductee Charlie Burri. Hazelrigg spent 13 years caring for Griffon student-athletes before taking a position with Columbia, Missouri Orthopedic Group as the Director of the Sports Medicine Center in which he developed and coordinated their clinic. In serving as a local, regional and state wide leader in the field, Gary took his talents to the national level as he served as the National Director of Sports Medicine for Healthsouth Corp. headquartered in Birmingham, Alabama followed by a decade as President/Owner of Sports Medicine Resources Inc. In 2009, Hazelrigg returned to St. Joseph in consulting with then Heartland Health now Mosaic Life Care on the creation of their Sports Medicine Program. He served athletes and provided care on the highest of stages including the Boston Marathon, Olympic competition for USA Basketball and the NAIA Baseball, Basketball and Volleyball National Tournaments for 30 years. His work has been recognized at the highest level by several organizations including being inducted into the NAIA, Missouri Western State University, Missouri Athletic Trainers Association and Missouri Sports Halls of Fame, awarded the National Athletic Trainers Association Most Distinguished Athletic Trainers Award and was the first athletic trainer to be induced into the Dr. James Andrews Sports Medicine Society.
Lisa Hughes – Central High School and Missouri Western Basketball Record Holder
Whenever Lisa Hughes was on the basketball court, elite stat lines followed. Hughes portrayed the model student-athlete path as a four year, three-sport athlete in graduating from Central High School in 1986 and then taking her talents to Missouri Western State University where her dominance continued for another four seasons. While at Central, Hughes was a 3-time All-City, 2-time All-District and All-State selection in scoring more then 1,000 point as a Lady Indian. Hughes still holds the Central record for most rebounds in a game with 21 and career rebounds with 855. In trading the Blue & White for Black & Gold, Hughes is one of the most talented offensive players to ever play at Missouri Western. Her career records are numerous and include: rebounds with 1,002, field goals made - 691, field goals attempted – 1,498 and free throws attempted - 570. She previously held records for career points with 1,750 and free throws made with 367 in which she is now second in those categories. Hughes played for the Griffons during a critical time in their transition from NAIA to NCAA Division II. In her final season at the NAIA level, she was a first team All-CSIC selection and followed that up being named a First Team All-MIAA Selection in leading the Griffons to a 19-10 record and a 10-6 conference mark in their first year as a NCAA member.
Jim Perry – Central High School & Missouri Western Coaching
For 49 years, Jim Perry set a standard for excellence. Perry, a graduate of Lafayette High School began his coaching career at Central High School in 1964. Coach Perry was a leader for all seasons holding coaching roles in football, basketball and golf, but it was on the links where he established a model of success and consistency for nearly five decades. In coaching both boys and girls golf at CHS, Perry led his teams to 16, top four state finishes which is an impressive feat in itself, but extremely rare for a public school in a sport predominately dominated by private institutions. In a streak that will never again be matched, his Indian boys golf teams won 15 consecutive district championships from 1983-1997 in which during this time, his 1992, 1993, & 1994 teams won the state title (in which these teams will be our Class of 2026 St. Joseph Area Sports Hall of Fame Team Inductees), one of only 12 schools in Missouri history at all class levels to ever accomplish a three-peat. Perry is tied with two other coaches including Class of 2023 St. Joseph Area Sports Hall of Fame Member Pop Springer for most state championships won by any coach in any sport in city history with three and is tied for fourth all-time in Missouri State High School history for most golf titles won in a career. Perry left Central in 2001 and continued his men’s golf coaching career at Missouri Western State University for another 12 seasons leading the Griffons to eight NCAA Regional Appearances and assisted along with Class of 2025 St. Joseph Area Sports Hall of Fame member Mike Habermehl in the recruitment of the most decorated men’s golfer in school history in Class of 2024 St. Joseph Area Sports Hall of Fame member Brice Garnett, currently a member of the PGA Tour.
Bob Roth – Hillyard Companies President & Chairman/Basketball History Development
Born, raised and made his legacy in St. Joseph, Missouri, Bob Roth a graduate of Central High School and Missouri Western State University, has been a leader in our community for many years and has given much to the game of basketball. While serving in his role as President and Chairman of the Board at the Hillyard Companies, he served as the first President of the Missouri Basketball Hall of Fame in 1986 which later became the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame a decade later. In branding the company as the worldwide leader in gym floor finishes, Hillyard is aligned with basketball game play, tournaments, history and professional development at the highest levels including having a major presence with the National Association of Basketball
Coaches during the NCAA Men’s Final Four and partner of the Naismith National Basketball Hall of Fame. Roth has been recognized with numerous major accolades including the Carrie Franke Award from the Missouri Basketball Coaches Association in 1997, a National Association of Basketball Coaches Guardian of the Game in 2003, is a 2004 inductee into the Missouri Western Athletics Hall of Fame and a 2015 inductee into the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame. Bob has also been instrumental in the rebirth of the St. Joseph Sports Commission serving as the Vice Chairman of the Board from 2022-2024. The sports commission would not be where it is today without his efforts.
Paul Schoenlaub – Running & Endurance Record Holder
The Gold Standard for running, events of all distances including ultra-marathons and endurance over the course of a lifetime, Paul Schoenlaub is a living example of a model of fitness. Born in St. Joseph, Schoenlaub’s lifetime running resume is highly impressive. He currently ranks 25th of all runners in the United States and 117th in the world for lifetime mileage raced in ultramarathons which now exceeds 15,000 miles over 230 events. In one of the majors on the ultra circuit, the Leadville Trail 100, he is the 52nd person to earn the 1,000 Belt Buckle in the 40+ years of the race, currently holds the seventh most finishes and has won first place for his age division. In all, 32% of his total ultramarathon finishes have been on the podium including 27 first place medals. Other impressive accolades include: being the only person in the history of the Three Days of Syllamo three day stage race in Arkansas to complete every race in its history start to finish and only won of two men to have won the stage race twice. In arguably the most historical and prestigious ultramarathon in the world, the Spartathlon, Schoenlaub is the 64th American in history to complete the race and second oldest finisher. He holds two Kansas state road running records in a 24 hour period running 103 miles in the 50-59 age division in 2016 and a 110 miles in the 60-64 age division in 2024. Paul is also one of 56 people all-time to be in the prestigious Miami Famous Club for running all 24 Miami Marathons.
Ron Selkirk – Legendary Tennis Player, Coach & Mentor
A legendary player, coach & mentor for more then 60 years, Ron Selkirk was the heartbeat of tennis in St. Joseph, the surrounding area and many other endeavors he was involved in. Originally hailing from Alton, Illinois, Selkirk, enjoyed a storied four year collegiate tennis career at Truman State University and played on some of the most successful teams in school history. He was the first Bulldog player to capture the MIAA #1 singles flight three times and was instrumental in the Bulldog team coming within one point of winning an NCAA Title. For his accolades, he was inducted into the Truman State Athletics Hall of Fame in 1991. Selkirk first came to St. Joseph in 1969 where he spent five seasons as the Head Tennis Coach at Central High School leading the Indians to a 64-4 record and Class 4 State Championship in 1974 which was then the only team tennis state championship in city history until led by his son and Class of 2025 St. Joseph Area Sports Hall of Fame inductee Adam Selkirk, the Indians again accomplished the feat in 1993. Following a stint in coaching and instructing in South Dakota, Selkirk returned to St. Joseph as Manager and Pro of the St. Joseph Tennis & Swim Club, a role he held for 30+ years where he mentored hundreds of thousands of players from beginner level all the way to many high level players including his sons and Class of 2023 St. Joseph Area Sports Hall of Fame Member Kathleen Winegardner. Selkirk also devoted his time to Missouri Western State University as Griffon Head Tennis Coach for seven seasons and served as an Assistant Coach for Benton High School for another seven seasons.
Jennifer Trotter – Missouri Western and MIAA Elite Softball Coach
When Jennifer Trotter arrived at Missouri Western in 2002, she was embarking on her first collegiate softball head coaching job and inherited a program with a proud history, but had never reached the NCAA Tournament among other program benchmarks that rarely or never had been accomplished. Fast forward two plus decades, it’s safe to say Trotter changed and set the expectations extremely high and she is the best to ever do it not only as Griffon but in MIAA history as well. Trotter recorded 676 career victories at the helm which includes 13 seasons of 30 victories or more and six seasons of 40 victories or more in which her 2005 team set a program record with 48 wins. Her teams won four MIAA Championships (two regular season and two postseason titles) and qualified for the NCAA Tournament 11 times. Good teams include good players in which Trotter recruited and coached 111 All-MIAA players which includes five All-Americans, three MIAA Freshman of the Year, one MIAA Player of the Year and one MIAA Pitcher of the Year. Trotter is the all-time winningest coach in Missouri Western history and left as the all-time wins leader in MIAA history, a record that stood until this past season. For all of her accolades, she was inducted into the Missouri Western Athletics Hall of Fame in 2021. Currently, Trotter is the Head Softball Coach at The University of St. Thomas in St. Paul, Minnesota where she has led the Tommies in their transition to NCAA Division I Athletics. The Tommies have recorded 67 wins over the last two seasons including winning the Summit League Regular Season Title in 2025.
1992, 1993, 1994 – Central High School Boys State Golf Champions (Three-Peat)
Competitive golf in St. Joseph has a 100+ year history of elite level play in both team and individual competition. For many years, the boys golf teams at Central High School have set the highest standard of excellence not only in Northwest Missouri, but the entire state. In winning the 1992, 1993 & 1994 Class 4 State Championship at AL Gustin Golf Course in Colubmia, the Indian golf teams became one of only 12 other teams in state history to three peat of which only five teams were from public schools. The 1992 Indians knocked off Jefferson City by three shots to take home the team title. In each year following, the Indians became champions by the narrowest of margins defeating Rockhurst and West Plains by one shot in 1993 and Poplar Bluff by one shot in 1994. Competing at state in 1992 were team members seniors Chris Riley, Chris Weddle and Andy Leak along with juniors Kyle Sinclair and Chris McCan, other team members included Jamie McDonald and Mark Backes. In 1993 Kyle Sinclair and McCan were joined senior Pat Brock, junior Rob Verbeck and sophomore Craig Sinclair. Competing at state on the 1994 Three Peat team joining Verbeck and Sinclair, were senior Baker Haasis, junior David Haasis and freshman Adam McClure. Other team members included Travis Alders, Eric Bradley, Brett Esely, Matt Heitman, Kyle Martin and Randy Roth.
Patty Sutton - Special Olympics Area Athlete Of The Year presented by the Hook Family
A household name in Special Olympics competition for more then 20 years, Patty Sutton is a multi-sport athlete participating in Bowling, Basketball, Softball and Track & Field in which she competes at a high level. Whereas she enjoys all sports equally, she prefers bowling is her first love. In 89 career competitions, she has earned several medals whether it be a Gold, Silver or Bronze and at all times has shown true sportsmanship. Patty is an excellent example of determination, being a team player and commitment. Her basketball team was selected to represent Team Missouri at the National Games held in Orlando in 2022 finishing as Bronze Medalist competing against some very stiff competition. Not only is Patty a high level Special Olympics athlete, she is very active outside of competition in serving as a Polar Plunge Ambassador which includes participating in the plunge, recruiting plungers to be on her team, raising money and promoting the event. She also assists her teammates in many other fundraising opportunities.