By Nick Jenkinson-SCINN Sports Director <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Since 2011 the Monroe County Sports Hall of Fame Banquet has been a summer staple on the calendar in Bloomington and Monroe County and this evening 12 more will be inducted into the prestigious Hall of Fame at the Monroe Convention Center in Downtown Bloomington. The 12-member class includes 6 Athletes, 2 Coaches, 2 Contributors and 2 Pioneers that predate 1950. The meet and greet which is open to the public will start the evening from 5-6 followed by a reception dinner and the ceremony. 8 of 12 Inductees will be in attendance with other four who are no longer living being represented by their families.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It will be a Special Night for the family of Twin Brothers Henry and James Moore who are being inducted together as Pioneers. The Moore\u2019s became the first set of Twin Brothers to both win an Individual State Title in 1943 for Bloomington High School and helped the Panthers win a State Title and went onto Indiana University and won AAU Titles in 1947 and 1948. Henry Moore passed away on November 25, 2025, at 100 years old and James Moore passed away on October 12, 2020, at age 94. Lori Jones will accept on behalf of Henry Moore and Kathy Moore will accept on behalf of James Moore.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
John MacLeod, who started his coaching career at Smithville High School in 1963, is one of two coaches being inducted. MacLeod who was born in New Albany and Graduated from Providence HS in Clarksville took the Skibos to the 1965 Sectional Championship Game falling to Bloomington High School and then went on to Indianapolis Cathedral from 1965-67. MacLeod Coached at the University of Oklahoma and Returned to Indiana to Coach the Notre Fighting Irish. MacLeod coached in the NBA with the Phoenix Suns, Dallas Mavericks and New York Knicks ending an 18-year career with a record of 707-657 and 11 Playoff Appearances and took the Suns to the 1976 NBA Finals losing to Boston Celtics. John MacLeod passed away on April 14, 2019, at age 81. His Son Matt who played for him at Notre Dame will accept on his behalf via video.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Criss Beyers is the second coach being inducted. Beyers graduated from Bloomington North in 1976 and spent 38 years as Basketball Coach, including 26 years under 2012 Monroe County Sports Hall of Fame Inductee J.R. Holmes at Bloomington South. Beyers helped the Panthers to 14 Sectionals, 11 Regionals, 5 Final Fours and 2 Class 4A State Championships in 2009 and 2011. Beyers was a head coach at Martinsville, Warren Central and Franklin Central and led Warren Central to the 2018 Class 4A Boys Basketball State Championship with a 32-0 record.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Dr. Andy Hipskind is one of two contributors being inducted. Dr. Hipskind graduated from Bloomington North in 1991 as a three-sport athlete in Football, Basketball and Track. Dr. Hipskind was a four-year letter winner in Track and Field at Indiana University and got his undergraduate and graduate degrees in Sports Medicine. Dr. Hipskind joined the IU Football Staff in 2003 as a team physician and was the director of sports medicine. Dr. Andy Hipskind passed away on September 18, 2021, at age 48 and his wife Angie and Son Drew will be in attendance to accept on his behalf. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Rex Kirts is the second contributor being inducted and worked in Bloomington for 40 years as the longest tenured sportswriter from 1966 to 2008 and retired on New Years Day 2009. Kirts is a Lafayette Native and graduated from Indiana University in 1964 and started his career at the Crawfordsville Journal Review before coming back to Bloomington two years later. Kirts was known for putting together the Bloomington Hearld Times Annual All-State Top 33 High School Football Team that was published on Thanksgiving Day for 30 years. The Top 33 included a Big State, Small State and Academic All State Teams and was a must read for High School Coaches and College Recruiters.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Six Athletes will be inducted starting with 1994 Indiana Mr. Football Bo Barzilauskas of Bloomington South who helped the Panthers win the 1993 Class 5A State Championship with a 14-0 record. Barzliauskas is the only lineman to ever win the Mr. Football Award in its 32-year history. Bo played at Indiana University and then transferred to Valdosta State. Barzilauskas is the only player from Bloomington to ever make a National High School Football All-Star Game playing in the 1994 All-American Bowl in Allentown, Pennsylvania and played the entire game.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Ashley Benson was a Star Volleyball Player at Bloomington North graduating in 2007 and became a Star at Indiana University playing in 132 matches and becoming the Hoosiers first All-American when she made 3rd<\/sup> team her Junior Season and 1st<\/sup> team her Senior Season. Benson helped the Hoosiers made the NCAA Tournament Sweet 16 for the first time 2010-11 and was the Indiana University Athlete of the Year in 2010-11. Benson was inducted into the Indiana University Athletics Hall of Fame in 2022 joining her Father Kent Benson who played for Bob Knight on the 1976 Undefeated IU Men\u2019s Basketball National Championship Team and the Number 1 overall pick of the Milwaukee Bucks in 1976.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Dee Davis played on Two Boys Basketball State Championship Teams at Bloomington South as helped cut down the nets twice in 2009 and 2011. Davis scored 1,582 points, which is fourth all time in Monroe County Boys Basketball History. Davis was named an Indiana All-Star in 2011 and played four seasons at Xavier University in Cincinnati, Ohio taking the Musketeers to three NCAA Tournament Appearances and two Sweet 16. Davis is still playing overseas and when he is stateside, he serves as a trainer for aspiring athletes. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Dr. Nyagon Duany-Amankwa is a 1996 Graduate of Bloomington North and played Volleyball, Basketball and State Runner Up in Track Field in the High Jump. She went on to play Basketball at Bradley University in Peoria, Illinois playing 101 games and scoring 517 points in her four-year career for the Braves. Duany earned her medical degree from Indiana University in 2005 followed by a Sports Medicine Fellowship at the University of Cincinnati which led orthopedic position with the Cincinnati Bengals. She serves as orthopedic surgeon for Norton Orthopedic Institute in Louisville Kentucky specializing in sports-related injuries and arthroscopic surgery. Duany joins her bothers Duany \u201cDoc\u201d Duany and Kueth who were inducted into the Monroe County Sports Hall of Fame in 2021.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Marty Hustell graduated from Bloomington High School in 1971 where he was a two-time State Champion wrestler for his father Kay. He was Runner up his Sophomore Seasons as the Panthers won the State Championship that year. Hustell was an All-American with a record of 73-2 and went onto Indiana University and finished with a four-year record of 68-34-3. He coached wrestling for 42 years and won Six State Titles in the State of Georgia winning one in four classes in the Peach State. Hustell coached 38 individual champions and was named Georgia Coach of the Year 6 Times before returning to his hometown to finish out his career at Bloomington North.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Eli Stoddard was quarterback on the 1993 Class 5A State Champion Bloomington South Football Team and won the IHSAA Phil Eskew Mental Attitude Award Following the Game. Stoddard lost four games in three years as the teams starting quarterback. He finished his career as the all-time leader in passing yards, completions, touchdowns and attempts all records that were later broken by 2012 Monroe County Sports Hall of Fame Inductee Rex Grossman. Stoddard was named MVP of the 1994 Indiana North-South All Star Game and played at Butler University where he was starting quarterback for two seasons and won the team\u2019s offensive MVP Award in 1997.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 In Early June the Monroe County Sports Hall of Fame held its annual Bob Hammel Memorial Scholar Athlete Award Ceremony in which one female and one male athlete from Bloomington South, Bloomington North and Edgewood were honored with a $1,000 Scholarship. The Award is named after 2015 Monroe County Sports Hall of Fame Inductee and Founding Board Member Bob Hammel who passed away a year ago right before last year\u2019s banquet. Hammel said when the scholarships were established that they are “The intersection of the best of athletics with the best of academics”.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Ellie Barada and Connor Couch Represent Bloomington South. Barada is a two-time state champion in the 800 meters anchored the 4X800 Meter Relay Team to a State Championship and Couch helped the Panthers to Class 4A State Baseball Finals for first time in 54 years. Hayden McGuire and Caleb Winders Represent Bloomington North. McGuire made the State Track and Field Finals this year with Relay Team and Competed in both Track and Cross-Country all four Years. Winders won 11 State Gold Medals in Track and Field and Led the Cougars to its first State Title in Track and Field and a State Title in Cross Country in 2024. Elliana Vagedes and Carter Hayden Represent Edgewood. Vagedes is the most successful swimmer in Edgewood History qualifying for the State Finals and competing in Cross-Country and Track and Field. Hayden played in the Indiana North-South All Star Football game and played Basketball and Baseball for the Mustangs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The Monroe County Sports Hall of Fame will have 171 Inductees after tonight’s ceremony. The Hall of Fame has awarded $84,000 dollars in Scholarships to 99 athletes from the three Monroe County public high schools and all the plaques hang in Fountain Square Mall in Downtown Bloomington.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" By Nick Jenkinson-SCINN Sports Director Since 2011 the Monroe County Sports Hall of Fame Banquet has been a summer staple on the calendar in Bloomington and Monroe County and this evening 12 more will be inducted into the prestigious Hall of Fame at the Monroe Convention Center in Downtown Bloomington. The 12-member class includes 6 …<\/p>\n