2025 Iowa Athletics Hall of Fame Class Announced

IOWA CITY, Iowa — The Iowa Letterwinners Club and the University of Iowa Athletics Department announced its 2025 Hall of Fame Class on Thursday.

The 36th Hall of Fame class includes Justin Austin (men’s track and field), Lisa Birocci Banse (softball), Bob Bowlsby (administration), Elena Callas King (women’s golf), Lisa Cellucci (field hockey), Brandon Scherff (football), Brad Smith (men’s wrestling) and Tom Williams (men’s swimming and diving).

The eight-person class will be inducted into the Iowa Athletics Hall of Fame on Friday, Aug. 29 – the evening prior to the Iowa football team’s season opener against Albany.

The induction ceremony, which is open to the public, will be held in the Feller Club Room at Carver-Hawkeye Arena with doors opening at 5:30 p.m. (CT) and the ceremony will follow at 6:30 p.m. Cost for the evening is $25 and includes heavy appetizers and a cash bar will be available. Reserve your spot TODAY!

All Iowa athletes who have earned at least one varsity letter at Iowa are eligible for the Iowa Athletics Hall of Fame. Athletes must have completed their eligibility 10 years and coaches/administrators five years prior to their induction.

2025 Iowa Athletics Hall of Fame Inductees

Justin Austin (Men’s Track and Field)
Five-time All-American, earning the distinction in 2011 (indoor, 200-meters; outdoor, 200-meters), 2012 (outdoor, 200-meters) and 2013 (outdoor, 200-meters; outdoor, 400-meter relay)… two-time Big Ten Track Athlete of the Year in 2011 and 2013… two-time Big Ten Athlete of the Outdoor Championships (2011, 2013)… only Hawkeye to be Big Ten Track Athlete of the Year and Big Ten Athlete of the Championship twice… five-time Big Ten champion –  2011 (indoor 200-meters; outdoor 200-meters), 2013 (outdoor 100-meter; outdoor 200-meters; outdoor 400-meter relay)… two-time first-team All-Big Ten selection (2011, 2013)… Big Ten Athlete of the Week (April 10, 2013)… graduated with five school records – indoor (60-meters, 200-meters); outdoor (100-meters, 200-meters, 4x100-relay).

Lisa Birocci Banse (Softball)
Two-time National Fastpitch Coaches Association All-American, earning third-team honors in 2003 and 2005… three-time NFCA first-team all-region selection (2003, 2004, 2005)… 2003 Big Ten Pitcher of the Year after winning 29 games with 15 shutouts… two-time All-Big Ten selection, earning first-team honors in 2003 and second-team honors in 2004… two-time Big Ten All-Tournament team selection, earning MVP honors in 2003… named to the NCAA Regional All-Tournament team in 2005… team Most Valuable Player in 2005… four-time Big Ten Pitcher of the Week selection… won 90 career games, posting a 1.20 ERA over 175 appearances with 946 strikeouts in 842 innings with 40 shutouts and 81 complete games… also hit 17 career home runs… still ranks in the top-seven all-time in appearances, innings, complete games, ERA, wins and strikeouts… tossed two career no-hitters (April 20, 2003 vs. Indiana; March 4, 2005 vs. Georgia Southern)… led team to four NCAA Regional appearances… won the Big Ten regular season and tournament title in 2003… team placed in top three of Big Ten standings all four seasons… two-time Academic All-Big Ten (2004-05)… played professional softball in Italy, Guatemala and Taiwan… was a member of the Italian National Team (2005-2006, 2009, 2019-21)… played in the 2019 Olympic Qualifer in addition to winning three European Championships (2005, 2019, 2021) for Team Italy… also served as the pitching coach for Team Italy (2017-18) at the World Championships in Tokyo, Japan, and was pitching coach for Team Spain (2022-23)

Bob Bowlsby (Administration)
Became the University of Iowa’s 10th men’s athletics director in June, 1991, serving in the position from 1991-2006… named the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA) Central Regional Athletic Director of the Year and Sports Business Journal National Athletics Director of the Year in 2001-02… appointed to the 15-member United States Commission on Opportunities in Athletics by President George W. Bush in 2002-03… served as President of the Division I-A Athletic Directors’ Association from 2002-03 and had a five-year term on the NCAA Division I Basketball Tournament Committee from 2001-05… was the chair of the NCAA Tournament and Selection Committee for the 2004 Final Four in San Antonio and 2005 Final Four in St. Louis… directed the merger of the Iowa men’s and women’s athletics programs into a single unit in 2000, supervising 24 sports… hired Kirk Ferentz to replace Hayden Fry as Iowa’s head football coach and Tom Brands as the Hawkeye wrestling coach… oversaw the planning, construction and renovation of more than $100 million in campus projects, including the $87 million project at Kinnick Stadium… served as the director of athletics at Northern Iowa (1983-91) and Stanford (2006-2012) and was the Big 12 Conference Commissioner from 2012-2022… native of Waterloo, Iowa… earned his master’s degree from the University of Iowa in 1978.

Elena Callas King (Women’s Golf)
Was the Association for Intercollegiate Athletics for Women (AIAW) state tournament champion in 1978… set the AIAW state tournament record in 1978… three-time AIAW National Championship individual qualifier (1979, 1980, 1981)… four-time AIAW Region 6 All-Tournament team selection (1978-81)… 1981 AIAW All-Region team honoree… three-time Big Ten Championship qualifier (1978-80)… named to the Big Ten All-Tournament team in 1979 and 1980… team Most Valuable Player in 1979.

Lisa Cellucci (Field Hockey)
Three-time National Field Hockey Coaches Association (NFHCA) All-American selection (1995,1996,1998)… three-time NFHCA West Region All-American (1995, 1996, 1998)… four-time All-Big Ten honoree, earning first-team honors in 1995 and 1996 and second-team distinction in 1997 and 1998… Iowa’s all-time leader in program saves with 592… led the team to two Big Ten regular season titles with an undefeated conference record of 10-0 in both seasons… one Big Ten Tournament championship… three NCAA Elite Eight appearances and an NCAA Final Four… member of the United States National Team (1999-2001)… member of the USA Under-23 National Team (1997-1998)… member of the USA Under 18-National Team (1993-1994)… competed at the U.S. Olympic Festival in 1993, 1994 and 1995.

Brandon Scherff (Football)
Recipient of the Outland Trophy in 2014, an honor presented by the Football Writers Association of America to the nation’s best interior lineman in college football, both offensive and defensive… was Iowa’s fourth Outland recipient all-time… unanimous consensus first-team All-American in 2014, earning first-team honors by AFCA, FWAA, Associated Press, Walter Camp Foundation, SI.com, Phil Steele, Sporting News, USA Today, CBSSportsline.com, Scout.com and College Sports Madness… 2014 Big Ten Rimington-Pace Offensive Lineman of the Year… semifinalist for the 2014 Rotary Lombardi Award… second-team All-America by FWAA, Phil Steele and College Sports Madness and third-team All-America by Athlon Sports and Lindy’s as a junior… two-time first-team All-Big Ten selection… named to Big Ten All-Freshman team in 2011… started all 26 games as a junior and senior… two-time Roy J. Carver Most Valuable Player, Offense… member of Leadership Group for four consecutive seasons… permanent team captain as a senior… drafted by the Washington Redskins in the first round (No. 5 overall) in the 2015 NFL Draft, where he was an NFL All-Pro selection in 2020 and a five-time Pro Bowl selection (2016, 2017,2019-21).

Brad Smith (Men’s Wrestling)
Won the 142-pound title at the 1976 NCAA Championships, helping Iowa to the 1976 team title… was a member of the first two NCAA team titles in school history (1975, 1976)… three-time Big Ten placewinner… was a member of the first recruiting class for Gary Kurdelmeier at Iowa… wrestled under Kurdelmeier, Dan Gable and J Robinson… had a decorated high school coaching career, becoming the winningest coach in Iowa high school wrestling history… has the most dual meet wins, most traditional state titles, most individual state champions and the most four-time state champions in state history… two-time National Wrestling Coach of the Year… two-time Iowa Coach of the Year… recipient of the Bob Siddens Iowa High School Coaching Excellence Award… member of the Iowa Wrestling Hall of Fame, Illinois Wrestling Hall of Fame, Glen Brand Wrestling Hall of Fame and Lisbon Hall of Fame.

Tom Williams (Men’s Swimming and Diving)
Five-time All-American -- 1984 (50 free), 1985 (50 free, 400-free relay); 1986 (50 free, 400-free Relay)… nine-time Big Ten champion -- 1983 (400-free relay, 400-medley relay); 1984 (50 free, 400- medley relay); 1985 (50 free, 400-medley relay), 1986 (50 free, 100 free, 400-free relay)… three-time first-team All-Big Ten selection (1984, 1985, 1986)… recipient of the Jim Marshall Award in 1986… member of Team USA, winning a gold medal with a record time at the 1987 Pan American Games… 1987 World University Games gold medalist in the 50 free… 1988 gold medalist at the U.S. Open… member of two Team USA World record-setting 200-freestyle relays… competed in the 1988 Olympic Trials.