LEXINGTON, Ky. (LEX 18) — The University of Kentucky Athletics Hall of Fame Class of 2025 was announced Wednesday evening on BBN Tonight, with six former Wildcats set to join the prestigious group.
Abbey Cheek-Ramsey (softball), Makayla Epps (women’s basketball), Doug Flynn (baseball/men’s basketball), Sonia Hahn (women’s tennis), Josh Hines-Allen (football), and Karl-Anthony Towns (men’s basketball) will be officially inducted during Hall of Fame Weekend on September 12-13.
The UK Athletics Hall of Fame was started in 2005 to recognize and honor persons whose participation and achievements enriched and strengthened the University’s athletics program. A committee consisting of Hall of Famers, media members, campus representatives and current coaches and administrators elects new inductees each year.
Abbey Cheek-Ramsey, Softball, 2016-19
2019 National Fastpitch Coaches’ Association National Player of the Year … 2019 NFCA First Team Unanimous All-American … 2019 SEC Player of the Year, the first UK softball player to win that honor … Second in the NCAA in on-base percentage and No. 1 in slugging percentage in 2019 … Currently sits second in UK history in RBI (202), runs scored (189), home runs (61), slugging percentage (.678) and third in total bases (454) … 2019 SEC First Team All-SEC, All-SEC Tournament and All-Defensive Team … Three years NFCA All-Region … Academic All-America … Led UK to three NCAA Regional Championships and four NCAA Tournament appearances … Selected in the National Pro Fastpitch Draft by Chicago … Currently serves as assistant director of athletics and softball coach at a prep school … Also coaches volleyball at a middle school.
Makayla Epps, Women’s Basketball, 2014-17
First-team All-America by College Sports Madness (2016) ... Three-time All-America honorable mention by the Associated Press ... Three-year first-team All-SEC … Currently sixth in UK history with 1,790 points ... Currently sixth in UK history in career games played (133), sixth in field-goals made (668), eighth in assists (408), eighth in free throws made (353) and 10th in scoring average (13.5) ... Recorded the second triple-double in UK history ... Single-game high of 42 points ranked as the 10th-highest scoring performance in NCAA history at the time and tied the Memorial Coliseum record ... Helped lead UK to a four-year record of 97-38 and advance to four straight NCAA Tournaments ... Played one year in the WNBA.
Doug Flynn, Baseball, 1970; Men’s Basketball, 1970; longtime broadcaster
Played baseball and basketball at UK before going on to an 11-year career in major league baseball … Reached the majors with the Cincinnati Reds in 1975 and was a member of the 1975-76 “Big Red Machine” that won back-to-back World Series and is one of the most dominant teams of all time … Also played for the New York Mets, Montreal, Texas and Detroit … Won the Gold Glove fielding award for second basemen in 1980 … Set a major-league record by hitting three triples in one game … Now a member of four halls of fame, including the (State of) Kentucky Sports Hall of Fame … For numerous years, has served as analyst for radio and television broadcasts of Kentucky baseball and the Cincinnati Reds … Served with numerous non-profit/charitable organizations and has helped raise millions of dollars for them.
Sonia Hahn, Women’s Tennis, 1986-89
Named a two-time singles All-American and a two-time doubles All-American … Won the 1987 ITA National Indoor Singles championship … Won the SEC No. 1 singles title in 1987 … Four years All-SEC and advanced to the NCAA Singles Championship all four years … Compiled a career singles/doubles record of 148-45, usually playing at the No. 1 position … Team had a four-year record of 79-29, including a pair of runner-up finishes at the SEC Championships and three NCAA Tournament appearances … Won the doubles gold medal at the 1987 Pan American Games … 1987 World University Games bronze medalist … Co-Head Coach at Tennessee for 19 seasons, named National Co-Coach of the Year in 2002 … Currently serves as the deputy director of athletics at California State University at Northridge.
Josh Hines-Allen, Football, 2015-18
National Defensive Player of the Year as winner of the Bednarik Award, Nagurski Award and Lott Trophy as a senior … Unanimous First-Team All-America and SEC Defensive Player of the Year … Totaled 88 tackles that season, with 21.5 tackles for loss, including 17 QB sacks, while helping lead UK to a 10-win season and victory over Penn State in the Citrus Bowl … Set UK career record for sacks with 31.5 … Tied UK career record for fumbles caused with 11 … Second in UK history in TFL with 41 … Second-team All-SEC as a junior …
No. 7 overall pick in the 2019 NFL Draft by Jacksonville and earned a spot on the NFL All-Rookie Team … Has played six seasons with the Jaguars and twice has been named to the Pro Bowl … Set Jacksonville records for most sacks in a season and most sacks by in a season by a rookie.
Karl-Anthony Towns, Men’s Basketball, 2015
Helped guide UK to a 38-1 season, a Final Four appearance and a No. 1 national ranking … Second-leading scorer and leading rebounder and shot-blocker on the first team in NCAA history to start a season 38-0 and tied the NCAA Division I record for the most wins … Consensus Second-Team All-American … SEC Freshman of the Year … NCAA Regional Most Outstanding Player … All-SEC First Team … Helped UK to the SEC regular season and tournament titles … First overall pick in the 2015 NBA Draft … In his 10th season in the NBA … Currently with the New York Knicks after a nine-year stint with Minnesota … Twice named to the All-NBA Team … Five-time NBA All-Star … 2016 Rookie of the Year … Career average of 23.1 points per game and has started every game in which he has played … In his first season with New York, he led the Knicks to the Eastern Conference finals, the team’s best playoff run in 26 years.
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