LEXINGTON, Ky. (BBN Tonight) — It's that time of the year when we celebrate the best of the best to walk through the University of Kentucky Athletics Department! The 2026 UK Athletics Hall of Fame Induction ceremony will honor: Paul Calhoun, Football (1981-84); Tim Duckworth, Men's Track & Field (2015-18); Leah Edmond, Volleyball (2016-2019); Patty Jo Hedges-Ward, Women's Basketball (1980-83); Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, Men's Basketball (2012); Asia Seidt, Women's Swiming & Diving (2017-20).
Paul Calhoun, Football, 1981-84
UK ATHLETICS
- Named to the All-Time Kentucky Team, selected in 1990 for the 100th season of UK football, by the Lexington Herald-Leader and Louisville Courier-Journal
- Excelled as a defensive back and punter
- All-America second team as a junior and All-America third team as a senior
- All-SEC first team his last two seasons, as a punter in 1983 and a defensive back in 1984
- Helped lead UK to two trips to the Hall of Fame Bowl
- Departed UK as the program leader for single-season and career punting average
- Set single-game record of 47.2-yard average (min. eight punts) and longest punt in school history (80 yards)
- Had nine career interceptions, plus a key pickoff in the 1984 Hall of Fame Bowl win.
Tim Duckworth, Men’s Track and Field, 2015-2018
Chet White/Chet White
- Two-time NCAA Champion, 2018 indoor heptathlon and 2018 outdoor decathlon
- Only the second man in history to win the NCAA heptathlon and decathlon in the same year
- NCAA silver medalist in the heptathlon
- Three-time First Team All-America, twice heptathlon, once decathlon
- 2018 National Indoor Field Athlete of the Year by the United States Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association
- 2018 SEC Field Athlete of the Year, indoor and outdoor
- Set NCAA decathlon long jump record
- 2018 USTFCCCA Southeast Region Field Athlete of the Year
- Still holds the UK records for heptathlon and decathlon
- British record in the heptathlon (6,188)
- Currently an assistant coach at Alabama.
Leah Edmond, Volleyball, 2016-2019
Hannah Phillips
- Four-year All-American as selected by the American Volleyball Coaches Association
- Named to the AVCA All-Region team four years
- Two-time SEC Player of the Year
- Four-time All-SEC
- 2016 SEC Freshman of the Year
- Aggressive attacker and finisher, she is the school record holder for kills (1,978) in the rally-scoring era
- During her four years, the team posted a record of 103-24, three SEC championships, and a highest finish of Elite Eight in the NCAA Tournament
- Currently plays in the Major League Volleyball for the Atlanta Vibe.
- Earned the Most Valuable Player in the league’s inaugural season in 2024
- Only player named to the All-MLV team in the three years of the league’s existence
Patty Jo Hedges-Ward, Women’s Basketball, 1980-83
UK ATHLETICS
- Known as Patty Jo Hedges during her playing days, she is the UK all-time assist leader
- A member of the (state of) Kentucky Sports Hall of Fame and the KHSAA Hall of Fame
- First-Team All-SEC as a senior and was a gold medalist for the United States at the 1983 Pan American Games
- Helped lead UK to 1982 SEC Tournament championship and named to the All-Tournament Team
- Led UK in assists and steals all four seasons
- Holds UK career record for assists (731, also fifth in SEC history) and single-game record (16)
- Second in single-season assists (209)
- A capable scorer who tallied 1,176 career points
- Sixth in UK history in steals (272)
- Helped lead team to four-year record of 85-33 and four tournament appearances, including NCAA Elite Eight in 1982
- Currently, the Kentucky Association of Basketball Coaches presents the “Patty Jo Hedges Ultimate Teammate Award” each year in her honor to the girl who exemplifies her selfless style of play.
Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, Men’s Basketball, 2012
UK ATHLETICS
- Key member of the 2012 national championship team
- Consensus All-America Second Team selection
- Tabbed to the All-NCAA Final Four Team
- Named the South Regional Most Outstanding Player after averaging 21.5 points and 7.5 rebounds to get to the Final Four
- Averaged 11.9 points and 7.4 rebounds for the season, in addition to being a defensive stopper
- All-SEC First Team pick
- Selected No. 2 overall (behind Anthony Davis) in the 2012 NBA Draft
- NBA All-Rookie Second Team in 2013
- Played eight years in the NBA
- A national advocate for people dealing with stuttering, he endorsed a bill passed by the 2024 Kentucky legislature that expanded insurance for speech therapy.
Asia Seidt, Women’s Swimming & Diving, 2017-20
Noah J. Richter
- 2020 NCAA Woman of the Year – covering all female athletes in all sports in all three NCAA divisions – for her remarkable combination of athletic and academic achievements
- Qualified for the NCAA Championships all four years at UK and totaled 21 All-America honors, including eight first-team honors
- 2020 Olympic Trials qualifier
- Swam for the U.S. for two years at the World University Games
- 15-time SEC medalist, including four gold medals, five silver, and six bronze
- Still holds UK records in five events
- 2019 Arthur Ashe Female Sports Scholar of the Year
- Two years on the official Academic All-America team
- SEC H. Boyd McWhorter Scholar-Athlete of the Year for all sports.
LEX 18
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