Wheeling, W. Va. – Three weeks ago, the Wheeling Athletics Department welcomed in the 2024 Wheeling Athletics Hall of Fame Class, the first since 2018. It was the largest class in the department's history, bringing the hall to over 100 members. On Friday, the department is starting preparations for the next class, with the announcement that nominations are now open for the 2025 Class of the Wheeling Athletics Hall of Fame.

Nominations are open now through January 1st, and nominations are accepted in the category of players, coaches, special contributors, and teams. The Mission of the Wheeling University Athletics Hall of Fame is to honor outstanding achievements and contributions by individuals, coaches, teams, and special contributors to the program and to promote athletic leadership and personal excellence at Wheeling University. The current Wheeling Athletics Hall of Fame is located in the Alma Grace McDonough Center on campus and has 100 players and one team inducted as members. These former Cardinals represent the best of the best in Wheeling Athletics history with a mix of on-field performance and fully displaying the Wheeling University Mission of Life , Leadership and Service with and among others.

"The Wheeling Athletics Hall of Fame is the departments way of giving back to those who have given so much of their time, talent, and passion to Wheeling University," said Sports Information Director Zack Zeigler. "There are so many different members of the Cardinal family over the years that have helped shape us into who we are today, and it is important that we honor their legacy for all they have given us."

The four categories that people can nominate for are players, coaches, special contributors, and teams. Each category has its own set of criteria, listed below:

Athletes
1. A Wheeling University athlete becomes eligible ten (10) years after their athletic eligibility has been exhausted. The graduation requirement will be waived for athletes who exhausted their eligibility prior to the 2009 induction class.
2. Exceptional athletic performance in one or more Wheeling University athletic programs over at least two (2) seasons.
3. The candidate must have displayed good moral character and citizenship during undergraduate years and post graduation years.

Coaches
1. Teams and athletes coached must have achieved exceptional success.
2. The candidate must be of outstanding character that exemplifies the athletics program and Wheeling University.
3. Active Wheeling University Coaches are NOT eligible for nomination, except in special circumstances.

Special Contributors
1. The nominee has made outstanding contributions to athletics at Wheeling University.
2. The contributions must be of significant importance and over a period of years.
3. The nominee has been, or is, an example of solid character and citizenship

Teams
1. The nominated team must have made significant contributions to the program's history
2. The nominee must have players in good athletic standing and citizenship during their years
3. Teams must have noteworthy accomplishments both from the team and individual players

All nominated athletes, coaches, special contributors, and teams will earn equal consideration and be voted on by the Wheeling Athletics Hall of Fame committee, consisting of nine members. The committee will meet three times throughout January and February, narrowing down the field of nominees to no more than 10 deserving individuals based on the criteria above. In order to be inducted into the Wheeling Athletic Hall of Fame, an honoree must receive at least six out of nine votes from the committee. Any tiebreakers will be determined through the Athletic Director, Assistant Athletic Director, and Sports Information Director. Anyone nominated who is not selected, will be carried over to the next year's nominee list.

Nominations for the 2025 Wheeling Athletics Hall of Fame Class are open now and you can nominate by clicking HERE.