2018 Colorado athletics Hall of Fame class announced

Former Colorado Buffaloes quarterback Kordell Stewart and tight end Daniel Graham lead the Colorado athletics Hall of Fame class of 2018 with eleven legends being announced on Monday. The 14th class in school history is set to be enshrined in November and represents five different sports spanning across eight decades.

Here’s the entire class for this year (alphabetical order).

Pete Brock, Football (1972-75)

A first-team All-American (Sporting News) second-team (United Press International) in 1974; a first-team member on CU’s All-Century team in 1989. Brock was a first-round draft pick by New England in the 1976 National Football League Draft; he was the 12th overall pick; it was the highest-ever a Colorado offensive lineman was selected in the draft at the time, and would remain for 21 years until Chris Naeole was selected 10th by New Orleans (though younger brother Stan was also drafted 12th)

Hatfield Chilson, Football/Basketball/Baseball (1923-26)

An early “superstar” athlete at Colorado, Chilson earned 11 combined letters in three sports from 1923-26: football, basketball and baseball. He was inducted into the Colorado Sports Hall of Fame in 1985, into the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference Hall of Fame in 2018 and was named to CU’s All-Century Football Team in 1989. He graduated from CU’s School of Law in 1927, practiced law in Greeley and Loveland, became a district attorney and went on to serve as undersecretary of the Department of the Interior in the 1950s. On Feb. 19, 1960, President Dwight D. Eisenhower nominated him as the U.S. District Judge for the state of Colorado; the senate confirmed him less than two weeks later and he served in the position for 26 years.

Charlie Gardner, Basketball (1963-66)

A three-time letterman under the legendary CU basketball coach Sox Walseth, Gardner was a two-time first-team all-Big Eight Conference performer at center. The 20.2 average was the second-highest in program history at the time and it still ranks as the 10th-best.

Daniel Graham, Football (1998-2001)

The sixth unanimous All-America in Colorado history. Graham was afforded first-team honors by the six organizations recognized by the NCAA as a senior in 2001. A first round pick in the 2002 NFL Draft by New England (21st overall), he won two Super Bowl rings with the New England Patriots in 2003 and 2004. Also played with Denver, Tennessee and New Orleans in his 11-year pro career (148 games; 224 receptions, 2,490 yards and 25 touchdowns).

Jay Howell, Baseball (1974-76)

Howell earned first-team All-Big Eight as a sophomore and junior, when he also garnered honorable mention All-America honors. He also pitched in four postseason games with a save, which he recorded for the Dodgers in game four against Oakland in the 1988 World Series (the Dodgers won in five games,

Ron Scott, Football/Administration (1965-67, 1982-2001, 2010-18)

Scott first arrived in Boulder as a member of Eddie Crowder’s first freshman football class in 1963; he was recruited by another longtime CU coach, Dan Stavely, during his years of eligibility. He was named the department’s director of development and Buff Club director on November 1, 1982, building a staff and managed the annual fundraising effort for CU athletics. In 1988, he was promoted to an assistant athletic director and coordinated the fundraising project to design and build the Dal Ward Athletic Center, a $14 million, 100 percent privately funded campaign. Following the completion of the project in August 1991, he added the role of Vice President/Major Gifts and worked with a team of development officers, focused on major gifts for the university’s four-campus system.

Steve Sidwell, Football & Assistant Coach (1963-73)

Garnered first-team All-Big Eight honors at linebacker as a senior in 1965, the same year he earned CoSIDA Academic All-America and Academic All-Big Eight honors (just the second player in school history at the time to earn the Academic & Athletic double-double). Eddie Crowder named him CU’s linebackers coach in 1968 after he spent two years in a graduate assistant role doing the same, and he would be at Crowder’s side until his retirement in 1973. Sidwell went on to work as the defensive coordinator at UNLV (1974-75) and SMU (1976-81) before going into the pro ranks, first as an assistant with New England (1982-84) and then Indianapolis (1985). He was the defensive coordinator for four National Football League teams, most notably for a nine-year stint with New Orleans (1986-94); in his tenure with the Saints, they led the league twice in fewest points allowed (1991-92), in rushing defense (1989) and in passing defense (1992-93). He was also the D-coordinator with the Houston & Tennessee Oilers (1995-96), New England (1997-99) and Seattle (2000-02). He was inducted into the New Orleans Saints Hall-of-Fame in 2004

Kordell Stewart, Football (1991-94)

A second-team Associated Press All-American, tying the highest honor ever afforded a Colorado quarterback from the wire service (along with Darian Hagan in 1989). The Big Eight Conference’s all-time total offense leader with 7,770 yards. Finished as CU’s career leader in both total offense and passing yards (6,481); still second and fourth, respectively through 2017. Stewart’s 27-5-1 record as a starter (83.3 winning percentage) is the best in history for any CU quarterback. First player in CU history to have three 2,000-yard passing seasons. His 1,289 career rushing yards were the second most by a quarterback in school history. Had 19 200-yard passing games and seven 300-yard total offense games in his career. Played eight seasons with the Steelers (1995-2002) before moving on to Chicago in 2003 and Baltimore in 2004-05. He returned to CU in 2016 to finish up his college degree, as he wanted to set an example for his son.

Donna Waller [Queen], Track (1984-87)

The first prolific sprinter in CU women’s track history, she set the standards in the CU record book that others who followed took aim at and only recently surpassed. A two-time All-American between indoor and outdoor track (1984-87), when just the top six earned the honor (top eight do now).

Chuck Williams, Basketball (1965-68)

A three-year letterman at guard under Coach Sox Walseth for the 1965-66, 1966-67 and 1967-68 seasons. Stood 6-foot-2 and weighed 185 pounds, one of the bigger guards in the nation for his day. A two-time ABA All-Star. Represented the Nuggets’ decade in the ABA, along with Spencer Haywood and Ralph Simpson, at the team’s 50th anniversary celebration in 2018 (also attended an Indiana Pacers 50th anniversary celebration that had over 100 ABA players from all different teams).

Lucie Zikova, Skiing (2005-08)

CU’s Female Athlete of the Year as a sophomore for 2005-06, when her seven wins on the season tied for the most by any alpine skier in CU history (the most by a female). She also earned CU’s Female Career Athletic Achievement Award following the completion of her career for the 2007-08 year. A three-time national champion, as she won the NCAA Slalom in 2006 and both the Giant Slalom and Slalom in 2008 as a senior. A seven-time, first-team All-American (four slalom, three GS). Helped the Buffaloes to the 2006 NCAA Championship, the school’s first since 1998.