Hall of Fame Week Brings Class of 2026 Back to Campus

SALT LAKE CITY – The University of Utah Athletics Department will officially enshrine its 2026 Hall of Fame class this weekend, a class that includes four of its all-time greatest student-athletes, one highly-decorated head coach and one legendary team.

Zane Beadles (Football), Daria Bijak (Gymnastics), Katrin Smigun (Women's Skiing), Delon Wright (Men's Basketball), Jerry Pimm (Men's Basketball Coach) and the 1991 softball team will join an elite group of Utah Utes in the Hall of Fame.

The official enshrinement ceremony takes place during a banquet Friday evening in the West Tower of Rice-Eccles Stadium. A day later the Hall of Fame class will be recognized and introduced to fans in a special halftime ceremony during the Utes' football game against Utah State at Rice-Eccles Stadium.

The 2-0 Utes are coming off a 43-10 win over SEC foe Arkansas, and another sellout crowd is expected for what will also be Utah's annual "Ute Proud" game. A limited number of tickets remain for the game and can be purchased here.

The 2026 Utah Athletics Hall of Fame class earned a combined 23 All-America awards, one team NCAA championship, two individual NCAA championships, 12 NCAA Tournament/Championships appearances—including one Women's College World Series and five men's basketball Sweet Sixteens—six team conference championships, one Super Bowl championship and competed in three Olympics. The 1991 softball team is the 10th team to be inducted into the Utah Athletics Hall of Fame.

"One of the greatest honors we have is to celebrate those individuals and teams who have played such a significant role in writing the story of athletics at the University of Utah," Mark Harlan, Director of Athletics, said upon announcing the class in July. "They are the best of the best, and their accomplishments will forever be remembered as they join the elite student-athletes, coaches, teams and contributors who have come before them. We are excited to celebrate this special Class of 2026 in September."

Capsules on the Utah Athletics Hall of Fame Class of 2026:

Zane Beadles (Football, 2006-09)

1^st Team All-American by FWAA, College Football News and Phil Steele as a senior in 2009
Also earned second-team All-America honors from Walter Camp and SI.com, and third-team All-America by Sporting News
Starting left tackle and first-team All-Mountain choice for undefeated Mountain West champion 2008 team that won the Sugar Bowl and finished No. 2 in the AP poll.
Second-team All-Mountain West as a sophomore in 2007.
Second-round draft choice by the Denver Broncos in 2010
Played nine years in the NFL with Denver (2010-13), Jacksonville (2014-15), San Francisco (2016-17) and Atlanta (2018), playing in 137 games and starting 120.
Started every game for six consecutive seasons, from 2011-16.
Earned Pro Bowl honors in 2012 and was a starter on Denver's 2015 Super Bowl-winning team

Daria Bijak (Gymnastics, 2007-10)

8-time All-American
Competed for Germany in the 2008 Beijing Summer Olympics
Two-time German national champion (2005, '06) who competed for Germany in the 2002, '03, '05 and '06 World Artistic Gymnastics Championships
First-team CoSIDA Academic All-American in 2010
Two-time NACGC Scholastic All-American (2007, '08)
Red Rocks made the Super Six all four years of her career, including national runner-up finishes in 2007 and '08.
Winner of the 2008 Dahl Award, presented annually to the Red Rocks' top scholar-athlete.

Jerry Pimm (Men's Basketball, Head Coach, 1974-83)

Head coach of the Runnin' Utes from 1974-1983 after serving as an assistant coach for 13 seasons under Jack Gardner and Bill Foster
Won 66.8% of overall games as head coach (173-86), including 68.8% of conference games
Won 3 Western Athletic Conference championships and had winning seasons in eight of his nine years as head coach
Coached five NCAA tournament teams, including four Sweet Sixteens
Coached and developed Runnin' Utes legends Tom Chambers, Danny Vranes, Jeff Judkins and Pace Mannion, among others
Joined Jack Gardner's staff in 1961 and was an assistant coach on the 1965-66 NCAA Final Four and WAC champion team, ultimately spending more than 22 years with the program
Was a high school All-American and national scoring leader in 1956 along with Oscar Robertson, Jerry West and Jerry Lucas

Katrin Smigun (Women's Skiing, 2003)

2003 Ski Magazine Ski Racer of the Year
Two-time Olympian for her home country of Estonia
Competed in 1998 Nagano Winter Olympics and 2002 Salt Lake City Winter Olympics
Two-time All-American
Won both the Classical and Freestyle races at the 2003 NCAA Championships in leading Utah to NCAA team title
Only dual winner at 2003 NCAA Championships
Went undefeated during 2003 season, winning 12 consecutive races, including both the RMISA Conference/NCAA West Region freestyle and classic championship races.
Earned the Utah women's skiing program's Toril Forland Outstanding Skier award.

Delon Wright (Men's Basketball, 2013-15)

2015 Bob Cousy Award Winner (nation's top point guard)
2015 Consensus second-team All-American
Two-time first-team All-Pac-12 selection (2014 & '15); first Runnin' Ute to earn either first- or second-team All-Pac-12
Two-time Pac-12 All-Defensive Team choice (2014 & '15)
NABC All-District Team (2014 & '15)
USBWA All-District Team (2014 & '15)
Led the Utes to the 2015 Sweet Sixteen
In just two years scored 1,022 points, grabbed 397 rebounds, dished 352 assists and collected 155 steals and 77 blocks
Drafted 20th overall in the first round of the 2015 NBA Draft by the Toronto Raptors
10-year NBA career included 2024 NBA Cup championship with the Milwaukee Bucks

1991 Softball Team

Western Athletic Conference champions – Regular season and tournament
Coached by Utah Hall of Fame coach Jo Evans (Class of 2017)
Featured WAC Player of the Year and two-time All-American Charmelle Green, and WAC Freshman of the Year Deb DiMeglio
Earned a bid to the 1991 Women's College World Series, the second NCAA WCWS and fourth overall WCWS appearance in school history (includes two AIAW).
Won the NCAA Regional in College Station, Texas, defeating Minnesota twice, and avenging a 1-0 loss to Texas A&M by shutting out the Aggies 3-0 in the Regional Championships game on their home field.
Won the WAC tournament championship after defeating Creighton 4-3 in the second game of an NCAA-record 56-inning double header (31-inning first game, 25-inning second game)

For a full list of Utah Athletics Hall of Fame members, click here.

Upcoming Events

Results

Completed Event: General versus Arizona on January 18, 2002

Completed Event: General versus Utah St on November 30, 2001 , Win , 3, to, 1

Completed Event: General versus San Diego St on November 17, 2001 , Win , 166, to, 120

Completed Event: General versus UNLV on November 10, 2001 , Loss , 114, to, 117

Completed Event: General versus UNLV on November 10, 2001 , Loss , 89, to, 189.5

Completed Event: General at Oregon St on October 26, 2001 , Loss , 89, to, 116

Completed Event: General versus Utah St on October 23, 2001 , Win , 3, to, 1

Completed Event: General versus UNLV on November 10, 2000 , Loss , 82, to, 120