Zimmerman '92 Part of UAA Hall of Fame Class of 2026

Sixteen women and men etched their names into history as 2026 Richard A. Rasmussen UAA Hall of Fame honorees. This year’s class marks just the second full class in the Hall of Fame, which began on June 4, 2024, with then retiring UAA Executive Director Dick Rasmussen selected as the namesake and the lone inductee.

A committee formed with representatives from each institution and the Association office nominated and selected individuals to be included in the latest class. To be eligible as a student-athlete, a person must have earned their undergraduate degree from a UAA institution, competed for at least three years in the UAA, and graduated at least 10 years ago. Coaches and administrators become eligible once they have retired from a UAA institution.

The 2026 class includes 10 athletes representing men’s basketball, women’s cross country/track & field, softball, women’s swimming, men’s swimming, men’s tennis, men’s track & field, and volleyball.

Dillon Pottish of Emory University became the first men’s tennis player in the Hall of Fame, while Brian Zimmerman of Carnegie Mellon University was the first men’s swimmer chosen.

Four head coaches entered the Hall of Fame: Washington University in St. Louis men’s basketball coach Mark Edwards, Johns Hopkins University women’s and men’s swimming and diving coach George Kennedy, Emory volleyball coach Jenny McDowell, and University of Chicago wrestling coach Leo Kocher. Kennedy became the first representative from Johns Hopkins, which was part of the UAA from the beginning of the Association through the 1999-2000 academic year.

Two administrators made history with their selections. Rick Larsen of WashU, who passed away in 2020 after 39 years in the Bears’ athletic department, was selected as the first athletic trainer to be inducted. John Arenberg, who spent 14 years in charge of Emory’s athletic communications (1991-2005), became the first sports information director to be chosen for the Hall of Fame.

Emory led all institutions with six inductees. Joining Pottish, McDowell, and Arenberg were Liz Horvat (women’s swimming), Megan Light (softball), and Troy Thompson (men’s track & field).

WashU’s four selections gave them 12 Hall of Famers, equaling Emory’s total. In addition to Edwards and Larsen, Lucy Cheadle (women’s cross country/track & field) and Jennifer Martz (volleyball) were chosen for the 2026 class.

Zimmerman was a two-time NCAA Champion in men’s swimming, he earned 15 All-America honors during his four-year career from 1988 to 1992. Zimmerman was named the NCAA Men’s Swimmer of the Year in 1991, following his two victories in the 200-yard freestyle and 500-yard freestyle at the national meet. He was a three-time UAA Athlete of the Year, winning 14 races, including the 200- and 500-yard freestyles all four years. Zimmerman was the first Tartan to earn three All-America honors in the same season, a feat he accomplished all four years, including earning five All-America awards his senior campaign in 1992.

2026 Richard A. Rasmussen UAA Hall of Fame Inductees Alphabetical

John Arenberg - Emory Sports Information Director
Lucy Cheadle - WashU '15 Athlete – Women’s Cross Country/Track & Field
Rhaina Echols - UChicago ‘00 Athlete – Women’s Cross Country/Track & Field
Mark Edwards - WashU Coach – Men’s Basketball
Seth Hauben - Rochester ’05 Athlete/ – Men’s Basketball
Liz Horvat - Emory ’11 Athlete – Women’s Swimming
George Kennedy - Johns Hopkins Coach – Women’s & Men’s Swimming & Diving
Leo Kocher - UChicago Coach – Wrestling
Rick Larsen* - WashU Athletic Trainer
Megan Light - Emory ’14 Athlete – Softball
Jennifer Martz - WashU ’99 Athlete – Volleyball
Jenny McDowell - Emory Coach – Volleyball
Dillon Pottish - Emory ’12 Athlete – Men’s Tennis
Troy Thompson - Emory ’97 Athlete – Men’s Track & Field
Libbie Tobin - Rochester ’94 Athlete – Women’s Soccer/Women’s Basketball
Brian Zimmerman - Carnegie Mellon ’92 Athlete – Men’s Swimming

*Awarded Posthumously