(Editor’s note: Klas Stolpe is a voting board member of the Alaska Sports Hall of Fame)
Sports fans across the state have through the remainder of this month to select the people and moments they feel have shaped the 49th state athletically for induction into the Alaska Sports Hall of Fame.
According to a press release from the ASHOF they are actively seeking public input.
The ASHOF selects worthy candidates each year based on one ballot of the cumulative public vote, a vote from each of the nine ASHOF selection panel members and a cumulative vote from the living inductees.
The ASHOF, established in 2006, is asking the public to help them select the Class of 2025.
The public can cast their votes by visiting the ASHOF website: https://alaskasportshall.org.
The public can click on the “Vote Now” banner on top of the site. You will be greeted with “Thanks for voting!” Read to the bottom and submit your email and a ballot will be sent to you with a list of possible inductees and possible moments that can be voted on. No events are being voted on this year.
Allie Ostander is shown on the Historic Hayward Field stadium screen at the University of Oregon while competing during the 2016 USA Olympic Trials. (Klas Stolpe / Juneau Empire file photo)
You will be asked to rank five people and three moments.
If you don’t see the athlete or moment of your dreams and inspirations you have the option to write-in one candidate in each category.
The selection panel will meet to review the public results and cast their own ballots on Dec. 8.
The inductees will be announced shortly after.
Also on the ASHOF website the public can view The Inductees already in the hall or Submit A Recommendation for consideration. When submitting a recommendation the public can also click View List Of Recommendations Received to see current persons, moments and events received or inducted.
Last year the 2024 class inducted in the 16th Annual ceremony at the Anchorage Museum were Bobby Hill, Allie Ostrander and Dallas Seavey in the People category and Scott Gomez being named 2000 NHL Rookie of the Year in the Moment category.
Director’s Awards went to Emily Robinson, PJ Foy, Alissa Pili, Gus Schumacher, Doug Keil, Tyson Gilbert, and the Petersburg HS Boys Basketball Team.
Hill: The first Special Olympics inductee and is a Special Olympic world champion powerlifter with 10 medals. He was diagnosed at birth with Down Syndrome and has collected over 200 medals in statewide games of powerlifting, floor hockey, golf and bocce. He is a longtime manager for the Bartlett HS football team and a charter member of the Alaska Aces hockey team’s Hall of Fame.
Ostrander: A Kenai running trailblazer that set high school and college records, 13 times NCAA All-American, 2017 Mt. Marathon champ (and six-time junior champ), ran in the Olympic trials and is now a professional ultrarunner.
Seavey: A record-setting, six-time Iditarod champion. Became races youngest musher in 2005 at age 18 and fastest in 2021 in seven days, 14 hours, 57 seconds.
Gomez: Inducted for the third time, previously as an individual and for the moment he brought the Stanley Cup back to Anchorage. He led all rookies in 2000 NHL scoring with 19 goals, 51 assists (70 points in 82 games) and had 10 points during the playoffs.
Robinson: Pride of Alaska girls winner — a teenage musher from Nenana won her first mid-distance race by topping a Knik 200 field that included two recent Iditarod champions. She then won her third straight Junior Iditarod crown, becoming the first musher since 1984 to three-peat.
Other finalists: Emma Beck, Kenai, volleyball; Mai Mateaki, Dimond, soccer/flag football. Other nominees: Ourea Busk, Unalakleet, track/cross country; Nadia Chernich, Delta/Fairbanks, softball/baseball; Hallie Clark, Colony, basketball; Layla Hays, Wasilla, basketball; Caylin Jones, Chugiak, hockey; Clare Mullin, Sitka, track/cross country; Olivia Soderstrom, Service, skiing. Past winners: 2023 Sayvia Sellers; 2022 Lydia Jacoby; 2021 Lydia Jacoby; 2020 Hailey Williams; 2019 Kendall Kramer; 2018 Alissa Pili.
Foy: Pride of Alaska boys’ winner — swam to five gold medals at the Western Zone regional meet and capped his high school career at Thunder Mountain High School in Juneau by breaking his own records in two events at the state championships. Is the 13th Alaskan in history to qualify for the U.S. Olympic Trials and currently swims for the University of North Carolina.
Other finalists: Colton Paul, Kipnuk, Native sports; Uatahouse Tu’ifua, Utqiagvik, football/wrestling. Other nominees: Murphy Kimball, West Anchorage, skiing; Liam Lierman, Eagle River, baseball; Coby Marvin, Palmer, mountain running; Fischer Adams, Palmer, cross country; Aaron Concepcion, South Anchorage, wrestling/football; Johnny Figgins, Colony, soccer/football; Muhammad Subally, East Anchorage, basketball; Mac Swanson, Anchorage, hockey; AJ Szewczyk, Eagle River, track. Past winners: 2023 Finnigan Donley; 2022 Obed Vargas; 2021 Tristian Merchant; 2020 Hayden Lieb, Aeyden Concepcion (co-winners); 2019 Jersey Truesdell; 2018 Gus Schumacher.
Pili: Pride of Alaska women’s winner — was named to four All-America teams and set a single-season school scoring record with 727 points while leading Utah to a 23-11 record and the second round of the NCAA Tournament. Her season included a trip home for the Great Alaska Shootout, where she drew adoring crowds and she is currently playing professionally for the Minnesota Lynx.
Other finalists: Lydia Jacoby, Seward, swimming; Christy Marvin, Palmer, mountain running. Other nominees: Rosie Brennan, Anchorage, cross-country skiing; Jordyn Bruce, Eagle River, heptathlon; Ava Earl, Girdwood, track/cross country; Meg Inokuma, Palmer, mountain running; Kendall Kramer, Fairbanks, cross country/skiing; Mikayla Lantto, Wasilla, hockey; Allie Ostrander, Soldotna, cross country/track. Past winners: 2023 Alissa Pili; 2022 Clair DeGeorge; 2021 Rosie Brennan; 2020 Ruthy Hebard; 2019 Caroline Kurgat; 2018 Kikkan Randall; Roxie Wright (co-winners); 2017 Morgan Hooe; 2016 UAA basketball team; Allie Ostrander (co-winners); 2015 Allie Ostrander; 2014 Kikkan Randall; 2013 Nunaka Valley softball team; 2012 UAA basketball team.
Schumacher: Pride of Alaska men’s winner — age 23, became the first American man to win a World Cup distance race since 1983. His season also included a victory in the American Birkebeiner, two top-10 finishes in the Tour de Ski and the No. 15 ranking in the overall World Cup standings.
Other finalists: Dallas Seavey, mushing; Jeremy Swayman, hockey. Other nominees: Andrew Kurka, Palmer para skiing; Isaiah Moses, Anchorage basketball; Brandon Pili, Anchorage football; Santiago Prosser, Anchorage track/cross country; Edefuan Ulofoshio, Anchorage football; Isaac Updike, Ketchikan track; Spencer Woods, Shungnak wrestling. Past winners: 2023 Jeremy Swayman; 2022 Scott Patterson; 2021 Dallas Seavey; 2020 Gus Schumacher; 2019 Keegan Messing; 2018 Andrew Kurka; 2017 David Norris; 2016 Dallas Seavey; Soldotna football team (co-winners); 2015 Erik Flora; 2014 Trevor Dunbar; Eric Strabel (co-winners); 2013 Mario Chalmers; 2012 Alaska Aces.
Keil: Joe Floyd Award — Alaska’s first Paralympian (1980), introduced the world of adaptive sports to thousands of Alaskans with disabilities. He founded Challenge Alaska more than 40 years ago, and though the early emphasis was on skiing, the nonprofit organization now provides access to dozens of sports and outdoors activities. It also teams up with the Anchorage School District to bring wheelchair sports to schools.
Other finalists: John Lindquist, Kodiak swim coach; Dick Shellhorn, Cordova official/broadcaster. Other nominees: Roman Dial, Anchorage, wilderness adventurer, educator; Rafael Echavarria, Anchorage track coach; Christa Hayes, Mat-Su PE teacher; Michelle Lackey Maynor, Alaska Raceway Park owner; Anne Thomas, Mat-Su store owner and event organizer. Past winners: 2023 Kathleen Navarre; 2022 Beth Bragg; 2021 Richard Knowles; 2020 Cristy Hickel; 2019 Brush Christiansen; 2018 Jim Mahaffey; 2017 Ma’o Tosi; 2016 Dennis Sorenson; 2015 Mike Friess; 2014 Dick Mize; 2013 Don Dennis; 2012 Steve Nerland and Don Winchester.
Gilbert: Trajan Langdon Award adult winner – had open-heart surgery cost him one season and a torn Achilles tendon cost him another, but battled back to lead the UAA men’s basketball team in scoring for two straight seasons. Last season he averaged 15.3 points a game to earn first-team all-conference honors and lead the Seawolves to the NCAA Tournament for the first time in 12 years.
Other nominees: Matt Failor, Willow, mushing; Oliver and Wilson Hoogendorn, Nome, adventurers. Past winners: 2023 Vanessa Aniteye; 2022 Hannah Halverson; 2021 Billy Strickland; 2020 Israel Hale; 2019 Andy Beardsely and Larsen Klingel; 2018 DaJonee Hale; 2017 Damen Bell-Holter; 2016 Laci Effenberger; 2015 Aliy Zirkle; 2014 Marko Cheseto; 2013 Paul Tandy; 2012 Chugiak High football team.
Vikings: Trajan Langdon Award youth winners – The Petersburg boys basketball team had a Cinderella run through the postseason to win the Class 2A state championship, a fitting reward for a team that embraced the concept of teamwork, made contributions to its community and showed compassion for a sick classmate.
Other finalists: Fairbanks high school ski teams; Manusiu Muti, Utqiagvik wrestler. Past winners: 2023 Geremu Daggett and Colton Merriner; 2022 Jeremy Lane; 2021 West Anchorage Legion baseball team; 2020 Houston High football team; 2019 South High boys basketball team; 2018 Brenner Furlong.
• Contact Klas Stolpe at klas.stolpe@juneauempire.com.
